Hello,

I'm Father John Potaczek, pastor of two parishes in central Wisconsin: Saint Stephen Parish in  Stevens Point and St. Bartholomew Parish in Mill Creek. I am also Dean of the Stevens Point Deanery comprised of sixteen Roman Catholic Parishes. Our deanery parishes work together to provide spiritual and educational opportunities for the people of Portage County.

Catholics experience Church at many levels of community. The family, called the "domestic church,"  offers our primary experience of loving relationships.  An essential form of community life for lay Catholics is the parish, a "family of families." Liturgy, the fullest experience of Catholic community, is celebrated by pastor and parishioners everyday. We also belong to and participate in the life of the Diocesan Church and the Universal Church, led by our shepherds, Bishop Jerome Listecki and Pope Benedict XVI.

The gift of Christian community can be experienced whenever "two or more" gather in Christ' name. Catholics may share faith in small groups and enroll in various associations to support each other in their vocation and discipleship. Bishops of the United States Catholic Conference and the Wisconsin Synod regularly meet for collective discernment and action.

A deanery is not a formal community like the family, parish, diocese or universal church. It shares intermediate, collaborative characteristics of an association or conference. Belonging to the "deanery church" poses the questions, "How can we work together to strengthen our parishes and make our resources available to all?" and " How well are we bringing our faith and values to bear where we work, recreate, learn, shop and vote--at the county level of society?"

I hope you find the information on this Web Site to be of interest and enlightening as we explore practical aspects of what it means to belong to a deanery.

As Dean, Father Potaczek offers consultation at regular meetings with Bishop Jerome Listecki and thirteen other Deans in the Diocese of La Crosse.

At home he is the President of the Deanery Pastoral Council, a deanery consultation body comprised of pastors, sixteen lay representatives, and five deanery representatives to the Diocesan Pastoral Council and commissions. He calls together the pastors and pastoral ministers of our Deanery for regular meetings as well, and devotes many hours to the Stevens Point Area Catholic Schools Commission, its Finance Committee and other meetings.

 For more information of what a Deanery and Deanery Pastoral Council are all about, click here.