MADISON — While not officially a done deal yet, the redevelopment plans for the Bishop O’Connor Center (BOC) in Madison are inching closer to reality.
This month, many items, including furniture and other items from the BOC, were given away to parishes, schools, and other organizations in the diocesan area.
As the bells toll outside my office at the Bishop O’Connor Pastoral Center in Madison, I am reminded of the death of Bishop William H. Bullock, our respected and beloved bishop emeritus.
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.
