News Briefs: Fr. Finnane marks jubilee WESTPORT -- Fr. Daniel P. Finnane, pastor of St. Mary of the Lake Parish here, will celebrate the 40th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on the weekend of June 14-15. Jubilee celebrations will be held at the 5:15 p.m. Mass on Saturday, June 14, and the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Masses on Sunday, June 15. Receptions will follow each Mass. Born June 10, 1937 in Janesville, the jubilarian was the seventh child of 13 born to the late Cora M. (O'Connor) and Daniel P. Finnane, Sr. He attended the one-room Ellis Country School for grades one through four and St. Patrick Grade School in Janesville. He graduated from St. Francis Minor Seminary High School in Milwaukee. After attending the first two years of college at St. Francis Minor and Major Seminaries, he transferred to Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. He graduated from Loras College in 1959 with a degree in education and philosophy. After completing theological studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and earning a master's degree in secondary education administration, he was ordained on May 25, 1963 by Bishop William P. O'Connor at St. Raphael Cathedral in Madison. He served as an associate pastor at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Madison; St. John Vianney Parish, Janesville; Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Monona; St. Bernard Parish, Middleton; and St. William Parish, Janesville. Father Finnane served as associate chaplain and instructor in religion at St. Coletta School in Jefferson and as chaplain and instructor in religion at Edgewood High School in Madison. In 1978 he was named pastor of St. Thomas Parish, Montfort, and St. John Nepomucene Parish, Castle Rock. In 1984 he became pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Beloit. He then served as pastor of St. Joseph Parish, East Bristol, and subsequently pastor of St. Olaf Parish, De Forest, for eight years. He arrived as pastor of St. Mary of the Lake Parish, Westport, in 1998. Fr. Schluter marks jubilee PLATTEVILLE -- Fr. O. Charles Schluter, pastor of St. Mary Parish here, will celebrate the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on Sunday, June 15, with a 3:30 p.m. Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Mary Church. Bishop William H. Bullock will be the homilist. Concelebrants will include Father Schluter's classmates and members of the Emmaus support group. A reception and dinner will follow in St. Mary Parish Hall at 5 p.m. Son of Frances and Charles Schluter, he grew up in Baraboo. He attended St. Joseph School and Baraboo High School there. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 26, 1978 by Bishop Cletus O'Donnell at St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison. He served as associate pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Madison; associate pastor of St. Paul University Catholic Center, Madison; director of student life and instructor at Holy Name Seminary, Madison; administrator of St. Philomena Parish, Belmont, with missions of St. Michael Parish, Calamine, and Immaculate Conception Parish, Truman; and pastor of St. Barnabas Parish, Mazomanie, with the mission of St. John the Baptist Parish, Mill Creek. He has been pastor of St. Mary Parish in Platteville since June 30, 1999. Father Schluter also served as diocesan archivist. He currently serves on the Presbyteral Council, the board of directors of the St. Raphael Society, and the advisory board of the Office for Continuing Education of Priests. Support for cancer patients SUN PRAIRIE -- St. Marys Hospital Medical Center is offering an eight-week program of "I Can Cope," beginning on Monday, July 7. The program runs for eight consecutive Mondays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. through Monday, Aug. 25, and will be held at St. Albert the Great Parish, 2420 St. Albert the Great Dr., Sun Prairie. "I Can Cope" is for the person with cancer and anyone touched by cancer, such as a spouse, family member, friend, or other support person. "I Can Cope" offers information, support, and encouragement. The class is free and open to the public. To register, call St. Marys Hospital Public Relations and Marketing at 608-258-5065. Activities for young adults MADISON -- Young adults are invited to attend summer leadership training sessions at Blessed Sacrament Parish Center, 2116 Hollister Ave., from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. every Wednesday through Aug. 6. The next session will be held June 18. Presenter is Juan Colas, member of St. Paul University Catholic Center in Madison, who will speak on prayer as a Christian leader. For information, contact Brad at saintalsadult@charter.net or Ben at bweisse@straphael.org. Advanced sign-up is preferred but not required. Support groups for divorced, separated MADISON -- Peer support groups for those hurting from separation, divorce, or loss of a significant relationship are open to all ages/faiths at two Madison parishes. New Directions will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 12, at St. Dennis Parish Center, 413 Dempsey Rd., top floor. For information, call 608-821-3170. Friends on a Journey will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 19, at Our Lady Queen of Peace nursery, 401 S. Owen Dr. For information, call 608-821-3170. Dinner theatre planned SINSINAWA -- Sinsinawa Mound's dinner theatre production of Sr. Gene and the Golden Key on Sunday, June 22, starts at 12:15 p.m., with the performance at 1:30. Tickets are $30 for the dinner theatre or $20 for performance only. Deadline for reservations is June 15. Call 608-748-4411. In this one-woman drama with professional actress Patricia Daniels, the action takes place in a convent, where Sister Gene must convince another nun to unlock the convent door so she can attend the town's Shakespeare Festival.

Family of the Year:
Knights of Columbus honors Rogan family

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

(See also front page photo.)

MADISON -- The family of John F. (Jack) Rogan, Col. U.S. Army (retired), and his wife, Ann, has been selected from the Diocese of Madison as the "Family of the Year" for the state of Wisconsin Knights of Columbus.

One family from each of the five dioceses of Wisconsin was selected as "Family of the Year." Out of those five families, the Rogan family was chosen as "Family of the Year" for the state.

As "Family of the Year" for the state, the Rogan family nomination will be considered at the national level. The winner at that level will be announced in August.

Church involvement

Jack and Ann, married on July 16, 1950, have nine children ranging from ages 51 to 37 and nine grandchildren ranging from ages 18 to one.

Jack is a retired Army colonel who served on active duty for 25 years and is a veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Ann is a stay-at-home mom.

When Jack retired from the military in 1970, he worked as Wisconsin state finance director until 1983.

With a long history of service to the Catholic Church, since Jack and his family moved to the Madison area in 1970, he has been volunteering for the Diocese of Madison in various capacities over the last 32 years. He has been a member of the Diocesan Appeals Committee, Diocesan Pastoral Council, Diocesan Finance Committee, St. Raphael Society Board, Diocesan Corporate Board and Diocesan Cemeteries Board.

Jack has also served on the U.S. Catholic Bishops' National Advisory Council. He is a member of the Madison Serra Club Board of Directors and served as president.

He chaired the Holy Name Seminary Advisory Board for 20 years and played a major role in the establishment of the Diocesan Self-Insurance Program, diocesan accounting and reporting system, implementation of parish councils, revision of by-laws for priests' retirement program, hiring of diocesan professional staff, consolidation of diocesan offices, budget guidelines and database for annual diocesan appeals campaign.

In parish, community

The couple is also active at St. Bernard Parish in Middleton, where, among other volunteer positions, they serve as Eucharistic ministers. Ann is involved with the St. Paul's meal program and Middleton Outreach Ministry (M.O.M.) and helps out at various parish events such as the parish picnic, God's Plan, Thanksgiving clothing and food drives, M.O.M. Christmas dinner, rose sale, soup and stations, spaghetti dinner, and coffee Sundays.

Jack is past president of the parish council and served on the finance and social concerns committees. He is a lector/commentator, server, greeter, and leads the Word and Communion service in the absence of a priest.

They both are members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Jack is a member of the Papal Order of St. Gregory the Great and the Latter's North Central Lieutenancy's Council. He is a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus. In the Knights of Columbus, the couple has helped with the spaghetti dinner, pancake breakfast, anointing Mass and dinner, Memorial Mass and dinner, Christmas party, tootsie roll program, and other events.

In 1993 Jack was one of four Vietnam-era veterans honored by the Vietnam Veterans Association for outstanding community achievements since leaving military service.

Both are active in the pro-life movement and contribute generously to the financial support of the parish, diocese, and community.

Catholic Herald:
Wins press awards at convention

ATLANTA, Ga. -- The Diocese of Madison Catholic Herald won four awards in the annual competition sponsored by the Catholic Press Association (CPA) of the United States and Canada.

The awards were announced at the annual CPA convention held in Atlanta May 28 to 30.

The Catholic Herald won the following awards:

• Graphic designer Kara Lichtenberg won a first place award for best single black and white ad for Right to Life. Judges said, "We feel that this ad was given plenty of thought! The idea of using the American flag in the background with a baby in the front was very eye-catching. The words used were well chosen. This ad really makes you think about what is going on in the U.S.A. today."

• Fr. John G. Stillmank received a second place award for best regular column dealing with Scripture. The column, "Word of God, Word of Life" appears each week in the Catholic Herald. Judges said the column has a "good eye for the little details."

• The paper won a second place award for best campaign in the public interest on "Faithful Citizenship." Judges said it "exhibited good initiative and was both ambitious and informative."

• The paper received an honorable mention for its Web site: www.madisoncatholicherald.org

Mary C. Uhler, editor of the Catholic Herald, received a plaque for being one of five finalists for the St. Francis de Sales Award presented annually by the CPA.

The award is given to a person who has performed the work of Catholic journalism with excellence. It is considered the highest honor in the Catholic press.

Uhler has been a member of the Catholic Herald staff since 1973 and editor since 1986. The letter nominating Uhler noted that she has always kept the reader in mind as she guided the paper through major changes through the years.

"Through her love of and dedication to the Catholic Church, she has brought the Catholic Herald-Madison readers into a fuller understanding of the church's teachings," said the letter.

Jerry Filteau, a Catholic News Service reporter for more than 30 years, won the St. Francis de Sales Award. He is is one of a handful of reporters to have won the prize since it was established in 1959.

Filteau told the luncheon audience at which the award was announced that in writing about the clergy sex abuse crisis or any other difficult events in the life of the church, Catholic journalists must, as their guiding principle, "speak the truth in love."

Nigerian priests:
Three returned home June 8

MADISON -- Three Nigerian priests returned to Nigeria on June 8, according to Bishop Emeritus William H. Bullock.

Frs. Casimir Chimeziri, Anthony Iheanacho, and Joseph Ononiwu have served in the Diocese of Madison for the past three years while on sabbatical. They have been part of an ongoing relationship between Bishop Bullock and Archbishop Anthony Obinna of Owerri, Nigeria.

The three Nigerian priests expressed gratitude to the people of the Diocese of Madison and to Bishop Bullock.

Bishop Bullock thanked them for their loyal and devoted service.

Fr. Nicholas Okere, also from Owerri, has permission from Archbishop Obinna to apply for incardination into the Diocese of Madison. Bishop Bullock has indicated his openness to receiving Father Okere following completion of all canonical procedures in the near future.

Two other Nigerian priests - Frs. Paul Arinze and Sanctus Ibe - studied here and were ordained for the Madison Diocese.

Also from the Archdiocese of Owerri is Fr. Basil Osuigwe, who will be in the Diocese of Madison until 2005, serving in the diocesan Tribunal. He also begins a new assignment June 11 as administrator of St. Paul Parish, Evansville, and St. Augustine Parish, Footville.