News Briefs: Procession on Feast of Assumption MADISON -- On Sunday, Aug. 15, the feast of the Assumption, Holy Redeemer Parish in Madison is planning to have a procession around the block following the 11:30 a.m. Mass. We are seeking various large portraits of the Virgin Mary, patroness of many countries, as well as flags to distinguish the countries. Please call the parish office, 608-255-1658, if you can assist in providing and carrying any of these materials in the procession. Beloit church dedication BELOIT -- Bishop Robert C. Morlino will preside at dedication ceremonies and at the 10:30 a.m. Mass at the new Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) Church on the parish feast day, Sunday, Aug. 15. The public and especially former OLA members are invited to the Mass and festivities. Food, tours, music, and fellowship will follow the Mass, according to the Celebration Committee Co-chairs Rita and David Bonds. Refreshments and a light lunch will be served in Assumption Hall until 3 p.m. Guided tours of the building and remodeling project take place from 12:15 until 1 p.m. Laying of the church cornerstone and time capsule will take place at 1 p.m. with chair of the Jubilee Committee, Bill Flanagan, serving as master of ceremonies. A concert beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the church will include music by parish musicians. Guided tours continue after the concert. Family Fair Run/Walk FORT ATKINSON -- Having logged hundreds of miles as running partners, Linda Teed and Sara Haag have teamed up to bring the first St. Joseph Parish Family Fair 5K Run/Walk to Fort Atkinson Saturday, Aug. 7. Both women have strong ties to the community with Haag as manager of Curves for Women in Fort Atkinson and Teed as a volunteer at St. Joseph Parish. By combining their expertise and dedication, they created another way for families to enjoy St. Joseph Family Fair while promoting health and fitness. Teed planned the course to cover 3.1 miles of flat, partially shaded city streets with scenic glimpses of the Rock River. Participants may choose to run or walk the course. Everyone will receive a "goodie bag" and finishers will be entered in a drawing to win prizes. Registration is $20 in advance, or $25 the day of the event. To register contact Linda Teed, 920-563-9942 or prlmteed@computfort.com Peer support groups MADISON -- Peer support groups for those hurting from separation, divorce, or loss of a significant relationship are open to all ages/faiths at two Madison parishes. Friends on a Journey will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, Aug. 5 and 19, at Our Lady Queen of Peace nursery, 401 S. Owen Dr. For information, call Paul at 608-862-3613. New Directions will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, at St. Dennis Parish Center, 413 Dempsey Rd., top floor. For information, call 608-821-3170. Group for parents of bi-racial children MADISON -- Project FACE (Four Agency Cooperative Effort) is offering a group for parents to discuss the challenges and strengthen the cultural and racial aspects of parenting a bi-racial child. The group will be co-led by two licensed professional counselors with experience with the racial and cultural issues of parenting. This six-session group is free of charge and will meet on Tuesdays from 3 to 4 p.m. at Catholic Charities, 30 S. Franklin St. For more information and to register, contact Babette Wainwright of Catholic Charities at 608-256-2358 or Susan Stehouwer of Children's Service Society at 608-221-3511.
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Twenty men: Ordained
to permanent diaconate

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

(See also front page photo.)

MADISON -- With joyful hearts and voices, families and friends of 20 men from the Diocese of Madison filled St. Raphael Cathedral here for the July 23 permanent diaconate ordination.

"What an evening of great gratitude and joy. I can say that without taking a poll," said Bishop Robert C. Morlino, who presided at the Mass.

Related articles: • Permanent deacons: Become sacramental sign of Christ as servant • Twenty deacons: To be ordained July 23 (July 22 issue)

Many thanks

Bishop Morlino expressed gratitude to the wives, families, friends, and loved ones of the 20 deacon candidates, as well as Kate Wiskus and Sr. M. Marcia Vinje of the Office of Pastoral Services, Vicar General Msgr. Paul J. Swain, and others who helped in formation and offered support through the years.

"I am honored by the presence of Bishop Bullock and Bishop Wirz here. It is so fitting that we celebrate the fulfillment of this diaconal class with the two bishops under the direction of whom it began," said Bishop Morlino.

He also thanked Fr. Jim Bartylla, master of ceremonies, and the Diocese of Madison seminarians, who served during the Mass.

"Thanks to Christ Jesus for blessing our diocese with 20 new deacons. What a gift," he said.

Liturgical ministers

Bishop William H. Bullock and Bishop George O. Wirz, bishop emeriti, and more than 60 priests of the Diocese of Madison and guests of those being ordained concelebrated the Mass.

Deacon William Stack served as Deacon of the Word. Newly ordained Deacon Todd Martin served as Deacon of the Eucharist. Readers included Kate Wiskus and Sr. M. Marcia Vinje. Music ministers included the Madison Diocesan Choir directed by Dr. Patrick Gorman. Cantor was Sharon Zimmerman.

Deacon ordination

After the Gospel reading, the election of the deacon candidates took place. Each deacon candidate stood and said, "Present," as his name was called.

"Do you know them to be worthy?" the bishop asked Monsignor Swain, who answered that he had.

"Relying on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we choose these, our brothers, for the Order of the Diaconate," said Bishop Morlino.

Everyone present showed their consent by applauding the deacon candidates.

In his homily, the bishop said that while this is the first time we are ordaining permanent deacons in the Diocese of Madison, we haven't been without the diaconate, for priests are ordained deacons, too.

The spirit of Christ the priest who offers himself in sacrifice is given to priests and the spirit of Christ the servant is given to all deacons, said Bishop Morlino.

"The Spirit that changes all of us is the spirit of Jesus the servant, the deacon," he said.

We don't look for power but in the powerlessness of Jesus the servant, Jesus the deacon, he said.

"It's a great vocation, a vocation to the powerless and the poor and to the priests and bishops to remind us which seal was imprinted on our souls first," he said. "We're all deacons together."

After the homily, the elect stood before the bishop and declared their intention to become deacons, to discharge their office in humility, to proclaim the church's faith, and to conform their lives to the example of Christ. Unmarried elect also promised celibacy.

Then the elect knelt before the bishop and placed their hands in the bishop's as the bishop asked them to respect and obey him and his successors. "May God who has begun the good work in you bring it to fulfillment," said Bishop Morlino.

The elect then lay prostrate as the congregation sang the Litany of Supplication. Afterward the bishop laid his hands upon the head of each man in silence before saying the prayer of ordination.

"We beseech you, Lord: look with favor on these servants of yours who will minister at your holy altar and whom we now humbly dedicate to the office of deacon," he prayed.

Priests then assisted in vesting the new deacons in the stole, which signifies ordination, and the dalmatic, a tunic of ancient Roman origin.

Each deacon then knelt before Bishop Morlino, who placed the Book of the Gospels in the deacon's hands and said, "Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach."

The bishops and other deacons present then offered the new deacons a sign of peace.

Permanent deacons:
Become sacramental sign of Christ as servant

By Sr. M. Marcia Vinje
FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

The July 23 celebration marks the first ordination of permanent deacons for this diocese. For five years these men and their wives have been a part of the Diocesan Institute for Lay and Diaconate Formation.

This formation process included 1000 hours of classes, prayer, spiritual direction, and practical hands-on experience in ministry.

A permanent deacon receives the Sacrament of Holy Orders to become a sacramental sign of Christ as Servant of his people. As symbolized by the laying on of hands by the bishop and him alone, the deacons assist the bishop with the needs of the Church and are appointed by him to their specific ministry.

Their role is quite distinct from that of priests. These men were ordained as permanent deacons because they will not be going on for ordination to the priesthood as do transitional deacons.

Although permanent deacons are clergy and are addressed with the title "Deacon" to express their public ministry, they normally do not wear clerical garb. These men continue their professional work and provide for their own upkeep. Their apostolic work is taken on in their "free" time.

Most of these candidates are married and family life is an important venue for their ministry. Those that are unmarried make a promise of celibacy at the time of ordination.

The deacon has a threefold ministry: that of proclaiming the Word of the Gospel, of assisting at Liturgy, and of works of charity.

The witness to the Word of Christ might be in catechetical and evangelical work or in sacramental preparation, but the most visible form of this ministry is the deacon's proclamation of the Gospel at Mass and the preaching of homilies.

The deacon assists the priest at the liturgy of the Eucharist; he prepares the altar and gifts during Mass, invites the people to share the sign of peace and to go forth to love and serve the Lord, and is an ordinary minister of the Eucharist.

A deacon may solemnly baptize; witness marriages; preside at wakes; funerals, and burials; and bless sacramentals.

The most typical role of the deacon is to be the presence of Christ the Servant in family life, in his profession, and in works of charity. Deacons often visit the homebound, hospitals, and homes or work with hospice. They might minister in jails, in soup kitchens, or in homeless shelters.

Wisconsin Right to Life:
Challenges campaign law

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MADISON -- Wisconsin Right to Life (WRL) filed a lawsuit July 28 in the U.S. District Court against the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

The lawsuit challenges the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, also known as the McCain-Feingold law, which was enacted in 2002. The law prohibits broadcast ads that include the name of a candidate for federal office 30 days before a primary election and 60 days before a general election.

'Blackout period'

During this "blackout period," WRL is fighting to be allowed to run radio and television ads they launched at the end of July and beginning of August. The ads urge the public to ask Wisconsin Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl to oppose a U.S. Senate filibuster of President George W. Bush's judicial nominees. A filibuster is a tactic used to delay the passage of legislation.

Because Senator Feingold is up for re-election in the Sept. 14 primary, under the McCain-Feingold law, WRL cannot include his name in its ads during the "blackout period" after Aug. 14. Senator Kohl is not up for re-election until 2006, so his name may be included in ads throughout the fall.

Use of filibuster

During a press conference at the State Capitol July 28, Barbara Lyons, executive director of WRL, pointed out the informative nature of the ads which illustrate the gridlock and unfairness that result from filibustering.

"The ads clearly do not oppose the senators and don't give a position. They just say filibustering is going on, please contact them to stop filibustering" and allow a yes or no vote on judicial nominees, she said.

Lyons said the filibuster has been used throughout history, but not on judgeships.

"No nominee to a federal court has been blocked by a filibuster in the entire 215-year history of the Congress, with the exception that, in 1968, a filibuster was used to derail the confirmation of Abe Fortas as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court," said Susan Armacost, legislative director for WRL.

"Yet, on 20 occasions since March of 2003, Senators Feingold and Kohl, along with the majority of their Democratic counterparts, have used the filibuster to prevent confirmation votes on President Bush's judicial nominees."

According to WRL, 25 judicial nominees are pending before the U.S. Senate. Fourteen judicial vacancies have reached the level of judicial emergency, which indicates a shortage of judges to handle court caseloads.

"From now until the end of the Senate term in early October, several votes in the U.S. Senate to end filibusters will take place," said Armacost. "Wisconsin Right to Life believes in its constitutional right to petition the government by urging Senators Feingold and Kohl to stop the filibuster and allow a yes or no vote on the president's judicial nominees.

"Wisconsin Right to Life also believes that the public has a right to know about the filibusters and that Wisconsin Right to Life should be able to ask citizens to contact Senators Feingold and Kohl regarding this matter."

Challenging the law

According to Lyons, WRL is the first organization to challenge the McCain-Feingold law as applied to grassroots lobbying activities through radio and television advertising.

"It has nothing to do with the elections," Lyons said, noting that the lawsuit is about the infringement of free speech.

Other organizations opposing the law include the AFL-CIO, the American Civil Liberties Union, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Christian Coalition, and the National Right to Life Committee.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has appointed a three-judge panel for the case and has established a status conference for Thursday, Aug. 5.

For more information, visit www.befair.org