Across ArchMil - week of November 10th 2014

From the Chancery

Synod Bulletin Newsletter November 2014, "Decisive Pastoral Priorities at a Glance" [pages 2-3] (That's 32 priorities in eight categories, none clearly expressed in terms of measurable results.)

Jesus First, Catholic ID video at YouTube

Veterans Day, by Archbishop Listecki, Our Faith Blog. "I had the privilege of serving as a chaplain in the United States Army Reserve for 23 years. Last week’s visit was a bit like old home week, since 19 of those 23 summers were spent at Fort McCoy for annual training." (Some old-timers in the WI ANG said the Pentagon must have anticipated any war would be in a climate like northern Wisconsin in summer, since that's where all our training was.)

Young adult conference draws more than 700, by Therese Goode, Milwaukee Catholic Herald. "Over 700 young adults from around the Midwest gathered at the Cousins Center Saturday, Nov. 8, to seek community and an encounter with Christ at the Encounter Steubenville Young Adult Conference."

U.S. Bankruptcy Court (E.D. Wis.)

No additional money for victim who settled with archdiocese, by Brian T. Olszewski, Milwaukee Catholic Herald. "Since it started Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in January 2011, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has maintained that victims of clergy sexual abuse who had reached a settlement with the archdiocese should not be entitled to an additional settlement." (True, as far as it goes. But in this case it also maintained that state law which prevents use in court of statements made in mediation applied to allegedly fraudulent statements by Archdiocesan officials which convinced the claimant to settle.)

In the Milwaukee Catholic Herald

Recognize true spiritual warfare described in sripture, In Exile column, by Fr. Ronald Rolheiser. "Authentic spiritual warfare is to be pictured this way: Inside our world and inside each of us there’s a fierce battle waging, a war between good and evil ..."

Priest publishes second installment of archdiocese’s history, by Tom Jozwik, on Confidence and Crisis: A History of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, 1959-1977, by Fr. Steven Avella. "The Milwaukee Archdiocese counted approximately 100,000 children in its schools in 1963, he said, when there were more than 600 priests and some 700 seminarians. In 1963, 21 men were ordained priests; 26 were ordained in 1964." (So why isn't the Synod and other planning expressed in terms of setting new records in these and other areas?)

Stories within the story, by Tom Jozwik. "Fr. Steven Avella’s Confidence and Crisis: A History of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, 1959-1977 contains intriguing tidbits. ... Purchasing the old Schuster’s department store at 12th and Vliet streets in Milwaukee for archdiocesan headquarters was considered during the Cousins era." (Instead headquarters wound up in a suburb, using space that became available when the minor seminary closed.)

Lay Organizations

De Chantal Society gathers women in prayer, by Amy Merrick, Milwaukee Catholic Herald. "The de Chantal Society was jointly formed by the Nazareth Project for Marriage and Family Formation and the seminary. Lydia LoCoco, former director of the Nazareth Project, explained, 'de Chantal Society has no volunteer requirements or any other obligations other than prayer. The absolute reason for its existence is to pray for vocations and support women’s faith lives.'"

Pivotal Directions brings love, hope to Jamaican dump dwellers, by Colleen Jurkiewicz, Milwaukee Catholic Herald. "... Jeff Wenzler, executive director of Pivotal Directions and Catholic Herald Family columnist, ... founded the organization in 2011 in the hopes of expanding the worldview of privileged suburban kids in the Milwaukee area."