CLINTON — Fr. Bill Connell, who was ordained to the priesthood on May 23, 1975, will be retiring because of health reasons from St. Stephen Parish, Clinton.
He will have a farewell Mass and reception on Sunday, Sept. 17. This will include the usual 9 a.m. Sunday Mass, followed by a light brunch and reception until 12 noon provided by his parish and large family. All are welcome.
CLINTON — St. Stephen Parish will be celebrating its 40th anniversary on Sunday, Aug. 26, with a 10:30 a.m. special Mass, parish potluck picnic, and an afternoon of fellowship.
Fr. Bill Connell, pastor, will concelebrate the Mass with St. Stephen’s founding pastor, Msgr. Gerard Healy, currently pastor of St. Ann Parish in Stoughton.
Bishop George O. Wirz was in love — with the priesthood. When he celebrated his 25th anniversary as a priest in 1977, he told his parishioners at St. Bernard Parish in Madison, where he was the pastor, “The romance of the priesthood has never left me. I’m still in love.”
If I had asked him that question before he died, I’m sure he would have said the same thing. In fact, I did talk with him the week before he died. Since 2010 marked his 50th anniversary of being named a Monsignor and the 45th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council, we discussed setting up an interview to talk about those occasions.
In his usual humble way, Bishop Wirz said we should wait until after the holidays, when things slowed down. Although we weren’t able to meet for that interview, I know from previous conversations what he might have said.
