By Bill Kurtz
Catholic Herald
2001: Beginning of "A New Springtime" in Superior diocese
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A tornado ripped through part of the Superior diocese on June 18. Many homes and businesses in Siren and the surrounding area were destroyed. Three people were killed in nearby Dewey township. (File photo) |
SUPERIOR -- The year 2001 was one of both destruction and renewal. Destruction was symbolized, of course, by the terrorist attacks Sept. 11 on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Locally, there was the June 18 tornado at Siren.
But there were also signs of renewal this year, especially Raphael M. Fliss's first pastoral letter, "A New Springtime," addressing key issues facing the church in northern Wisconsin. Work also began on renovation of the Cathedral of Christ the King.
January
Fr. Joseph Miller, the oldest active priest in the diocese, died Jan. 1 at age 78. Fliss made his first pastoral appearance after hip surgery at Miller's funeral. Miller's funeral was at St. Patrick Church, Minocqua, where he had served 25 years as pastor.
Rhinelander Catholic Central School celebrated 100 years of Catholic education in the city with a centennial Mass at St. Mary's Church and a reception.
Holy Rosary School, Medford, announced intentions to replace its aging building.
February
Lois Satran of St. Peter the Fisherman Church, Eagle River, received the annual St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award for service to Catholic education in the diocese.
Fr. Brennan U. Schmieg, OFM, died Feb. 11 at age 69. Schmieg was pastor of St. Louis Parish, Washburn; and St. Anne Parish, Sanborn.
March
Sr. Ursula Schwalen, last president of the former Sisters of St. Joseph of Superior, died March 5 in St. Paul, Minn. at age 85. Schwalen led the Superior nuns into a merger with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Paul Province. Two former members of the Superior congregation, Sr. Agnes Christen and Sr. Olivia Williams, celebrated their 80th and 75th jubilees respectively at Bethany Convent in St. Paul.
April
Ken Schaefer, development director of St. Joseph Parish, Rice Lake, was ordained to the permanent diaconate by Fliss in ceremonies at St. Joseph.
Fliss was one of nearly 50 bishops to participate in the ordination of Duluth Daniel Schnurr.
Fr. Flavius Czuba, OFM, former pastor of St. Louis Parish, Washburn, died April 15 in Orlando, Fla.
May
Sr. Agatha Quinn died at age 79 in St. Paul, Minn., after more than 40 years of service in the Superior diocese. She taught at three schools and served as principal at St. Mary School, New Richmond.
Five Sisters with 215 years of combined service to the church were honored at a May 5 Mass celebrated by Fliss. The senior nun honored, Servite Sr. Mary Wanbaugh of Ladysmith, marked 60 years as a nun. Also present were Holy Cross Sr. Joelle Mauer of Merrill (50 years) and Sr. Bonnie Alho of Rice Lake (40 years).
Fliss blessed the site of the new St. Peter the Fisherman Church, north of Eagle River.
June
Betty Reichert of Whittlesey received the annual Pax Christi at the June 5 convention of the Superior Diocesan Conference of Catholic Women in Woodruff.
Fr. Leon Flaherty celebrated his 40th anniversary of ordination. The Superior native is a past general council of the Congregation of the Most Precious Blood, who has served since 2000 as associate pastor at St. Anthony Parish, Superior.
One-third of the homes and one-fourth of the businesses in Siren were destroyed or severely damaged in a June 18 tornado. The tornado left destruction from Grantsburg to Spooner, and killed three people in Dewey Township.
July
Fliss announced plans to renovate the 74-year-old Cathedral of Christ the King. The Cathedral was built at a cost of $350,000 and dedicated on Christmas Day 1927. The one previous major renovation was in 1977.
Fr. Ephrem Pottamplackal, a native of India, was appointed temporary associate pastor for the Hurley-Montreal-Pence-Saxon cluster of parishes. He is a member of the Syro-Malabar Eastern Rite Catholic church.
At the July 15 dedication at Headwaters, a sheltered workshop for the disabled in Rhinelander, Fliss blessed an addition named for longtime employees Al and Laurie Pascutti.
Larry Bauer was ordained to the permanent diaconate by Fliss in July 29 ceremonies at St. Joseph Church, Amery.
August
The diocesan Office for Vocations launched a new vocation awareness project, including publication of large four-color posters and a monthly Catholic Herald column by Fr. Andrew Ricci, assistant director of the vocations office.
September
After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Fliss designated Sept. 18 as a diocesan day of fast, abstinence and prayer and presided at a Sept. 14 prayer service.
St. Anthony de Padua Parish, Tony, celebrated its centennial Sept. 8 and 9. Fliss and 19 priests from the diocese participated in the Sept. 20 dedication of the new St. Joseph Church, Amery.
The Program for Advanced Lay Ministry Studies began Sept. 15. PALMS, a three-year college-level program for catechists, was developed by the diocese in partnership with St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn.
October
Three Franciscan priests have come to serve St. Louis Parish, Washburn; St. Ann Parish, Sanborn and the Bayfield-Cornucopia-La Pointe-Red Cliff cluster of parishes. They are Frs. John Eaton, Joseph B. Hagen and Gary Bernhardt. It's a homecoming for Ashland native Eaton, temporary parochial administrator at Sanborn and pastor of the other parishes.
Repair work started on the exterior of the Cathedral of Christ the King. The roof, stone walls, bell tower and windows will be dealt with before any interior work can be done.
Ground was broken Oct. 16 for a new St. Mary's Hospital, Rhinelander. Projected cost of the new hospital on the city's east end is $66 million, with completion scheduled for 2004.
St. Patrick, Hudson, broke ground Oct. 28 for a education center and a renovated school which includes eight new classrooms.
Catholic Campaign for Human Development coordinators from the Superior and Duluth dioceses held their first joint informational meeting Oct. 30.
November
Bishop Fliss's pastoral letter, "A New Springtime," is published as an insert in the Nov. 1 Catholic Herald. The document, nearly a year in preparation, addresses how to minister to the community with fewer priests and sought to promote vocations and lay ministry.
Good Samaritan Health Center, Merrill, celebrated its 75th anniversary with an open house program Nov. 11.
Fr. Richard Vosko, consultant for the cathedral renovation project, presented a three-program series on the history of Catholic worship sites and the place of music and art in the liturgy. Vosko advised Catholics to ignore rumors about the renovation, but to get facts from the priests and bishop. "Ultimately what we want to do is breathe new life into this building," he said.
Fr. Edward Senn died Nov. 24 at age 68. He retired in 1997 after suffering a stroke. His last pastorate was at St. Joseph, Shell Lake; and St. Catherine, Sarona.
December
Sam Lucero resigned as editor of the Superior Catholic Herald after 14 years. Lucero, the newspaper's first lay editor, will become associate managing editor and online editor of the Milwaukee Catholic Herald.
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2001