One of my favorite presidents, George Washington, was the first to set aside Thursday, Nov. 26, 1789, as a day of “public thanksgiving and prayer.” Signed by Washington on Oct. 3, 1789, and entitled “Thanksgiving Proclamation,” the decree appointed the day “to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God.” Later, on Oct. 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for the observance of the fourth Thursday of November as this national holiday.

Throughout the centuries of our country’s existence, most Americans have consistently held the value of Thanksgiving as a true time of “acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God.” Happily, in spite of difficulties faced in my family, Thanksgiving has always come together and produced some fairly significant memories. I believe most families probably offer some similar feelings concerning the importance of the value of family and the joy of being together – in spite of the personal and individual “extenuating circumstances.”

It’s interesting to note that in 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday to the third Thursday of November (to extend the Christmas shopping season and boost the economy).

After a storm of protest, Roosevelt changed the holiday again in 1941 to the fourth Thursday in November, where it stands today.

I sure pray for a return to that kind of support again in our day. Consumerism and commercialism appear to be grabbing our attention more and more. I hope you have a great day of giving thanks and that in your thoughts you remember to offer gratitude to God!

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! Enjoy your pie … and I’ll see you at Sunday Mass!

Well, we have concluded our work in Baltimore at the annual Fall meeting of the Conference of Catholic Bishops. It was a full agenda involving discussions concerning our lives of faith and conversion in this Year of Faith, discussions about the economy, the support of the sacrament of marriage and our continued support for the sacredness of human life and our resolute defense of the same. I’m sure that many of you spent some time during the week checking the blogosphere and other social media links as well the regular media concerning news about the Conference. We know there were many news agencies present.

Cardinal Dolan, the President of the Conference, offered his annual address and highlighted for the assembly another invitation to a life of simple penance and conversion to Jesus as a part of the ongoing Year of Faith and as a remedy for the ever-growing challenges of secularism and relativism in our society.

Among the useful suggestions he offered was the tried and true practice of prayer and fasting. He made reference to reviving the practice of abstinence from meat on Fridays as another idea that we might consider. There is always merit in such suggestions and I will probably discuss this further with the Priests’ Council and the Diocesan Pastoral Council that meets this weekend. If any of you have some thoughts about fasting and abstinence, I would enjoy hearing from you, too.

Much ballyhoo was made in the mainstream media about our discussion about producing a faith-filled and spiritual response to current issues in the economy. The mainstream media appeared to indicate division rather than prudence having influenced our decision not to publish such a document at this time. The bishops are of one mind about leadership for our people in this and in all areas when we speak as a body. The bishops were not seeking an “easy fit” or simply saying “something” about the economy while everyone else and his/her banker was doing the same. The bishops have a responsibility to teach the faith when we speak, and our latest teachings have had great impact on the faithful because of our unity and clarity. In this matter, the old axiom: “If a man’s words are no better than silence, it behooves him to remain quiet,” seems appropriate. Perhaps the mainstream media wanted us to make some “noise” so they could make more.

The fraternity among the assembled bishops was a great sign of apostolic joy. Further, there was a reasonable understanding that issues in the recent election concerning marriage and the value of human life were, by and large, supported by Catholics who voted. This was reassuring in many respects and helped us to remember that our unified voices were not raised in vain; many Catholics listened and many acted upon what they heard. So, we press on and boldly proclaim the truth that is unchangeable and brings life to the world.

Experience Jesus at Sunday Mass. See you there!

I’ve recently completed a visit with our seminarians at St. John Vianney Seminary (pre-theology) and St. Paul Seminary (theology) located in St. Paul, Minn. The visit was in conjunction with a meeting of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. There was important conversation concerning rural life, the Farm Bill, and the impact of the recent election on future farm life. I will spend more time on those topics in the future; they deserve some special space of their own.

Your seminarians are doing well in Minnesota – we did stop to visit with the men at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (pre-theology) in Winona, on the way back to La Crosse.

A future visit is planned for our men at Mundelein, Ill (pre-theology and theology). Father Robert Barron (of Catholicism fame) is the new rector there and he is bringing about some changes and some good ideas that should enhance the spiritual and theological training of our men there. As with our other seminaries, we also have a long and happy tradition at Mundelein.

Of course, our long-time affiliation with the Pontifical North American College has produced many good and faithful priests for our diocese as well. My visit with the men there took place at the same time as the ordination of Deacon Alan Guanella last month.

All told we are blessed to have 32 men currently studying for the priesthood who are at various stages of formation and in various seminary programs. After meeting with seminary rectors and receiving such glowing reports concerning our men, I am hoping they will maintain their humility for the days ahead when they assume the serious and challenging work of the priesthood. Your prayers for them are greatly appreciated – and certainly appear to be heard!

Right now, I am sitting in O’Hare airport in Chicago, preparing to fly to Baltimore for the start of the November meeting of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB). Some of the major points that we will consider touch on the preparation and the development of the priest. A new document on preaching will be reviewed and ratified for publication, along with a document specifically directed at bishops and our work of communicating in a new and technological world. The economy, of course, will be a source of conversation. Given some of the results involving marriage that came about during the recent election, there will, no doubt, be some dialogue about that.

The Church continues to exist in an ever-changing world. The truth that the Church teaches and proclaims, however, remains constant and steadfast. I’m sure that gives you some indication of the complexity of studying for the priesthood and, ultimately, trying to communicate the faith once one gets there. Please keep us bishops in your prayers this week, too.

Sure hope to see you at Sunday Mass!

Now, I’ll bet that some of you looked at the title at the top of this entry and thought that I was making some facetious comment about my life – not so. I really have some good news to share and I am quite joyful about it.

I originally planned to report to you about the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) meeting earlier this week with the various leaders of Consecrated Women Religious of our state. It was quite a vigorous and splendid meeting. It was set on our agenda a year or so ago before the news of the recent developments between the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and various offices in Rome. Our meeting was meant to assist the Bishops and the Sisters to gain some common ground in our communication about issues and our openness to further dialogue and discussion about our mutual concern and love for the Church at large and especially here in Wisconsin.

It was a cordial and fruitful meeting that produced some great suggestions for further pooling of ideas and sharing concerns for collaboration and expressions about our lived Catholic faith and various means of getting those points across to the faithful. It was clear that all of us found the meeting stimulating and productive. Future plans for other meetings and “trickle-down” events from this one are in the offing.

While attending the meeting of the WCC in Milwaukee, I was pleasantly informed by Bishop Morlino of Madison of the news concerning our dear Monsignor Robert Flock being named by Pope Benedict XVI as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cochabamba, Bolivia. This, of course, is a major blessing for our diocese and another indication of the great work that is being done in our mission areas of Bolivia and Peru.

I’ve recently visited Bolivia as I told you several weeks ago. The travel was rigorous, but I am ready to go again – this time with Archbishop Listecki, our former Bishop – and, I’m sure, some classmates of Bishop-elect Flock.

The news of Bishop-elect Flock’s new status continues to enliven the prayers and hopes we have for all of our diocesan works in South America. We will be announcing soon the formal opening of the Cause for the Beatification of Father Joe Walijewski. The news about Bishop-elect Flock is another validation of the good work established by Father Joe and continued by our priests over the years. Our prayers and best wishes are with you, Bishop-elect Flock!

I received word last January from some friends in Milwaukee, who also happen to be friends of Cardinal Dolan, the former Archbishop of Milwaukee (and my former boss), concerning the Al Smith Dinner and inviting me to attend as their guest. Time, of course, passed swiftly and before I knew it they needed an answer to their invitation.

The Al Smith Dinner is an annual gathering of “glitterati” who raise an enormous amount of money for children’s charities in the Archdiocese of New York. Hosted by the Cardinal Archbishop, it is an evening of lighthearted, self-deprecating humor, poked at some folks of means who have the resources to raise millions of dollars, and who are of such stature in the community that their self-inflicted humorous anecdotes are found particularly funny.

The dinner was established by His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Spellman, in honor of Al Smith, a former governor of New York State, who was the first Catholic to run for President of the United States. The dinner, therefore, has always had a distinctive social-political curve to it while it brings together some great citizens (mostly from NYC) who have the wherewithal to raise the kind of money needed for these charities.

So, last Thursday, yours truly joined a group of Wisconsinites from all over the State – and beyond – to witness history.

You see, every presidential election, the sitting president and the candidate from the opposing party are invited to share the dais, put aside politics, and embrace the civility and honor that makes this a truly noble and exceptional republic.

This year, however, there was great controversy concerning Cardinal Dolan’s invitation to President Obama. The president is not necessarily favorable to us Catholics and we are currently in litigation against his forced HHS mandate involving Health and Human Services and Catholic institutions – schools, hospitals, and charities. The president is pro-abortion and against the Defense of Marriage Act. So, there was plenty of “push-back” by the Catholic community against the Cardinal’s invitation. In all fairness, I must add, people were not necessarily jumping up and down in joy to invite Governor Romney, either. I think many folks would have just considered passing over the tradition of having the candidates for dinner and go with a less provocative guest(s).

It is sometimes necessary, however, to have your bravest, strongest soldier go forth against a formidable adversary. I believe that the Cardinal is now in a position of leadership for the Church in the United States to meet the challenge. His invitation was meted out according to the practical and spiritual attributes of the Gospel – in a profound spirit of charity. I paraphrase his own words: if he only ate with saints, he’d eat alone an awful lot of times.

I’d like to think we all want to be heralds of hope and instruments of peace in difficult situations, especially in some of the troubling times that are now set before us. I believe our best efforts must be to fight the fight that must be fought – and this we are doing in our lawsuits and with our expectations of justice in favor of the First Amendment. We must always remember, however, that charity still carries the day for us as Christians. Even in persecution it should be said: “See how they love one another.”

In this Year of Faith, I’ll see you at Sunday Mass!

Like many other Americans, I am trying to stay current on the issues and the topics being put forth by the candidates – of both parties – for major public office these days. I do, however, have to also listen with an ear for those times when particular issues pertaining to the Church’s teachings or positions may be compromised or, in some cases, falsified.

Your bishops still want you to keep in mind some key areas of importance for Catholics as you deliberate and discern the candidate of your choice. The HHS mandate, for instance, is still an issue of major social concern for Americans and of particular import for us Catholics.

Last night, for example, the following statement was made during the Vice Presidential debate regarding the decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to force virtually all employers to include sterilization and contraception, including drugs that may cause abortion, in the health insurance coverage they provide their employees:

“With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear. No religious institution – Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital – none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact. That is a fact.”

This is not a fact. The HHS mandate contains a narrow, four-part exemption for certain “religious employers.” That exemption was made final in February and does not extend to “Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital,” or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.

HHS has proposed an additional “accommodation” for religious organizations like these, which HHS itself describes as “non-exempt.” That proposal does not even potentially relieve these organizations from the obligation “to pay for contraception” and “to be a vehicle to get contraception.” They will have to serve as a vehicle, because they will still be forced to provide their employees with health coverage, and that coverage will still have to include sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients. They will have to pay for these things, because the premiums that the organizations (and their employees) are required to pay will still be applied, along with other funds, to cover the cost of these drugs and surgeries.

The Bishops’ Conference continues to urge HHS, in the strongest possible terms, to actually eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom imposed by the mandate.

For more details, please see the USCCB’s regulatory comments filed on May 15 regarding the proposed “accommodation”: www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/rulemaking/upload/comments-on-advance-notice-of-proposed-rulemaking-on-preventive-services-12-05-15.pdf

Keep your hearts and eyes open – and I’ll see you at Sunday Mass.

I was recently reminded by one of the priests of the diocese that I really have been away from home a great deal in the past few weeks. Well, out of the mouths of babes and priests one can always expect to hear the blunt truth!

So, let me tell you a little about some of the things that have occupied my time in the far away places of Bolivia and Rome.

The trip to Bolivia was most of all an opportunity to celebrate the dedication and consecration of the new parish church in the Archdiocese of Santa Cruz. The parish, which was founded by our beloved Father Joe Walijewski, has been most capably under the ministration of priests of the Diocese of La Crosse over the 50 years of its existence. Currently, Monsignor Robert Flock and Father Edward Penchi are tending to the needs of the faithful in that enormous parish and most beautiful new church.

As you know, I am quite interested in the apostolic activity of Father Joe Walijewski and I am currently working to gather the resources and information that will lead to the formal petitioning and opening of the Cause for his eventual beatification and canonization. This is recognition of what many people already maintain in their minds and hearts. We will petition the Church in Her wisdom to make a proclamation about the Cause according to God’s will. Your prayers would be most welcome in this regard.

Secondly, the visit to Rome centered around another La Crosse “event”; the diaconate ordination of Reverend Mr. Alan Michael Guanella at the hands of Archbishop John Joseph Myers, Archbishop of Newark, at the Altar of the Chair in Saint Peter’s Basilica. Along with Deacon Alan were 32 other young men from around the United States who have been studying at the North American College.

It was a good opportunity to visit with our other four seminarians there, along with Father Justin Kizewski, who is currently on academic leave in Rome, and Monsignor Jeff Burrill, who serves on the faculty at the College.

While in Rome, I had a chance to see Cardinal Burke and discuss with him the plans for advancing the Cause of “Padre Jose.” I also visited with the Roman Postulator who will represent Father Joe’s Cause in Rome as well as other members of the Congregation for the Cause of Saints – the ecclesiastical Congregation who will review and study our petition and consider the miracles allowed by God through Father Joe’s intercession.

Much has been accomplished and you will share in the joy as it unfolds. Be assured of my prayers – no matter where I am. Right now, however, it is good to be home sharing the Year of Faith with you … and looking forward to seeing you at Sunday Mass!

Now, you may hear me say this again and again, but it is an exciting time to be Catholic. Take for example my recent trip to Bolivia. I would think that every Catholic in the Diocese of La Crosse is simply filled with joy, enthusiasm, and gratitude for the work of our wonderful priests in Santa Cruz.

The Cardinal Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santa Cruz sure loves them. I had the opportunity to meet and greet the Cardinal for a little while before the last Mass in the old church. As we stood together in the new church – a magnificent and appropriate house of worship – he spoke in beautiful Spanish about Fr. Bob Flock and Fr. Ed Penchi. I listened mostly at that point, but through the interpreter I was able to carry on an intelligible conversation. I announced to him my news from the Holy Father that Fr. Bob Flock is now Monsignor Bob Flock. By the time you read this, however, that will be old news.

The ceremony to dedicate and consecrate the new church was held that Sunday with all three of the auxiliary bishops joining in the celebration. It was a grand affair and, of course, there was a fiesta afterward that included a raffle – some things are just universally Catholic.

The weather was hot and humid coupled with incredible winds that rustled up the dust and dirt to rival the stories of the Dust Bowl, however on the Wednesday we left Bolivia it poured rain! Monsoon type rain! Our flight was delayed two and a half hours and we missed our flight (and any other in Miami) to get back to Chicago. It was a miserable end to an extraordinary time of grace and blessing. I guess when I get some rest, I’ll probably find some blessing in the botched up homebound trip. Always reminds me that “man proposes, but God disposes.”

I’ll close with another good reason to be Catholic – you can support the mission our priests have built in Santa Cruz. Yes, of course, by your prayers; we could also use a donation for the work to the Mission Office of the Diocese. I hope you’ll read all about our trip in the current issue of The Catholic Times (www.thecatholictimes.com) and you can see what I’m talking about. In the meantime …

… I’ll see you at Sunday Mass.

I was once told that an old Chinese curse was: “May you live in interesting times.” One may certainly consider the nuggets of Asian wisdom and mystery in such a saying – not to mention the truth.

We have just concluded two of the most “interesting” weeks in American history. The drama of national political conventions does provide one with a sense of the philosophical and social tugs-of-war that draw up sides every four years. These days were really quite extraordinary. Economic questions and solutions, policies and protocols made some of the strong head starts in the battle of wits and words; but it was the social structures, raked over and redefined, that call for reflection and attention.

I’ve walked away from these weeks with a renewed sense of some things.

First of all, God exists, whether we are willing to “allow” Him to or not – inconclusive votes notwithstanding.

Secondly, all life is sacred. No one may choose who may be born or how long he or she may live.

Thirdly, poor people exist and they need and deserve our attention. It often seems that the poor and marginalized always become the “soft middle” where these quadrennial tugs-of-war are played.

Fourthly, actions have consequences. People need to take responsibility for their own lives – for their real choices.

Shakespeare once compared life tragically to a poor player on stage (Macbeth Act 5); So many people have been blinded by the media, the sad metaphor may now have real believers.

Thus, we have these past weeks – “interesting” though they were …

But I will call this to mind, as my reason to have hope:

The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, his mercies are not spent;

they are renewed each morning, so great is his faithfulness.

My portion is the Lord, says my soul;

therefore will I hope in him. (Lam 3: 21-24)

… and I’ll see you at Sunday Mass!

I am just completing my annual retreat here in Mundelein with my brother bishops from Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana. As always, the retreat gives us bishops a chance to get together, share valuable quiet time together in prayer and share valuable social time together in sincere fraternity. What a blessing this retreat has been! I give thanks to God!

You have been a part of this retreat, too. I have kept so many of you in prayer during this time; so many intentions and so many different remembrances from all over the diocese and from family and friends. A retreat is a wonderful time for us to take stock of our lives and how we stand before God. Our retreat director reminded us that it is not always us standing accused before God as He says: “What have you been up to?! But rather that we stand humbly and quietly before God and listen to Him tell us what He has been “down” to in our lives. There is a wonder in reflecting on the many miracles that occur in our lives when we recognize the nearness of God – the great condescension of God in the Incarnation.

So, I am grateful for the new priests I ordained two months ago, I am grateful for the permanent deacons I will ordain two months from now and whose retreat I will join today in Marathon. I am grateful for all the members of the Diocesan Pastoral Commission who are contributing their time and support with our priests all over the diocese. I am grateful for my diocesan staff and all those who serve in various ways the needs of the Church in La Crosse. I have prayed especially for the priests and people of our diocese and God has given me great consolation in knowing of your support.

As we say: “GOD IS GOOD!” And the favored response: “ALL THE TIME!”

And I say … I’ll see you at Sunday Mass!