Bishop Responds to Madness in Madison (Part 3: Bishop Morlino Holds the High Ground)

We continue to review an interesting case in Madison, Wisconsin where Bishop Morlino is holding the high ground in a battle led by lay people who want to get rid of some priests he brought in from Spain to fill the gaps due to the priest shortage.  Some people, but not all, do not like the priests because they are more traditional. See Part 1 and Part 2 of my post series for background.

Bishop Morlino Holds the Moral High Ground

"Charlie & the Chocolate Factory"

Fast forward to 2012 and it's no surprise that a drop in donations resulted in the closure of St. Mary's.  I have a general perception that has developed over the years that it is easier for the bishop, or priest-assignment board, wanting to quiet things down, to simply move the priest.  Sadly, this  has fed into poor behavior by small bands of laity in parishes, who bully pastors to get their way, often on preferential matters.   Bishop Morlino did not reward the gossip, calumny, protests over legitimate options exercised by the priests, and the withholding of donations at the parish, by giving in to demands that the priests be replaced.

In the movie, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", we see what happens to children whose parents have an  unwillingness to check inappropriate behavior and demands.  They become narcissistic. The same thing happens to parishioners when bishops engage in false charity towards the rebellious.

Who really closed the school? 

Bishop Morlino did not close that school, nor did the priests! People who withheld donations in a prideful bid to get rid of the assigned priests closed that school, and some used immoral means in an attempt to have their way.

The bishop starts out his letter explaining that after reviewing financial records, he sadly must agree with the pastor of the St. Mary's that the school must be closed.  The bishop, having learned of the dire straights of the school offered support to keep it afloat through the end of the school year.  You have to admit that if this pattern of withholding donations had gone on for two years, there really wasn't any reason for the diocese to entertain keeping the school open for another year because attitudes were not likely to change. From where would such money come?   The bishop writes:

I deeply lament the closing of St. Mary's School.  There are a good number of parents who, in their responsibility for forming their children, have relied upon the generosity of the parish community and the goodness of their Catholic sisters and brothers, to assist them by way of a Catholic school.  These Catholic parents, their children, and those to come after them, suffer tremendously because of this.  Your whole community suffers. I suffer with you.  

When I learned that the school had financial trouble, last year, I immediately sent word offering a guarantee of emergency finances for the school until the close of the current school year, as well as my promise of weekly prayer and fasting particularly for St. Mary School. It was never my desire that the school be closed.

He goes on to explain that he sent diocesan staff to help the school come up with a reduced budget, hoping buy the parish time to come together. He talks about the many good people who assisted at the parish. Then he writes:

If, in time, people of similar good will wish to petition for the reopening of the school and if there is clearly support from the community, I am very eager to receive your petition.   

With regard to the here and now, it has been said that the only solution for saving the parish school would be for me to remove Fr. Faustino Ruiz and Fr. John Del Priore.  This would, I have been told by many people, ransom the school from those who are protesting and return giving to it's previous level.....But, as evidenced by the very fact that this situation of protest and refusal to support the needs of the Church, the deficiet at St. Mary and St. Augustine Parishes is of a much greater kind. 

There you have it:  People trying to coerce and manipulate a bishop to get their way.

The Zeal of Younger Priests

The plan to bully the bishop backfired.  Children and families in the community were affected - again, by people using immoral means to get their way.  Watch where he goes next:

Ultimately, a Catholic School - to be what it is meant to be - must be animated at every stage, by faith, hope, and love. The provision of a school is not the principal focus of a parish community; rather a school should flow from that community as a fruit of its faith, hope, and love. The loss of this Catholic school is a tragedy, but there is more at stake for each of us and as a community. What must be undertaken at this time is fervent prayer and then action for deepening faith, hope, and - most of all - charity. 

The priests who have come to serve you have themselves admitted that they undertook some changes in a way that was abrupt for many people. This resulted in some instability, misunderstandings, and hurt – all of this I heard about at our recent meeting and in many letters. Those feelings are not insignificant, and action should be taken to bring a return to stability, increase understanding, and heal the hurt – the priests know this and I encourage them once again to apply themselves to these actions. 

But from where can firm stability, true understanding, and real healing come? It can come only from Jesus Christ. It is only Jesus, and the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church which He founded that can be the vessels of stability, understanding, and healing. I have no doubt that Fr. Faustino and Fr. John will provide Jesus Christ, the teachings of His Church, and the Sacraments.

I have a couple of thoughts here.  I like how the bishop looked at things from both sides.

This new generation of priests has some things that their predecessors often did not.  If you look, for example, at the 70's, the information priests got in formation was limited to what a seminary stocked in their library. In some quarters, this was tightly controlled and front-loaded with material written by dissenting theologians.  This was, after  all, a period of time which followed Humanae Vitae - Pope Paul VI's prophetic document on contraception which was rejected by a group of bishops and theologians.  The Land O'Lakes statement came out in 1967, paving the way for an era of Pravda-like censorship and distorted teaching by Catholic institutions of higher learning.  The National catholic Reporter got on the train of dissent resulting in a condemnation by the local bishop in 1968. There was no internet back then and Vatican documents were not available instantly as they are today.  Seminarians would have had no reason to doubt they were being properly formed, just as past generations had.  But, there was an agenda to undermine the Church's teachings on contraception. It became convenient to just cease discussion of sin. That era also ushered in liturgical innovations; and, philosophical positions which were not in harmony with Catholicism: Relativism, consequentialism and proportionalism.   These were condemned by Pope John Paul II in Veritatis Splendor in 1993, but not before decades of damage had been done in clerical ranks.  The latest visitation of seminaries by the Holy See has helped restore things and, as with many things in the Church, we see incremental changes.

This new generation of priests has benefited from changes in formation.  Because most changes happen incrementally, it will be another 10-20 years before the full effects are realized.  This is nothing unusual in the life of the Church.  In the Invitatory of the Divine Office, we read how the Jews in the Old Testament were left wandering out in the desert for 40 years and God would not let them enter His rest (Psalm 95:10-11)

Don't underestimate the benefits of the internet age which allowed seminarians to study raw documents involved with Vatican II, along with things like Humanae Vitae, Veritatis Splendor and everything that comes out of the Holy See, or from the Holy Father, immediately.  Some priests of previous generations are also benefiting from this, when they open themselves to the information.  Others don't take the time to study (and some have so much responsibility they don't know which end is up and rely on what they were taught in seminary).  Still others have read the documents, but choose to believe was they wish and not with the mind of the Church.  Pray for them.  I believe some are truly prideful, but most are still guided by errant philosophies and attitudes.  Many are victims and we please God most by begging His mercy upon them and for their conversion of heart.

With all of that being said, the point I wanted to make here is that this younger generation of priests are filled with zeal to restore authentic Catholic identity into parishes, schools and other venues.  Sometimes, in their zeal, they do not have a sense for how delicate the faith of uninformed and malformed people can be.  Moreover, as I said earlier, people have been conditioned to get their way.  This has to be unlearned and if a heavy hand is used and too much is done at once, the flock scatters.  You will notice that Pope Benedict has moved forward, but he makes a change then he waits for things to settle.  He makes another change, there is another uproar, then he lets some time pass before making his next move.

A parish, like a diocese, is much like a ship in a fleet.  They follow the lead ship (Rome).  Some are following in a straight line, others are are zig-zagging, but not for defensive reasons.  On the decks of these ships are people (parishioners).  Some are in safe zones while others are on the rails.  If the ship is turned abruptly, many of them will fall off.  Far fewer will fall off if the ship's path is corrected slowly.  If an abrupt turn results in souls overboard, the captain (bishop or pastor) will need to account for this loss.  It is with this mind that the bishop has likely counseled the priests of that parish and helped them to see a need to proceed more slowly and gently.

Bishop Rebukes Rebellious Laity

On the other hand, the bishop doesn't leave it squarely on the backs of priests.  What he gets into next concerns the laity who are rebelling.

From the beginning, some have claimed that the priests I sent do not teach according to the precepts of the Church and, particularly, as restated in the documents of the Second Vatican Council. I repeatedly responded to these claims by asking for concrete examples to be given of any straying from the doctrine and discipline of the Church. It is my duty to ensure that the authentic teaching of the Church is handed on, and I stand ready to make corrections where needed. To this date, however, I’ve received no examples of teaching or practice contrary to the teachings of the Church. I have received examples of permissible differences in style, and, as I mentioned above, I’ve received examples of human errors, which resulted in relational hurts. I have every confidence that your priests continue to stand ready to resolve any personal issues you might have. But I’ve not received a single substantiated claim of false teaching or of a liturgical violation. I am still open to receiving claims of such correctable errors (with suitable reference to the proper documents). 

I think, however, that at the end of the day, the Catholic faith is being taught according to the proper understanding of the Second Vatican Council, and that what remains are personal likes and dislikes, along with inflated rumors and gossip, some of which may even rise to the level of calumnious inciting of hatred of your priests, the faith, and myself. For these likes and dislikes, gossip, and hurt feelings, the Catholic faith is rejected and a school is closed.

Recall that to admonish the sinner is a charitable work.  St. Thomas Aquinas tell us:

The correction of the wrongdoer is a remedy which should be employed against a man's sin. Now a man's sin may be considered in two ways, first as being harmful to the sinner, secondly as conducing to the harm of others, by hurting or scandalizing them, or by being detrimental to the common good, the justice of which is disturbed by that man's sin.

Now, I call your attention to the use of the bishop's words above, "calumnious inciting of hatred of your priests, the faith, and myself."  We see in that short sentence that he is speaking of harm to others, scandalizing others (sinning alone is one thing, but pulling others in is much more serious), and the common good was affected when the immoral actions resulted in a school being closed.

This "inciting" also has canonical consequences.  Hold that thought for now as we will hear that again later.  Bishop Morlino continues:

This, tragically, is where we are today. In charity and in justice, I must caution you most strongly that this cannot continue. I do this now in sincere hopes of avoiding the issuance of Canonical warnings in the days ahead. Attached to this communication, is a list of texts upon which I would ask you to reflect prayerfully. I have a responsibility to do what I can to foster stability, understanding, and healing in your community, so that the Gospel message of Jesus Christ can shine forth. Where there are women and men of good will ready to renew their efforts in this regard, I believe that stability, understanding,and healing can come. Where there are individuals who do not truly seek the good, and who even work actively against it, where there are those who work to incite hatred, there may need to be more formal warning and action. First, though, I exhort you, with the words of St. Paul to the Church in Ephesus:

“Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun set on your anger, and do not leave room for the devil...And do not grieve the holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. [And] be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” (Eph 4:25-27, 30-32)

Bishop places eternal salvation of souls over temporal feelings

I'm going to close this post with the rest of Bishop Morlino's letter, then get into the canonical issues he raises in Part 4. This is a highly catechetical rebuke he is offering, not only out of love for his priests who are suffering injustices, but for the innocent children and families who are also suffering the loss of their school because of the actions of others behaving badly.  This is something that I don't think bishops reflect enough on today - the feelings of others - the humble, silent majority.  If a bishop doesn't stand up for his priests, and for the people entrusted to him against this kind of tyranny, who will? God help that bishop when he must account for having placed the feelings of people, especially bullies, ahead of their salvation.

The bishop closes:

Your feelings do matter to me, and I do not take them lightly. However, our end goal should not be simply to restore good feelings. No, there is something greater than good feelings at stake, as good feelings come and go. Much deeper than feelings, what these priests have been sent to offer, is Jesus Christ, He who suffered with and like you, who died for you, and who has been raised to new life, so that you might have lasting joy, lasting hope, and lasting peace – eternal life. The reality of following Jesus is not at every moment full of good feelings; neither Jesus Himself, in His human nature, nor Mary, nor the Apostles were even granted that gift of freedom from painful emotions. By allowing ourselves, with openness, to enter into the mystery of His Church and His Sacraments we find that deep inner joy which passing emotions can’t eradicate. 

As Christ’s Church, we profess faith in one Holy Spirit – the same Spirit that descended upon the apostles at Pentecost, the third person of the Blessed Trinity. It is this same Spirit that guided the early Church; has led the Church through two millennia, and will lead her until the end of time. The same Spirit that led the Church from the beginning and through the Second Vatican Council leads her today – and His message is the same, it cannot change. To think otherwise, or to claim that the hierarchy in union with the Pope, and the People of God might receive conflicting direction from the Spirit, would be mistaken. There is only one Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit poured out on the Church, which Christ, Himself, established. Objectively, the priests of the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest, with their human weaknesses and faults, their differences in style, and permissible practices, walk with the Church, as guided by the Holy Spirit. 

There can be no “firing” of priests by the parish community in the Diocese of Madison. Thus, the priests of the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest will remain in priestly ministry at St. Mary and St. Augustine Parishes in Platteville, and they stand ready to serve you and to seek stability, understanding, and healing. I beg you to seek the same so that the light of Christ might shine. I ask you to forgive, whatever that takes, and to move forward in faith, in hope, and in love.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Rev. Robert C. Morlino
Bishop of Madison

No one should accuse the bishop of being heavy handed.  He has been dealing with this childish behavior since 2006 when he brought these priests in from Spain.  Every letter I have read that has been made public is loaded with catechesis rooted in Scripture.  I don't recall seeing him mention canonical warnings until now.   He has been more than patient with the situation giving people every opportunity to reflect on their positions with regards to Scripture, Church law, and ordinary prudence.

One last point of reflection for everyone is Bishop Morlino's mode of communication.  He is not in any way condescending.  He comes across as a father concerned with the consequences for the immortal souls of his children - not just those rebelling, but those who may be incited by them.  A willful, unrepentant act of calumny, can get you into hell as fast as murdering someone.  It destroys, or "murders" the reputation of others.

Let's focus on the canonical aspects Part 4.

---

For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church;
it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
- Diane M. Korzeniewski

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Bishop Responds to Madness in Madison (Part 2 - School Closing)

Bishop Morlino at a Pro-Life Event
(Wisconsin State Journal Archives)

The other day I did a review of Bishop Joseph Morlino's letter in 2010 to a lay-led revolt over some traditional priests he brought in to help out given the priest shortage.

After investigating the complaints, especially at St. Mary's in Platteville where there was also a school, the bishop explained that the priests were operating within a range of permissible options, and not guilty of working against Vatican II.   Bishop Morlino said in his letter that the priests were staying and the people needed to be mindful that calumny and gossip were gravely sinful.

In this post, we look at how people responded to that 2010 letter. 

The lay people decided to take it up a notch and withhold donations.  St. Mary's relied on part of it's Sunday collection to keep the school afloat.  The Wisconsin State Journal explained back in November of 2010:

The 75-year-old St. Mary's Catholic School is subsidized by the church, which has seen weekly donations fall more than 50 percent in four months, said Myron Tranel, chairman of the church's finance council.  

Rev. John Del Piore of St. Mary's School talks to students
in the hallway in 2010 (Wisconsin State Journal)

The school, with 106 K-8 students, has enough money to operate until at least January but needs an additional $200,000 to keep the facility open through the end of the school year, he said.  

The financial crisis coincides with Madison Bishop Robert Morlino's decision in June to bring in three priests from the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest to lead the parish. The group is based in Spain and known for traditionalist liturgy and devotion to orthodox Catholic teaching. 

[snip]  

Morlino invited priests from the Spanish society to begin serving in the diocese in 2006, primarily in the Sauk City area. There are now eight society priests serving seven churches.  

Their arrival at each church has ushered in similar changes. They reserve the altar server role to boys to encourage more seminarians. They eliminate participation by laypeople in the distribution of communion. And they preach homilies that supporters find refreshingly forthright in stressing Catholic teaching but critics find short on compassion.  

While opposition to the priests has surfaced in other parishes, it has become particularly loud in Platteville, a city of 10,500 people 75 miles southwest of Madison. Fay Stone, a 25-year St. Mary's member, said the priests' decision-making approach seems heavy handed to her. While the Catholic church is not a democracy, some degree of collaboration with parishioners would be nice, she said.  

[snip]  

The priests do retain considerable support in the church.  

"They're teaching morals, and that's what we need," said Barbara Splinter, a 45-year member. "They are following what I've read the pope is for, and he's our leader, so I don't know why people have a problem with it."  

The priests are "being treated very terribly," she added.  

Mike Worachek said he's disappointed that his fellow parishioners aren't giving the priests a chance. "I think people should grow up and face the reality that people are different and you have to accept them for what they are," he said.

Loss of donations has led to the closure of the school. 

That brings us to Bishop Morlino's letter of last week, which explains why it is being closed, and warns people about potential canonical consequences for some behaviors.  News accounts are brushing over some interesting points, especially secular news sources.   The letter is somewhat long to begin looking at in this post and I would hate to skimp on discussion in an effort to keep it short.  This, along with the last post, provides some good background ahead of disgesting what came next.

---

For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Bishop Responds to Madness in Madison (Part 1: 2010 Review)

Bishop Robert C. Morlino

I'm going to break this post up into two parts.  In this first part, we are going to revisit what happened in the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin back in 2010.  In part two, we will look closer at what happened last month and, in between those years.


I've been following this case since Bishop Morlino issued a public statement in the fall of 2010. It concerns some priests he brought to the area in 2006 from the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest, based in Spain.  There's a priest shortage in many dioceses so some bishops are reaching out across the world to fill slots - no surprise here.  Sometimes there will be culture clashes, but did not the Apostles go off to foreign lands to spread the Gospel? These priests are more traditional and celebrate both the old and new forms of the Mass. They are educators and there is a school involved - St. Mary's in Platteville.  They are known to foster vocations.  Some people there didn't like the changes they made, nor did they like the orthodoxy that came with these priests.  Thankfully, the bishop defended their right to act within a certain range of options.


In 2010, some people protested by writing letters to the Apostolic Nuncio demanding the removal of these priests.  Bishop Morlino responded:

I am in receipt of your October 8, 2010 letter and petition. I am grateful that you have approached me with your concern, and I certainly recognize and respect your right to do so (Code of Canon Law, c. 212, §§2-3). By means of this letter I am replying to what you requested, namely, the “immediate removal of the priests of the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest from St. Mary and St. Augustine parishes in Platteville.” A number of you have written to the Apostolic Nuncio about this matter. He has forwarded the letters to me after having read them. He asked that I inform you that he has forwarded these letters to me for my pastoral consideration, since the responsibility for priestly assignments rests with the diocesan bishop.

The faithful have a right to take their concerns to the Sacred Pastors, but they are following canon law which must be in harmony with the Gospel.  Priests have rights.  Too many stories over the years show bishops caving in to the demands of lay people and just shuffling priests around.  In many parishes, this has created spoiled brats who throw temper-tantrums when priests - acting within a range of permitted options on liturgy and other things - are derided.  People confuse these options in such a way as to construe them as immoral or unethical.


After explaining what a serious matter it is to have a priest removed from a parish, Bishop Morlino continues:

I have found that much of what has been said amounts to opinion, misunderstanding, and rumor rather than fact. Nonetheless, after carefully weighing all of your reasons for the proposed removal, I have decided to keep Rev. Lope Pascual, Rev. John Del Priore, and Rev. Miguel Galvez in their current priestly ministry at St. Mary and St. Augustine parishes in Platteville. Their charisms for Catholic education and vocations will serve the people of Platteville very well, and they have my full support. 

He then goes on to explain the respect that is due to the priests of that parish, reminding them that they should always first approach them.  Bishop Morlino next gives his judgment on the concerns he looked at in that 2010 letter.

It grieves me to acknowledge that the reputation of three happy, holy, and hardworking priests has been seriously tarnished by rumor, gossip, and calumny (lying with the intent to damage another’s good name) by some within the parish community. Such conduct is gravely sinful, since some parishioners have been driven by fear, anger, or both, to distance themselves from their priests and even the Sacraments. This situation must cease, and charity must prevail on the part of all. 

Before asking the people to give the priests some time and reassuring them of their good will, he writes:

Furthermore, activities such as protest-letter-writing seminars, leafleting of motor vehicles, door- to-door canvassing for signatures on a petition, etc (that is, exerting organized political pressure on people, where the end justifies any means) is an appropriate tactic in a political campaign, but not in the communion of faith which is the Catholic Church. Groups such as “Call to Action” and “Voice of the Faithful” regularly employ such tactics against legitimate authority in the Church. Because these groups dissent from basic tenets of Catholic Doctrine and Discipline, they are not recognized as Catholic in the Diocese of Madison, much less are they able to exercise legitimate authority. It is my hope that these clarifications will prove helpful.   

Bishop Morlino then supplies an addendum where he addresses the chief concerns, in detail.  They complained about the priests engaging in pre-Vatican II things, but the bishop responded:

First of all, it is necessary for us to appreciate the eloquent teaching of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI regarding the false dichotomy between the pre-Vatican II and post-Vatican II Church. 

Bishop Morlino Catechizes on the Finer Points in 2010 in the Addendum


There were several areas he touched on.  I was floored to see that one of the complaints was about priests making visits to the sick with Communion rather than having lay EMHC's do it.  A lay person can bring Holy Communion to someone every day for years but, that person cannot hear Confessions or anoint the sick.  I wonder how many EMHC's even ask those receiving if they would like a confessor to come.   The Sacrament is in disuse within the parish itself; how much less in a nursing home where people are at death's door? The elderly, whose souls are every bit as precious to God as that of babies, are in greater need of pastoral care than anyone. They are isolated, sick and in pain, and it is easy to fall into despair.  


Who in their right mind complains about priests taking the Sacramental visits to the sick upon themselves?  And, what prevents those same lay people from stopping in to visit the sick, and to pray with them?  This can be done daily or weekly. Now, this arrangement may very well result in fewer visits, but those people are getting quality, Sacramental visits.   This is how life is at Assumption Grotto.  We have no EMHC's and lay people do not take Holy Communion to anyone; rather, the priests and deacon do it.  Sick people are dispensed from weekly obligations and there is a regular schedule for the sick and homebound placed on the list, but it is not weekly.  Plus, the priests will go to those who request a Sacramental visit outside of that schedule. I know many parishioners who had priests show up, in the middle of the night if needed, for anointing and Apostolic Pardon when death was imminent. I am deeply grateful that my own mother was among those who received this care from priests willing to be sleep deprived to usher that soul to God as cleanly as possible.


Among other topics that Bishop Morlino catechized the faithful on were complaints about all male altar servers and about what the priests said at funerals.  Using females is optional and no pastor can be forced to use them.  My perception is that younger priests are slowly changing the mix back to all male, just based on a number of stories in recent years.  Here too, I can imagine it being consistent with what we get at Assumption Grotto.  On funerals, they are not celebrations of the life of the departed.  We are praying for their eternal soul.  Most souls, if they died without unrepentant mortal sin, will land in purgatory, where there is great suffering brought on by purgation of all that is not pure.  It is an act of mercy to pray for the dead, to hasten their exit from purgatory and entrance into heaven.  Most people expect a funeral Mass to comfort them as opposed to comforting the dead with heartfelt prayers for them. The use of the 1962 Missal has grown at funerals at Assumption Grotto due to the depth of this clear emphasis in those prayers.  They are beautiful and it is how I wish to be buried, now that I  understand this whole thing better.


Go read the full 2010 statement with addendum.  It is very catechetical.  Also, you will see that Bishop Morlino did was not being heavy handed; he was instructing the faithful in the Catholic faith - something that, out of false charity, had been denied them - probably for decades.  We see with the recent Doctrinal Assessment out of the Holy See on the dissenting Leadership Conference of Women Religious, that teaching a proper orientation on the Catholic faith may be neglected no more.


In part two, we will look closer at what happened in between 2010 and through 2012.  I will supply a link in the combox here when that is done, and the post will have appropriate links to diocesan communications, so there is no need for anyone to drop that in here.

Bishop Morlino with Seminarians

---

For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Bishop Morlino of Madison attacked in local paper

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  If you are reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a wrongdoer, or a mischief-maker; yet if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but under that name let him glorify God.  For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? And "If the righteous man is scarcely saved, where will the impious and sinner appear?" Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will do right and entrust their souls to a faithful Creator. (1 Peter 4:12-19)

It would seem that the Holy Spirit has come to rest on Bishop Morlino.

If you want to see what a biased, anti-Catholic newstory looks like, you won't have to go much further than Isthmus | the Daily Page.  This one of the worst hatchet jobs I've seen to date.  I don't know what is being taught in journalism school, but the author interviewed people of only one age group, and they were all dissidents - people who reject Church teaching because it doesn't mesh with their desired life choices.  In the body of the article are many theological errors, presented as "authentic" Catholic teaching.  Here is a sample (emphases mine in bold; comments bracketed in red).

"People my age," says the 71-year-old Beyers, "are referred to sometimes as Vatican II people." This gathering of bishops and cardinals from around the world, between 1962 and 1965, led to sweeping changes in church policy and practice , most aimed at making it more inclusive [one of the things you will often find is people making claims about Vatican II that simply can't be found in the documents of Vatican II.  In fact, it was one of the historical events that has probably been the most peverted by people with wishful thinking. People have distorted it in such a way that they believe it contains things that simply aren't there]. As Beyers puts it, Vatican II "opened the window to let fresh air in" by giving laity an important role in running the church [I wonder if he has ever read what Vatican II's, Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, Lumen Gentium said about the laity? ]. But some within the church "have been trying to slam it shut ever since." [Actually, it is faithful Catholics - lay people,  theologians, priests, consecrated persons - all united with their bishops, who are united with the Holy Father (also something explained quite eloquently in LG) who are working to get Vatican II back from those who hi-jacked it)


Beyers thinks Morlino, who has been steeped in controversy since his arrival in Madison in 2003, is clearly in this camp [the real controversy is being created by those who want to create a designer religion out of Catholicism.  They want "truth" to be 10 different things at once, and they want it to function like a chameleon - changing colors to suit a given situation]. And he thinks the bishop should be replaced. "This is my church," [no, it is Christ's Church - he founded it, he set up the system ("he who hears you, hears me")] says Beyers. "They're definitely not going to drive me out of it [but if he rejects her teachings, he has effectively left by his own choice!]. I grew up in it, I'm comfortable in it, but the hierarchy lives in a bubble." [Our Lord didn't say the path would be easy and broad, he said it would be difficult and narrow.  Following Christ means to follow him right through to crucifixion.  That is, we die with Christ by dying to self.].


Madison resident Jim Green, a Catholic brother for eight years in the Divine Word Missionary, was in Rome during the last two years of Vatican II. For the past 40 years he's lived with his life partner, Bill Diederich. [we can pretty much guess that his beef with Bishop Morlino has to do with the fact that His Excellency isn't going to tell him that this is ok].  Both are Roman Catholics and members of Dignity USA, a Catholic support group for LGBTs and their allies. [You can read here about Dignity and contrast it with Courage Apostolate, which supports people with SSA to live a life of chastity, just as any heterosexual single person, such as myself, is called by God to live (Christ came to fulfill the Old Testament, not abolish it so the 10 commandments - specifically the 6th and the 9th, remain in effect)]


"When I speak of the church, I don't think of the institution, the pyramid with the laity at the bottom and the pope at the top," says Green, 71, a member of Call to Action. The documents that came out of Vatican II, he notes, spoke of a circular system with the laity's role as important as those of the priests, the bishops and the pope . It's a system in which everyone has a voice. [I have no doubt that this man has never read the documents of Vatican II, in particular Lumen Gentium.  It's not even that long of a read.]

The author, in classic biased fashion, interviewed disgruntled Catholics who are unhappy about the fact that the bishop is taking his teaching office seriously and trying to root out error in his diocese.  They want to hear that homosexual activity is accepted, that women can be ordained, and a segment of them are pro-choice on abortion.  These aren't people arguing for a fourth person of the Trinity. Rather, they want the Church (and Bishop Morlino) to change things that the Church has no authority to change because.... this is Christ's Church, not your Church, my Church, our Church - but Christ's Church. 

Each bishop has to function according to his conscience and like our conscience it must be formed with the mind of the Church.  Salvation of the flock has to come before feelings, which amounts to false charity.  Most things aimed at salvation will challenge our worldly desires.  We want to do as we please and the bishop's job as teacher in his diocese is to ensure that the Catholic faith is presented authentically, and fully aligned with the Magisterium. 

What you will find in the article is what is often referred to as a pseudo-magisterium.  That is, the mistaken impression that a body of theologians all agreeing on something, makes that something "true" or "authentic" with regards to Catholic teaching.  Democracy, in their mind, shapes "truth" which is why polls is often so important to this group.  This is not the case.  If 99 people in a room all agree that 2+2 = 5, it does not change the objective reality that the true answer is 4. 

The dissidence surrounding Humanae Vitae is a classic example  pseudo-"magisterium".  Yet, Pope Paul VI's words proved to be prophetic (read here, here and here). 

Now, read this about Bishop Morlino:

• Young Wisconsin Catholics Cheer Bishop Morlino for Welcoming Orthodox* Priests

 

We need to pray for our bishops, as well as for those whose eternal salvation they are working to save.

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.

Statement out of Diocese of Madison, WI on Ruth Kolpack - Q & A

The Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin is doing a good job of explaining as much as they can, about recent the recent dismissal lay pastoral associate, Ruth Kolpack, by Bishop Morlino.

In itself, the Q & A sheet, or FAQ, is catechetical, or instructional. It is lengthy, but well worth the read which will clarify some of the information that has been floating around.

Click the pick below and it will take you directly to the PDF at the diocesan webstie. It's a good read.

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Dissidents trying to make Catholicism into a "designer religion"

This past week I was interviewed by Doug Erickson of the Wisconsin State Journal on lay pastoral associate, Ruth Kolpack's firing by Bishop Morlino of Madison.

The article appeared on Friday, March 27th, and I'm just now getting around to posting on it.

I spoke for about 7-10 minutes with the reporter, who had been looking for reaction from other areas of the US when he found my post: Statement from Bishop Morlino to NCR on personnel matters after firing of pastoral associate.

I talked about dissidents in general, much along the lines of what I posted in: Commentary on Catholic dissidence and Bishop Morlino on obedience.

He excerpted one line found at the end of my post on Kolpack's firing, and used one quote from the phone interview. Let's have a look (emphases mine in bold; comments in red):

Martyr or heretic? Bishop Morlino fires church employee over her beliefs
By DOUG ERICKSON


As a girl, Ruth Kolpack said she so loved her Catholic faith she played church with her friends during recess at a parochial school.

Often, she was a member of the congregation. Occasionally, she pretended to be an altar server, a role not available to girls at the time.

Now 64, Kolpack is still grappling with the role of women in the Catholic Church, although the circumstances are much more serious than a playground game.

On March 12, Madison Catholic Bishop Robert Morlino fired Kolpack from her position as the full-time pastoral associate at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Beloit. The termination came after Kolpack said she refused the bishop’s request to renounce [recant] a 2003 college thesis in which she argued for more gender-inclusive language at Masses and harshly criticized the Catholic hierarchy’s doctrine of only ordaining males. [one thing I like to point out is that Jesus was very politically incorrect for his day (eating with tax-collectors, healing on the Sabath, etc.). He could have chose women to be among the apostles, but he did not. Since Jesus is God, and God is all-knowing, he knew that someday there would be controversy created by women who wanted to be priests and could have chosen a woman - such as his own mother! But, he did not. I believe that folks who argue for women's ordination have a vague understanding of the divinity of Christ. And, dissenting on male-only ordinations usually does not come in isolation. It is paired with things that they want changed. They think that things are the way they are in the Church because men just don't understand. As a female liberated from liberal feminists, I can tell you that this is utter nonsense]

Her firing has angered parishioners at St. Thomas and set off a national debate on Catholic blogs as to whether Kolpack is a martyr or a heretic. [If the parishioners are like the vast majority of Catholics, they are not catechized well enough to understand why it is a problem for someone who does not have the mind of the Church, teaching children and others, like people converting. Of course it looks cruel to them, but the Bishop has to be concerned more with people's salvation, including those being taught by Ms. Kolpack, moreso than their self-esteem].

The situation again casts Morlino as the heavy [?] in a controversial personnel decision. [isn't it always labeled as controversial when it involves a bishop or priest who is faithful to the mission of the Church rather than the issue du jour?] Last summer, the music director at a Verona church was fired after five parishioners brought concerns to the bishop’s office about the director being openly gay [see Fr. Z's excellent post on this issue].

Morlino declined an interview request Thursday. Diocesan spokesman Brent King said because Kolpack’s situation is a personnel issue, details cannot be discussed, including whether she was fired for her thesis or for the presentation of or denial of any specific church teaching.

But King said the bishop needs to have confidence that priests and lay people are teaching church doctrine faithfully. “It can be inferred,” King wrote in an e-mail message regarding Kolpack, “that this is no longer the case, and she was let go.”

A 35-year history [of sadly not being corrected along the way - which, in itself is not charitable]

Kolpack has been a member of St. Thomas since 1974 and an employee the last 26 years, rising to pastoral associate in 1995. In that position, she performed many of the duties of a priest for the 325 households in the congregation.

“She did everything but celebrate Mass,” said church trustee Macy Kunz, who is “shocked and angry” by Kolpack’s firing.

In 1997, Kolpack began work on a master’s of divinity degree at St. Francis Seminary, a Catholic institution in suburban Milwaukee where, at the time, lay women were able to study alongside male seminarians [that was part of the problem], although they could not be ordained. [You have to wonder just what kind of Catholic institution of learning it is that permitted such strange teachings to pass muster. What were they grading on - vocabulary or content? The thesis can be found here]

She did not think her thesis views risky at the time [times are a changin', thankfully] — Morlino had not yet arrived in Madison — although she admits now that her use of the term “religious evil” in reference to male-only ordination was “very strong.” [perhaps she should re-think that and change the "s" with a "w" in that last word]

Kolpack said she believes women can be called by God to priesthood, but she said it’s a personal belief that she has not pursued publicly other than signing one online petition. “If I’m an activist in any way, it’s for equality,” she said. “We are all created in God’s image. Nobody is less, nobody is more.” [this completely flies in the face of the dignity of women. Women are not men and men are not women. God created us to compliment one another, not compete. Women are equal with men, in a complimentary way, and vice versa. Mulieris Dignitatem by Pope John Paul II would be great reading for anyone wanting to know what the Church teaches on the dignity of women]

Kolpack had never had a conversation with Morlino prior to being called to his residence March 12. In a 10-minute meeting, she said he asked her to profess her faith, take a loyalty oath and renounce [recant] her thesis. She was willing to do only the first two. [One would think that when standing before a man with a doctorate in moral theology from the Gregorian University in Rome, she would make an act of humility and give careful attention to what she might learn from him!]

She was stunned by her firing, although storm clouds had been brewing. [I think we will be seeing more of this around the country as bishops work to bring things back under control after decades of loop-hole theology and fuzzy philosophy. These bishops blew the dust off of Thomas Aquinas, along with the other Doctors, and Fathers of the Church.]

In December, anonymous people distributed flyers outside St. Patrick Catholic Church in Madison alerting parishioners to a “scandal” at St. Thomas. Those who have seen the flyer say it mentioned Kolpack’s support of President Barack Obama and suggested that since Obama supports abortion rights, Kolpack could not be trusted around children.

Kolpack, who gave $320 to Obama’s campaign last year, said she opposes abortion. [Would it have been proper for a Catholic to give $320 to David Duke even though they oppose racism?]

Separately, a former parishioner brought concerns to the bishop, said Kolpack, who will not disclose the nature of those concerns but said they grew out of a misrepresentation of something she said in a private conversation.

In January, Kolpack said the Rev. Steven Kortendick, pastor of both St. Thomas and St. Jude parishes in Beloit, told her the bishop asked him to fire her but he would not do so. Kortendick did not respond to messages. [If this is true, how sad that a bishop had to do the pastor's job.]

Parish ‘in an uproar’

News of Kolpack’s firing stunned St. Thomas parishioners, said Tom Lang, a member of the parish council who has known Kolpack for 35 years. “Never have I heard anything unusual from her about Catholic doctrine,” he said. “She’s really the heart and soul of this parish. It’s devastating she’d be fired.” [and if she had humbly told the bishop she was prepared to learn and understand where she was out of sync with the Church, rather than stick to her guns, she might very well have still had that job.]

Member Bill Cunningham said “at least 99 percent of the congregation” wants her back. His wife, Jo, said the “entire parish is in an uproar.”

Online petitions call for Kolpack’s reinstatement, but she has taken a drubbing on Web sites of Catholics who are loyal to church teachings. Morlino is a hero to them.

“Pray for our bishops! May they take back the church in America from the grips of dissidents,” wrote Diane Korzeniewski of Detroit, who tracks the work of bishops on her Web site, Te Deum laudamus.

In an interview, Korzeniewski said she’s thrilled with Morlino’s backbone. “We have a problem in the U.S. where some people basically want to create a designer religion out of Catholicism,” she said. [By designer religion, I meant that each person gets to make Catholicism into what conforms to their liking. The world, and many poorly catechized Catholics accept the relativistic view that the Church is like Burger King where you get to have it your way. I also told Erickson, that in all charity, we need to pray for Ruth Kolpack. Truly, may God enlighten her understanding in light of authentic Church teaching. I wish she would go back to him with a willingness to learn. She might be awestruck with the beauty of our faith, as it has been handed down.]

The Web site Catholic Culture likened Kolpack’s thesis to “the first term paper attempted by a not-too-bright college freshman.” [That was Diogenes, in the post: Madison Hatter]

Closer to home, Travis Ganser, a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Monona, said he “wholly supported what (Morlino) had to do to maintain clarity” in church teaching.

“I’ve listened to the bishop a lot,” Ganser said. “He makes his case based on reason and says, ‘Show me where I’m wrong.’ A lot of times, people can’t, so they resort to name-calling and demonizing him, when actually he’s a wonderful person.” [yep, this is what happens alright, or they talk about how their feelings were hurt.]

Morlino has agreed to meet with parishioners April 3. Members hope to get Kolpack’s job back but aren’t optimistic. [Hopefully, they do what is right, which is to receive him with humility and listen to him. More likely than not, they will go with intent to tell him a thing or two. If anyone has info on this meeting when it takes place, email me at TeDeumBlog@gmail.com].

“I feel sad and without power,” said member Cecilia Ramirez. She says her 12-year-old son doesn’t want to go to church anymore because he “doesn’t understand why God is doing this to Ruth.” [Well, you might explain to your child that Ruth did this to herself.]

Kolpack continues to worship at St. Thomas and has encouraged others not to leave. The church is its people, she tells others, and the bishop is just one member like everyone else. [Well, there you have it. If you believe the local bishop is on equal footing with Bubba sitting in the pew, then that explains the root of the problem]

A new website enables supporters of the Bishop to express it: SupportBishopMorlino.com

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Commentary on Catholic Dissidence and Bishop Morlino on Obedience

On the heels of the firing of a lay pastoral associate by Bishop Morlino in Madison, the Wisconsin bishop talks about the lay apostolate in this week's Catholic Herald. At the end, he speaks on the topic of obedience, often misunderstood. It is posted with yesterday's feast day - the Annunciation - in mind.

Before I give you that text and related link, I want to offer this thought...

God does not force His will on anyone. Mary was not forced to conceive Jesus. The Angel Gabriel waited for her "fiat", her "yes" to God's will. The Annunciation is not just about the Word become flesh, but it is a lesson in obedience to God's will - to go along with God's plan as it comes through others. Specifically for us, this means the Church, headed by the Successor to Peter. The plan never included a set of keys for every individual to "bind and lose" on their own, or through opinion polls, or with the flow of a given age. Remember, it was by popular opinion that Our Lord was nailed to a Cross!

Because we have a free will, obedience is a choice - one that can only be made by those who are free to choose it. But some are held captive by the world - a world which is always there to feed our human fallen nature, or the effects of Original Sin. It is why the story of Adam and Eve is distorted by dissenting theologians and their followers. If they were merely ficticious figures, then Original Sin could not exist. Without Original Sin, we would have no cause to gravitate to that which is disordered, sinful, and displeasing to God. And, it is why the Sacrament of Confession has fallen out of fashion because if there is no human fallen nature, then there is no sin and no need for reconciliation. These things are foreign to our Catholic faith!

Dissidents are trying to create a "designer religion" out of Catholicism in wanting to make it conform to their individual desires. It is a world from which Our Lord wants to set us free. It's a world whose ways are in conflict with God's ways. At it's core is often sexual promiscuity under the guise of sexual "freedom". Think about the teachings that dissidents would like changed and it will often lead right back to this so-called right which is nothing more than a right to sin and offend God, by choice.

They often want the Church to accept homosexual behavior. The Church embraces those with SSA, but cannot condone homosexual acts any more than it can condone heterosexual acts outside of Sacramental marriage. Others want to change the Church's teaching on abortion, or euthanasia, contraception and other "life" issues. Dissidents know where the Church stands on all of these issues, but they don't agree and feel that Holy Mother Church ought to bend with every wind of doctrine that comes with each new generation. As scripture tells us, Jesus is Truth. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever - do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. (Hebrews 13:8-9). Hence, there cannot be several versions truth any more than there can be several versions of Jesus.

The Cross exemplifies sacrifice and when we accept Church teachings - willfully, sacrificing our own desires, it becomes a white martyrdom. Next to death, there is nothing greater we can give to God than our own will. Mary said, "Your will Lord, not mine". The words and actions of Catholic dissidents is "Your will Lord, as long as it conforms to mine".

There is no such thing as right or left in the Church. There is loyal or disloyal; orthodox or dissenting. Or, there are those struggling quietly to understand Church teaching. These latter are not dissidents until they cross the line into challenging that which has been taught clearly and consistently. Such people are further distinguished from dissidents in that they actually read the catechism, read Church documents and when they don't understand something, they seek answers with humility. One doesn't need to understand to accept teachings. Faith seeks understanding and it does so with prayer, reflection, reading and inquiry of sources loyal to the Church.

On to something in Bishop Morlino's column this week, which appears at the end of Responding, like Mary, to God's will for us. In part, he says:

Calling to the lay apostolate
For the most part, you who are reading this have a particular calling to the lay apostolate.What a great group of men and women we have, who are coming forward to “assist and complement”my ministry and that of our great priests.

Clearly, there are a great many direct ways that lay people can serve the Church and their individual parishes, but your key role is simply and authentically living the Gospels in the midst of your day-to-day lives. The laity are called “by their very vocation, to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God (Lumen Gentium, 31).”

As the Council points out, you live in the world, in your various professions and occupations, and you encounter, in the various ordinary circumstances of family and social life, the work and presence of the Creator.And in the midst of all of that, you, yourselves, are called to be a anctifying presence, a “leaven” from within.You are called to reach out to evangelize and sanctify your fellow men and women, through the spirit of the Gospel, in accordance with the mind of the Church (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 2,6).And you are called to build a just society and a just state through politics, as Pope Benedict XVI has said.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it should be clear that it all comes back to obedience: obedience to the will of God the Father — for Mary, for Jesus Himself, for the Saints (because it is only in their obedience to the Father that they are Saints), and for us as well. It is not blind obedience to anyone’s will. Rather, it is obedience in faith, just like the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our obedience is not blind whatsoever, for we are walking in the light of God — by faith! Mary’s obedience to the will of God, her free consent to give life to the Redeemer, to share His life, to suffer with Him under the cross, and to sacrifice Him for the sake of the redemption of humankind, is the model we should follow as the Church, and individually.

I come back to the statement at the bottom of my posts - something I had to ponder when I was accused of "blind obedience" to the Church, and was told I should use my own brain.

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Well, I have used my own brain and have made a free choice to accept all of the Church's teachings. At first I struggled with some of them. But, I chose a path of serious, quiet study and prayerful reflection. I dug into the Catechism, and then into church documents on those topics to understand why the Church has the position that she does. I went to competent, loyal and orthodox sources to see what they could offer, not to people who would enable me in my confusion, and ultimately lead to dissidence. It's a path I encourage for any Catholic who struggles with a teaching of the Church.

When Pope Paul VI made his prophetic encyclical, Humanae Vitae, he could not have known what science later revealed....that "the Pill" is sometimes an abortifacient. How would the Church have looked if she had went along with what the world desired, rather than follow truth? If the Church had said it was ok to use the pill back in 1968, she would have had to reverse herself or be in conflict with her own teachings when science learned that some eggs get fertilized, then flushed because the drug won't allow them to implant. That embryo had a soul - a soul that would never be baptized because it's life was snuffed out not by God, but by man. Natural Family Planning has come a long way today, from where it was years ago.

I believe this explains why we see priests and bishops becoming more vocal on contraception and faithful Catholics are starting to look closer themselves at the issue. We understand now that an ensouled human being in development is aborted through the actions of certain contraceptives.

WHAT SAY YOU?
I've had my say, now what say you? I'll allow any comments that are made in a charitable tone. Please allow some time for comment moderation since I try to do these in the evenings when I am home, or very early before heading out to work.


Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Statement from Bishop Morlino to NCR on personnel matters after firing of pastoral associate

Bishop Morlino of Madison, Wisconsin took administrative action against a pastoral associate, Ruth Kolpack, firing her from the position she held at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Beloit, WI since 1995. Her dismissal followed a meeting that lasted all of about 10 minutes.

The dissident weekly, the National Catholic Reporter, defended Ms. Kolpack in an article parsed well by Fr. Z, in his blogpost: NCR defends a fired parish worker. I highly recommend you read his comments woven throughout the article. It's a good way to see how dissidents spin things when someone sheds a spotlight on them.

Complaints being lodged against the pastoral associate over the last few years had been the focus of some meetings between the diocese, the pastor - Fr. Steve Kortendick, and Ms. Kolpack. They were unable to come to a resolution satisfactory to the diocese. An investigation led to a closer look at a Master's thesis she wrote in 2003. The bishop said he did not need to read the entire thesis, which focused mainly in "inclusivness" and attacked the "patriarchal tone of the liturgy".

From Ms. Kolpack's own account of the meeting, according to NCR, we learn the following:

• The bishop said her views on the teachings of Jesus were "off base".
• The bishop "asked her to denounce the thesis, make a profession of faith, and take an oath of loyalty in order to remain as a pastoral associate at the parish".
• Ms. Kolpack, "could not refute the thesis in good conscience, that to dos [sic] so would risk her reputation as a scholar and academician".
• She was fired 10 minutes into the meeting.

There you have it. Bishop Morlino didn't take her job from her, he gave Ms. Kolpack an opportunity to keep the job and she blew it.

It's a little hard for a bishop to respond to allegations of verbal heresy not recorded in audio, video, or on paper. However, if the accusations made against Ms. Kolpack could find their basis in the 2003 thesis, then it gives credibility to the accusations. The fact that the bishop didn't need to read the entire thesis says enough. If, for example, someone challenges the Divinity of Christ, there is no way to explain your way out of it later in the paper. It is what it is.

The bishop offered to come to the parish to explain the firing, but said he could not get into specific personnel matters. This is common folks. Whenever displinary administrative action is taken, there is a fine line that ought not be crossed, lest they risk engaging in detraction.

The Bishop of the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin speaks :

(emphases mine in bold)

Full statement offered to the National Catholic Reporter, regarding personnel issues.

It is out of respect for the dignity and good reputation of every person involved, in this and all personnel matters, that specifics cannot and will not be discussed. You can be assured that the canonical and civil rights of each individual have been upheld absolutely. The Church takes this very seriously. I cannot make statements regarding Ms. Kolpack, as they could injure her good reputation. If a person or group chooses to make public information or conversations that put someone’s reputation into question, that is their decision, but the Church, and individuals associated with it, cannot play party to the serious sins of detraction and calumny.

That said, in general, it is an absolute fact that through our Baptism in Christ, there is a genuine equality of dignity and action among all of Christ's faithful. Because of this equality, we all contribute, each according to our own condition and office, to the building up of the Body of Christ. Likewise, conscious of our own responsibility, we are bound to show christian obedience to what the sacred Pastors, who represent Christ, declare as teachers of the faith. The bishops and priests must teach the truth, without compromise.

This unadulterated truth, as taught by Christ’s bride, the Church, cannot ever be forsaken. Church personnel, likewise, must uphold the faith and morals of the Church, according to our their condition and office, through what they publicly teach and claim to believe, what they associate themselves with, and by their actions. Public actions, associations and teachings contrary to Church doctrine are at worst seriously scandalous, and at best very inappropriate for someone working for the Church, be it a bishop or a lay person. This must be corrected in every situation, as unpopular or as difficult as it may be.

This is not to say that if someone is let go, that they have not done some truly great things. However, bishops and priests have an obligation to stand up for the truth; the truth of the Catholic faith; the universal doctrine of the Church.

Folks, I think we are going to be hearing about more things like this. The bishops are getting their voice. Don't grumble about it being late. Just be grateful that they are acting on the graces falling upon them to clean up the mess spoken about by Archbishop Chaput at a conference in Detroit this past Saturday.

EDIT: My deepest sense is that we are going to see an increase in this kind of thing. In the past, valid complaints were merely dealt with behind closed doors and if the person didn't change their ways, the poor people of the parish were left to suffer. This doesn't mean the diocese didn't continue to talk to the priest or personnel involved, but at some point, talk needs to end and action needs to be taken for the good of the people, and ultimately for the Church. This newer generation of bishops is just getting warmed up and their zeal is rubbing off on other bishops.

Pray for our bishops! May they take back the Church in America from the grips of dissidents!

More on this story:

• Commentary on Catholic Dissidence and Morlino on Obedience (Te Deum)
• Diogenes: No Defense Intended (Catholic Culture)

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Why is this even legal????? Hospital approves late-term abortions in Madison, WI

Disgusting.

From LifeNews.com: Wisconsin's Madison Surgery Center Approves New Late-Term Abortion Business

This is inexcusable and barbaric. When will the madness end?

On February 4th, falling on deaf ears, Bishop Morlino wrote to the hospital (PDF):

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen of the UW Hospitals and Clinics Authority Board,

Thank you for affording me the opportunity to offer a few words in regard to your discussion on whether to allow for second term abortions at the Madison Surgery Center. I am sorry that I am unable to be here in person, as I am currently concluding a meeting of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, of whose board I am chair.

I write to you today as one charged with caring not only for the 270,000 Catholics in the Diocese of Madison, but for all men and women in southwestern Wisconsin. These are men and women who are your patients and future patients, your doctors, nurses, and staffs. I offer these words today out of care for you – and truly I do care for you.

And though I am a Catholic Bishop I write to you today, cognizant of the fact that not all of you may be Catholic or Christian at all. I write today with an appeal to reason and good will, common to all men and women. Christians, Jews, and Muslims know that every person is created in the image and likeness of God, but putting aside our faith or lack thereof, each of us, by nature of our being human, can know, by reason alone and by simple biology that even at the earliest stages of its existence, a human embryo is a unique, living individual of the human species, one with its own unique DNA. Under consideration here is a question regarding individuals who are even easier to recognize as unique; individuals with the same inherent dignity as you and I, and deserving of particular rights.

The unique persons in question, those who are between thirteen and twenty-two weeks of gestation, are at the very least, on the verge of viability. Some could be within days or even hours of being considered (were they to be born prematurely) your most helpless and desperate patients – in need of constant, intensive care and protection. And yet actions are being considered which would treat them not as unique individuals and patients, but as pieces of tissue.

Nor can we simply rely upon the argument that the proposed actions are perfectly legal. Our world has learned, ever-so-tragically, that what is legal does not necessarily constitute what is morally right. When looking at the official or unofficial policies and despicable pogroms of foreign countries, the very legal, albeit embarrassing, hatred and disenfranchisement of individuals in our own nation’s history, or more recent allowable actions, it is easy to see that legal acts often are simply not morally tolerable. We do not have to choose to participate in these “legal evils,” rather we must choose to respect every unique individual human being, regardless of their race, creed, or stage of mental or physical development.

To cooperate in these procedures would be to act not only in violation of all that hospitals stand for, but in violation of our humanity. This proposed expansion in the destruction of innocent life will serve only as a further humiliation of our human dignity and as such I remain diametrically opposed to it.

On behalf of the quarter million Catholics in this area and all men and women of good will, on behalf of the voiceless human lives who come through your doors, I ask you to preserve the purity of your art, working to bring about healing and throwing off the temptation to act as God with regard to human life. I ask you to use your awesome responsibility to choose warmth, sympathy, and understanding for the most weak in your care.

Thank you for listening to my reflections in this matter.

Faithfully yours,
+The Most Rev. Robert C. Morlino
Bishop of Madison

More from the Catholic Herald in Madison

Watch the Diocese of Madison, WI website for updates. In fact, it is worth visiting the site to see just how hard Bishop Morlino and Catholics are fighting culture of death legislation and activities.

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!