New coordinator, board members named

SUPERIOR -- The following are biographies of the new diocesan coordinator of assistance and the two additional members of the diocesan review board.

Coordinator of assistance

Cate Van Lone-Taylor was born in Beloit, Wis., and graduated from high school in Minot, N.D. She received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Wisconsin in special education, was certified as an alcohol and other drug abuse counselor in 1992, and has completed 24 credits towards a second M.S. in marriage and family therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. In 1999, after completing a two-year course of study, Van Lone-Taylor received certification as a lay ecclesial minister by the Diocese of Rockford, Ill.

For the majority of her career, Van Lone-Taylor worked as an administrator in agencies which provided services to children with developmental disabilities and their families. During those years, Van Lone-Taylor was on the board of professional and volunteer organizations such as the Illinois Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Wisconsin ARC.

Van Lone-Taylor and her husband have two adult children. They attend St. Anthony Church in Lake Nebagamon. In April 2004, she was appointed to the Diocesan Pastoral Council.

Before moving to northern Wisconsin, Van Lone-Taylor worked as a lay-formation coordinator for a parish in the Diocese of Rockford, Ill., and was a professional associate of the Department of Parish Life and Ministry in the Diocese of Tucson, Ariz.

In regard to her appointment as coordinator of assistance for the Diocese of Superior, Van Lone-Taylor stated: "I am honored to be part of a team that is committed to provide healing in the name of Jesus Christ to members of our church who have experienced deep pain and suffering."

New review board members

David Markert was born in St. Paul, Minn., where he graduated from St. Mark's grade school and St. Thomas Academy high school. After three years at the College of Thomas (now the University of St. Thomas), St. Paul, Minn., he completed his studies at Loyola University in Chicago, Ill., where he obtained his doctorate in clinical psychology in 1963. He did his internship in Gary, Ind., where he worked in a mental hygiene clinic for five years while completing his academic course work. He also taught undergraduate courses in psychology during that time.

In 1962, he and his wife, Judy, moved to Polk County, Wis., where he worked in the multi-county mental health program started in Turtle Lake and moved to Cumberland in 1986. During his 17 years there, he served on many state committees and taught some psychology courses at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. He worked part time as consulting psychologist for the Polk County Social Services and Human Services programs from 1983 until he retired in 2001.

He has been active in his local parish, St. Patrick in Centuria, and now Our Lake of the Lakes in Balsam Lake, where he served on the parish council and building committee, and has been a reader, Communion minister, lay presider, choir member and cantor for many years. He was a charter member of the local Knights of Columbus Council formed in 1999 and served as Grand Knight.

He and his wife raised six children in Centuria, where he has served on the village board for a number of years in the 1970s and currently, and has been a member of Lions International since 1982. They have three grandsons.

Fr. Ronald Olson, OFM Conv., was born and raised in Superior. He grew up in St. Stanislaus Parish and attended Cathedral High School. After graduation he entered the Franciscan Order. He was sent to Loyola University of Chicago, Ill., for his undergraduate studies and then the major seminary outside St. Paul, Minn., for theology. He was ordained at the St. Paul Cathedral Feb. 23, 1958.

Following his ordination, Olson continued with some postgraduate studies at DePaul University in Chicago, Ill., earning an M.S. in social studies. At the University of San Francisco, Calif., he continued with special studies in pupil personnel services and counseling and received a permanent lifelong teaching credential for the state of California.

Much of Olson's early ministry was in teaching, both on the high school and unior college levels, and in the seminary..

In 1975 he was selected as prefect for the local Franciscan community in southern California. By 1978, a new Franciscan jurisdiction (province) was being formed in the west. Olson was elected to serve as provincial superior for the new province. He held that office from 1978 to 1991.

Upon completion of his role as minister provincial, he was asked to serve as pastor-rector of the Cathedral parish in Reno, Nev., and local superior for the Franciscan community in northern Nevada.

In 1996 Olson asked to serve some time in the Diocese of Superior, to attend his ailing mother and to assist the local church. He served in Tomahawk and Hudson and spent a year as pastor for the Webster-area cluster. He returned to the diocese in 1998 for a longer commitment. Currently he serves as pastor for Holy Assumption Parish in South Superior, and St. William in the Pattison Park area.

Olson professed solemn vows for life in 1955 as a member of the Conventual Franciscan Order. He retains membership in the Western Province of St. Joseph of Cupertino.

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