While these past almost 12 months have been filled with reasons and methods to “distance” ourselves from one another, dozens of people growing in their faith recently had a chance to come closer to something.
Tag: bishop
Bishop O’Connor travels to Rome for ad limina visits and to attend the Second Vatican Council
Eighth in a series on the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Madison
Bishop William P. O’Connor traveled to Rome several times after becoming the first bishop of the Diocese of Madison.
Ad limina visits
Bishop O’Connor made three ad limina visits to the Vatican. These visits are called ad limina apostolorum (“to the threshold of the Apostles”) because they are traditionally pilgrimages made by bishops to the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul. The bishops in the United States are required to make visits to Rome personally or through authorized delegates about every five years to present a report on the state of the diocese.
Madison Catholic Woman’s Club to celebrate Religious and hold donation drive
MADISON — All women of the diocese are warmly invited to join Madison Catholic Woman’s Club (MCWC) members as we celebrate our parish priests, Religious, and staff on Tuesday, March 9, at Blessed Sacrament Church, 2116 Hollister Ave., Madison.
Mark your calendars to join us in person at 11:10 a.m. to pray the Rosary followed by Mass at 11:30 a.m. with Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison presiding.
For those wishing to participate virtually, the event will be livestreamed on the Blessed Sacrament YouTube channel.The ‘abandonment to Divine Providence’
In last week’s column, I meditated on the surrender of Mary and Jesus in the key moments of the Annunciation and the Agony in the Garden.
We all know the difficulty of handing over our wills to the Lord.
We want to be in control, have a clear idea of how events should unfold, and we often think God is letting us down when we face disappointment, tragedy, and suffering.
How do we find peace amidst the storm and trust in the middle of life’s chaos?
Stations of the Cross video produced in diocese
A screenshot of the Stations of the Cross YouTube video produced by the Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities-Diocese of Madison. The video is available during Lent. (YouTube image) |
MADISON — During most seasons of Lent, it is a devotional tradition to pray the Stations of the Cross.
During typical years, parishes in the Diocese of Madison will host praying of the Stations at their churches where many gather to pray them together.
This year, with many people not entering church buildings due to health concerns and restrictions on the number of people allowed to be in a building at the same time, the Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities-Diocese of Madison has produced a YouTube video that gives everyone the opportunity to pray the Stations of the Cross from their own homes or elsewhere through the blessings of technology.
Video contents
It’s called the “Stations of the Cross presented by the Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities-Diocese of Madison”.
The nearly 24-minute video begins with a reflection from Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison.
“As we pray the Stations of the Cross, we participate and share in Jesus’s suffering and death,” he says in part of the reflection.Surrendering out of love
Meditating on the Agony in the Garden, the First Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary, is always a source of great spiritual fruit for me.
We see Jesus alone in the Garden of Gethsemane, facing His imminent Passion and death, praying that this cup of suffering pass Him by.
Jesus is so anxious and distressed that He sweats drops of blood, struggling to surrender to the will of the Father and the mystery of the cross.
Radical filial obedience wins out, as Jesus utters His fiat, “Let your will be done, not mine.”
When Christ arises from this prayer, He moves forward with determination, arousing the sleeping apostles, facing Judas and the approaching mob, ready and willing to drink the cup of suffering to the very dregs.
In the Gospel passion narratives, once Jesus has made His surrender in Gethsemane, He embraces the terrible details of His trial, torture, and death with a peace, acceptance, and love that is truly divine.
Jesus’ desire to be in relationship with you
Because this issue of the Catholic Herald is going to every registered household in the diocese, I want to speak especially to our brothers and sisters who may have been away from Mass and the sacraments for a while and are seeking a renewed connection with God and the parish.
I am happy you are reading this and know that I am praying for you, that the Lord touch your heart with love, peace, and grace, that you feel in the depths of your spirit, Jesus’ great desire to be in relationship with you and that you be inspired to reach out to the Church.
The question of faith
The most fundamental decision every baptized Catholic must face is the question of faith.
Priest Appointments (2-15-2021)
Msgr. James Bartylla, Vicar General, announces the following priest appointments made by Most Reverend Donald J. Hying, Bishop of Madison:
Rev. Fr. Alex Navarro, resignation from pastor, Queen of All Saints Parish, Fennimore, per canon 538, effective Monday, February 15, 2021, awaiting further pastoral assignment.
Rev. Fr. Faustino Ruiz, SJS, to parochial administrator, Queen of All Saints Parish, Fennimore, per canon 539, effective Monday, February 15, 2021, remaining as Local Superior of the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest.
The need for a renewed unity in Christ
The attacks, accusations, and demands fly in from every side. “You supported Trump in the election and are complicit in the attack on the Capitol.” “You are in the back pocket of the Democratic Party.” “You made abortion the only issue in the election.” “You were not vocal enough in defense of life.” “You need to help stop the steal.” “I demand that you publicly affirm that Biden is the legitimate president.” “I am leaving the Church because you are too (take your pick) . . . conservative, liberal, silent, vocal, weak, strong.”
These are all messages I and probably every bishop in the country have been inundated with these past months and it is actually getting worse.
The anger and vitriol is palpably toxic.
Our cultural, political, and social divisions, exacerbated by COVID; the elections; and the violence in our streets and cities have unfortunately entered into the Church and are seriously wounding our unity in Christ.
We now seem to have Biden Catholics and Trump Catholics, perhaps just the latest incarnation of traditional and progressive Catholics, but a division that is louder, angrier, and far less compromising than all the previous rifts in the Body of Christ.
Celebrating Catholic schools
As we celebrate Catholic Schools Week, I offer profound gratitude and praise to Michael Lancaster and our diocesan Office of Schools staff, our pastors and principals, our teachers and school staff, our parents, benefactors, religious education directors and catechists, and ultimately the students who offer the best of themselves to create Catholic communities of learning and formation, so that our precious young people grow to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ as disciples of the Gospel and as practicing Catholics in love with the Lord.
This year especially, in light of the enormous challenges of COVID, I especially applaud our school and parish leaders who have had to plan, implement, adjust, sacrifice, and give the best they have, in order to continue the formation of our young people.
Combining in-person and virtual learning as needed and possible, our teachers and catechists have striven to keep teaching Christ to our students.
I applaud the generosity, flexibility, and commitment required of all in this enormous effort.
Importance of Catholic education
Perhaps these increased difficulties shine a needed spotlight on the absolute importance of Catholic education; everyone could have easily given up this year or at least have put in just a minimum of effort, given all of the roadblocks, but, in nobly rising to the occasion, the Catholic community has generously demonstrated the high priority we place on the formation of the next generation.