Fr. Heilman Leads Coast to Coast Rosary

Providentially, on October 7, 2017, as the whole world looked on (New York Times article), a grassroots call for prayer, in mostly Catholic Poland, grew to one million strong in what was called, “Rosary on the Border.” Shortly after that, Ireland was inspired to do the same, and then Italy, and now the British Isles in what they call, “Rosary on the Coasts,” set for April 29, 2018. We, in America, have had something similar, which we called, “Novena for Our Nation.” Tens of thousands of faithful prayed the miraculous 54 Day Rosary Novena from August 15 (Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary) to October 7 (Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary).

Between now and October 7, under the banner of “Rosary Coast to Coast,” Americans across the country are invited to lead, pray and engage with “Rosary Coast to Coast” wherever they can gather: along the US coasts and borders through pilgrimages and processions. If unable to organize trips to the US coastline, they are encouraged to participate in parish churches; in front of state capitols; as families; or simply while viewing the live-stream of the National Rosary Rally in Washington, DC.

To sign-up as a coordinator or participant, go to rosarycoasttocoast.com

HT JH

Wherein Madison transportation safety improved

I hope Fr. Rick doesn't mind me sharing. 

A mountain of Madison, WI road salt is now exorcised and blessed.

In related news, I'd like to get down there for this: Vigil of Epiphany: Special Blessing of Water

Superior Diocese men's retreat April 1 at cathedral

The Knights of Columbus are “Calling Men into the Breach,” Friday, April 1, with a diocesan men’s gathering at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Superior.

“Chase perfection, catch excellence” is one theme of the event, which features talks by Bishop James Powers and Fr. Richard Heilman, a priest in the Diocese of Madison and state chaplain for the Knights of Columbus.

Tom Hoffman, a member of KC Council 7106, is a past district deputy for Superior, Iron River and Hayward. He’s currently a state director.

Men don’t often talk about their spirituality, Hoffman said.

“That’s one of the aims of the Knights of Columbus, to get men in touch with God … with their spiritual side, among their other aims,” he said.

continue at Superior CH

State Chaplain of KCs of Wisconsin, Fr. Rick Heilman, tours dioceses during Lent

 

Fr. Heilman is the Wisconsin State Chaplain for the Knights of Columbus, his brother knights are stepping up to make all of the preparations as they help to spread the word about the tour. But, this is offered to all men, whether they are a KC member or not.

details at Into The Breach

Unfortunately I can't make it to the La Crosse one.  If someone sends some pics from any of the stops, I'll post.

Kosloski: [Book Review] Church Militant Field Manual

Pope Benedict XVI, while having lunch with the College of Cardinals on May 22, 2012, reflected on the topic of the “battle against evil” and said “though the term ‘ecclesia militans’ [church militant] is ‘somewhat out of fashion,’ it is true, ‘it bears truth in itself.'” (Zenit, emphasis added)

He went on to say:

“We see how evil wishes to dominate the world and that it is necessary to enter into battle with evil,” he explained. “Evil is seen in many forms of violence,” the Pontiff reflected, but also “masked with goodness and precisely this way destroying the moral foundations of society.” (emphasis added)

Father Richard Heilman, a parish priest from the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, took these words of Pope Benedict as a call to action and sought to bring greater light to this invisible “battle against evil” and made it a focal point of his book Church Militant Field Manual: Special Forces Training for the Life in Christ. He saw society crumbling before his eyes and so wrote a book that is aimed not only at combating spiritual evil and rescuing the souls of family and friends, but more importantly, adapting practical spiritual practices for personal holiness.

continue at Philip Kosloski

WI Bishops praise Knights of Columbus for work to support Church teachings

(Steve Wideman | For The Compass)

I seeeeeee a KC state chaplain up there!!

GREEN BAY — Standing as devoted defenders of the faith and supporters of the new evangelization are two of the most important tasks facing the Knights of Columbus now and in the future, state bishops said during the 114th annual gathering of the Wisconsin Knights on April 25.

Green Bay Bishop David L. Ricken, Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki and Madison Bishop Robert C. Morlino joined to concelebrate Mass during the group’s convention at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Green Bay.

“The Knights of Columbus help the dioceses greatly, first as good examples of family men and their families committed to wanting the Catholic way of life,” Bishop Ricken said following Mass attended by nearly 1,400 Knights and their families.

continue at The Compass

1916 Military Rosary Inspires New Combat Rosary

Men’s faith formation has been a pet project of mine for the last half of my 26 years as a priest. Among many things, I ‘ve wanted us men to rediscover the treasury of Catholic devotions. If men are going to be the spiritual leaders of their own domestic church, we simply must explore these time-tested and Church approved jewels of our Catholic life.

As I poured myself into this endeavor, I was struck by how effeminate many of the sacramentals tended to be. It’s no wonder men are inclined to see these devotions as “what women do.” In particular, most of the rosaries looked like women’s jewelry. I began to scour the internet to find something truly masculine in a rosary. Sure, there were the classic black or brown bead rosaries, but they still seemed weak to me.

One day I happened upon a very intriguing rosary among some of the collectors’ websites. It was tough. It was strong. It had a kind of gravitas to it. This was truly a man’s rosary. As I read the description, it turned out I was looking at an original World War I military rosary. As described, it was commissioned and procured by, believe it or not, the U.S. government and issued by the military, upon request, to soldiers serving in World War I. Some of these rosaries were also seen in WWII. All of these rosaries were made around 1916. Awesome!!

continue at 1Peter5 

New "Holy League" group seeks to "marshall all the forces of good and holy men and women"

Post by Holy League.

HT GM

C.O.P.s Clergy on Patrol

Had to share a photo from BC friend Ben Yanke:

Another one from Fr. Rick, looks like they got the all clear.

New EWTN show Extraordinary Faith filming in Pine Bluff WI

Post by Extraordinary Faith.

Courtesy of Mr. Ben Yanke

BlogTalkRadio: Forward Boldly: Interview with Fr. Richard Heilman

Online Religion Radio at Blog Talk Radio with Forward Boldly on BlogTalkRadio

via BlogTalkRadio

Fr. Heilman on New Liturgical Movement: Truth About Communion in the Hand While Standing

In my efforts to restore a sense of the sacred in the liturgy, I have often been accused of being “pre-Vatican II.” I usually correct them by saying I am exactly Vatican II. The Second Vatican Council called for few changes in the liturgy, understanding that there had been a great many changes to the Roman liturgy over the centuries, to be sure, but they had been gradual and organic, and typically imperceptible. However, in all of church history, there was never anything like what happened in the years following this Council, in respect to the liturgy.

This weekend we had our first Masses with the new Communion rail. After one of these Masses I was talking with one of the old guard parishioners (great guy), and he loved the rails. He told me that "years ago" (I love that expression), they had a Parish Council meeting, and Fr. X wanted to remove the side altars (along with many other alterations), in this beautiful church. The old guard parishioner said, "It was a hard fought battle that night, but we wore him down and he did only minor alterations.” I said, "My ... how times have changed ... that priest got criticized for trying to remove sacredness ... now I'm getting criticized for trying to bring it back."

Since we were celebrating our new Communion rails, and the Gospel saw Peter, James and John fall prostrate before the presence of God - I deemed it a perfect time to shed some light on one of those post-Vatican II innovations – Communion in the hand while standing. We began with a little history lesson …

An Indult Born Out of Disobedience

The practice of receiving Holy Communion in the hand first began to spread in Catholic circles during the early 1960s, primarily in Holland. Shortly after Vatican II, due to the escalating abuses in certain non-English speaking countries (Holland, Belgium, France and Germany), Pope Paul VI took a survey of the world's bishops to ascertain their opinions on the subject. On May 28, 1969 the Congregation for Divine Worship issued Memoriale Domini, which concluded: "From the responses received, it is thus clear that by far the greater number of bishops feel that the present discipline [i.e., Holy Communion on the tongue] should not be changed at all, indeed that if it were changed, this would be offensive to the sensibility and spiritual appreciation of these bishops and of most of the faithful." After he had considered the observation and the counsel of the bishops, the Supreme Pontiff judged that the long-received manner of ministering Holy Communion to the faithful should not be changed. The Apostolic See then strongly urged bishops, priests and the laity to zealously observe this law out of concern for the common good of the Church.

continue at The New Liturgical Movement

A MUST read.

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Knights of Divine Mercy featured in Regina Mag

Fr Richard Heilman and his Knights of Divine Mercy help young Catholic men ‘put on the armor of God’ for themselves and their families. In this exclusive interview, he tells Regina Magazine  about how a strip club invading a small Midwestern town made it all happen. 

What prompted you to begin the Knights of Divine Mercy?

In 2005, I was assigned as pastor of two parishes, one of which was St. Mary’s of Pine Bluff, a Catholic parish in a small, unincorporated town near Madison, Wisconsin. The little town of Pine Bluff has one church, two bars, and a handful of homes. Fields and idyllic countryside surround it. It’s the kind of town where people dream of raising their kids.

Shortly after my arrival, one of the bar owners decided to rent out his cozy establishment to a strip club owner. Neighbors were appalled, and
 the little town was stunned. But there was not, it seemed, much that anyone could do.

That’s terrible! How did you get involved? 

Discerning God’s will, I organized a mile-long Stations of the Cross through the town. I invited everyone to pray along this “miracle mile,” in an effort to reclaim this surrendered ground and to consecrate the soil back to Our Lord.

The inaugural prayer walk was on Palm Sunday 2005. Over two hundred people spilled into the little town of Pine Bluff to participate in the miracle mile. We prepared for the prayer walk by placing two-foot-high crosses in the lawns stretching all the way down the main road and back, the length of the miracle mile. Participants carried their prayer sheets and a white ribbon (a symbol of purity and anti-pornography). 

The twelfth station found them at the entrance to the beautiful parish cemetery on a bluff with a life-size crucifix of our Lord and a one-hundred-year-old stone kneeler in front. The participants tied their white ribbons to this kneeler as a prayer form, much like lighting a vigil candle.

What happened after that day?

After that first prayer walk, a container holding prayer sheets and ribbons was placed at the first station on the walk. All were invited to come, pick up a prayer sheet and white ribbon, and pray at anytime of the day or night, as they wished. Over the next six months, prayer warriors walked the path, prayed the Stations, and sang hymns nearly round the clock. It was estimated that 600-700 ribbons were tied onto the cemetery kneeler over that period of time.

continue at Regina Mag

City of Madison cracks down on pro-life speech; lawsuit filed

Last night the City of Madison passed a buffer zone ordinance designed to crack down on free speech of pro-life prayer volunteers and sidewalk counselors. From the Wisconsin State Journal: 

The ordinance from Ald. Lisa Subeck, 1st District, is a response to continued protests at Planned Parenthood’s East Side clinic....It creates a protective zone within 160 feet of health clinics to allow patients and others to enter and exit without obstruction. It also bans protesters from being within 8 feet of a person — unless the person consents — to engage in oral protest, education, counseling, passing leaflets or handbills, or displaying signs if on a public way or sidewalk within the 160-foot-protective zone.

Subeck previously worked for NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin. Her ties to the abortion industry have largely been downplayed in the Madison media.

This morning, the Alliance Defending Freedom filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction on behalf of local pro-lifers. The list of plaintiffs features a "who's who" of state and local pro-life advocates including Madison Vigil for Life, Inc. (and two of its volunteers), Jennifer Dunnett of the Servants of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Theresa Klinkhammer and Connie Nielsen of St. Ambrose Academy's Guardians for Life, Students for Life of Madison, the "other" Badger Catholic (the University of Wisconsin-Madison Catholic organization), Fr. Rick Heilman of the Knights of Divine Mercy and others.

Matt Bowman of the Alliance Defending Freedom successfully represented local pro-life medical professionals and pro-life advocates in 2009-10 when the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics attempted to install a late-term abortion facility near the UW-Madison campus. Bowman and the ADF also represented the UW Badger Catholic student group when UW-Madison violated the organization's free speech rights, ultimately collecting nearly half a million dollars in attorney's fees.

Update: Obligatory--

The fruits of Ad Orientem worship

The good bishop. 

Yep, this.  From Father Rick 

This is a letter I just sent to a priest friend. I wrote it because I don’t believe we priests should be frightened anymore. I agree with a recent post that said, while we take our time, souls are being lost. We all know, in our bones, that God wants this … let’s simply obey and allow God to bless our obedience!!!

Dear Father,

I wanted to write to update you on the amazing things God is doing here …

A year is up and the results are in.

It’s been a little over one year since we removed the freestanding altar and committed to ad orientem worship for all of our Masses. Without a doubt, it was a leap of faith, as I simply trusted God would provide.

The initial response from some of the old guard was a bit nerve-racking. In fact, a handful of them decided to no longer attend here, as they dispersed to local parishes.

Beyond that, I don’t even know if I can begin to share all of the fruits of this move.

First, the spiritual benefits are palpable. Our parish has a sense that we are truly worshiping, and it simply feels so right. This is visibly seen in such things as the altar boys who are more reverent and precise. People are coming early to pray the rosary, and many are staying afterwards to offer prayers of thanksgiving. Everyone is offering the “proper” gestures (bowing, etc.) at the appropriate times. Virtually everyone began, mostly in just the past year, really dressing up for Mass. It seems every Sunday another woman has decided to veil – AT A NOVUS ORDO! And, we just had over 300 people go through the 33 Days of Preparation for Consecration to Jesus Through Mary!!!

Our choir has doubled in size over the past year, and they are chanting and singing polyphony so beautifully that I am thinking they should make a CD. Even our men’s schola went from 7 members to nearly 20 in just this past year. And, these men have become quite a “band of brothers” as they also gather once a month in my man cave for what we call, “Pipes and Pints” … Virtually all of them enjoy a nice pipe and brew as we discuss church related issues and try to solve all of the problems of the world. Virtually all of these men are young professionals.

I haven’t looked at any statistics, but it seems that, over just this one year, the average age of our parishioners went from 65 to 35, as so many young families are discovering us and joining the parish. It is so wonderful to hear the squeaks and squawks of little ones throughout the Mass!!! My secretary commented that it seems a new young family appears here every week.

Last year, our finance council was recommending that we begin a special giving campaign, as we were feeling the effects of the economic downturn of the past five years. I asked them to give it one more year, as we see the effects of ad orientem worship. They reluctantly agreed. A year later, we just had a finance council meeting and – get this! – Contributions are up 45% IN ONE YEAR!!!

I can’t say this is what will happen in every parish that decides to take the risk and move in this direction, but I wanted to be, at least, one more story of a parish that put their trust in God, and witnessed how God blessed this move to offer greater reverence in the Mass, especially by celebrating ad orientem.

Ad majorem Dei gloriam!!

BTW: Free Exorcised Holy Water and Blessed Salt!

I've pretty seriously considered moving to the area.  I keep holding out hope that a parish in this diocese would take up the Benedictine banner.  And I still haven't gotten to that post with the numbers of parishes...

The top two epidemics in Catholicism today.
1. Contraception.
2. Versus populum worship (which is in a certain sense contracepted worship). 

Fr. Heilman: I was led to believe that “hip” and “trendy” appealed to the youth

Fr. Rick Heilman did a couple posts over at KDM, check them out!

AKA – A Catholic Priest’s New Awakening!

A few days ago, I encouraged the pest control guy (while he was setting traps in my house) to come and check out the Mass on Sunday morning. Just yesterday, I said the same thing to the checkout guy at Kwik Trip. Both of these guys had admitted that they had left the Church years ago.

Two days ago, I was standing in someone’s kitchen with a couple of guys, and I got talking about how Confession is so amazing and, with that simple prayer of absolution, we get “do-overs;” we are made a brand new person. They both admitted they had not gone in decades and, two minutes later, we were stepping into the next room to celebrate that Sacrament. They both emerged with HUGE smiles on their faces and, I believe, a new incentive to get back into their faith. I’ve been doing stuff like this a lot lately.

Something is happening in the Church and in the world today. And, I know something is happening with me. I can’t recall many times (any?) in my priesthood that I would unabashedly – with great confidence and joy – invite people on the street to these amazing sacraments. Instead, I guess we priests felt that, “if you build it, they will come.” But, build what?

I had spent a great portion of my priesthood buying into the notion that, if we create all kinds of trendy “programs” and socials, while we kept our liturgy as cheery and entertaining as possible, people would hear about how “cool” and “fun” and “with the times” we were, and come running. We may have “held our own” with numbers in the pew, but I also noticed the average age was continuing to rise, and – where were all the men? I could see that, while this trendy approach had short-term results, the future was looking unsustainable.

It didn’t make sense. I was led to believe that “hip” and “trendy” appealed to the youth. And, we believed men didn’t go for all that ceremonial stuff – “Johnny Six-pack” likes it “real” like the rest of the world.

continue at Knights of Divine Mercy

A must read.

Also check out More Kwik Trip Evangelization

By they way, you may not know Pine Bluff parish now exclusively celebrates Mass ad orientem

This also reminds me to finish my post, I was comparing the number of parishes in MN that celebrate the Ordinary Form ad orientem as to those in Wisconsin.  This is the only parish in Wisconsin that is exclusive ad orientem (for OF) that I know of.  MN has several. 

Father Z performs the Blessing for Epiphany Water at Pine Bluff

The other day I posted about special blessings of sacramentals for Epiphany, including the Blessing for Epiphany Water.

As a follow up, since the blessing of Epiphany Water is reserved to bishops and to priests with permission from their bishop, I asked for and obtained said permission and, with the help of a great group of guys, blessed around 25 gallons yesterday, along with a lot of salt and a bunch of chalk.

No myrrh, alas.

Here is one shot.

This was not a scheduled event for the parish. Instead we blended it together with a regular meeting of a men’s group at St. Mary’s in Pine Bluff (D. Madison) where Fr. Heilman reigns supreme. I have written of his before. Just click this tag to be amazed at all the irons this guy has in the fire. HERE. (Get one of his rosaries: see the right side bar.)

continue at Father Z

A Christmas pic from Wisconsin

Post by Badger Catholic Blog Fanatics.

If you send me yours, I'd be happy to post them.

Father Wisconsin

I like this guy.

A few other pics from KDM a couple Fridays ago.  I also recorded it, if anyone would find it helpful in starting their own chapter let me know.  Unfortunately it ran out of battery before benediction which is my favorite part when the choir makes me want to stand up on the pew and cheer. 

Knights of Divine Mercy open chapter in Wisconsin Rapids

Knights of Divine Mercy (New Chapter in Wis. Rapids)

All are invited to the first NIGHT OF KNIGHTS on Friday, September 20th at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church. The Knights of Divine Mercy apostolate seeks to awaken in men the eager desire for a knight’s true calling: The quest for holiness and a restoration of the sacred. Our first speaker is Father Rick Heilman. His talk will be at 7:00 PM. Mass will be at 5:30 with Confessions and a Holy Hour from 6:00—7:00. A social will follow the talk. Contact sspeter_paul@hotmail.com or 715-423-1351 for more information.

2nd Annual Adult Faith Formation Retreat at SS Peter and Paul Church on October 5th, 2013. "The Merciful Heart of Jesus" Keynote: Father James Kubicki For more information or to register visit www.sspeterandpaulcatholic.com or contact 715-423-1351.

HT Phil

There is a great group of guys here, I met a group of them last year at the Madison Men's Retreat.  If you are in the area, I highly recommend attending. 

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