MADISON — “Be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith [fortes in fide]” (1 Peter 5: 8-9).
Join other men from the Diocese of Madison and around the region for this special Lenten retreat.
 |
|
| Dr. Patrick Gorman directs the Madison Diocesan Choir at last year’s Lessons and Carols in the chapel of the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center in Madison. At right is Glenn Schuster, the choir’s accompanist and assistant director. (Catholic Herald photo/Joe Ptak) |
MADISON — When the Madison Diocesan Choir enters the chapel at the Bishop O’Connor Center on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 4 p.m., it might be the last time the choir presents its Festival of Lessons and Carols in this setting.
The traditional Advent prayer service celebrates the coming of Christ’s birth in Scripture and song. Bishop Robert C. Morlino will preside this year.
“It very well could be our last Lessons and Carols at the O’Connor Center,” said Dr. Patrick Gorman, the choir director. “If all goes as currently planned, I wouldn’t anticipate singing Lessons and Carols there next year.”
MADISON — Openings […]
MADISON — The Office of Evangelization and Catechesis welcomes all the women of the diocese to join us for a Advent Women’s Evening of Joy on Friday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. at the Bishop O’Connor Center.
Women who attend will have an opportunity to gather in celebration and reflection on the coming of Christ. The evening will include food, fellowship, Advent carols, and a presentation by author and speaker, Gina Loehr.
MADISON — For the second time this month, the auditorium inside the Bishop O’Connor Center in Madison was packed with a Friday night audience. Back on November 1, All Saints Day, hundreds gathered to hear Fr. Michael Gaitley talk on 33 Days to Morning Glory and the consecration to Jesus through Mary.
 |
|
| The Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, formerly Holy Name Seminary, may be transformed into a multi-family housing community. (Catholic Herald photo/Kat Wagner) |
MADISON — A Madison icon, the former Holy Name Seminary, a neo-colonial revival landmark that welcomed its first students in 1964 and has served as the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center (BOC) since the seminary was closed in 1995, may be transformed into a multi-family housing community, officials at the Diocese of Madison announced September 25.
The diocese signed a letter of intent with Gorman & Company to enter exclusive negotiations for a development contract and 60-year lease agreement to renovate the building as a “certified historic rehabilitation” in compliance with historic preservation guidelines prescribed by the National Park Service.
According to the letter of intent, the Diocese of Madison would retain ownership of the BOC land to be leased, as well as determination over the future use of the approximately 72-acre Bishop O’Connor Center.
The landmark building that would be redeveloped by Gorman would revert to diocesan control at the end of the 60-year lease period. In the interim, the diocese would relocate its administrative offices, and those of Catholic Charities and its family of other tenants, on a mutually convenient date before construction starts.
MADISON — Fr. James McEnery will be celebrating his 60th anniversary as a priest this month.
Celebrations for Father McEnery’s jubilee are planned for Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19, at St. Peter Parish, Madison, and St. Mary Parish, Milton, respectively.
Father McEnery was ordained May 14, 1953, by Bishop William P. O’Connor, at Holy Redeemer Church in Madison (the cathedral was being renovated at the time).
 |
|
| (CNS photo by Bob Roller) |
Decree of Abrogation |
|
| To view the Diocese of Madison Decree of Abrogation, click here. |
G.K. Chesterton once observed that journalism largely consists of saying “Lord Jones is dead” to people who never knew that Lord Jones was alive. Thankfully, this article is not an obituary, but its purpose is to explain that diocesan law has been repealed to readers who likely (and justifiably) never knew that diocesan law existed.
What is diocesan law? Like any society or any family, the Church has rules for maintaining good order. Some of these rules are “universal,” meaning that they apply to the whole Church worldwide, and others are “particular,” meaning that they only apply to a certain region or community, such as an ecclesiastical province or a diocese.
Whether they are universal or particular, these rules can be either “legislative” or “executive.” Legislative rules are laws in the strict sense, and at the diocesan level they can only be issued by the diocesan bishop. Laws are meant to have broad, generic, and fairly permanent application. Executive rules, on the other hand, are meant to apply the law in specific and concrete instances. They can be issued by other executive authorities such as the vicar general in addition to the diocesan bishop, but executive rules can never contradict laws.
We see the same division between executive and legislative rules in our civil government. The legislature passes a law that says, “Cars must drive at or below the posted speed limit,” but an executive authority passes a rule that says, “The speed limit on Main Street is 30 miles per hour.” In the Church, the diocesan bishop exercises both legislative and executive power (not to mention judicial power), but any given act of governance falls into one of those categories. “Diocesan law,” then, refers to the legislative rules issued by the bishop for the diocese.
