When the Diocese of Madison was established in 1946, there were 122 diocesan priests and 13 Religious Order priests serving 82,000 Catholics in the 11 counties of the diocese.
By the time Bishop William P. O’Connor retired in 1967, the diocese had a total of 290 priests, including 63 belonging to Religious Orders, serving a Catholic population of 180,640.
Eighth in a series on the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Madison
Bishop William P. O’Connor traveled to Rome several times after becoming the first bishop of the Diocese of Madison.
Bishop O’Connor made three ad limina visits to the Vatican. These visits are called ad limina apostolorum (“to the threshold of the Apostles”) because they are traditionally pilgrimages made by bishops to the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul. The bishops in the United States are required to make visits to Rome personally or through authorized delegates about every five years to present a report on the state of the diocese.
Second in a series on the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Madison
It was not surprising that as a former seminary professor of philosophy, Bishop William P. O’Connor made education a priority in the newly established Diocese of Madison.
He established the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) in every parish as a goal of great importance in the new diocese. CCD initially provided religious instruction for those Catholic children not enrolled in Catholic schools.
A diocesan-wide CCD Congress was held September 17-18, 1949. Those attending included lay people, Sisters, and priests.
Under the direction of the CCD, a Diocesan Information Center for Catholics and non-Catholics was established in a storefront on State St. in Madison between the Capitol Square and the University of Wisconsin campus. It attracted close to 30,000 visitors in its years of operation from 1954 to 1963.
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| Deacon Lawrence Oparaji |
MADISON — Bishop Donald J. Hying will ordain Deacon Lawrence Oparaji to the priesthood for the Diocese of Madison on Saturday, Feb. 22, at a 10:30 a.m. Mass in the Bishop O’Donnell Chapel at Holy Name Heights, 702 S. High Point Rd.
Deacon Lawrence is the son of Kenneth and Calista Oparaji of Angwan Fadama, Orozo, FCT, in Nigeria.They are members of St. Andrew Kagwa Parish, Orozo Abuja.
Deacon Lawrence’s home parish in the Diocese of Madison is St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Madison.
He attended grade school in the Model Learning Center/Jikwoyi Phase II, and high school in the Federal government College/Keffi, Nasarawa.
His college studies were taken at the Dominican Institute Samonda Ibadan, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies.
He studied at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, St. Paul, Minn., where he earned a Master of Divinity degree.
His intern experience took place at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Madison. His deacon placements were at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Madison, and Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, Sun Prairie.
His clinical pastoral experience was taken at Lakeview Hospital, Stillwater, Minn.
MADISON — The Diocese of Madison’s Office of Safe Environment is offering a special session of “Protecting God’s Children for Parents.” This session will be held Tuesday, March 21, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Bishop O’Connor Center Auditorium Conference Room.
While this session is geared toward parents/guardians, it also satisfies the compliance requirement for employees and volunteers.
MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino will celebrate a Solemn Pontifical Mass on Friday, July 1, Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord, at 7 p.m., in the chapel of Holy Name Heights located in the Bishop O’Connor Center, 702 S. High Point Rd.
This Mass will be offered for the intention of suffering and persecuted Christians around the globe.
MADISON — The Diocese of Madison Office of Worship announces various workshops to be held this summer.
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion:
• Wednesday, June 15 — Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center, 702 S. High Point Rd., Madison, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Aug. 31 –Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Church, 221 Columbus St., Sun Prairie, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
MADISON — As part of the ongoing repurposing of the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center, electrical power to the building will be shut down from early morning Friday, April 22, through the evening of Sunday, April 24.
This will also shut down the diocesan IT equipment, including phone, web, and email servers.
MADISON — A special Solemn Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite will be celebrated at the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center, 702 S. High Point Rd., on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m., in the presence of Bishop Robert C. Morlino.
December 8 is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and a Holy Day of Obligation.
A Solemn Mass includes the service also of a deacon and subdeacon.
MADISON — A special invitation has been extended to parishioners in the Diocese of Madison and friends for a sneak preview tour of the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center renovation. It will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m.
Get an insider look at the sensitive, eco-friendly restoration initiatives now underway. When the renovation of the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center is complete in spring of 2016, it will be home to diocesan offices, Catholic Charities, the Catholic Herald, Relevant Radio, and 53 beautiful one- and two-bedroom residences at Holy Name Heights.
