Doctrine and Dinner: We believe as we pray, says bishop

By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

FIRST IN A TWO-PART SERIES

MADISON -- Bishop Robert C. Morlino talked about how we experience Easter through the liturgy in the "Doctrine and Dinner with Bishop Morlino" held on Sunday, April 23, at the Bishop O'Connor Pastoral Center.

Bishop Morlino thanked Jack McBride of the diocesan office of Evangelization and Catechesis for coming up with the idea for the first-time event. Over 100 people came to hear a reflection by the bishop and later relax and converse over a nice dinner.

"There's an old truism that we believe as we pray," said the bishop. "How we pray and what we believe can't be separated."

Eucharist important

He discussed the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter, noting that we "start to pray about Easter almost at the beginning of Lent," which ends before the Mass of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday.

Bishop Morlino observed that everything during Holy Week involves a Eucharistic sacrifice except Good Friday. "The Eucharist is the source and summit of our life as Catholics. It's the ordinary place where venial sins are forgiven and we learn about our faith," he said.

Chrism Mass

He noted that the Chrism Mass properly belongs on Holy Thursday morning. That is when Pope Benedict XVI celebrated it.

At the Chrism Mass, oils are blessed to be used in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders. "God's people are there from all over the diocese. The bishop is there with all his priests. At the Chrism Mass priests are asked to renew their vows of fidelity to serve the people and to be obedient to the bishop and the Holy Father," explained the bishop.

Thus the focus of Chrism Mass is on the ordained priesthood. Holy Thursday is about the institution of the priesthood and the Eucharist.

Holy Thursday Mass

The Holy Thursday Mass focuses on the rite of washing of the feet. There is also a more subdued Eucharistic procession in which we thank God for the real presence of God in the Eucharist. Bishop Morlino noted that this procession is more subdued because of Good Friday the next day. The procession on the Feast of Corpus Christi later in the year is not subdued, he noted.

The procession symbolizes the fact that "our whole life is a procession from the altar to the tabernacle and back to the altar. It shows the beautiful truth about the Eucharistic nature of our whole lives. We remind ourselves that time before the Blessed Sacrament is very, very important," emphasized Bishop Morlino.

At the Last Supper, Jesus had just ordained the first priests and bishops. The ceremony of the washing of the feet came after that. "It was the first priestly conference, the first experience of priestly formation," said Bishop Morlino. "That ritual focuses our attention on the priesthood and how priests fulfill humble service." The bishop added, "That is why the church says that if this ritual is celebrated - it can be omitted - then 12 males should be selected to play the role of the apostles. It's liturgical drama."

Over the years, said the bishop, "people have proclaimed their right to have their feet washed. If it is performed, the rite should teach what it's supposed to teach. Males aren't better than women. But if you have women performing the roles, it's confusing. Washing of the feet is no place for innovative liturgical cocktails."

Next week: Bishop's reflections on Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter, and Divine Mercy Sunday.