Thirty-fifth in a series on the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Madison.
From the time he became Bishop of Madison in 2003, Bishop Robert C. Morlino made the fostering of vocations to the priesthood his number one priority.
The bishop, priests, and laity of the diocese together initiated a program of fostering a “culture of vocations,” of inviting men to consider the call that God might be making to them, and to pray — especially in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament — asking that more might answer the call.
Answering the call
Increasingly, men answered this need and God’s call. From six diocesan seminarians in 2003, the diocese experienced a substantial increase. By 2014, there were 33 men studying for the priesthood.
However, the cost of educating and forming men for a lifetime of priestly service adds up. It was estimated that it would take approximately $1.4 million in the year 2014-2015 to educate the diocesan seminarians.
A thorough feasibility study undertaken by the diocese concluded that a capital campaign to endow seminary education was an urgent need in the Diocese of Madison and that $30 million was a realistic target goal.
Priests for Our Future Campaign
In 2014, some pastors were selected to be members of an advisory committee leading up to this campaign. The committee was chaired by Msgr. Michael Burke and Msgr. Daniel Ganshert.
In discussing the need for the campaign, Monsignor Burke explained that “the biggest issue we are facing in providing for the future is the number of candidates we have. To be able to do our part in their formation and development is really important, because if we don’t, we’re not going to have priests. And I want my nieces and nephews and I want St. Maria Goretti (where he was the pastor) and I want all the parishes to have priests. This is the way we do it. This is how we can contribute to this. It is up to us.”
It was determined that the funds raised would be separately held and managed by the Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation (CDMF) and used solely for the recruitment and formation of seminarians.
In the summer of 2014, seven parishes participated in a pilot campaign with the theme: Priests for Our Future: The Church Is Alive! This proved to be an overwhelming success, raising nearly $4.8 million in pledges from over 1,000 families.
The public phases of the campaign began in the fall of 2014 and continued over the next year and a half. Bishop Morlino commented, “We have prayed fervently for an increase in vocations. God is generously answering our prayers. God has done His part — that’s the hardest part. Let us not hesitate to do our part with great generosity.”
Campaign a success
As of August of 2016, it was reported that pledges had reached $43,798,805 with a total paid to date of $21,212,937. The campaign had exceeded the $30 million goal in pledges, but outstanding pledges remained. Some donors made pledges over a five-year period.
At the end of 2020, which marked the close of the Priests for Our Future campaign, the CDMF reported that the fund had received $39 million to date, providing $1.2 million in distributions for the education and formation of diocesan seminarians in the past year, and over $4 million since its inception. By September of 2021, there was $44 million pledged with $39.5 million paid.
“It has been inspiring to witness such a strong response to this important initiative, and we are immeasurably grateful to all of the donors and volunteers who have contributed to this effort over the past six years,” said a statement from the CDMF.
During his tenure, Bishop Morlino ordained 40 men to the priesthood with another 24 in formation at the time of his death in 2018.
New student center and church on campus
In 2013, Bishop Morlino issued a decree clarifying the status of St. Paul’s University Catholic Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Those considered members would primarily be students, employees of the university, and their spouses and minor children.
Bishop Morlino encouraged the building of a new student center and church to replace their facilities which he said were “old, cramped, and in disrepair.” He called the building of a new center “urgent” because “the Lord’s building of future leaders, including future priests, deacons, and consecrated Brothers and Sisters, depends very much on the mission of St. Paul’s University Catholic Center.”
The newly renamed St. Paul’s Catholic Student Center was built under the leadership of Pastor Fr. Eric Nielsen over a nearly two-year building project with a grand opening and dedication Mass on November 12, 2017.
Also happening during this time was the opening of Lumen House, a 19-apartment complex located in the renovated Holy Redeemer School building in downtown Madison. The official opening and blessing were held on August 23, 2014. A project of the Cathedral Parish, Lumen House was intended to serve students involved at St. Paul’s Catholic Student Center.
Other news
In June of 2008, Msgr. Daniel T. Ganshert was appointed vicar general of the diocese.
In February of 2009, John Philipp was named Director of Finance for the diocese.
In May of 2009, there were two papal honors given to two diocesan priests: Msgr. Delbert Schmelzer was named a Protonotary Apostolic and Msgr. Wilfred Schuster was named a Prelate of Honor of His Holiness.
In July of 2009, Consecrated Women from the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest came to serve in the diocese. Bishop Morlino also ordained three priests from the Society.
Source: Archives of the Catholic Herald newspaper.
Mary C. Uhler served on the staff of the Catholic Herald-Diocese of Madison for almost 47 years, the last 34 years as editor. She retired in July of 2020.