What is a diocese?
The Catholic Church is divided into geographical territories called dioceses. Dioceses are established by the authority of the pope. Each diocese is governed by a bishop, and includes all the Catholics living within its territory.
What is our diocese?
Our diocese is the Diocese of Madison. The City of
How big is our diocese?
The Diocese of Madison is comprised of eleven counties in southwestern
How old is our diocese?
The Diocese of Madison was erected on
From where does the bishop’s authority come?
The bishop is appointed by the authority of pope, and is personally responsible for the spiritual and temporal good of the local church. He is ordained as a bishop by at least one bishop who has himself received this ordination. The “chain” of ordinations goes all the way back to the Apostles themselves. Bishops are understood to be the successors of the Apostles, who were entrusted by the Lord Jesus with the responsibility of caring for His flock on earth. The bishops, in communion with the pope, fulfill this function today.
Who is our bishop?
Our bishop is the Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino, who is the fourth bishop of
What is a cathedral?
In the see city of each diocese, one church is designated as the cathedral. This is the church that contains the bishop’s “cathedra” (“chair” in Latin), an important symbol of the bishop’s authority. The cathedral is the site for the most important diocesan liturgies, such as the ordinations of new priests. The cathedral is the “bishop’s church” in a special way; because of this, the priest who takes care of the cathedral parish has the title “rector” rather than “pastor.”
Where is our cathedral?
The cathedral of the Diocese of Madison was St. Raphael, on
How does the bishop exercise his responsibility to lead the Diocese of
The bishop does this in two principal ways: most importantly, the bishop cares for his diocese through his clergy: the priests and deacons who work in the individuals parishes which constitute the diocese; secondly, the bishop maintains central offices that provide services for all the people of the diocese.
What is the relationship between the bishop and his priests?
Catholic priests are not “independent contractors” nor are they hired by the parishes they serve; they are coworkers with their bishop. It is the bishop who decides who will be accepted as a candidate for the priesthood, and in which seminary the candidates will be educated. Priests are ordained for the service of a particular diocese, and at ordination promise obedience to their bishop and his successors. Throughout his life, a priest receives his assignments to work in one place or another from his bishop.
What do priests do?
As the bishop is responsible for the spiritual and temporal welfare of his diocese, a priest who is pastor is responsible for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the parish to which he is assigned. The priest must do his work “in communion with the bishop,” following the bishop’s particular instructions, as well as the general law of the Catholic Church. Immediately after ordination, a new priest will typically assist a more veteran priest who is the pastor of a relatively large parish. The technical title for such a young priest is “parochial vicar.”
How many parishes and priests are in the Diocese of
There are currently 132 parishes in the diocese of
How big is a parish?
Our largest parishes would have over 2,000 families registered. There are some parishes that have fewer than 50. Those are extremes.
What is a deacon?
Deacons are also ordained to assist the bishop in the care of the local church. They have a specific function in the celebration of the Mass, and may administer the Sacraments of Baptism and Matrimony. They are permitted to preach, and may be involved in many kinds of service. Married men may be ordained deacons. Most deacons do not work fulltime for a parish, and do have secular jobs to support themselves and their families.
Where are the central offices for the Diocese of
The diocesan offices are located in the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, on High Point Road, just off the Beltline on the far west side of Madison. This large facility also contains meeting facilities and rooms for overnight lodging for diocesan events. It is also the residence for a number of retired priests.
What does the diocese do apart from celebrating the Sacraments?
Very famously, the Church is involved in education. The Diocese of Madison has forty-five elementary schools (with over 7200 pupils), two high schools and one college. Parishes provide for the religious education of students in public schools as well. Service to those in need is also a hallmark of the Catholic Church. The diocese contains several historically Catholic hospitals, and direct service to the poor is provided in many places by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.