By Sam M. Lucero
Catholic Herald

Catholic schools gather for Mass in Ladysmith

LADYSMITH -- Catholic school students in the Superior diocese are used to attending all-school Masses with classmates each week. But it's not often they share their worship space with students from other Catholic schools.

And when the bishop is on hand to give the homily and celebrate Mass, you know this school liturgy is one to remember.

That's exactly what nearly 600 Catholic school students and 100 adults experienced on May 15 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church. In addition to Our Lady of Sorrows School, the students -- ranging in grades kindergarten through eight -- represented St. Anthony School in Park Falls, St. Francis School in Spooner, St. Joseph School in Rice Lake, and Holy Rosary School in Medford. Joining students and teachers were pastors from all the communities except Rice Lake.

It took nine school buses to transport the visitors to Ladysmith for the day. By the time everyone filed into the church, where extra folding chairs were placed to accommodate the crowd, few empty seats could be found.

According to Fr. John Anderson, pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, he and Tami Stewart, OLS principal, originally thought about holding the gathering during Catholic Schools Week in late January. But the weather, plus an already busy Catholic Schools Week schedule, made them choose a May date.

Anderson, who came up with the idea for an inter-school gathering, said the first plan was to include Catholic schools in the South Central deanery, which included St. Francis in Spooner and St. Joseph in Rice Lake. Instead they opened it to other schools located within the same distance as Spooner and Rice Lake.

In his homily, the bishop commanded the attention of even the youngest Mass-goers as he described with animation the symbols of his office.

Fliss first told the school children and faculty that he was a priest of the Milwaukee archdiocese for over 20 years before becoming bishop of Superior. At his episcopal ordination he received the symbols that identify him as bishop.

Holding up his finger, Fliss showed the congregation his ring, which signifies that he is married to the church. He then held up the pectoral cross around his neck and said the cross is a reminder of Jesus, "who he was and what he did for us on the cross."

Next the bishop pointed to the red cap on his head, referring to it as a beanie. "When you perspire it keeps your hat clean," he said. The beanie is actually called a zucchetto, which is easy to remember when you think of zucchini, he added.

Fliss then held up his pointed hat, called a mitre, and explained that this is the oldest visible sign of the bishop's office. "I want you to remember that bishops have been wearing hats like this for 1,000 years," he said. "It's an unusual hat. Nobody else wears a hat like this."

He told the children that when he dies he will be buried in his mitre.

The final symbol he displayed was his crosier, or staff. This object has been around since the time of the apostles, he told the children. It identifies the bishop as shepherd of his spiritual flock.

Stewart called the gathering of schools "an awesome experience. "

I just think this is so neat," she told the gathering at the liturgy's conclusion. "It's fun to share together and to be able to pray together."

In an interview Stewart said that enabling Catholic school students to gather with children from other Catholic schools was a unifying experience.

Following Mass the children headed to the school playground, where they played games and met new friends. A lunch was served in the school cafeteria. An anonymous donor paid for the cost of the meals.

Anderson said it was too early to say whether the event would become an annual affair. "We'll see what the responses are."

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2001