About the Wisconsin Rapids Deanery
The Wisconsin Rapids Deanery is comprised of 12 parishes in south
Wood County and Adams County.
Parishes of a diocese are gathered into deaneries in order to
promote the joint pastoral action and the best possible distribution
of ministry, and to provide for the pastoral care of the priests
serving in each area of the diocese. The care of the deanery is
confided by the diocesan bishop, after consultation with the priests
of the deanery, to one of the priests ministering in the deanery.
("On Consultation in the Parish and Deanery," Diocese of La Crosse,
1985)
In order to foster joint pastoral action and good pastoral planning,
in particular, the dean will need the assistance of all the faithful
of the deanery. The Deanery Pastoral Council is the stable
representative body through which, by means of consultation, such
assistance can be provided to the dean. The members of the Deanery
Pastoral Council, together with and under the headship of the dean,
form the policies and programs which will help toward the best
possible ministry in the deanery. ("On Consultation in the Parish
and Deanery")
There are 13 deaneries in the Diocese of La Crosse, and each one
represents a geographic group of parishes.
The parishes of the deanery are:
·
Our Lady Queen of
Heaven, Wisconsin Rapids
·
St. Lawrence,
Wisconsin Rapids
·
St. Vincent de Paul,
Wisconsin Rapids
·
SS. Peter and Paul,
Wisconsin Rapids
·
St. Philip, Rudolph
·
Sacred Heart, Nekoosa
·
St. Alexander, Port
Edwards
·
St. Joachim,
Pittsville
·
St. James, Vesper
·
Holy Rosary, Sigel
·
St. Joseph, Adams
·
St. Ann, Brooks
The Deanery Pastoral Council generally meets three or four
times each year. Although meeting dates are subject to change, they
normally are held on the fourth Thursday of the months of September
(the start of the program year), January, March, and June (if
needed), at 7 p.m. at Assumption High School in Wisconsin Rapids.
There are four central areas of pastoral consultation on the parish,
deanery and diocesan levels. They are: Family Life, Sacred Worship,
Catholic Education and Social Justice.
It is recommended that each parish form committees for each
of those areas. Similar committees are formed on the deanery level.
Each committee has a chairperson.
Besides the committee chairs, membership on the Deanery
Pastoral Council includes the clergy serving in the deanery, up to
two representatives of the laity from each parish, a representative
of the members of the institutes of consecrated life serving in the
deanery, and the deanery representative to the Diocesan Pastoral
Council.
The Deanery Pastoral Council, especially through the effort of its committees, provides a variety of special training and faith-building opportunities for all the parishes of the deanery.