August 4th was the feast day of St. John Vianney, the patron saint of parish priests. There are many wonderful stories of his devotion to hearing confessions for 12 hours a day some days or attentiveness to the sacramental needs of his people. It was through prayer, fasting and penances Read more
I am very grateful for all who were involved with my 25th anniversary. My family enjoyed the day, thank you for making them feel welcome. All the hard work was enjoyed by all who attended. So too for the picnic, again what great teamwork all the way around for such Read more
I am so grateful to many who did so much in the background to make this day happen. Today at 3 pm is the Mass of thanksgiving for 25 years of priesthood. It is the 16th Sunday Mass of Ordinary time but offered as a Jubilee Mass. I have Read more
The Mission Cooperative program which, at our parish, has been around for decades, is a wonderful opportunity for the whole church. We get a chance to learn more about the needs of our brothers and sisters around the world. With Fr. Gus being our missionary, we will hear more about Read more
I hope your 4th of July is a good one. Such a day recalls for us our civic membership as a nation. It is also a good day to pray for our country and all who serve us in public office. It is easy to see where our nation falls Read more
If you haven’t already received a letter and tickets for the 2024 Youth Ministry Sweepstakes, you will shortly. It is a way that we are supporting our young people. Many lament that young people, from our children to grandchildren are not that involved in the practice of the faith. This Read more
What a great week to pray for priestly vocations. As a diocese we gathered in the cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman for the celebration of the ordination of Fr. David Nowicki to the priesthood and for service to our diocese. I add the vocation prayer that is found in Read more
This past Friday (The Answer Eucharistic rally) was a great moment of grace. So many people had gathered and the whole focus was on Jesus. Everyone made the time in their schedules for this invigorating event. We all need to take that time and make that effort to put Jesus Read more
There is a great deal to celebrate this time of year. This past Sunday, I went to my classmate’s Silver Jubilee celebration in the Wisconsin Dells at St. Cecilia Parish. Twenty-five years ago, most of the seminarians from La Crosse and Madison went to study at Mundelein Seminary. So there Read more
Welcome Bishop Gerard Battersby!! Tomorrow, May 20th, he will be installed as our 11th Bishop of the diocese. Pray for him and the ministry that he will be doing as our chief shepherd. This is a powerful reminder that we are part of a global church. Pope Francis appointed him Read more