WASHINGTON-The U.S. bishops have issued a call to action to defend religious liberty and urged laity to work to protect the First Freedom of the Bill of Rights. They outlined their position in "Our First, Most Cherished Freedom." The document was developed by the Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), approved for publication by the USCCB Administrative Committee March 13, and published in English and Spanish April 12.
A Greeting for Easter from Bishop Thomas G. Doran ...
To the Reverend Clergy, Devoted Religious and Faithful Laity of the Diocese of Rockford,
"I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (Jn 11: 25-6) This question was asked of Martha in Bethany immediately prior to the raising from the dead of her brother, Lazarus. It is asked of us this day; even though more than two millennia separate us in our time from that, it is one of the most important questions to answer. Do you believe?
It is my hope that you do. It is my hope that your answer is not simply a manipulation of breath and lips, but an entire life lived full of faith and hope in Jesus Christ, our Resurrection and our Life.
St. Paul wrote, "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Cor 15:14). But our faith in Jesus Christ is never in vain. "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" (Lk 24:34) Take heart and know that Christ has conquered and desires to share his victory with you.
On this occasion, I extend my personal wish to all the people in the Diocese of Rockford that they receive every blessing that comes from the Risen Christ. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, by her merits and intercession, keep you always united to Christ and his Church.
With every good wish I remain
Cordially yours in Christ,
The Most Reverend Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D.
Apostolic Administrator, Diocese of Rockford
Welcome!
The Vatican announced Tuesday, March 20, 2012 that The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, accepted the resignation of Bishop Thomas G. Doran and appointed Msgr. David John Malloy, as the ninth Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Rockford.
Bishop Doran held a press conference at 10 a.m. the same day at the Diocesan Administration Center to officially introduce Bishop-elect Malloy.
Click here to watch the press conference
Please join the Diocese of Rockford in offering prayers of thanksgiving for the good work and faith of Bishop Doran and for the new episcopacy of our new shepherd, Bishop-elect David Malloy.
BISHOP-ELECT DAVID JOHN MALLOY
Bishop-elect Malloy was born Feb. 3, 1956 in Milwaukee, Wis., the son of David (deceased) and Mary Malloy.
He has one sister Mary Ellen and four brothers; Daniel, Father Francis, Robert and Richard.
He attended Christ King Grade School in Wauwatosa, Wis., and graduated from Wauwatosa East School in 1974. He graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. He studied one year at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee and five years at the Gregorian University in Rome where he received advanced degrees in theology.
He was ordained to the priesthood in 1983 by Archbishop Rembert Weakland. He served two years as associate pastor of St. John Nepomuk Parish in Racine. In preparation for the Vatican Diplomatic Service he attended the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy from 1986 to 1990 where he received a degree in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas, (Angelicum) and a doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Gregorian University. After his studies, he served as secretary to the Apostolic Nunciature (Vatican Embassies) in Pakistan (1990-1994) and the Apostolic Nunciature in Syria (1995). From 1995 to 1998 he was secretary to the Permanent Observer Mission to the Holy See. Bishop-elect Malloy left the Diplomatic Service in 1998 and served for two and a half years in the Vatican's prefecture of the Papal Household helping with the Great Jubilee Year of 2000.
In 2001 he was appointed Associate General Secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and in 2006 began a five year term as General Secretary. After his term at the USCCB ended, Bishop-elect Malloy was assigned to be pastor at St. Francis de Sales Parish in Lake Geneva where he has served since Aug. 1, 2011.
He speaks Italian, Spanish and some French.
The U.S. bishops are strongly united in their ongoing and determined efforts to protect religious freedom, the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said in a March 14 statement.
Click here to read the statement
Sweeping HHS Mandate Stands, Violating Conscience Rights and Religious Liberty
Congress Must Act to Fix the Problem
This is how you can help!
On January 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reaffirmed a rule that virtually all private health care plans must cover sterilization, abortifacients, and contraception. The exemption provided for "religious employers" was so narrow that it failed to cover the vast majority of faith-based organizations-including Catholic hospitals, universities, and charities-that help millions every year. Ironically, not even Jesus and his disciples would have qualified for the exemption, because it excludes those who mainly serve people of another faith.
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See Also:
Bishops Renew Call to Legislative Action on Religious Liberty
Six things everyone should know about the HHS Mandates:English
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Six More things you should know
Bishop Doran Responds to HHS Mandate
"Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
I write to you concerning an alarming and serious matter that negatively impacts the Church in the United States directly, and that strikes at the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith..."
Click here to read the full letter
Father Joseph Naill and Msgr. Eric Barr explain changes in the Mass
Click the links below to find out why the Mass was changed and what the changes mean.
Watch Part one of the "And With Your Spirit" series which features an overview of why the changes have come about by Father Joseph Naill, director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Diocese of Rockford and pastor of St. Mary Parish in Oregon.
Click here for Part 1
Part Two features a presentation by Monsignor Eric Barr, Vicar General for the Diocese of Rockford and pastor of St. Mary Parish, Durand, which explains to viewers exactly what words are changing in the language of the Mass.
Click here for Part 2
Pope Benedict names Msgr. David Kagan, P.A., Bishop of the Diocese
of Bismarck
By Penny Wiegert
Editor
WASHINGTON, D.C.--Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. David Kagan, P.A., to be the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Bismarck, ND. The appointment was announced in Washington early Wednesday, Oct. 19, by the apostolic nunciature office and a press conference was held in Bismarck at 10:30 a.m. the same day.
Bishop-elect Kagan, 61, succeeds Bishop Paul A. Zipfel, 76, who has served as the Bishop of Bismarck since 1997. In naming a successor to Bishop Zipfel, Pope Benedict also accepted Bishop Zipfel's resignation from the pastoral governance of the diocese, which he submitted at the mandatory retirement age of 75.
"It is with profound gratitude to Almighty God and to Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, that I have been named to be the next Bishop of the Diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota. I am humbled by our Holy Father's appointment and I need and ask for prayers that I may fulfill this new ministry after the Heart of Christ Jesus, the Eternal High Priest," Bishop-elect Kagan told
The Observer
Prior to his appointment by the Holy See, Msgr. Kagan was Vicar General, Moderator of the Curia and pastor of Holy Family Parish in Rockford.
After receiving word of the announcement Bishop Thomas G. Doran said, "It is a great joy and great complement to the priests of the Diocese of Rockford that twice, in barely over a year and a half, our priests have been chosen to be shepherds of other dioceses. Msgr. David Kagan has served this diocese faithfully and fruitfully for all the years of his priesthood and, in my judgement, deserves the honor and responsibility of being the seventh bishop of Bismarck, North Dakota."
"Msgr. Kagan's departure will be a loss to the Diocese of Rockford because he has been, for the last 17 years, in administrative work for the diocese as Officialis of the Tribunal, Chancellor, vicar general, moderator of the curia and associate publisher of The Observer. To lose a person that knowledgable is of course a sacrifice. But as it was with Bishop Timothy Doherty, we are happy. And the good people of Lafayette in Indiana and the people of the Diocese of Bismarck, have received from our priests, the best we have to offer. I wish Msgr. Kagan and the people he will serve, every blessing and happiness," Bishop Doran said.
Bishop-elect Kagan was Born in Waukegan, Nov. 9, 1949 and grew up in Spring Grove. He holds a B.A. in Philosophy, an S.T.B. in Sacred Theology and M.A. in Sacred Theology and a licentiate in Canon Law all from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Msgr. Kagan was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Arthur J. O'Neill in 1975. He has served the diocese at parishes including at St. Patrick, Dixon; St. Ann, Warren; St. Joseph, Apple River; Cathedral of St. Peter, Rockford; St. Mary, Byron; St. James, Rockford; St. Patrick, Rochelle; and St. James, Belvidere. He has served as chaplain for Maria Linden in Rockford and for the Poor Clares in Rockford. He has been director of the Office of Communication and of Vianney Oaks, and has served on various committees and councils.
His diocesan administrative positions also include service to the Tribunal as judge, vice-officialis and as officialis; service as chancellor ad interim, as promoter of the Third Legislative Synod of the diocese; as associate publisher of The Observer; as misconduct officer for the diocese; and service as diocesan consultor, moderator of the curia, and as vicar general.
He was named a Prelate of Honor of His Holiness and received the title of monsignor in 1994 and was admitted to the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem as a Knight Commander in 1995. July 2011 he was invested in the Ferrialo of a Prelate to signify his elevation to the title of Protonotary Apostolic Super Numerary of the Supreme Pontiff which is the highest level of honor for a monsignor.
Bishop-elect Kagan's ordination and installation Mass and ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 30. Watch for special coverage in the The Observer.
In the summer of 2009 Bishop Doran requested the Diocesan Pastoral Council to identify areas of pastoral concerns and make recommendations to him about them. This work was largely completed at the September 11, 2010 meeting and unanimously approved at the March 5, 2011 meeting.
The Council reviewed 11 concerns, accompanied by recommendations that were raised by the body in 2003. It then used a Prioritization Matrix System to identify the most important concerns that remain unaddressed. The top four pastoral concerns, ranked in order of importance, are listed here. In each section the 2010 recommendations are preceded by narratives from the original 2003 document and the responses the Rockford Diocese provided in 2009.
See the four areas of concern in the full document...
Code and Guidelines for Technology and Social Media
Incorporating the tools of technology into parish and diocesan ministry should now be a little easier thanks to the new Code and Guidelines for the Pastoral Use of Technology and Social Media released by the Diocese of Rockford.
These documents along with a letter from Bishop Thomas G. Doran are now available here for download for all Catholics.
All those who work in Catholic parishes, schools and organizations are expected to adhere to the code and guidelines as they use these technological tools to advance the Catholic faith and evangelize the people of God.
Click here to read the documents
Fr. Carl Beekman interviewed on EWTN's Journey Home
Click here to watch the video
