Local News
Preparing for the transitional diaconate
Diocese of Superior seminarians Carl Oman, far left, and Scott Pederson, far right, recited the Oath of Freedom, the Profession of Faith and the Oath of Fidelity at Vespers on April 8 at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee.
Bethany Brunch blesses young women, parish
The third diocesan Bethany Brunch was held at St. Joseph Parish in Hayward on March 21 with guests Sr. Teresa Joy, O.P. and Sr. Mary Judith, O.P., who teach at St. Croix Catholic Elementary School.
Keep the doors open, lights on
“Serving God by Serving His People” is the phrase that greets visitors to catholiclakescluster.org, website for the churches of St. Joseph in Amery, Our Lady of the Lakes in Balsam Lake and St. John the Baptist in Clear Lake.
A visit from the bishop
Bishop James P. Powers was welcomed by parochial administrator Fr. Francis Adoboli at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Danbury; Sacred Heart, Crescent Lake; and St. John the Baptist, Webster, on March 21-22.
A life of challenges and joys
Fr. Joji Reddy Boyapati, serving at St. Michael’s in Iron River, will clearly be missed when he returns to India in April due to his expiring visa.
Sisters, priests honored at St. Francis Appreciation Celebration
On Sunday, March 1, the Lac Courte Oreilles Community turned out in huge numbers to honor and salute the staff of St. Francis Catholic Church and School at the church Community Building.
World News
Hundreds of men to be ordained in U.S. in 2026
More than 400 men will be ordained to the priesthood in the U.S. this year, and on average they are 33 years old and are lifelong Catholics, according to an annual CARA survey.
Remembering Pope Francis: 9 moments that defined his legacy
On April 21, 2025, the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica tolled for Pope Francis, marking the end of his life and his 12-year papacy. As the 265th successor of St. Peter, the Argentinian pontiff left a lasting impact on the Catholic Church.
Columns
The Paschal hope of Ordinary Time
A number of springs ago, I came to the Easter Vigil Mass with the joyous anticipation of Easter muted a bit.
Atheists, dark nights, Good Friday and revelation
The classical atheistic thinkers of the Enlightenment, philosophers such as Frederick Nietzsche and Ludwig Feuerbach, taught that all religious experience is simply human projection.
He is risen! Alleluia, Alleluia!
2026 Easter message from Bishop James P. Powers
Mini-ministry: St. Patrick parishioners inspired food swap
A friendly gesture by a couple of neighbors of bringing over a few bags of slightly fading vegetables, and then my swapping some back, has become a full-fledged food mini-ministry.
Thanks, Dad, for Ordinary Times
Not long ago, I was sorting through some of my dad’s old papers and I came across a candy wrapper and a Father’s Day card tucked into an envelope that bore a March 2001 postmark from Rome.
On hiding the ugly
Following a severe case of COVID last summer, I developed a bald spot. As with any flaw, I spend a disproportionate amount of time trying to hide it; AI tells me it could take a year for my hair to grow back. So I fuss and rearrange things and impatiently wait.
