Bishop Attacks Move to End Celibacy

CBS58 ^ | August 30, 2003

[NYer]

Madison Bishop Robert Morlino calls the current push by a group of Milwaukee priests to make celibacy optional an example of American pragmatism that has no place in the Catholic faith.

"It is part of the American fix-it mentality that the removal of the obligation of celibacy will make the priesthood more marketable and perhaps from certain points of view it might," Morlino writes in a column to be published Thursday in the Diocese of Madison's weekly newspaper. "But it also is a step back from total reliance on Jesus Christ in this matter, Jesus Christ alone gives the grace of celibacy."

Morlino was installed as Madison's new bishop Aug. 1. The issue of mandatory celibacy for priests was openly challenged two weeks ago for the first time in a quarter century by a group of 163 priests in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The priests submitted a letter to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops urging that married men be eligible for the diocesan priesthood as a way to ease the shortage of priests. Representatives of priest associations in Chicago, southern Illinois, Boston, New York and Pittsburgh said last week they plan to take action to support the Milwaukee priests.

The Madison diocese has 99 priests to serve 135 parishes in 11 counties, down from 127 priests in 1997, said spokesman Bill Brophy. The diocese projects the number of priests will dip to 34 by 2025, Brophy said. The current challenge to the rule of celibacy, considered a church law rather than divine law, has been taken up by independent associations of priests organized in many major dioceses. The Madison Diocese has no such group, Brophy said. The Rev. Gary Wankerl, pastor of St. Olaf Parish in DeForest, said the rule of celibacy is supported by priests in the Madison diocese. He said the diocese's new deacon program will allow the church to continue to serve parishioners with fewer priests.

Deacons, who may be married, can perform baptism, funeral and weddings services where no Mass is included. "Hopefully this is something that will assist us in bringing the sacraments to people so there is no shortage," Wankerl said.

[NYer]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Rev. Robert Morlino was installed as the Diocese of Madison's new bishop Friday.

About 700 people attended the ceremony at St. Raphael Cathedral in downtown Madison, including 41 bishops and 148 priests, diocesan spokesman Bill Brophy said.

Morlino, 56, served four years as Roman Catholic bishop of the Helena, Mont., Diocese.

Pope John Paul II appointed him to replace William H. Bullock in Madison. Bullock resigned last year when he turned 75, as required by church law.

Morlino, a native of Scranton, Pa., serves as chairman of two committees in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. One deals with matters surrounding permanent deacons' ministry. The other helps bishops respond to moral and theological questions about health care situations in their dioceses.

He was one of eight American bishops last year to sign a call for a plenary council to discuss the church's sexual abuse crisis. He said he will focus on recruiting new priests in Madison.

Morlino is the diocese's fourth bishop in 57 years.

The Madison diocese covers 11 counties in south central Wisconsin, which has more than 257,000 Catholics.

The Helena diocese has about 67,000 Catholics.

[NYer]

The issue of mandatory celibacy for priests was openly challenged two weeks ago for the first time in a quarter century by a group of 163 priests in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

I take it the question of 'mandatory' celibacy surfaces from time to time. We, and the priest petitioners, already know the pope's unbudging stance on this policy. Why are they rattling their sabres? What do they hope to achieve?

[EODGUY]

Just as an aside, Bishop Morlino is our new Bishop. I am proud he has addressed this issue publically, but not as proud as I was when he left noon Mass at the Cathedral in downtown Madison on the feast of the Queenship of Mary to walk next door to lead approximately 250 people in praying the Rosary on the sidewalk across from a Madison hospital where abortions are performed.

At Mass, he emphasized that all involved in abortion must be included in our prayers if we are to end this atrocity against God's most innocent creatures.

He appears to "walk to walk" and lead from the front....qualities I have always admired and have tried to emulate in my life.

God bless,

EODGUY

[Notwithstanding]

Indeed, NYer, "mandatory" and "imposing" are such odd words to use in this context.

Its sort of like "imposing" "mandatory" fidelity for persons in Catholic marriages.

Marriage and Ordination are voluntary sacraments that the Church offers to those having certain prerequisites. Nothing mandatory or imposing about them.

[ninenot]

What do they hope to achieve?

This is a continuation of the Regime of Rembert.

You recall that a week after their 'celibacy' letter came out, another letter was issued calling for a "priests' Union."

There are more than a few radicals within the priesthood in Milwaukee, trained and ordained under the watch of Rembert Weakland, OSB.

Without a tiresome recitation of Rembert's "accomplishments," you need mostly to know that Weakland was directly and indirectly opposed to most ANY initiative or directive from Rome over the past 15 years. He met regularly w/Card. Martini SJ; he was a very close associate of Bugsy Bugnini; and his personal problem, a 'grave disorder,' was manifest in his anti-nomianism, outright disobedience, and subtle distortions of the truth, not to mention his vicious destruction 9r attempted destruction of anyone who got in his way, locally and nationally.

In effect, seminarians and priests of this Archdiocese (as well as many of the Faithful) were led to believe that Milwaukee was the "leader" and Rome was the "follower," (although Milwaukee often followed Chicago, Buffalo, and Albany.)

The letters and organizing efforts now in play simply represent a continuation, except now the Archbishop is not a co-conspirator (the Bishop, Sklba, is still happy to continue on the road away from Rome.)

They expect exactly what they've been led to expect these past 20 years: independence from the Roman Catholic Church's discipline, doctrine, and dogma.

[american colleen]

I think it is pretty ironic that other "priest's forums" have joined in with the Milwaukee priests. First off, those other "priest's forums" are the ones who usually back the dissenting groups right off and fight for "transparancy" and openness in the hierarchy - but good luck finding out which priests belong to those groups.

Second, it sickens me that this stuff is now done via the media... these "priest groups" seem to have a direct pipeline to all the newspapers and release these statements or letters to the media at the same time they give it to the bishop - the letter written asking Cardinal Law to step down was released to media before the Cardinal ever saw it himself.

Shades of the way Humanae Vitae was treated by the theologians... they made their statements (and took out a full page ad in the NYTimes) denouncing it.

[american colleen]

...and his personal problem, a 'grave disorder,' was manifest in his anti-nomianism, outright disobedience, and subtle distortions of the truth, not to mention his vicious destruction 9r attempted destruction of anyone who got in his way, locally and nationally.

Interesting to wonder if at one time Weakland was a holy priest dedicated to helping others throught that narrow gate? In other words, did he enter religious life looking at that "grave disorder" as a cross or as a "gift?"

[RobbyS]

did he enter religious life looking at that "grave disorder" as a cross or as a "gift?"

Interesting point. I suspect the former unable to deal with his weakness,and work out his salvation in fear and trembling, he rejected the authority of the Church but kept it to himself.

[RobbyS]

Rome has been following the strategy of letting liberal bishops "age out,"and replacing them with more reliable men. The problem with this, as I see it, is that the new men are often not up to the challenge when they realize how deep the rebellion is. The pattern has been: Rome says; the bishops try to enforce only to meet resistenters and then try to strike a deal with the dissenters. That certainly seem to have been what Law did. As Morlino says, says: pragmatism won't do.

[RobbyS]

For those traditionalists who think that things were hunky dory in the 1950s, the Humanae Vitae ad shows that that an underground movement for "reform" had long been building, since the 1930s if not since the 1830s.

[ninenot]

A local radio commentator has opined that "Self-justification is the SECOND strongest human drive."

I think he's right. Most of what we see happening to the Church is the result of self-justification, worked out on a very large canvas.

Rome uses the term 'disorder' for a reason. Perhaps the Milwaukee Cathedral is the poster-child--but the disorder present in the current "renovation" is appalling and blatant.

E Michael Jones and I concur: the 'disorder' is manifested in art, music, and ultimately in teaching, although all three are interconnected.

Synthesis, synthesis, syntheses: any attack on Goodness, Truth, Beauty, is an attack on all three at once. Similarly, one cannot habitually break "just one" commandment. Others follow.

[secret garden]

You're lucky to have a bishop like him. Ours is not as assertive and seems to be looking forward to retirement. During the furor following the ECUSA convention, he was reluctant to stick his neck out and publicly condemn their actions. Perhaps he is working diligently behind the scenes. I hope he attends the meetings in Plano this October and becomes inspired to action.

[Desdemona]

A local radio commentator has opined that "Self-justification is the SECOND strongest human drive."

Very true. If justification takes too many twists and turns to get to the desired answer, the desired answer is wrong.

[Salvation]

A bump for Bishop Murlino.

[Salvation]

**He was one of eight American bishops last year to sign a call for a plenary council to discuss the church's sexual abuse crisis. He said he will focus on recruiting new priests in Madison.**

This is wonderful news for the Diocese of Madison!

[Salvation]

**but not as proud as I was when he left noon Mass at the Cathedral in downtown Madison on the feast of the Queenship of Mary to walk next door to lead approximately 250 people in praying the Rosary on the sidewalk across from a Madison hospital where abortions are performed.**

Encouraging words. Those prayers work!

[Salvation]

**They expect exactly what they've been led to expect these past 20 years: independence from the Roman Catholic Church's discipline, doctrine, and dogma.**

This may be what seminarians will be expecting, but it does not sound like what they will be getting. More housecleaning needed?

[St.Chuck]

He appears to "walk to walk" and lead from the front....The pope is on a roll. He has elevated some good men to more important dioceses of late. Hope the trend continues.

[sinkspur]

The Madison diocese has 99 priests to serve 135 parishes in 11 counties, down from 127 priests in 1997, said spokesman Bill Brophy. The diocese projects the number of priests will dip to 34 by 2025, Brophy said.

Thirty-four priests to serve 135 parishes (and that assumes no growth of Catholics in the diocese)?

When lay Catholics in the United States have to settle for a Communion service instead of the Mass two out of four Sundays, they'll begin to vote for a solution to the priest shortage with their checkbooks.

[NYer]

he left noon Mass at the Cathedral in downtown Madison on the feast of the Queenship of Mary to walk next door to lead approximately 250 people in praying the Rosary on the sidewalk across from a Madison hospital where abortions are performed.

Now this is good news indeed!!! A bishop who acts on what he preaches!

Perhaps this is a bit naive on my part to suggest, but do you see a trend developing over the past few months? The retiring bishops (or those who have stepped down) are being replaced with conservative bishops who are not afraid to stand up for the teachings of the catholic church. Dolan, O'Malley and now Morlino. They spark hope in our hearts.

Let's keep Bishop Morlino in our prayers. May he continue to shine as an example for other bishops to follow.