Michael Eugene Moon

Parents: Mary Anita and Corwin (deceased) Moon, Lancaster, Wis.

Educational background:

Grade school: St. Clement School, Lancaster

High school: Holy Name Seminary, Madison, class of 1968

College: Attended Holy Name Seminary and Edgewood College, Madison, 1968-70, and St. John's University, Collegeville, Minn., 1970-72, resulting in bachelor's degree in Spanish; earned master of social work (MSW) in 1975 from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.

Seminary/theology: Master of Divinity degree, Mundelein Seminary, University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Ill., May 4, 2002

Previous employment: Worked in the field of counseling from 1972 to 1997, when he entered the seminary

Clinical pastoral training: St. Luke's Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wis.

Pastoral internship: Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Monona, Wis.

Deacon ordination: Nov. 16, 2001, at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison

Deacon placement: St. Henry Parish, Watertown, Wis.

First public Masses of Thanksgiving:

Sunday, May 26: 10:30 a.m., St. Clement Church, Lancaster (his home parish as a child)

Saturday, June 1: 5 p.m., St. John Vianney Church, Janesville (he was a member of St. John Vianney Parish when he applied to the diocese as a seminarian)

I am pleased about having attended Mundelein Seminary as its program emphasizes challenging courses, personal as well as spiritual formation, and pastoral skills. We were frequently examining the question, "What is a priest?" This is a complicated question, and any answer should include some flexibility.

I decided to define a priest as "an ordained man, who, through the grace of God, serves as a representative of Christ and leads the faithful in building up the kingdom of God." While a priest leads by being a decision maker, he is also to call forth the gifts and talents of lay people through an active partnership with them.

As part of a class assignment, I interviewed Father Del Klink of St. William Parish in Janesville. He remarked that one of his favorite persons in the Scriptures is Barnabas, whose name means "man of encouragement." He noted that the ability to offer and receive genuine encouragement plays a crucial part in the development of a priest.

A priest can become involved in many projects. While doing the work of the Lord is important, it is more important to keep focused on the Lord of the work. The first appointment in a priest's day needs to be with God through prayer. In particular, I cherish these verses from Psalm 37: "Commit yourself to the Lord, and He will act" with signs, miracles, and wonders.

Tait Cameron Schroeder

Parents: Darlene and Timothy Schroeder, Sauk City, Wis.

Educational background:

Grade school: Attended elementary and middle school in Sauk City and Prairie du Sac

High school: Holy Name Seminary, Madison, class of 1994

College: Bachelor's degree in philosophy, Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary at St. Mary University, Winona, Minn.

Seminary/theology: Completed an S.T.B. from Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome; currently pursuing an S.T.L. in sacramental theology at the Pontifical Atheneum of Saint Anselm, Rome

Clinical pastoral education: St. Marys Hospital, Madison

Deacon ordination: Oct. 4, 2001, at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter Basilica, Rome

Deacon placement: Campus minister for the St. Mary's College (of South Bend, Ind.) Rome program

First public Mass of Thanksgiving:

Sunday, May 26: 10:30 a.m., at St. Norbert Parish, Roxbury (home parish); homilist, Fr. Richard Toohey, Diocese of Erie; deacon, Rev. Mr. Walter Oxley, II, Diocese of Toledo; lectors, Eric Breunig and Jessica Brickl; concelebrants, Fr. Laverne Meier, pastor, and other guest priests; reception to follow immediately at parish hall

I am extremely grateful for God's gift of the priesthood. I am amazed at how gracious and generous He has been to me. He has blessed my life with a beautiful family, marvelous friends, excellent teachers, and exemplary priests. All of these people have been instrumental in guiding me towards serving the People of God in the Diocese of Madison as a priest.

My time at Holy Name Seminary, St. Mary's University of Minnesota, Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, and the Pontifical North American College has formed me in incredible and mysterious ways to bring me to this graced moment of ordination.

I look forward to my service in the diocese and pray that I may be able to give myself totally to serving God and His people.

David Alan Wanish

Parents: Dorothy and Dan Wanish, Krakow, Wis.

Educational background:

Grade school: Andrew Jackson Elementary School, Manitowoc

High school: Green Bay East High, Green Bay, class of 1990

College: Attended Carroll College, Waukesha, and Michigan Tech in Houghton, Mich., where earned a bachelor's degree in math; earned MA in math and MS in engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; attended St. Norbert College, De Pere, to study philosophy and religion

Seminary/theology: Master of Divinity degree, Mundelein Seminary, University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, Ill., May 4, 2002

Previous employment: Worked in the U.S. Peace Corps

Clinical pastoral education: Porter Adventist Hospital, Denver, Colo.

Pastoral internship: St. Mary Parish, Bloomington, Wis.

Deacon ordination: Nov. 16, 2001, at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison

Deacon placement: St. Bernard Parish, Middleton

First public Masses of Thanksgiving:

Saturday, May 25: 4 p.m., St. Mary Church, Platteville; Wanish, homilist; lectors, John Baxter and Joan Johnson, parishioners at St. Mary Parish, Platteville; giftbearers, Hazel and Joseph Meoska, parishioners at St. Mary Parish, Bloomington, and members of Southwest Vocation Club; concelebrant, Fr. O. Charles Schluter; reception follows immediately in St. Mary Parish hall

Sunday, May 26: 12 noon, St. Casimir Church, Krakow, Wis.; Wanish, homilist; lectors, Dan Wanish (brother) and Dorothy Wanish (mother); concelebrants, Fr. Jim Esser (Green Bay Diocese) and Fr. Bernard Brunette (Norbertine); reception follows immediately in St. Casimir Parish hall

As I approach ordination I am grateful to many people, family and friends, who helped me along the path and helped me to understand God's will. Their gift to me has been their love, friendship, wisdom, generosity, and prayers. They have shown me that if we share our gifts in harmony with each other, our Church will be strong communities of love, shining with God's glory and with life.

My parents first taught me to pray and to sense the presence of God around me. Their example has always enabled me to live a life of faith and loyalty. The faith communities of which I have been a part have also helped me to grow, most notably St. Paul's Catholic Center in Madison. The priests there first influenced me to consider the possibility of my own call to the priesthood. The faculty at Mundelein Seminary helped me to grow in my understanding of priestly service, dialogue, and God's call. The parishes of my internship and deacon assignment gave me valuable experience and caring support. Other people, both in and outside of the Church, have given me a clearer understanding of humanity, faith, and God.

I look forward to growing in relationship with our presbyterate, with the people of our diocese, and to serving our people. May we continue to uncover the great riches of Christ as we follow his path for us.