Abp. Dolan Goes on Offense

Abp. Timothy Dolan has begun big-time proselytizing--perfectly fitting for his office, which carries three duties: to teach, to sanctify, and to govern.

For the first several years of Abp. Dolan's reign in Milwaukee, a number of people (myself included,) wondered whether the Archbishop was ever going to counteract the serious case of Catholic ennui and doubt engendered by his immediate predecessor and that predecessor's enablers/fellow-travelers/sycophants.

Whatever. The Archbishop has girded his loins, put on the armor of Christ, and has charged--right into the studios of WISN-1130 radio, WTMJ-620 radio (twice!!) and, (in a flanking action), into the affairs of Marquette University, directly and indirectly pointing out that Dan (the Cancer) Maguire is simply a heretic.

The Archbishop has made several highly-visible trips to the Shrine/Basilica at Holy Hill and to the Schoenstatt Center--both places virtually ignored (to one degree or another) by his predecessor; and obtained television coverage of his public Stations of the Cross leadership at Holy Hill.

He has also decided to engage some of those unhappy Catholic parents who put their money (not to mention sweat, tears, and blood) into alternative schools (here, here, here,) to escape the uneven (I'm being kind) "Catholic" education offered by the parochial schools. These alternative schools offer such things as the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Fr. Fessio's Faith and Life series, regular confessions and Masses, and regular Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, not to mention Latin coursework (!!!)

(It is interesting to note that most of these 'alternative' schools have two, three, or four priests who regularly visit them, serving as chaplains and spiritual guides. There are very few parochial schools with more than one priest who shows up regularly.)

The Archbishop has also seen to it that the Tridentine Community, those 400+ souls who attend the authorized Old Rite Mass, will have a new and very prestigious home within easy Interstate access of the entire Archdiocese, St. Stanislaus Church. This community will be served by a priest of the Priestly Society of St. Peter. This order of priests' US seminary is located in Denton, NE., and was invited there by none other than Bp. Fabian Bruskewitz, who has made it a point to participate in the Ordination of Society priests.

(Mentioning Bp. Bruskewitz' name has a wonderful effect on many of the above-mentioned 'fellow travelers;' they go into involuntary convulsions; their heart-rate increases, and their blood-pressure hits the Red Zone. Try it sometime!!)

Some of this activity is connected with his "Come Home" outreach to fallen-away Catholics, we're sure. But not all of it. He's looking for a 20% (TWENTY PERCENT!!) increase in Mass attendance in this Archdiocese.

What is most pleasing is the fact that he's decided it's time to re-form the Archdiocese, and is following the time-honored method: preach and teach Christ to all.

God be with him. Oremus.