On Saturday, July 9, His Excellency, the Most Reverend William P. Callahan, Bishop of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, made his first pastoral visit to St. Mary's Oratory in Wausau and conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation in the Extraordinary Form on sixty-five candidates. Over one third of the candidates are faithful who attend the Institute's apostolate at Saint Mary's in Cashton, Wisconsin, which is also located in the Diocese of LaCrosse.
Following the Confirmations, Canon Matthew Talarico, Vice-Provincial, celebrated a Solemn High Mass in the presence of Bishop Callahan. His Excellency was assisted during the Confirmations and the Mass by Canon William Avis, provincial Master of Ceremonies for the Institute's US province, by Canon Henrique Fragelli, Rector of Saint Mary's in Wausau, and by Canon Glenn Gardner, Rector of the Institute's apostolate in Cashton.
After Mass, Bishop Callahan greeted the faithful at the festive reception, during which two choirs of children sang motets in his honor. His Excellency was also presented with a gift expressing the gratitude of the Institute and the faithful of both apostolates located in his Diocese.
Saint Mary's Oratory in Wausau recently commemorated the 9th anniversary of its Consecration, which was celebrated according to the traditional ritual of the Extraordinary Form by the Most Reverend Raymond L. Burke, then Bishop of LaCrosse, on May 31, 2002 (a DVD of the consecration is available in our online store).