Rev. Msgr. James Bartylla, Vicar General, announces the following appointments made by Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison, effective Saturday, July 9, 2011 and announced at weekend Masses of Saturday and Sunday, May 28-29, 2011:
Category: Bishop
What is Eucharistic living?
Dear Friends,
Already it’s been about a month and a half since our celebration of Holy Week and Easter. Since that time, many have asked me to write here a bit of what I mentioned with regard to “Eucharistic living” during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday.
God working in us through the Holy Spirit
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
This past weekend’s readings included the beautiful recounting of the Apostles choosing “helpers” in their mission of charity and justice, and so I have the joy of going to the altar this Friday and ordaining, to the Transitional Diaconate, David Johannes, who is simply a terrific candidate and who will be an outstanding deacon and priest.
In the fall, God willing, Mark Miller likewise will be ordained a deacon at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and Mark and David will together be ordained priests a year from now. Please pray for both of these great young men as they come upon their diaconate ordinations and final year of preparation for the priesthood.
Mary and the priesthood
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Editor’s note: The following is a transcription of Bishop Robert C. Morlino’s homily for Priestly Ordinations on Friday, May 6, at St. Maria Goretti Church in Madison.
Tim, Jorge — “my sons,” I get to call you tonight. At the moment I call you my sons, I want to thank both of your dear parents, your grandparents, and your family for showing you what it means to be a good father — long before I came on the scene. And I want to thank them for showing you what it is to be a faithful son.
All of that will come into play in the days, the months, and the years ahead. I’m almost as proud of you tonight as your dear parents are — not quite as proud (I don’t think I could manage that) but I know how proud they are and I, certainly, am proud. I’m so grateful to your dear parents and your family, for their generosity in giving the Church such a wonderful, unselfish gift.
Divine Mercy sums up the story of Lent, Easter
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
This past Sunday was a wonderful celebration in so many ways. And the Gospel from Sunday — the second Sunday of Easter — was simply spectacular.
In John 20:19-31 we see Jesus appearing to the Apostles in His risen body and using the greeting, “Peace be with you.” The peace Jesus means, of course, is the peace of heaven — that “Shalom,” that total well being, which is part of heavenly joy and heavenly rest. The peace that Jesus means is the peace of heaven itself.
Jesus died so that sins may be forgiven
And what does Jesus say after that? “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” An essential part of the heavenly peace and joy, and the whole point of Jesus’ death and resurrection, is the forgiveness of sins! Jesus’ body was broken and His blood was poured out so that sins might be forgiven, so that there might be mercy. Essential to the heavenly “Shalom,” contained in Jesus’ greeting, is that His mercy is poured out upon us, that sins are forgiven.
Easter Greeting
By His humble obedience Jesus Christ has opened the way for us to reach the heights of heaven.
Heaven: the destination of our journeys
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
As we enter this great and holy week, we are very much aware of the absence of Bishop Bullock, Bishop Wirz, Msgr. Wil Schuster, and Msgr. Tom Campion, all of whom have been called within recent months to see the face of Christ. I miss them all very much personally, and without going into detail, the passing of each one can be seen as the end of a different era in the Diocese of Madison. Their passing reminds us that, as the Scripture says, “the world as we know it is passing away.” The truth of that mystery includes each one of us as well.
State needs ‘Resurrection healing’
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
On the Fourth Sunday of Lent, we celebrated the theme “Laetare,” which expresses our anticipation of Easter joy, a joy which strengthens us to enter into the depth of each mystery of Holy Week, culminating in the great celebration of the Resurrection itself.
In anticipation of Easter, I find it necessary in this column to reflect on one of the ancient Antiphons from the Eastern Church liturgy: “Let us call even those who hate us our sisters and our brothers, for Christ the Almighty is risen.”
Diocesan staff changes announced
MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino has announced several diocesan staff changes effective immediately.
Eric Schiedermayer, executive secretary of the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, has been named vice chancellor and director of the Office of Planning for the Diocese of Madison.
Grant Emmel, former director of the Office of Planning, has been named assistant to the Office of the Vicar General for special projects.
Patrick Delaney, associate director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, has been named acting director of the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.
Obedience is a wonderful recipe for a holy Lent
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
This week we begin Lent and the readings of this past Sunday lead us perfectly to Ash Wednesday.
The First Reading (Deut 11:18, 26-28, 32) said clearly that we are to obey God’s statutes and commandments and decrees. We’re to be an obedient people — a hard word for our culture. Authority is always under fire, whether it’s civil authority in the government or whether it’s the Sacred authority of the Apostles. Even in the Church, authority is always under fire. And so it is that bishops are used to dodging the various arrows that are slung our way — and it is all in a day’s work.
But, authority is simply given out of love by God Our Father, so as to lead His people to their salvation. That’s all it is — it’s a service, and it’s a humble service. Sometimes when people in the Church have to exercise that authority they do it humbly, but then afterward they really get humbled. But, that’s okay, because authority and humility should be tied together.