Bishop Robert Morlino, RIP

His Excellency Robert Morlino, the bishop of Madison, Wisconsin, passed away yesterday evening, three days after experiencing a cardiac event during planned medical tests. He served as Bishop of Madison for 15 years, and as bishop of Helena, Montana, for a bit less than four years before that. He is known to our readers particularly as a strong supporter of the traditional Latin Mass, and a great encourager of priestly vocations. We offer our condolences to Bishop Morlino’s family and friends, and to all the Catholics of the diocese of Madison.

Da nobis, Dómine, ut ánimam fámuli tui Roberti Epíscopi, quam de hujus sáeculi eduxisti laborióso certámine, Sanctórum tuórum tríbuas esse consortem. Per Christum, Dóminum nostrum. R. Amen.

Vouchsafe us, o Lord, that Thou may grant that the soul of Thy servant, the bishop Robert, which Thou has led out from the toil and strife of this world, may share in the fellowship of the Saints. Through Christ our Lord.  R. Amen.

Bishop Morlino imparts the Pontifical Blessing while assisting from the throne at the first Mass of a newly ordained priest. (From an article posted this past June.)

First Mass Celebrated Coram Episcopo in Wisconsin

On Saturday, June 30, 2018, newly-ordained Fr Peter Lee celebrated his first Mass as a Solemn Mass, with His Excellency Robert Morlino, Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin, in attendance, and with Fr John Zuhlsdorf serving as the Assistant Priest, at the church of St Mary in Pine Bluff. Music included the Veni Creator of Giammateo Asola, and his Missa secunda a 3 for the Ordinary, Byrd’s Sacerdotes Sancti and Palestrina’s Ego sum panis vitae as Communion motets, Gregorian propers, the solemn Te Deum, and “Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above” as the recessional. These photos by Mr Joseph Hanneman are reproduced courtesy of the Traditional Latin Mass Society of Madison, on whose website you can see the complete set. Our congratulations to Fr Lee, to his family and friends, and to Bishop Morlino and the diocese of Madison - ad multos annos!

In a Missa coram Episcopo, the bishop recites the prayers at the foot of the altar together with the celebrant, with the other ministers saying the responses, and reads the texts of the Mass at the throne from a second Missal. He also blesses the incense at the throne, which is then brought to the celebrant at the altar, blesses the subdeacon and deacon after the singing of the readings, and the water at the Offertory. For the consecration, he kneels at the center of the sanctuary, so the subdeacon moves to the Epistle side; and he gives the final blessing.

Prayers at the foot of the altar

 Collects

 The bishop blesses the incense before the Gospel

The subdeacon kneels for the blessing of the water at the Offertory, which is done by the bishop from the throne.

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Photos of Pontifical Requiem with Bishop Morlino

Our recent photoposts for All Saints and All Souls were prepared in a bit of a rush while I was getting ready for a trip, and I overlooked these pictures of a Pontifical Requiem celebrated by His Excellency Robert Morlino, Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin. They are reproduced here from Fr Z’s blog, with our thanks; our thanks also to Bishop Morlino, who has strongly encouraged the traditional Rite both by word and his personal example.

The Mass was celebrated especially for the deceased priests and bishops of the diocese, hence the episcopal and priestly birettas set on the bier.

Tradition is for the young!

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Bishop Morlino on Beauty in the Liturgy

On September 6th, His Excellency Robert Morlino, Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin, while visiting his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, celebrated a votive Mass of Saint Joseph according to the Divine Worship Missal (“Anglican Use”) at the local Ordinariate parish, Saint Thomas More. Afterwards, he delivered a talk “Liturgy as an Aid in Evangelization”, focusing on the beauty of the liturgy as a necessary tool for evangelization in our modern world. A recording of the talk has just been posted via the parish website.

http://www.stmscranton.org/AdultEdAudio/09-06-17.mp3

In his address, Bishop Morlino enlarged on his vision of the liturgically beautiful: beauty does not lie in the eye of the beholder; it is not a matter of majority opinion; that which is beautiful must also be true. Our readers know that His Excellency has been strenuous in promoting sound liturgical practice in the diocese of Madison, following Cardinal Sarah’s call for greater use of ad orientem, and often celebrating Pontifical Mass in the Extraordinary Form.

Parishioner Robert Kurland writes about the celebration of the Mass according to the Ordinariate Use:

It was particularly appropriate for Bishop Morlino to talk on beauty in the liturgy at an anniversary celebration of St Thomas More Parish, a parish the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. The Anglican Usage liturgy is part of the Roman Rite, but has important differences in language, being based in part on the Book of Common Prayer, written by masters of the English language from Elizabethan times and later. I quote from the Ordinariate website: “The mission of the Ordinariate is particularly experienced in the reverence and beauty of our liturgy, which features Anglican traditions of worship while conforming to Catholic doctrinal, sacramental and liturgical standards. Through Divine Worship: The Missal — the liturgy that unites the Ordinariates throughout the English-speaking world — we share our distinctive commitment to praising God in the eloquence of the Anglican liturgical patrimony and Prayer Book English.”

The language, including all the thee’s and thou’s, is beautiful and a reminder of our heritage. (Unlike the prescriptions of some present day liturgists, there is no attempt to debase the English language by subscribing to politically correct gender neutrality and inclusiveness.) There is also frequent and appropriate use of Latin, again as a reminder of the Church’s heritage from Rome. The music is without guitars and drums, using hymns from the English Hymnal compiled by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Communion is given on the tongue, kneeling at the altar rail, with the Host distributed by the priest with intinction in the Precious Blood.

After this Mass, I feel that Bishop Morlino’s goal has been achieved: “[The Mass] must be nothing less than beautiful, reflecting the perfect beauty, unity, truth, and goodness of the object of our worship and adoration Themselves, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” —Bishop Robert Morlino, Madison Catholic Herald, Oct. 20, 2011.  

Pontifical Baptism in the Traditional Rite in Madison

Today, we bring you pictures from one of the rarest liturgies in practice, the pontifical baptism from the 1962 ritual books. The celebrant was His Excellency Bishop Robert Morlino; the ceremony occurred several weeks ago at St Patrick’s church, with a family from the Cathedral of Madison, Wisconsin.

All Saints and All Souls Photopost 2016

As always, we wish to thank all of our readers who sent in these photos of liturgies celebrated on the Feast of All Saints and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. There are a number of submissions from churches we have never featured before, a Pontifical Mass, and also, (for the first time, I believe,) images of Vespers of the Dead.

St Monica Catholic Church - Mishawaka, Indiana

This photo only looks like it came from a copy of Life magazine ca. 1955. The magic of filters!

Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini - Rome (F.S.S.P.)

Church of St Agnes - St Paul, Minnesota

Every year, the Twin Cities Catholic Chorale sings the full Requiem Mass of Mozart on All Souls’ Day at the famous church of St Agnes. (I normally put photos in order, but this shot from the choir loft, with the score in the foreground, is, I think, particularly well done, and deserves to be highlighted.)

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Bishop Morlino to Switch to Ad Orientem in His Cathedral

In October, I will start to offer the 11am Mass at the Cathedral Parish ad orientem.”

His Excellency Bishop Robert Morlino of the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, announced that beginning in October, his Masses in the Cathedral will be celebrated ad orientem, as part of Cardinal Sarah’s recent encouragement for priests and bishops to follow suit. He further discusses Cardinal Sarah’s and Pope Benedict’s writings on the matter.

The full recording of his homily which contained the announcement can be found below. His announcement begins at the 8 minute mark, though the whole homily is worth a listen.

Listen Here

Pontifical Liturgies This Week - Madison WI (July 1) and Charlotte, NC (July 3)

We have received news from Fr Zuhlsdorf that His Excellency Robert C. Morlino, the bishop of Madison, Wisconsin, will celebrate an EF Pontifical Mass at the throne on Friday, July 1, the Feast of the Most Precious Blood, starting at 7:00 p.m., at the chapel of Holy Name Heights (aka Bishop O’Connor Center, 702 S. High Point Road, in Madison.) The Mass is organized by the Tridentine Mass Society of the Diocese of Madison, and will be offered for the intentions of suffering and persecuted Christians around the globe. All are welcome; Catholic clergy are cordially invited to participate in choir dress.

On Sunday, July 3, a Pontifical Divine Liturgy in the Byzantine Rite will be celebrated in the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, located at 1400 Suther Road, starting at 11 a.m. The celebrant will be Bishop Bohdan Danylo of the Eparchy of Saint Josaphat in Parma, Ohio. The liturgy is organized by the St. Basil the Great Eastern Catholic Mission, who ask for our prayers in continuing their work as a fast-growing mission parish committed to the ancient beauty and spirituality of the Byzantine Christian East.

Nuptial Mass at the Throne - Madison, Wisconsin

Editorial assistant Ben Yanke writes: A few weeks ago, I was blessed to be united in the Sacrament of Matrimony to my amazing wife. Not only that, but we were also doubly blessed by Bishop Robert Morlino of Madison being the celebrant at our Pontifical Nuptial Mass at the Throne, and witness our vows. I hope some of the pictures of the Nuptial Rite and Mass are edifying for readers! More of them can be found here. The music was as follows:

Ordinary: Messa da Cappella a quattro voci, 1641 (Monteverdi)
Propers: Deus Israel (Votive Mass Pro Sponsis)
Procession: O God Beyond All Praising (Tʜᴀxᴛᴇᴅ, arranged by Richard Proulx)
After Last Gospel: Alma Redemptoris Mater (sung by all)
Recession: How Shall I Sing that Majesty (Cᴏᴇ Fᴇɴ, arranged by Michael Mills)

Wedding procession with
the entrance of the bishop

The bishop receives our vows as the MC holds the ritual book.

Nuptial blessing following the reception of vows

The sacred ministers bowing for the confiteor during the prayers
at the foot of the altar

The bishop, reading the introit and kyrie at the throne

Epistle chanted by the Subdeacon

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Solemn Mass in the Presence of a Greater Prelate - Madison, WI

On December 8, Fr. John Zuhlsdorf celebrated Mass for the feast of the Immaculate Conception in the presence of a Greater Prelate, His Excellency Robert Morlino, Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin. There was a very good turnout, and the bishop preached about true mercy. In addition to the propers of the day, the music included:

• Missa secunda, Michael Haller (1840–1915)
• Magnificat octavi toni, Ciro Grassi (1868–1952)
• Ave Maria, Jacob Handl (1550–1591

Here are some photos of the Mass, taken by myself and Roland Scott. More photos and a video can be found at the facebook page of the Tridentine Mass Society of Madison.

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Pontifical Requiem at the Throne in Madison, Wisconsin for All Souls

On November 2, 2015 at 7:00pm, Bishop Robert C Morlino will celebrate a Pontifical Requiem Mass at the throne for the Commemoration of All Souls. Victoria’s Requiem á4 will be sung. The Mass will be offered for the deceased priests of the Diocese of Madison, and will be celebrated at the Bishop O’Connor Center in Madison, WI.

Pontifical Mass at the Throne - Annunciation 2015 - Madison, WI

On March 25, Bishop Robert Morlino celebrated a Pontifical Mass at the Throne for the feast of the Annunciation. More photos can be found here. The music sung at the Mass included:

Gregorian chant

• Gregorian propers (treble schola)
• Credo III

Polyphony

• Missa super Dixit Maria (Haßler) — Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei
• Gabriel Angelus (Marenzio) — Offertory motet
• Dixit Maria (Haßler) — Communion motet I
• Ave Regina Cœlorum (Soriano) — Communion motet II

Hymns

• Entrance: Praise We the Lord This Day (Swabia) — 6 vv.
• Exit: The God Whom Earth and Sea and Sky (Eisenach) — 4 vv

Pontifical Mass at the Throne in Madison: Candlemas 2015

On Feb 2, 2015, Bishop Robert Morlino celebrated a pontifical Mass at the Throne following the blessing of candles, as part of an going project where he celebrates Pontifical Masses in the Extraordinary Form every one to two months.

The schola for the Mass sung gregorian propers, Mass IX Cum jubilo, Credo III (sung by the congregation and schola unaccompanied), Ave Maris Stella (chant), Hodie Beata Virgo Maria (Sheppard) and Alma Redemptoris Mater (Juan García de Salazar), directed by Aristotle Esguerra. Photos by James Howard, Roland Scott, and myself. Full album can be found here.

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Madison, WI, Monday, Dec. 8: Pontifical Mass at the Throne

As regular readers may have noticed, Bishop Robert Morlino of the diocese of Madison has made a point of celebrating Pontifical Masses at the Throne I'm the Extraordinary Form for his diocese on an approximately monthly basis with the assistance of many diocesan priests and the Madison Tridentine Mass Society. I have been blessed to not only have him as a bishop, but to be able to assist with these, both in the planning and preparation side as well as in the execution from the loft.

The next pontifical Mass at the Throne will be tomorrow evening at the Bishop O'Connor center on Madison's west side. Mass begins at 7pm.

Mass IX, Credo III, as well as Juan García de Salazar's Alma Redemptoris Mater will be sung.

It's also worth noting that a full pontifical set of vestments was commissioned for this Mass, and for use with future Masses. Details on those vestments can be found here.