For the first time since the 1990s, three men were ordained to the diocesan priesthood by Bishop James P. Powers on May 28, 2023. “I think it’s safe to say that this Pentecost, I think the Spirit is alive and well here in Superior,” the bishop said as he welcomed hundreds to the Mass. Here, from left, Dcns. Julian Druffner, Isaiah Schick and Daniel Tracy face an applauding congregation after being presented for ordination by vocations director Fr. Thomas Thompson. (Katzie and Ben Photography)

Peggy Schoenfuss
Chancellor, Diocese of Superior

Editor’s note: This history of Bishop Powers’ accomplishments over the past decade was compiled and written for the Diocese of Superior’s website, catholicdos.org.

Increased protection of minors

In 2016, the diocese adopted a human trafficking awareness curriculum for grades 7-8 in schools and religious education for the safe environment requirements following the October 2015 statement for the Wisconsin Catholic Conference offering a trafficking awareness toolkit.

To ensure sufficient training and protection of minors, in 2018, Bishop Powers had the Diocese of Superior move to an online adult training and background check program through Catholic Mutual Group. With this, the diocese also purchased the Circle of Grace Curriculum from the Diocese of Omaha as the mandated curriculum that must be taught to all minors in schools and religious education.

Effective Sept. 9, 2021, Bishop Powers instated the requirement that all diocesan and parish employees, regardless of job duties, be both trained and background checked. With this new requirement, those in parishes who have access to electronic accounts and/or handle money have a deeper background check. Prior to this, only employees and volunteers who worked with or in the proximity of children were required to have training and a background check.

Catholic Extension Latin American Sister Exchange

In reaction to a growing need of support in the parishes to offer Hispanic Ministry, Bishop Powers entered the diocese into the Catholic Extension Latin American Sister Exchange. Through this program, three religious sisters from Mexico came to the diocese in September of 2019. These sisters remained in the diocese for five years and helped boost evangelization and catechetical efforts in the parish clusters of the Rice Lake, Ladysmith, Barron and Cumberland areas.

Covid-19

March of 2020 began the start of a whirlwind year of unexpected events. On March 6, 2020, Bishop Powers issued his first letter to parish leadership warning them about COVID-19 and the initial procedures to combat the virus. A mere week later on March 12, 2020, Bishop Powers dispensed the Sunday obligation to attend Mass to anyone who was afraid to contract COVID-19. In not knowing what this virus was, and trusting in medical professionals from throughout the diocese and the Center for Disease Control, Bishop Powers continued to make very difficult decisions regarding the offering of group events and dispensations from the Eucharist.

By May 24, 2020, Bishop Powers was able to begin allowing the distributing Holy Communion to the faithful outside of Mass. He stated to the faithful, “I truly believe the Eucharist is the ‘source and summit’ of the true Christian life.” Finally, on the weekend of June 6-7, 2020, in those parishes that were ready, public celebrations of the Mass were held. Effective the weekend of Sept. 26-27, 2020, the dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation was lifted.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 continued to linger and in November 2020, following the Statewide Public Health Emergency, Bishop Powers reinstated the dispensation from the Sunday obligation of Mass. Different from the previous dispensation, he did not issue a closure of public Masses on Sundays or weekdays. This dispensation was eventually lifted on June 6, 2021.

Even though effects of COVID-19 precautions lasted into mid-2022 with scarce Mass attendance, there were some positive aspects for the diocese and the parishes that did emerge. Through this time there was:

* A growing education in and desire to receive as well as more profound respect for the Eucharist.

* An increased use of online communication tools such as meeting spaces and sharing the faith in podcasts and through social media.

* Enhanced continuing formation in evangelization to all clergy and leaders, including international speakers available to present via online tools.

Decree: Celebration of wedding ceremonies in alternate sites

On Jan. 25, 2021, Bishop Powers decreed a new particular law in the Diocese of Superior affecting sites for wedding ceremonies. From this decree, after following particular guidelines, wedding ceremonies may be held in a location other than a church building.

Synod on synodality

On Oct. 18, 2021, Bishop Powers kicked off the World Synod on Synodality in the Diocese of Superior with Mass at Our Lady of the Lake in Ashland. The purpose of this Synod, as expressed by Pope Francis, was to focus on communion, participation and mission to fulfill the call of Vatican II’s universal call to holiness. In January 2022, Bishop Powers began the first phase of the synod in which parishes were supplied with a handbook to help them choose their own time and date, arrange a welcoming environment, provide hospitality and invite participation from all areas of the parish community to learn about the synodal journey and discuss particular questions. An online portal was also made available to those who were unable to meet in person. The information gathered at these parish sessions were collated and summarized for a report sent to the United States Council of Catholic Bishops in April 2022.

In January of 2023 the Continental Stage of the Synod was held where representatives from the diocese met virtually with other representatives from North America to discuss a specific set of questions. To complete the Interim Stage of the Synod, Bishop Powers chose to use five deanery meetings held each in December of 2023 and March of 2024 that coincided with the “Maintenance to Mission Initiative” to gather information. This report was submitted to the USCCB in April of 2024.

Eucharistic revival

By the time of the Eucharistic Revival starting in June of 2022, it was starting to feel like there were a lot of initiatives and burdens being put on the diocese and parish. Fortunately, though, all these initiatives culminated in a stronger and healthier desire for Christ in the Eucharist. Parishes and clusters began joining together each year to hold a Corpus Christi procession and opportunities for adoration greatly increased at all parishes. Bishop Power’s continual theme throughout his episcopate finally had the backing and drive of the whole nation. There wasn’t a time you didn’t hear Bishop Powers emphasize the center or the Catholic faith in the words of “the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. From this revival, the Maintenance to Mission Initiative and Synod on Synodality found its roots in the Diocese of Superior through more Mass, more adoration, emphasized elevation of the Eucharist, prayer and reconciliation.

Pastoral guidance regarding gender dysphoria

The dignity of the human person and the nature of human sexuality being challenged in current culture has been a growing concern for Bishop Powers. He convened a team of laity and clergy in the diocese to look at implications of gender theory. The conclusion was: “As Catholic Christians, our fundamental mandate is love: we must love all human beings as each is made in the image and likeness of God.” What is hard for all of us, sinners that we are, is to know that love does not mean acceptance of our own personal wishes. Love and truth must go hand in hand. They are inseparable.

With this statement, Bishop Powers issued pastoral guidance, in August 2022, regarding gender dysphoria to the parishes and schools. In continued efforts to help educate the faithful the that dignity of the human person, Bishop Powers also purchase and mandated the Ruah Woods Theology of the Body curriculum for grades K-12 to be taught in all schools and religious education programs. From this, the diocese has invited in speakers on the Theology of the Body to form our leaders, including Bill Donaghy from Theology of the Body Institute.

Decree: Ethical and religious directives for health care services

In accordance with the norm of canon 29, Bishop Powers declared, in August of 2022, that the Ethical and Religious Directives for Health Care Services, revised and reissued by the USCCB, be observed in the Diocese of Superior.

Abusive clergy list

After several years of reviewing files and documentation, Bishop Powers made public on Nov. 22, 2022, the names of clergy with substantial allegations of child sexual abuse. In his statement, Bishop Powers extended his deepest apology and sympathy to victims, survivors, their family members and all the faithful of the Diocese of Superior and iterated the diocese’s commitment to openness and transparency.

“As the father has sent me, so I send you” pastoral letter on evangelization

On May 18, 2023, Bishop Powers issued a pastoral letter on evangelization. Every parishioner in the Diocese of Superior received a copy in the mail. This letter became the vision of the Diocese of Superior as it continued to move forward from maintenance to mission. All parishes were expected to read and study the document and begin to form evangelization teams to move their parishes from a mode of maintaining what was to moving forward on mission.

Maintenance to Mission and diocesan pastoral plan

Beginning in 2016, the Presbyteral Council began discussing revisiting the New Springtime Parish Plan from 2000. A small committee worked on gathering data and reviewing information. A few deanery meetings were held to the trying times of priest shortages, declining sacramental recipients, and growing secularism and how the Diocese of Superior may not simply lament the past but rather work to turn these challenges into opportunities.

In late 2019, Bishop Powers consolidated a few planning groups made up of diocesan staff, pastors and parish, formally called the Diocesan Planning Committee. Through these discussions, the common theme of moving the Diocese of Superior from “maintenance to mission” kept coming up. Thus, the desire for evangelizing the souls of those within the church and beyond became a vision. As a bonus to being shut down in 2020, this planning group was able to focus on establishing the Maintenance to Mission initiative and lay out a three-year plan of implementation.

On March 1, 2021, Bishop Powers instated the Office of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship that would work in close collaboration with the Department of Catholic Formation and other diocesan offices. The goal of this office was to infuse all of the diocesan and parish efforts with the Christ-given mission of making “disciples of all nations.”

From 2021-2025, the Diocesan Planning Committee met to strategically determine the direction and plans for the future of the church in the diocese. In December of 2023 and March of 2024, deanery meetings were held to discuss various ideas and get feedback from the parishes. Starting in June of 2024, this committee, with much prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and discussion, began to draft the diocesan pastoral plan.

In February of 2025, the Diocese of Superior “Maintenance to Mission Pastoral Plan for Recalibrating our Structure to Move on Mission” was released. To assist in implementing this Plan, Bishop Powers established the Office of Parish Transformation that would help coach parish and assist them in setting goals and accountability.

Some outcomes from these efforts were:

* Parish or cluster evangelization teams shepherding the evangelization process in parishes
* Implementation of pre-evangelization, evangelization, discipleship and apostolate processes in parishes
* Clergy and lay small group sharing and prayer in parishes
* Parishes stabilizing maintenance (civil and canon) law requirements in order to focus more on evangelization
* Parishes setting achievable goals over a three- to five-year period.

Combatting schism

In 2024, two separate locations in the diocese experienced groups of individuals joining so-called churches believing they were receiving full sacraments in the Roman Catholic Church. Unfortunately, neither of these locations were recognized by the church, nor had the alleged priests of these locations given proof of their ordination in the Roman Catholic Church. Because of Bishop Powers’ obligation to care for the souls in this diocese, he issued warnings to the faithful about this deception. Much hurt and confusion clouded some of the parishes in the diocese as they saw family and friends drawn to these alleged churches. One group even went so far as to internationally accuse Bishop Powers of sacrilege at the Chrism Mass. In issuing a public statement, Bishop Powers stood up to these demeaning accusations for the protection of all the souls in the Diocese of Superior.

Safe Haven Sunday

Bishop Powers adopted Safe Haven Sunday on the first weekend of Lent, starting in 2024. Safe Haven Sunday is a weekend where pornography is addressed in the liturgical setting.

Allowing for confirmation outside the normative age

To accompany families that desire for their children to receive the graces of Confirmation earlier than the normative age of grade 11, Bishop Powers established guidelines and a process for this to happen. The first such confirmation Mass was held on May 16, 2025, at Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior with 11 candidates.

Advancing the Mission: The Catholic Services Appeal and Bishop’s Legacy Circle

Bishop Powers’ episcopate in the Diocese of Superior has been marked by a profound dedication to fostering a culture of stewardship, a commitment deeply rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ. This commitment is evident in his unwavering support for the annual Catholic Services Appeal and his vision in establishing the Bishop’s Legacy Circle.

Since its inception, the Catholic Services Appeal has served as a cornerstone of our diocesan mission, embodying our shared responsibility to generously share the blessings bestowed upon us by God. Under Bishop Powers’ guidance, this annual appeal has strengthened and been instrumental in providing vital annual financial support to the essential ministries of our church. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, our collective participation in the appeal reflects our active commitment to sharing resources, spreading the Gospel and ensuring the continued vitality of our parishes as well as the diocesan mission and outreach to the wider church.

Further solidifying his legacy of stewardship, Bishop Powers formed the Diocese of Superior Bishop’s Legacy Circle in 2019. Recognizing the long-term needs of the church in Northern Wisconsin, this membership organization unites dedicated Roman Catholic leaders in a shared mission: to provide crucial capital support and raise awareness for the spiritual, ministerial and educational endeavors of our diocese.

The Bishop’s Legacy Circle provides the Bishop with the flexibility to address pressing needs across various areas of service and ministry. The funds raised through this initiative directly support the formation of future priests through seminarian education, ensure the wellbeing of our retired priests through healthcare provisions, strengthen Catholic education, nurture the faith of our youth and young adults and empower effective parish leadership.

As pillars of the Bishop’s Legacy Circle, members embody engaged Catholic leadership. Each spring, Bishop Powers convenes the members for a special Mass and dinner, offering an opportunity for fellowship and for Bishop Powers to share a comprehensive “State of the Diocese” address, fostering a deeper understanding of the church’s ongoing mission and needs.

Through both the Catholic Services Appeal and the Bishop’s Legacy Circle, Bishop Powers has indelibly shaped a legacy of shared responsibility and enduring support for the Diocese of Superior.