By A.M. Kelley
Catholic Herald

Diocese celebrated centennial, dedicated cathedral

SUPERIOR -- The diocesan centennial and the completion of the cathedral restoration and enhancement project were among the top news stories in the Diocese of Superior in 2005.

The diocese celebrated its centennial from May 1 to Nov. 20, the feast of Christ the King. With a look at its honored past and hope for the future, the centennial message was upbeat.

Highlights of the centennial include the publication of the book "Our Journey Through Faith, A History of the Diocese of Superior," by Sam Lucero, former editor of the Superior Catholic Herald and now associate managing editor of the Milwaukee Catholic Herald. Sr. Eileen Lang, FSPA, coordinated the project.

Lang was also the chairwoman of the centennial's steering committee that designed a centennial logo, a green and gold silhouette of Wisconsin over a blue background of Lake Superior with a cross and fleur-de-lis, symbols honoring the area's early French missionary-explorers.

A family festival, including an outdoor Mass celebrated by Bishop Raphael M. Fliss, was held in Solon Springs in August. During the offertory, $2,605 was raised for Feed My Starving Children.

In September, a centennial faith forum featuring Fr. Bruce Nieli, CSP, was held in Cable, Ladysmith and Amery. Nieli is the founding director of the Center of Spiritual Development of the Archdiocese of New York.

Prayer cards with St. Augustine of Hippo, patron saint of the diocese, were printed and distributed with the prayer which reverberated throughout parishes during the centennial: "Dear God, help us to be thankful, joyful and hopeful people."

The centennial celebration also marks the drawing to a close of Fliss' time as bishop. He turned 75 on Oct. 25 and submitted his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI. Church law mandates that every bishop must resign at age 75, however it is up to the pope to accept the resignation or to ask the bishop to continue to serve his diocese.

Fliss has been a priest since 1956, a bishop since 1979 and the head of the Diocese of Superior since 1985.

The $7.5 million restoration and enhancement of Christ the King Cathedral in Superior was completed in February after years of work. It had closed in Oct. 2003 for the interior repairs, but the planning began in 1999 with a study commissioned by rector Fr. Daniel Dahlberg and a building committee.

The finished work included extensive exterior repairs on the copper roof, walls, windows and bell tower. Inside the lighting, heating and ventilation, and sound systems were upgraded. A new altar, marble pulpit, a full-immersion

granite baptismal font made with columns from the cathedral's former Communion rail were installed as well as three Italian mosaics -- Christ the Panocrator, St. Augustine of Hippo and Virgin and Child. The bishop's chair was moved behind the altar, and the choir and organ were taken out of the loft and brought to the front of the cathedral.

The entire diocese helped fund the project. The dedication took place on Feb. 5 at a special ceremony with representatives from each parish in the diocese attending. Sr. Bonnie Alho, OSM, pastoral associate at St. Joseph Parish, Rice Lake, summed up the elegance of the completed project.

"They did a great job of keeping things beautiful and keeping them simple," she said.

Chairmen of the project were Fr. Gabriel Baltes, OSB, director of diocesan Office of Worship, and Kent Phillips, cathedral parishioner. Donald Odermann, of Lakehead Constructors Inc. of Superior was the general contractor for the job. Project manager was Christ the King parishioner and architect Robert Semborski of Architectural Resources Inc., Duluth, Minn.

Elsewhere in the diocese other parishes planned, remodeled or built new facilities from the ground up.

* Holy Family Parish in Woodruff acquired 30 acres for a new church. Holy Family was formed by the merger of three former parishes: St. John, Lake Tomahawk; St. Patrick, Minocqua; and Our Lady Queen of the Universe, Woodruff. The former churches will be sold to help raise the $1 million to $2 million needed for the project.

* In Douglas County, Lake Nebagamon's St. Anthony Parish built a 6,400-square-foot center with a main hall, five classrooms, lavatories, an office and kitchen for $455,000.

* Immmaculate Conception Parish in Grantsburg renovated its church and added a gathering space and a small chapel. The Burnett County parishioners saved themselves about $75,000 on the $550,000 job by doing some of the work themselves.

* North in Bayfield County, St. Michael in Iron River completed the major remodeling of its church hall in December. The 4,800-square-foot multi-purpose room was built with lots of volunteer labor saving the parish about $150,000 from the original price tag of $688,000.

Beloved Pope John Paul II died but the church was given a new leader with the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

Following John Paul's death on April 2 Bishop Raphael M. Fliss celebrated a Mass in of remembrance at the Cathedral of Christ the King on April 6 and asked all diocesan parishes to celebrate one during the official nine-day mourning period.

"He appealed for peace and justice in a world simply filled with regional conflict," Fliss said.

Fr. Jozef Barszcz, a Polish native and the pastor of the Mellen, Clam Lake, Glidden, Highbridge and Sanborn parishes, paid homage to the Holy Father and said, "He is someone who often stood alone against the challenges of the modern world that diminished the dignity of human life. He will be missed, more than the closest of closest friends."

The Dec. 19, 2004, suicide of Fr. Ryan Erickson on the grounds of St. Mary of the Seven Dolors, Hurley, took an even darker turn. A hearing by St. Croix County Circuit Judge Eric Lundell on Oct. 3, 2005, concluded that based on circumstantial evidence Erickson, 31, probably killed two men on Feb. 5, 2002, in Hudson. The motive for the killing of the men, Dan O'Connell, a funeral director, and his intern James Ellison, was related to Erickson's alleged sexual abuse or providing alcohol to minors.

After questions came up as to what exactly the Diocese of Superior knew about Erickson, the diocese published the following information:

Erickson had been psychologically screened prior to his admittance to the seminary in 1992 and then again in 1994 when the diocese, for the first time, was made aware of allegations of sexual misconduct against him. These allegations never yielded any charges and Erickson, after another psychological evaluation in 1996, was ordained in 2000.

To personally answer questions, Bishop Raphael M. Fliss held meetings in the Hurley, Ladysmith and Somerset parishes where Erickson had served.

Fliss said he would meet in Hudson where the killings occurred when given word that the parishioners were ready to receive him and issued the following statement: "In my role as bishop, I know that ultimate responsibility for much of what has taken place rests upon my shoulders. While I am truly sorry for not doing more to find out what really happened, I must apologize to the entire diocesan family and all the people of northern Wisconsin for these tragedies. I know the Lord is willing to forgive. I hope you will find it in your hearts to do the same."

Tsunamis, earthquakes and hurricanes shook the year 2005.

The natural disasters occurred far from northern Wisconsin, and John Paul's Vatican funeral was a world away, but even so, these international events were much more than television dramas to the people of the Diocese of Superior.

The Asian tsunamis occurred on Dec. 26, 2004 and as early as February groups in the diocese raised $150,000 to help with relief efforts. When pooled with Catholic Relief Services, the assistance totaled more than $80 million.

It's a lot of money representing a great outpouring of compassion but much of it came from small fundraising efforts. For instance, a seventh grade religious education class at St. Therese of Lisieux Parish, Phillips, did chores and handed over allowances to donate

$413.45 to the cause. That parish's Council of Catholic Women matched the funds.

The altar society of St. William Parish, Pattison Park, gave $500. A Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast in the Grantsburg, Siren, Frederic and Luck area netted $318. Students of St. Francis Xavier School, Merrill, had birthday parties and in lieu of presents, asked their guests for money for the tsunami fund. The support included blankets made by the parishioners of St. Mary Parish in Tomahawk and friendship bracelets crafted by the children. And so it went, story after story of young and old sending support to the victims.

Then when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast area on Aug. 29, Fliss sent out word that the local Catholic Charities organization was again mobilizing to send support.

The call was answered in sometimes personal ways. A family from New Orleans found shelter in Rhinelander and received additional support from the parishioners of St Peter the Fisherman Parish, Eagle River. St. Francis Xavier, Merrill, raised money for two Holy Cross Sisters with connections in Louisiana, and an artist from St. Patrick Parish, Hudson, went on the road to sell her paintings for the cause.

The earthquake in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan on Oct. 8 continued the campaigns for aid. Reports of 50,000 orphaned children, and casualties in the tens of thousands kept Catholic Relief appeals active.

Three ordinations took place on June 26 at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior.

Barg "Andy" Anderson, 56, was ordained a priest and is now the temporary parish administrator at St. Anthony of Padua, Lac Du Flambeau. He's a native of Minneapolis and served in the U.S. Marines Corps and was a business owner.

James Hardy, 61, and Bernard Byrne, 71, were ordained transitional deacons on the same day. The two men attend Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corner, Wis. Byrne is a widower with seven children and 15 grandchildren. Hardy served for 25 years in the U.S. Air Force and Wisconsin Air National Guard.

In April, Ronald Novotny was ordained a permanent deacon at St. Joseph Church in his hometown of Rice Lake. His wife, Karen, a parish nurse, their four children, and his godparents attended the ordination Mass.

Fr. Peter Szleszinski and Sr. Rita Schneider, SSND, retired in 2005.

Szleszinski, the pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Hudson, retired in January. The 74-year-old priest had been at St. Patrick for 19 years and will continue to live in its rectory. The parish has more than 5,000 members and the new pastor, Fr. John Parr, will depend on the help of Szleszinski and two other retired priests.

Schneider retired in June after working nearly 24 years in the Diocese of Superior chancery office. Her title, procurator and advocate for the diocesan tribunal, meant that people came to her for help with annulments. Schneider was also an active member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society who helped revitalize its Superior operations, and a member of St. Francis Xavier Parish, Superior. Following retirement, she moved to Minnesota to live with members of her community.

Three schools in the Diocese of Superior hired new principals in 2005.

Josh Tomesh took the helm at St. Joseph School, Rice Lake, with 179 students, pre-K-8. Rice Lake is Tomesh's hometown and he attended St. Joseph through his junior high school years. He taught in La Crosse, Wis., before returning to Rice Lake with his wife and two sons.

Sonja Doughty now heads Tomahawk's St. Mary School. It has 94 students in grades pre-K-5. She taught school in Hudson and Menomonie, Wis., before moving to Tomahawk with her husband and four children.

St. Bridget Catholic School, River Falls, has 133 students pre-K-8, and Larry Noble, who lives across the state's border in Hastings, Minn., is its new principal. His background includes nine years as a teacher and 20 years as a public school principal in Minnesota. He and his wife have two grown daughters.

In February Tami Stewart received the diocese's distinguished principal award. She is the principal of Our Lady of Sorrows School in Ladysmith.

In other news, a school in the Diocese of Superior changed its name in 2005. When St. Joseph and Immaculate Conception churches merged into the Nativity of Our Lord, the school, Rhinelander Catholic Central with a student body of 279 became Nativity of Our Lord Catholic School.

Fliss presided at Masses to celebrate the 50th anniversary of St. John the Apostle Parish in Sheldon, July 24, and the 25th anniversary of the Carmelite Hermitage in Amery, July 16. Teens Encounter Christ celebrated 40 years with a picnic July 24.

Among those who died in 2005 were:

Sr. Mary Monica Bresadola, OSM, March 18.

Vincent Ackeret, former head of diocesan pro-life office, April 20.

Sr. Anne Marie Hakul, OSM, March 29.

Fr. Robert O'Connell. April 29.

Sr. Margaret (Thomasette) Pernsteiner, SSSF, June 5.

Sr. Mary Arlene Hendricks, OSM, July 21.

Fr. Joseph Hajduch, CPPS, Aug. 20.

Sr. Marian Schmit, CSJ, Oct. 3.

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2005