Milwaukee's Fr. Jim Connell accuses Diocese of La Crosse of "putting children at risk" in LAX Trib

Require the related Essential Norms be audited along with the charter. While the charter is a profound, important and morally binding document, it does not actually stand as church law. The Essential Norms, however, has been approved by the Vatican as church law to assure diocesan compliance with the charter.

This audit issue regarding the Essential Norms is at the core of the concern I raised more than one year ago with the Diocese of La Crosse. According to its diocesan website, the standard of proof that their diocesan review board requires of a person making an allegation of clergy sexual abuse exceeds the standard of proof required by Church law. Because the review board is requiring more of the person making the allegation than is necessary, the possibility exists that the review board will determine that some allegations do not need to be forwarded to the Vatican that really should be sent, allowing priests or deacons who should be removed from ministry to actually continue in ministry. As a result of this incorrect standard of proof, I contend, children and young people in the Diocese of La Crosse could be at risk.

Read more: http://lacrossetribune.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/article_d267b9dc-01af-11e1-9e3e-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1cNXx04yl

Last year Bishop Callahan stated after the annual third party audit on the diocese that "we have been audited by the Gavin Group, the Diocese of La Crosse received a “clean bill of health.”"

So is Fr.Connell calling Bp. Callahan a liar?

Holy Spirit!

You never know what to expect of prayer, especially when praying with a large group, and most especially when that prayer involves Mass.

I was at Mass today at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe . The chapel was packed. The Shrine was hosting a convention for health care providers (which I had been unaware of) and Bishop Callhan was there to celebrate. It was great to see so many people worshipping on a Saturday afternoon.

Everything moved on as expected until after the Eucharistic prayers were ended. Within moments, while my head was still bowed in prayer, I was surprised by a blare of noise and bright flashing lights.

It was the fire alarm.

In a moment that made me proud to be one with my Catholic brothers and sisters, nobody moved. There was no way. It was almost time to receive Eucharist. God would take care of us.

The alarm continued for a bit, but still we waited. When it was finally silenced, Mass resumed as though nothing had happened.

After Mass, the Bishop couldn’t resist. He turned to us and said, “I always tell people to pray with intensity to bring down the fire of the Holy Spirit. You did it!”

I guess we did.

Leaving, I saw a fireman. I wondered how frustrated he must’ve been when nobody would leave.

Maybe he’s Catholic. If he is, he understands.

mystagogy

Chippewa Falls parish celebrates 125 years

Probably not the original sanctuary...

When Fr. Victor Inbaraj arrived to take over as pastor of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Chippewa Falls in February, he was somewhat surprised to see that the church had no decoration of any kind inside the church noting a connection with the third person of the Holy Trinity.

It seemed like a good time to rectify that oversight, since he also learned that this was the parish's 125th Jubilee year.

On Friday evening, the parish celebrated the anniversary with a Mass and banquet and the blessing by Bishop William Callahan of a beautiful wood carving display in honor of the Holy Spirit, installed on the right side of the church.

But the occasion was about much more than a piece of art work. The focus on the Jubilee year has provided the members of the parish with the opportunity to re-connect with their past, and re-dedicate themselves to the parish's holy patron.

"You are a parish that is under the patronage and protection of the love of God," Callahan, the Bishop of the La Crosse Diocese, said in his homily. "To be named after the Holy Ghost is a great gift."

Read more: http://chippewa.com/news/local/article_c92d5fcc-f78f-11e0-8311-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1bEvmIhX9

HT SG

Formation of a new diocese in Wisconsin

(WEAU) -Homeless in Eau Claire now have a new place to spend the night.

The Sojourner House held its opening celebration Friday. The shelter, which is located at 618 South Barstow, will provide a place for homeless men and women to stay and will offer programs to help get them back on their feet.

Bishop William Callahan with the Eau Claire Diocese says "This is an opportunity for us to stop and see that we actually are taking this seriously, and looking at the opportunities that are available to us to take care of the poor among us."

WEAU

The sad thing is that there are plenty of Catholics who have no idea what diocese they live in.

Diocese of La Crosse "not discussing" normalizing Communion under both forms

Source

The Diocese of La Crosse will not adopt a controversial new policy in Madison to phase out wine during regular communion services.

Catholic Bishop Robert Morlino has asked priests in the Diocese of Madison to move toward using only bread in regular Masses, reserving the use of both bread and wine for more solemn or special occasions.

The change would be a significant departure from current U.S. Catholic custom[this is precisely why when the USCCB requested the extension of the temporary 1975 indult allowing this practice, it was denied by Rome] , although bread-only is the norm in many other parts of the world. Madison would become only the second diocese in the country known to limit wine as a general policy.

Asked to comment about the change, La Crosse Diocese spokesman Stan Gould issued a one-sentence statement: “This is not a topic that’s been discussed by the priests of the diocese and is not under consideration.”

La Crosse Trib

I'm kind of surprised nobody want to blame the old white man in Rome for not being more pastoral...  What is so funny about the Church is that something this significant goes unnoticed for 6 years and everyone complains when the same law that permits Mass in the vernacular is followed.  If there was a new provision to allow clowns during Mass, these same folks would be clamoring that the law be followed. 

Interestingly phrased response...  Is he saying that the bishop IS considering it then?  Or did the response come directly from the Vicar for Clergy? 

Since we are talking Diocese of La Crosse today, how's everyone liking their new priests?  I've heard a lot of struggles within formerly solid parishes throughout the dioceses(some growing pains I guess should be expected).  Even theories as to why it was done....  .... ah, but I digress.  You can comment anonymously if you want but be charitable or you won't get approved.

Did I mention I went to Holy Trinity in La Crosse a couple months back and the priest changed the words of the Nicene Creed from "born of the Virgin Mary, and became man" to "born of the Virgin Mary, and became human."  We had thought about joining that parish at one point.  GUESS NOT.

Bishop Callahan starts new blog "There is a River"

As I mentioned last time, October is the month of the Holy Rosary. The rosary is not only a favorite prayer of many Catholics, it is a powerful weapon in an arsenal for peace in our especially troubled times. On 7 October 1571, the decisive Battle of Lepanto was won. In it the Catholic forces of Spain and Italy fought against the invading Turkish fleet in what was considered the battle for Europe. It was the last battle at sea that involved galley slaves at the oars of the great ships going into battle. Christian slaves in the galleys powered the Moslem ships. The Catholic ships were powered by the rosary. As the Turks howled and yelled their battle cries, the men on the Catholic ships continued the recitation of the rosary. The Christian forces were at a terrible disadvantage and Pope St. Pius V knew it; he, therefore, called upon all of Europe to pray the rosary to prevent the Islamic invasion of Europe. At the time of the victory, the Pope, who was miles away in Vatican City, rose from a meeting and with tears in his eyes, went to the window to announce the news that the fleet was victorious and encouraged thanksgiving to God. The feast that developed was first called Our Lady of Victory, and has subsequently been changed to the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary. It is a focus of this month.

continue at There is a River

It's nice to see bishops (and priests) get out on the internet and communicating with the people.  Particularly our bishop who I'm told is a big Chesterton fan.  I would love to see him dig into some articles or issues of the day.  I mentioned the idea of blogging priests one time to a liberal Catholic webmaster who did not like that idea(go figure).  Priests don't give homilies at Mass because they are necessarily the best orators or the most interesting of people, but because by their priesthood they have been given the ability to reach people that cannot be reached even with the most perfect of logical arguments.   You will probably note the blog format is a little dated(no comments, no RSS feed, no linking to posts) but it's important to see these efforts being taken.  These things can always be improved upon.

St. Catherine of Siena was an academically uneducated person, but divinely enlightened to understand what God had revealed. Writing in the latter half of the fourteenth century, she is quoting our Lord in what He expects of His priests:

They are my anointed ones, and I call them my Christs, because I have given them the office of administering me to you, and have placed them like fragrant flowers in the mystical body of Holy Church. The angel himself has no such dignity, for I have given it to those men whom I have chosen for my ministers, and whom I have appointed as earthly angels in this life. In all souls I demand purity and charity, that they should love me and their neighbor.… But far more do I demand purity in my ministers, and love towards me and towards their fellow-creatures, administering to them the Body and Blood of my only-begotten Son, with the fire of charity and a hunger for the salvation of souls, for the glory and honor of my name.

- Fr. Hardon

Diocese of La Crosse ordains first native Mexican as priest

On Sept. 8, another priest joined the clerical ranks of the Diocese of La Crosse. At 10:30 in the morning before a crowd of 400 guests in the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman, La Crosse, Deacon Fernando Enrique Lara Hernandez received Holy Orders and was ordained a priest for the diocese by Bishop William P. Callahan - his first ordination since becoming bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse in 2010.

The only priest to be ordained for the diocese this year, Father Hernandez - known affectionately as "Father Fernando," 31, proved to be a windfall for the diocese as the first native of Mexico to be ordained for the faithful of the 19-county diocese - reaching from Prescott to Wausau to Lone Rock to Prairie du Chien.

Hailing from La Pila, a village near Guadalajara in the Mexican state of Jalisco, Father Fernando began studying for the priesthood at San Martin Seminary, Guadalajara, for the Archdiocese of Guadalajara at the age of 12. In 2005, while in college seminary, he visited the United States to visit relatives in California, and made a stop in Wisconsin to visit other relatives working in the apple orchards in the "Apple Capital of Wisconsin," the village of Gays Mills.

During the visit, he invited relatives and friends to accompany him to Sunday Mass, but his relatives declined, telling that because the Mass was not celebrated in Spanish they did not feel that they were welcomed.

"I thought and prayed about what God was asking of me," Father Lara Hernandez said in an interview prior to his ordination. "Christ said to go out to all the world to preach the Gospel. The language or culture doesn't matter."

The Catholic Times

For more info, check out a nice story at Sweet Ridge Sisters. 

HT Cheryl

Li'l Friar shines in the shadow of the Basilica

The Li'l Friar Basilica Gift Shop, 622 W. Lincoln Ave., is a storefront that sits directly in the shadow of St. Josaphat Basilica. However, the store, which opened in 2000, is owned by the Franciscan Order and not the Basilica.

The bishop of La Crosse Diocese, Bill Callahan, started Li'l Friar when he was pastor at St. Josaphat. "He said, 'There's so many beautiful pieces of religious art, let's try to bring them together'," says Melissa Rabi, the store manager of Li'l Friar.

The gift shop carries an impressive array of crosses from Mexico, Slovakia, Austria, Ireland, Germany, Venezuela, Kenya, Thailand, Peru, Poland, Bethlehem and Russia. The inventory changes regularly, and currently includes two art pieces on consignment from artists in the neighborhood. By Christmas, the gift shop will have 150 different nativity scenes.

continue at On Milwaukee

Bishop Callahan performs Traditional Confirmation at St. Mary's in Wausau

Bp Callahan at St. Mary's Oratory in Wausau

On Saturday, July 9, His Excellency, the Most Reverend William P. Callahan, Bishop of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, made his first pastoral visit to St. Mary’s Oratory in Wausau and conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Extraordinary Form on sixty-five candidates. Over one third of the candidates are faithful who attend the Institute’s apostolate at Saint Mary’s in Cashton, Wisconsin, which is also located in the Diocese of LaCrosse.

Following the Confirmations, Canon Matthew Talarico, Vice-Provincial, celebrated a Solemn High Mass in the presence of Bishop Callahan. His Excellency was assisted during the Confirmations and the Mass by Canon William Avis, provincial Master of Ceremonies for the Institute’s US province, by Canon Henrique Fragelli, Rector of Saint Mary’s in Wausau, and by Canon Glenn Gardner, Rector of the Institute’s apostolate in Cashton.

more photos at ICKSP - Wausau 

Great photos!  Oddly enough, I've never seen the interior at St. Mary's in Wausau.  Fantastic!  Outstanding!  Beautiful!  Thank you Bishop Callahan for your support!

We're selling our house and looking for a new home right now.  This make me want to move to Wausau.  Would I move to a new city just for a beautiful church and liturgy?  That's affirmative.  I know an Australian Catholic who's children can serve the entire Byzantine Rite liturgy.  The Latin Rite liturgy was so terrible that the family joined a Byzantine Rite parish.  The gentleman laughed as the scoffers who say nobody can learn the Latin since all his children learned Ukrainian to serve at Mass.  When you fall in love with the beauty of Catholic liturgy, no substitute will satisfy. 

La Crosse Diocese celebrates long standing local marriages

La Crosse, Wisconsin (WXOW)-The Diocese of La Crosse sponsored an event today, designed for couples married 50 years or more.

Those couples, some of whom have been married even longer, renewed their marriage vows today.

The Diocese provided a number of locations including Plover, Altoona, La Crosse or Wausau.

More than 700 couples renewed their vows today including 63 in the city of La Crosse.

"Anyone who's been married will say, 'Wow that's a lot of work, and a lot of commitment' and so certainly their children want to celebrate this as well as the couples themselves who as the Bishop shared today in his sermon just the whole idea of God's in the middle and that's what's kept these marriages so strong."

Altogether, today's couples celebrated more than 36,000 years of marriage.

Video at WXOW