Wisconsin Rapids Deanery of the Catholic Diocese of La Crosse

The Wisconsin Rapids Deanery consists of 12 parishes in south Wood County and Adams County in central Wisconsin.

The 19-county Diocese of La Crosse is organized into 14 deaneries.

March 21: Fifth Sunday of Lent

Communal Penance Services - Lent 2010

Place	Day	Date	Time
Holy Rosary, Sigel	Tues.	March 23	6:30 p.m.
Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Wis. Rapids	Tues.	March 23	6:30 p.m.
Assumption High School	Wed.	March 24	9:30 a.m.
St. Joachim, Pittsville	Wed.	March 24	6:30 p.m.

Looking ahead

Palm Sunday:	March 28	Holy Thursday:	April 1	Good Friday:	April 2
Easter Vigil:	April 3	Easter Sunday:	April 4

Marriage preparation program: April 17. Click here for details

Confirmation schedule

Bishop Emeritus Bernard Harrington of Winona will administer the Sacrament of Confirmation at these parishes in the Wisconsin Rapids Deanery:

Saturday, April 10	Noon	at St. Philip, Rudolph, along with St. Lawrence, Wis. Rapids
Sunday, April 11	10 a.m.	at Our Lady Queen of Heaven, Wis. Rapids
Sunday, April 11	3 p.m.	at St. Vincent de Paul, Wis. Rapids

Archbishop Jerome Listecki

Photos from Archbishop Jerome Listecki's Installation Mass in Milwaukee January 4.
Above: New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan is next to Archbishop Listecki at the consecration. Catholic Herald photo by Juan C. Medina

Right: Archbishop Listecki delivers his homily. Catholic Her-ald photo by Allen Fredrickson

Most Rev. Jerome Listecki becomes
the 11th Archbishop of Milwaukee

Archbishop Jerome Listecki was installed as the 11th archbishop of Milwaukee on January 4. Formerly the bishop of La Crosse, Archbishop Listecki's appointment by Pope Benedict XVI was made public by the Vatican on November 14.

Here are some links to news coverage of the installation and background information from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee:

Story on WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee

Archived video of the Installation Mass Part 1, Part 2 ~ WTMJ-TV

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story on Installation Mass

Photo gallery of the Installation Mass ~ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Text of Archbishop Listecki's homily

Archbishop Listecki's blog

Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Order of Worship for Solemn Vespers and Installation Mass

Photo gallery of Sunday's Solemn Vespers ~ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Latest coverage in The Catholic Herald, Milwaukee

Other recent media coverage: La Crosse Tribune; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Diocesan administrator elected
On January 5, Monsignor Richard Gilles was elected
diocesan administrator by the College of Consultors
of the Diocese of La Crosse.
Click here for story from The Catholic Times

More information on the Diocese of La Crosse web site

Video: Milwaukee news conference - from WTMJ-TV

Other news coverage: La Crosse Tribune, December 3; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel interview, posted November 30; Milwaukee Catholic Herald, La Crosse Tribune, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. WISN-TV, Catholic News Service

Interview on "Living Our Faith," a television program developed by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee; this segment aired November 28

Click here for USCCB information on health care reform

What the bishops say about health care Hospital_sign

ACTION ALERT FROM THE USCCB (updated March 11)

President of U.S. Bishops says cost is too high, loss is too great for health care bill not to be revised

Abortion funding in the Senate health care reform bill

OVERVIEW: The bishops have been consistent advocates for comprehensive, life-affirming reform to the nation’s health care system. Health care reform needs to reflect basic moral principles. The bishops believe access to basic, quality health care is a universal human right, not a privilege.

In this light, they offer four criteria to guide the process: a truly universal health policy that respects all human life and dignity, from conception to natural death; access for all with a special concern for the poor and inclusion of legal immigrants; pursuing the common good and preserving pluralism including freedom of conscience and variety of options; and restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers. ~ U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Report from the annual Deanery Youth Rally

Bishop Listecki at WR Youth Rally, Nov. 2009 The Assumption High School gym held a packed house of youth and adults from all over the 12 deanery parishes for the annual Deanery Youth Rally on November 11, 2009. There were over 500 in attendance. Where could young people hear “off-the-cuff” answers from a bishop who kept the crowd under a spell for over an hour with his stories, humor, teaching and witnessing his faith?

Click here to read Sister Catherine Kaiser's full report on Bishop Jerome Listecki's visit with the youth

Photos from the January 2009 Youth Rally

Year for Priests

Pope Benedict XVI has declared a “Year for Priests” beginning with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 19, 2009. The year will conclude in Rome with an international gathering of priests with the Holy Father on June 19, 2010.

With the announcement of this Year for Priests, the Pope has declared St. John Vianney the Universal Patron of Priests on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the death of the Curé d’Ars.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has resources to aid your parish’s celebration of the Year for Priests.

How to celebrate the Year for Priests ~ Diocese of La Crosse

Diocesan web page for the Year for Priests

Diocesan prayer calendar

Click here for the full schedule from the Diocese of La Crosse

Please take five minutes a day and pray for the priests listed each week.

March 14-20, 2010

VERY REV. JOHN A. POTACZEK, ST. STEPHEN PARISH
REV. LEON A. POWELL, HOLY CROSS DIOCESAN CENTER
REV. DONALD L. PRZYBYLSKI, ST. PAUL PARISH
REV. FRANCIS ABUAH QUANSAH, ST. PETER PARISH
REV. JOSEPH J. RAFACZ, ST. AGNES PARISH

Reflections from Bolivia

Fr. John Swing, dean of the Wisconsin Rapids Deanery and pastor of Sacred Heart in Nekoosa and St. Alexander in Port Edwards, accompanied Bishop Jerome Listecki and others from the diocese on a pastoral visit to Bolivia and Peru in January 2009.