A Message from the Bishop:
Welcome to the website of the Diocese of Superior. Our diocese is blessed with many talented and faithful people who carry out the work of God each day. They can be found in the various diocesan, parochial, education, and social service institutions of our diocese.
 We pray that this website will enable you to find information and assistance. We invite you to browse around and familiarize yourself with some of the things God is accomplishing in the Church of Superior.
Most Reverend Peter Christensen
Bishop of Superior
Upcoming Events
June 20/21, 2009
National Concern Collection
June 26-28, 2009
Agape TEC #208
St. Joseph Parish, Osceola
June 27-28, 2009
Deacon Continuing Education
Preaching the Gospels
Our Lady of Lourdes, Dobie
June 29-30, 2009
Youthserve 2009
Nativity of Our Lord Parish
Rhinelander
Headline News
More places for prayer, Gospel needed for new vocations, says pope
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Young men need more places and more opportunities to listen to the word of God and reflect in silence so that they can better hear if God is calling them to the priesthood, Pope Benedict XVI said.
 The low number of priestly ordinations in some parts of the world should not lead to discouragement, he said July 1 during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.
Instead it should be the impetus to increase the number of places dedicated "to silence and to listening to the word, and to take better care of spiritual direction and the sacrament of confession so that God's voice, which always continues to call and confirm, may be heard and readily followed by many young people," he said.
The pope dedicated his catechesis to the church's celebration of the Year for Priests, which began June 19.
He said there was a close link between the year of St. Paul, which ended June 28 and the current Year for Priests. St. Paul showed how "the mystery of Christ must stand at the very heart of our lives as individuals and as a community," he said.
When Jesus summoned and appointed 12 of his disciples to follow him, calling them to proclaim the Gospel and giving them the power to cast out demons, he demonstrated the two major elements of priestly ministry, the pope said.
"Proclamation and power, that is, the word and sacraments are the two fundamental columns of priestly service," he said.
In fact, a priest is a man who has converted, been renewed by the Holy Spirit and lives in a personal relationship with Christ, he said.
A priest embodies unity and truth and is "aware of his own limits while at the same time of the extraordinary enormity of the vocation he received," he said.
Prayer is fundamental for the sanctification of priests and for the abundance of ordinations, said Pope Benedict.
"Whoever prays is not afraid, whoever prays is never alone, whoever prays is saved," he said.
He asked that the whole church pray for the world's priests and appreciate more deeply the role of the priest in the community.
The pope said he hoped the Year for Priests would help all priests "appreciate the immense grace of their vocation, consecration and mission."
Complementary Copies of "The Man Behind the Miter" Documentary Remain Available on DVD for the Easter Season
Copies of documentary filmmaker Tom Livingston's project "The Man Behind the Miter," featuring Bishop Peter Christensn, remain available on DVD at no cost to parishioners. The production was made possible through funding from The Catholic Communication Campaign and the Catholic Aid Association. Pro Video Productions Inc. of Duluth, Minn., donated much of their time and talent in its production.
Requests for the "The Man Behind the Miter" can be made by contacting Steve Tarnowski at starnowski@catholicdos.org
View the original Catholic Herald article: Bishop Peter Christensen: The man behind the miter
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