In these challenging times, I want to thank everyone — our priests, deacons, Religious, lay leaders, and faithful for your trust in the Lord, understanding of this unique situation in the life of the Church, your fidelity to prayer, and loving perseverance in the face of adversity.
Tag: bishop
Holy Week: Celebrating the strangest things
With the coronavirus, this year’s Holy Week will be strange and different.
We will not be gathering in churches in large numbers. We will not receive the Eucharist. We will not be joining family and friends for Easter.
We all feel the vulnerability and struggle of this painful moment, wondering what the future holds for us, especially the elderly, ill, and unemployed.
Holy Week: why ‘strange’?
But even in a normal year, Holy Week is the strangest thing.
Answering God’s invitation
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Needless to say, this global pandemic is unprecedented in our history, especially in terms of its impact on our daily lives. The consequences of our essential shutdown as a nation are far reaching and disturbing.
We are all praying for the victims worldwide — those who have died, those who are ill and suffering the effects of this corona virus. We pray for health care workers, first responders, and government leaders who must feel overwhelmed. I pray for our elderly and vulnerable populations, including the poor and the homeless. I pray for those who have lost income already and are economically struggling. We think of families who have their children home all the time. All of this equates to tremendous stress, anxiety, suffering, and fear.
God is inviting us
In the face of all of this, God is inviting us to a deeper, radical trust in Him. In some ways, with our normal routines disrupted and many of our securities stripped away, we are faced with a profound existential moment — do I truly believe in God and confide my life to His mercy or not?
Our whole life of faith and practice of our religion has prepared us for this trial. Now is the time for us to truly let our faith in the Lord shine forth for others to see and draw strength from our witness. In some ways, with the suspension of public Masses, this time reminds me of the Babylonian captivity in the Old Testament.The coronavirus and sitting quietly in a room alone
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Blaise Pascal said, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”
The great 17th Century philosopher thought that most of us, most of the time, distract ourselves from what truly matters through a series of divertissements (diversions).
He was speaking from experience. Though one of the brightest men of his age and one of the pioneers of the modern physical sciences and of computer technology, Pascal frittered away a good deal of his time through gambling and other trivial pursuits.Decree granting permission to obtain indulgences outside of the usual conditions
Protocol #: 015-2020
Whereas, during this time of disease, it has been necessary to take such drastic measures as the cancellation of all public celebrations of the Holy Mass in order to protect the public health by slowing the spread of contagion;
Bishop Hying speaks on suspension of public Masses
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| Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison addresses the media on March 17 after his decision to suspend public celebration of Masses in response to guidelines to stop the spread of the coronavirus. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash) |
MADISON — Speaking about his March 16 decision to suspend the celebration of public Masses in the Diocese of Madison, as a result of guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Bishop Donald J. Hying told the media, “As a Catholic bishop, that’s the hardest thing that I could possibly do, because for us as Catholics, Mass is everything.”
Bishop Hying addressed the media at a press conference on March 17 at Holy Name Heights in Madison.
The day before, in a letter to priests and faithful of the Diocese of Madison, the bishop suspended the Mass through Friday, April 3.
The suspension includes Sunday and weekday Masses at all parish churches, oratories, and chapels.
He asked priests to still celebrate Masses in their parishes, but privately, without an assembly.
The bishop said the decision was made “in tandem” with his fellow bishops in Wisconsin “in light of our concern and in light of the government’s regulations regarding public gatherings.”
Bishop Hying said following the lifting of the suspension on April 3, the Diocese of Madison will reassess the situation in the week before Holy Week.
“It’s hard to say what will come,” Bishop Hying said.
Profound solidarity
Bishop Hying reiterated many times that the diocese is in “solidarity” with all those who are suffering because of the coronavirus.
“We think of those who have already died. We think of those who are ill with the virus. We think of their family and friends. We think all of us who, in one way or another, have been profoundly affected by this pandemic,” he said.
Love an enemy this Lent
The three classical spiritual practices that the Church urges us to embrace during Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Fr. Lawrence Oparaji is ordained to the priesthood of Jesus Christ
Jesus sought out Peter and other disciples on the Sea of Galilee and made then”fishers of men.”
Likewise the Church has looked throughout the world for priests.
Bishop Hying suspends celebration of public Masses through April 3
From Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison
March 16, 2020
Dear Priests and Faithful of the Diocese of Madison,
Lenten blessings and prayers to you in this time of challenge for our diocese, the state, the country, and the entire world, in regards to COVID-19, a strain of the coronavirus.
After having conferred with the Most Reverend Jerome Listecki, Archbishop of Milwaukee and the provincial for the bishops of the State of Wisconsin, and, mindful of the latest restrictions and recommendations announced today from our national, state, and local health authorities, which require that public gatherings be limited to fewer than 50 people, I am providing you the latest directives with regard to the celebration of Mass and other sacraments in the Diocese of Madison.
Effective tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17th, at 12:01 am, I am suspending the public celebration of Masses throughout the Diocese of Madison. This is effective through Friday, April 3rd. This includes both Sunday and weekday Masses at all parish churches, oratories, and chapels. I ask that priests still celebrate the Holy Mass in their parishes, but without an assembly (i.e., “privately”). This request for priests to celebrate private Masses especially includes the Sunday and holy day of obligation “pro populo” (i.e., “for the people”) Masses as required by canon law.
Bishop Donald Hying temporarily lifts obligation to attend Sunday Mass
To diminish the spread of the COVID-19 virus, or the Coronavirus, Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison is issuing a decree, dispensing everyone in the Diocese of Madison from the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation until further notice from the bishop.
This means that all Catholics are permitted to miss Mass on Sundays for the foreseeable future, without being concerned that they are neglecting their minimal duties to assist at Mass.
In a statement, Bishop Hying said, “This is not to say that the faithful are prohibited from attending Mass — no one is obligated to use this dispensation. However, it is encouraged that everyone takes seriously this dispensation and take liberal advantage of it, keeping in mind also the recommendation from the Wisconsin Department of Health to avoid large community gatherings — particularly large intergenerational gatherings — at this time. In a particular way, we encourage the elderly and those who are immunocompromised not to attend Mass.