Perpetual Adoration:
Marks eighth year in Fennimore

	The Chapel of Perpetual Adoration at St. Mary Parish, Fennimore. (Julianne Nornberg photo)

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

FENNIMORE -- Members of St. Mary Parish here filled the church Aug. 8 for a Mass marking the eighth anniversary of the parish's Chapel of Perpetual Adoration.

Bishop Robert C. Morlino presided at the Mass.

"My warm congratulations and gratitude to you on behalf of the whole church as we observe eight years of Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist," said Bishop Morlino. "What a wonderful gift the Lord has given to your parish family and what a wonderful gift you are."

Trust the Lord

The church has long called Abraham our father in the faith, said Bishop Morlino during his homily. Not in good health, Abraham was called by God to leave his native land. "So he was asked to leave his native land without knowing where he was going and he was as good as dead," said the bishop. "Why did he go? He trusted the Lord to fulfill his promise."

The second reason was because he had hopes of a better homeland in heaven - he knew what his final destiny was, he said. "That's why he's our father in the faith."

We can look at our own lives and say we don't know where we're going, or we can look at the church, which has fallen on tough times with scandal and the shortage of priests, he said. "In some ways, we're as good as dead."

The world is supposed to look saved because of Christ's work in us, but with issues such as abortion and euthanasia, the world looks as though the church is as good as dead, said the bishop.

"We've got to capture our direction, our energy, our health as church. We can do that the way Abraham did: Trust the Lord to fulfill his promise," he said. "Even if we don't know where we're going in this world, we know we'll reach heaven and so we're full of hope."   Full story ...

	News & Features: • Lourdes trip: Pope shares physical weakness of pilgrims • Visiting Italy: 'A pilgrimage every Catholic should make' • Camp Gray: Summer of faith and fun • Catholic teen: Goes for gold at Olympics in Greece • Special section: Back to school Columns: • Question Corner by Fr. John Dietzen -- Crucifixes: How Christ depicted has evolved through centuries • The Pope Speaks by Pope John Paul II -- Pope greets visitors • The Human Side by Fr. Eugene Hemrick -- Working together: Parents, schools, and parishes • Subscribe to print edition