A joyous milestone was observed on May 31 at our apostolate in Wausau, Wisconsin — the 5th anniversary of the consecration of St. Mary's Oratory of the Immaculate Conception by the Most Rev. Raymond Burke who was at the time the bishop of La Crosse. Established in 1861, St. Mary's is the oldest Catholic parish in Wausau. The present-day neo-Gothic church dates from 1892, while its interior was refashioned in a more contemporary style after a fire in 1953. In 1999 the Institute was given care of St. Mary's and began the renovation of its interior in 2001, creating a replica of a late medieval chapel at the Blotenburg Castle in Bavaria. St. Mary's Oratory is listed by authorities in the area as a must-see attraction for its exquisite artistry. Visitors come from far and wide to contemplate its beauty and pray before the statue of "Our Lady of Wausau," an original wooden sculpture found in the Salzburg area, dating from the 1470's.

To commemorate the fifth anniversary of St. Mary's re-consecration, Msgr. Gilles Wach offered a Solemn High Mass in the presence of the Most Rev. Jerome Listecki, Bishop of La Crosse, who was the homilist for the occasion. After Mass, His Excellency joined the superiors, clergy, and faithful of St. Mary's at a reception commemorating the joyous occasion on this his first official visit to the Oratory.