Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse
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The Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church. The Diocese covers an area of west-central Wisconsin, and covers the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin as well as the following counties: Adams, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Crawford, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Marathon, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Portage, Richland, Trempealeau, Vernon, and Wood.
The corporate title of the diocese is the Diocese of La Crosse. The Latin title of the Diocese is Dioecesis Crossensis. The Metropolitan for the Diocese of La Crosse is the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The Cathedral of Saint Joseph the Workman is the mother church of the diocese. Bishop Jerome Edward Listecki is the present bishop. Bishop Listecki succeeded Bishop Raymond Leo Burke who became the Archbishop of St. Louis, Missouri. Bishop Burke succeeded Bishop John Joseph Paul in 1994. Bishop Jerome Listecki succeeded Bishop Burke in 2006.
According to the 2007 edition of the Wisconsin Pastoral Handbook, the diocese has a total population of 863,610, of whom 206,191 are Catholic. Throughout its 19 counties, the diocese has 108 parishes with a resident pastor and 57 others without a resident pastor. There are 177 diocesan priests incardinated in the diocese, while another 15 belong to religious orders. There are also four religious brothers, 31 permanent deacons, five hermits and three consecrated virgins. 447 religious sisters belong mainly to two large religoius orders: the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis in Stevens Point and the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in La Crosse. The Sisters of St Francis of the Martyr St George also have a convent in La Crosse. 28 seminarians are currently studying to become priests of the diocese.
In 2006, there were 2,482 infant baptisms; 281 adult conversions; 1,002 marriages, of which 655 were Catholic and 347 were of mixed faith; and there were 2,033 deaths.
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[edit] Diocese institutions
Among the institutions in the Diocese of La Crosse are 10 Catholic-affiliated hospitals; Viterbo University, which enrolls 2,167 students; St. Rose of Viterbo Convent, which is the motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse is another institution in the diocese which is currently under construction, and expected to be completed on July 31, 2008.
In addition, Prairie du Chien was home to the Jesuit-run Campion High School until its closing in 1975.
[edit] High schools
- Aquinas High School, La Crosse
- Assumption High School, Wisconsin Rapids
- Columbus Catholic High School, Marshfield
- Madonna High School, Mauston (closed in 1966)
- McDonell Central Catholic High School, Chippewa Falls
- Newman Catholic High School, Wausau
- Pacelli High School, Stevens Point
- Regis High School, Eau Claire
[edit] Elementary/middle schools
The diocese's 74 elementary schools enroll 8,717 students.
[edit] The Catholic Times
The Diocese of La Crosse publishes a bi-weekly newpaper called The Catholic Times, which has approximately 35,000 subscribers.
[edit] History
The Diocese of La Crosse was erected by Pope Pius IX on March 3, 1868. Territory was taken from what was the Diocese of Milwaukee to form this new diocese. Michael Heiss was named the first Bishop of this new Diocese. La Crosse, Wisconsin is the see.
Territory from the Dioceses of La Crosse and Green Bay was taken to form the Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior on May 3, 1905. Later, territory from the Dioceses of La Crosse and Green Bay and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee was taken to form the Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison on January 9, 1946.[1]
Father Solanus Casey, of the Capuchin religion order, who was declared venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1995, was born in Pierce County, Wisconsin which is part of the Diocese of La Crosse.[2]
[edit] Ordinaries of the Diocese of La Crosse
The following is a list of the Bishops of the Diocese of La Crosse and their terms of service:
- Michael Heiss (1868–1880)
- Kilian Caspar Flasch (1881–1891)
- James Schwebach (1891–1921)
- Alexander Joseph McGavick (1921–1948)
- William Richard Griffin (Auxiliary Bishop) (1935–1944)
- John Patrick Treacy (1948–1964)
- Frederick William Freking (1965–1983)
- John Joseph Paul (1983–1994)
- Raymond Leo Burke (1994–2003)
- Jerome Edward Listecki (2004–present)
[edit] See also
- Necedah Shrine
- George Albert Hammes
- Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem
- Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist
- Franciscan Servants of Jesus
[edit] Sources
- Fisher, Father Gerald Edward. 257 Things You Should Know About the Diocese of La Crosse: A Celebration of the Diocese of La Crosse: 125 Years - 1968-1993: Bishop John J. Paul 50th Anniversary of Priestly Ordination: 1943-1993, 1993.
- Fisher, Father Gerald Edward. Dusk Is My Dawn: The First Hundred Years of the Diocese of La Crosse, 1969.
- Ludwig, Sister M. Mileta. Right Hand Uplifted: A Biography of Archbishop Michael Heiss, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, 1968.
- Brickl, Father Frank. Brickbats & Bouquets: Memories of a Parish Priest, edited by James L. Alt, 1990. (Information about the personalities of the Bishops of La Crosse from Bishop McGavick to Bishop Freking.)
- Riverfront Times, St Louis, Missouri. (Alternative newspaper articles and letters about Archbishop Burke of St Louis.) See the discussion section for the article about the Diocese of La Crosse for the letters and articles.
- La Crosse Public Library archives, La Crosse, Wisconsin.
- Aquinas High School archives, La Crosse, Wisconsin. (Involvement of the Bishops of La Crosse from Bishop McGavick onwards with the school.)
