Madison's Morlino noted for othodoxy, controversy

What a laugh! The Bishop has been head of the Diocese for 5 years? Judging by the reporting contained in the original article on the Subject, one would have assumed that he just swooped in and made a unilateral decision. No one has spoken of the scandal that Kolpack is stirring up. May God (who in the final analysis is the one that matters) rebuke her. Pray for all concerned and affected by this sad but necessary decision. Grace and peace with prayers always...

If you have to be scared to be Catholic, then there is a problem in Madison. Guess the only way to solve the problem is shut off the money. Voting with the wallet.

If you want a story of grave injustice and maltreatment, look into the case of beloved Father Gerry Vosen.

Isn't Morlino from Scranton? Maybe Martino and Morlino should get together and discuss ways to drive people out of the church.

A bully in sheeps clothing is still a bully, and no more admirable with or without a cross around his neck.

As a ordained Lutheran Pastor (ELCA) and a practitioner of Zen Buddhism for the last 17 years I find the words and actions of the Bishop against every teaching of love, compassion and inclusion of the Xian spiritual path and others. He is living in a prison of fear and exclusion that leads to terror in every sense of the word. A sick, sick man. May the power beyond all creation have mercy on his soul.

The real issue is, this is the Catholic church and many others as well.I am not happy with the ELCA as it plays games with inclusion as far as the GLTB community when it does not shout in justice from the mountain tops, that ALL people are welcome and able to be ordained and lay members of our church.

Bishop Morlino, you are everything a Bishop and a Christian is not. But who am I to say that...having been a member of a Xian community for a life time that still struggles with inclusion for woman, people of color and the GLTB Community. Step down brother you are not helping the healing of this world.

Peace and love ko shin, Bob Hanson

Re the Morlino matter, Anonymous writes: "If you have to be scared to be Catholic, then there is a problem in Madison. Guess the only way to solve the problem is shut off the money. Voting with the wallet." Knock it off, Anonymous. Whom are you going to scare with your threat to "shut off the money"? It's a childish tactic. Instead of "voting with your wallet," I'd suggest you "vote with your conscience" and debate the issues on their own merit. You're probably scared to go toe-to-toe with a tough and outspoken bishop like Morlino. By the by, I wonder how much you open your wallet to the Church.

This is so strange. The Thesis passed muster at a Catholic Seminary. However the Bishop having read only "bits and pieces" six years later then demands she immediately repudiate it in its entirety.

If the Bishop had said "I (or one of my staff) read it and I believe the following is heretical" then gave specifics, and asked her to correct her error, that would be one thing. But to declare it "off base" whatever that means, and make it a basis to fire somebody is just bizarre. Reading parts of my own MA Thesis thirty years later I realize that "bits and pieces" of it were "off base." I hope I don't get fired for it.

I bet a goodly number of Catholics are smiling and thanking God that they are not subject to such an eccentric tyrant. But, even with a pastoral pastor or bishop even they are subject to an instituition and fraternity, confraternity, an institution based on hierarchical authority that instills, promotes and tolerates tyrrany. We are all tainted by such an abuse of power. Wait long enough and it will happen to you.

Yep. Baskets full of empty envelopes will get a hierarch's attention quicker than ten thousand angry letters.

God bless Bishop Morlino! Wow, this is exactly what we need from Catholic bishops. It's now time to fumigate all the nonsense that's tolerated in Catholic parishes, campuses and organizations. Those who disregard Catholic teaching should pursue their own whims outside the Church.

"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute." 2Peter 2:1-3

MORLINO SERVES SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS??

this article claims:
'Morlino serves as chairman of the board of visitors for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the School of the Americas. He has denied any wrongdoing by this military school that for decades has trained military officers from Latin America. Former students from this school have been accused of thousands of political killings, including the assassination of six Jesuit priests in El Salvador. Morlino told a local newspaper in November 2007: "I know for a fact there is no evidence to connect what the school teaches with any kind of atrocity."'

THESE MONSTERS WE CREATE SLAUGHTER AND CONTROL HIS FELLOW JESUITS AND HE SEES NO EVIDENCE??

wait a minute.
why was he thrown out of the Jesuits?

wait a minute.

Why is a great and courageous and prophetic and true and compassionate Catholic priest like the REverend Father Roy Bourgeois told, "Hey, Roy, by the way, you're excommunicated." while THIS pervert gets promoted?

Jesus will ask us:
Dude,
Where's my Church?

I am sad about what Ruth Kolpack went through with our Bishop and I believe that her firing is very unfair. A six year old thesis she wrote that is suddenly being probed!? And, anonymous letters sent to the diocese? Incredible. Let's make a movie out of this! She is not the only parish or diocesan staff employee that's been axed by Bishop Morlino or his 'right hand' staff! I know this because I experienced a similar fate in this diocese, too! We all need to step forward and complain! I agree that perhaps by shutting off the money maybe someone will hear us roar! That means when your parish asks for Diocesan Service Appeal dollars (the taxation on the parish by the diocese)....hold the money. It's time that Catholics step up to the plate and speak out on what's wrong in Madtown. Bishop Morlino needs to move on to greater pastures outside of the Diocese of Madison!

Morlino is considered to be under consideration for Archbishop of Milwaukee...heaven forbid! He also gave the singularly most boring talk I've ever heard...heads were nodding & even a few snores were heard.

Faith isn't boring...it's uplifting, fascinating, life-giving...guess it's not that way in the Madison diocese at present.

Morlino serves as chairman of the board of visitors for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the School of the Americas. He has denied any wrongdoing by this military school that for decades has trained military officers from Latin America.
Morlino told a local newspaper in November 2007: "I know for a fact there is no evidence to connect what the school teaches with any kind of atrocity."
Former students from this school have been accused of thousands of political killings, including the assassination of six Jesuit priests in El Salvador.

St Oscar Romero pray for him!

Bishop Morlino not only has an over-inflated ego and "God-complex", he has no respect for others' opinions. There have been bullies like him all over the world, but it is an embarassment to have him represent the hierachy of the church. People's deep faith in the love and wisdom of God keeps many Catholics from simply leaving the church. We stay inspite of Bishop Morlino, not because of him.

Madison, Wisconsin and Linz, Austria have something in Common -
Controversial Bishops

http://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=7578

Bishop Egon Kapellari of Graz-Seckau and Cardinal Christoph Schonborn of Vienna attend an extraordinary meeting of the Austrian bishops' conference in Vienna Feb. 16. The bishops met to discuss a crisis engendered by the Vatican's appointment of an Austrian bishop who implied that Hurricane Katrina was punishment from God for sins committed in New Orleans

Austrian named auxiliary bishop asks pope to withdraw his nomination
By Catholic News Service
Posted: 2/16/2009

LINZ, Austria (CNS) -- Bishop-designate Gerhard Wagner said he would ask Pope Benedict XVI to withdraw his nomination as auxiliary bishop of Linz "given the fierce criticism" of his appointment.

The 54-year-old parish priest, who was named an auxiliary bishop Jan. 31, issued a statement Feb. 15 saying that after prayer and consultation with the diocesan bishop, "in the interest of and for the benefit of the diocese, I have decided to ask the Holy Father to withdraw my nomination."
The statement was published Feb. 15 on the Web site of the Diocese of Linz.

The uproar over his appointment stemmed mainly from comments he made implying that Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was a punishment from God for sins committed in New Orleans.

As of Feb. 16, the Vatican had not announced any change in Bishop-designate Wagner's appointment.

After a meeting Feb. 16 in Vienna, the diocesan bishops of Austria issued a statement saying they supported Bishop-designate Wagner's request to withdraw, although they also reaffirmed their belief that it is best for the church that the pope appoint bishops.

If a bishop were to be elected by the faithful at large, they said, "conflicts would be inevitable."

However, the bishops' statement also said that the canon law procedure for choosing a bishop, which calls for consultation with other bishops, priests of the diocese and lay leaders, is important for ensuring support and an appropriate welcome for new bishops.

"The procedure provided for in canon law for the selection and the examination of candidates (for the office of bishop) has proved its worth, if this procedure really is followed," they said.

The Austrian bishops did not refer directly to the fact that Bishop-designate Wagner once linked the 2005 Katrina disaster to what he called "the spiritual pollution" plaguing New Orleans.

"The amoral conditions in this town are indescribable," he said in a parish newsletter in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina had devastated New Orleans.

"This is not just any city which has been drowned, but the people's dream town with the 'best brothels and the most beautiful whores,'" he said, according to excerpts from the newsletter which appeared on the Austrian Catholic Web site Kath.net.

The Austrian newspaper Osterrich reported Feb. 2 that the bishop-designate denied describing Hurricane Katrina or the 2004 Asian tsunami as a punishment from God.

But the newspaper quoted him as saying it was probably not a coincidence the tsunami took place at Christmastime, "when people from the rich world go to poor Thailand to enjoy the world."

The bishop-designate, who received a doctorate in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, also told the newspaper he believes the Harry Potter book series is "satanic."

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=1980

Austria's bishops to discuss 'crisis' over resistance to bishop's appointment
February 13, 2009
Acknowledging a "crisis" for Catholicism in their country, Austria's Catholic bishops will meet in Vienna on Monday to discuss the popular opposition to the Pope's selection of a conservative priest, Father Gerhard Maria Wagner, to become an auxiliary bishop of the Linz diocese. Some priests have violently objected to the appointment, pointing to Father Wagner's view that a decline in morality amounts to "spiritual pollution" of society.

http://www.freep.com/article/20090213/NEWS07/90213033

February 13, 2009

Bishop controversy prompts Austrian Catholics to meet

ASSOCIATED PRESS

VIENNA — Vienna's Roman Catholic archdiocese says the country's bishops will meet to discuss widespread objections to the Vatican's decision to promote a conservative pastor who suggested Hurricane Katrina was provoked by sin.

The archdiocese said top church official Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn will convene the special session in the Austrian capital on Monday.

Pope Benedict XVI promoted the Rev. Gerhard Maria Wagner to the post of auxiliary bishop in Linz on Jan. 31, causing an outcry from church groups and priests.

Wagner has questioned whether Katrina was a result of "spiritual pollution" and has characterized Harry Potter novels as Satanism.

The Catholic news agency Kathpress quoted Schoenborn as saying believers should know all is being done to "overcome the crisis."

Another Witch-hunt?

An Archbishop Falls to a Witch-hunt
By Andrew Purvis
Sunday, Jan. 07, 2007
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1574882,00.html

The service, held in Warsaw's medieval St John's Cathedral, in the heart of the old town, did not turn out as expected. It was intended to mark the elevation of Stanislaw Wielgus, 67, to the post of Archbishop of Warsaw, the most important post in the Polish Catholic Church. Instead, the archbishop began his service by reading from a letter he had just completed to the Vatican: "After profound reflection and assessment of my personal situation, I submit to the hands of Your Holiness my resignation from the office of Warsaw Metropolitan Archbishop," he read. Wielgus's resignation, which was accepted by Rome, followed two weeks of allegations that he had collaborated with the secret police during the communist era. "NO! NO! NO!" supporters chanted in the cavernous 13th Century cathedral. "Stay with us!!" Later, they paraded his portrait through the streets of the Polish capital alongside a banner that read: "This is Warsaw's spirit!"

Wielgus has become the most famous victim of a process known as "lustration" — a word meaning "purification" — that is under way across eastern Europe. Embraced as a political weapon by right-wing parties against their enemies, it is targeting anyone with even remote ties to the communist past. In Poland this process has gained fresh momentum over the past year following the election of a right-wing, anti-communist coalition government led by twin brothers who began their careers battling communists alongside Lech Walesa and the Solidarity trade union movement. Cardinal Jozef Glemp, who is standing in for Wielgus until the Vatican names a replacement, said a witch-hunt is under way: "Today Archbishop Wielgus was tried. But what kind of trial is carried out on the basis of scraps of paper?" he told the congregation at St. John's after Wielgus stepped down. "We don't want such trials!"

Many Poles — up to two million — are known to have collaborated in some way with the secret police of the communist regime that ruled the country from 1945 to 1989. Often, those efforts did not amount to active spying. Communist agents would identify potential collaborators, including those who wanted to travel abroad or who sought posts over which the state had control, and ask them to sign papers indicating their willingness to pass on information. Some were threatened with the loss of their job or separation from their family if they did not cooperate. Wielgus's case may have been typical: he was approached by secret police after requesting permission to travel abroad to study and agreed to sign a paper indicating his willingness to pass on information. He has admitted doing as much but denies that he actually spied on colleagues.

The Catholic Church holds a particularly influential position in Polish society, and rumors about priests collaborating with the old regime, though common, have never been substantiated. In 1990 a large number of files held by the communist interior ministry on the Polish clergy mysteriously vanished. A former communist official later said they were handed over to the Church. More recently, a priest in Krakow named Tadeusz Isakowicz Zaleski, who was working on a book about priests in the Krakow diocese who cooperated with communist secret police, was ordered to be silent by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, the former personal secretary of Pope John Paul II. The late pontiff, while a strident anti-communist, was not unsympathetic to Polish priests who had cooperated with communists authorities, who then held absolute sway over his native land.

The Vatican watched the mounting Wielgus controversy over the past week and finally decided that it would be better to have the prelate go now rather than wait until after he was made Archbishop. Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said the Pope had accepted the resignation because the Polish bishop's previous "behavior... had seriously compromised his authority." The result is a clear embarrassment for Pope Benedict XVI, who personally selected Wielgus for the post. Lombardi sought to spread the blame. He cited a "strange alliance" between former Communist authorities and their then adveraries who, he claims, are working to undermine the Church. "More than a sincere search for transparency and truth, the current wave of attacks against the Catholic Church in Poland contains many signs of ... a vendetta," Lombardi said .

Maybe. But the only evidence of a strange alliance in Poland is among ultra-right parties staunchly opposed to communism. The newspapers that leaked the stories about Wielgus's collaboration, such as the weekly Gazeta Polska, are all on the far right of the political spectrum. Wielgus's case may lead to fresh accusations against other members of the Polish church. The Vatican has hinted that new revelations may be coming and a new book about collaborating priests is due out in Poland in March.

When will the NCR learn that this is not a matter of "Disagreement with him...," but a matter of disagreement with what the Church teaches?

This man is not a leader but a muddle of contradicitons. The church in Madison apparently is in much need of intelligent leadership. I am so sorry for Kolpack and the poor people of this diocese.

Jesus, too, was ridiculed by the Jewish hierarchy when he was totally inclusive; he ate with sinners and tax collectors, etc. Luckily, when we ALL get to heaven, we will ALL be included. Kolpack and other women will be just as warmly welcomed as you who are trying to reject half of God's children. And, they will sit at the head of the table for being persecuted on Jesus' behalf as they try to bring about the Kingdom as Jesus modeled for us.

The Bishop ought to read Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians and "UNDERSTAND" it too:

"I SAY THIS TO SHAME YOU...."

I Corinthinas 6: 1-11
How can any one of you with a case against another dare to bring it to the unjust for judgment instead of to the holy ones?
Do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world?
If the world is to be judged by you, are you unqualified for the lowest law courts?
Do you not know that we will judge angels?
Then why not everyday matters?
If, therefore, you have courts for everyday matters, do you seat as judges people of no standing in the church?

I say this to shame you.
Can it be that there is not one among you wise enough to be able to settle a case between brothers?
But rather brother goes to court against brother, and that before unbelievers?
How indeed (then) it is, in any case, a failure on your part that you have lawsuits against one another.
Why not rather put up with injustice?
Why not rather let yourselves be cheated?
Instead, you inflict injustice and cheat, and this to brothers.

Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor boy prostitutes nor sodomites nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.

That is what some of you used to be; but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
***************************************************************************

It is a sad day for the Church in America (plagued by its numerous Pedophile Scandals) that a Catholic BIshop brings the Church to "RIDICULE AND SHAME" like this, instead of "RESOLVING ISSUES" with Maturity and tact. It is just another sign of this Bishop's lack of "MANGERIAL SKILLS"

"The suit stated that the 6,000 parishioners and 83 priests who participated in the survey were assured by a letter from Morlino that “all responses will be considered confidential,” so that everyone can “feel free to comment without fear of repercussion.”

But John Richert, president of Phoenix, said in the suit that when the responses were turned over to the bishop he “insisted on the disclosure of confidential data, including the names of specific priests who had expressed concerns or registered complaints about Bishop Morlino during the survey process.”

Richert refused. According to the suit, Morlino subsequently fired Phoenix and refused to pay some $350,000 for the work the company had done.
In a rebuttal, the diocese denied that Morlino sought the names of priests who had been interviewed."
**************************************************************************

For the good of the Church, the Parishoners at Madison ought to seek the intervention of USCCB before this becomes another SCANDAL.

This is Disgusting:

"Morlino serves as chairman of the board of visitors for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the School of the Americas. He has denied any wrongdoing by this military school that for decades has trained military officers from Latin America. Former students from this school have been accused of thousands of political killings, including the assassination of six Jesuit priests in El Salvador."

How can Morlino deny this:

http://www.paxchristiusa.org/news_events_more.asp?id=753

From Yakima to Tacoma, a group of local people is hoping its voice will be heard all the way to Georgia next weekend. The Yakima-area people are joining together to attend a nonviolent vigil in Tacoma on Nov. 16 to protest the continued operation of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation at Fort Benning, Ga.

The institute, formerly called the School of the Americas, has been the focus of annual peaceful protests for more than 10 years.

Protesters criticize the institute's training of Latin American soldiers in commando tactics and combat and psychological operations.

In 1989 six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her teenage daughter were massacred in El Salvador. A U.S. Congressional Task Force subsequently reported that those responsible were trained at the School of the Americas.

This will be the first time a vigil has been organized in Tacoma to protest the institute. People will gather at noon at Portland Avenue Park and march to the U.S. Federal Building.

Members of Pax Christi-Yakima Valley, a group that promotes nonviolence, and parishioners of several local churches are leading the trip to Tacoma.

Peace to men/women of goodwill.

Bravo to Bishop Morlino. He has shown great charity to Ruth in this sad and unfortunate situation and has even said that he wants to protect Ruth's 'good reputation'. It's funny that a lot of the folks on here...do not mention that bit of charity from Bishop Morlino but instead are quick to offer arrows and hateful rhetoric towards the bishop.

My, could the author be anymore biased? Excuse me, Mr. Fox, your lack of credibility as a jounalist is showing! Perhaps Ms Kolpack is your aunt or something?

I would love to hear more about the scandal caused by Kolpack. I am sure there is another side to this story, but it won't be found in this rag.

And how nasty can a Bishop be; insisting a Catholic in a position of influence affirm her faith according the CCC! The Bishop is SUPPOSED TO keep the Truth of Catholic doctrine alive and well for the sake of the souls he will personally answer for.

The woman who puts the sin of pride and scandal(which are whoppers of sins)ahead of Christ's Church will have to answer for those she has lead astray as well. The Bishop does not judge her, only her actions and is required to make the results known to the faithful.

God Bless this Bishop for doing the job he was ordained to do. We need more of them.

"He has denied any wrongdoing by this military school that for decades has trained military officers from Latin America."

Is he "IGNORANT' or is he just "LYING"??

Does this "BISHOP" know any of these people: Martin Sheen, Susan Sarandon, Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls, Sr. Helen Prejean of Dead Man Walking fame, Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala of Los Angeles (bishop-president of Pax Christi USA - Born in Mexico in 1951, he was ordained for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1977 and named an auxiliary bishop there in 1994.)

http://ie.indymedia.org/article/67494?comment_order=asc

The U.S. Army School of the Americas (SOA) is a combat training school for Latin American soldiers located at Fort Benning, Georgia. SOA graduates have been responsible for some of the worst human rights atrocities in Latin American history, including:

Two of the three officers responsible for the assassination of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero in 1980
Three of the five officers responsible for the rape and murder of four U.S. churchwomen in 1980
19 of 26 responsible for the massacre of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter in 1989
The man convicted in Guatemalan courts for the assassination of Guatemalan Bishop Juan Jose Gerardi in 1998
The man arrested for the murder of Colombian Bishop Isaias Duarte in 2002

Originally set up as a counterinsurgency training school in 1946, the SOA has claimed numerous reforms in the way it selects and trains its students over the years, culminating in its name change to the "Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation" (WHISC) in 2001. Each of these changes came only because of grassroots and congressional activism, but none has permanently closed the school or allowed for a full accounting of its tragic legacy. The school continues to train soldiers from countries with the worst human rights records in the region.

Gathering this weekend at Ft. Benning Georgia to close the SOA will be Martin Sheen, Susan Sarandon, Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls, Sr. Helen Prejean of Dead Man Walking fame, Bishop Gabino Zavala, and thousands more people of conscience to stand in solidarity with those affected by the atrocities committed by SOA graduates.