Question about Catholic Churches in WI

[DebChris]

I lived in WI for 15 years. I lived in Sparta which is about 20 miles east of LaCrosse and is part of the LaCrosse diocese. The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration are in LaCrosse which is where you will find Vertibro College. There is a nice bookstore across the street from the Cathedral. I often went on retreat at St. Anthony's in Marathon.

[rosco519]

Would you recommend attending Mass at the Cathedral?

Do you know anything about Providence Academy School?

What else do I need to know about La Crosse?

[DebChris]

Originally Posted by rosco519

Would you recommend attending Mass at the Cathedral?

Do you know anything about Providence Academy School?

What else do I need to know about La Crosse?

I don't know anything about Providence Academy School, but I would recommend attending Mass at the Cathedral. When I lived in WI, there was both a morning Mass and an evening Mass daily at the cathedral. A person could receive Communion before Mass if he or she did not have time to stay for the actual Mass. When I had business in LaCrosse, I would take time for Mass before going to my appointment. I often would also go to the cathedral for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

WI is very cold much of the year. It really does average -20degrees during the winter. My first winter, I quickly learned to drive sideways.Yes, I did learn how to get out of a skid. You will need a vehicle because there is no bus transportation. I had a tonneau cover put on my pickup to keep the wind from swinging the back end around. Get a good parka and layer your clothing for warmth.
Riverfest is the main festival. The fireworks are shot over the LaCrosse River while the orchestra plays. Do take a ride on the riverboat.
There are 2 major hospitals including Gunderson Lutheran and Franciscan Skemp. Franciscan Skemp is affiliated with Mayo Clinic. Because of the generosity of one of its founders, the Franciscan sisters have access to free medical care for life.
The University of Wisconsin LaCrosse is there as is Western Wisconsin Technical College. UWL is mostly known for Physical Education. Verterbo is the Catholic college.

[chaunceygardner]

Originally Posted by DebChris

WI is very cold much of the year. It really does average -20degrees during the winter.

Not really; it just seems that way. A temp of -20 F would not be close to an average, and La Crosse is not "very cold much of the year". The average LOW temp in January is chilly, at 9-10 degrees, and in the mid-teens in December and January. Average highs for La Crosse in the Winter months are in the high 20's and lower 30's. They do get their share of snow. They also have warm to hot summers (sometimes reaching 100 degrees), and their autumns are usually beautiful. They enjoy all four seasons. If you are moving from the northern half of the country and are used to snow and cold, you will be fine; if you are moving from the south or west, it will be interesting.

Providence Academy School is a newer private/Catholic school, and seems to skew quite traditional. They have a strict dress code (basically a uniform) and boys in the middle and upper grades wear ties and dress shoes. Academics seem very rigorous. As has been said, the area is very Catholic (consider the name of the city) with its fair share of Scandinavian Lutherans. Politically, the area is moderately conservative, which is true of most of Wisconsin outside of Milwaukee and Madison. As has been said, the area has some good colleges (which adds to the quality of life) and respectable health care. Overall, not a bad place. Just bring your snow boots and shovel.

[rosco519]

Our transition to the cold and snow will be a breeze....We are moving from Buffalo, MN.

So what I'm taking from your info on Providence Academy is that there a pretty strict school. My son tends to have attention problems. Maybe the smaller classes might help him.

[DebChris]

Originally Posted by rosco519

Our transition to the cold and snow will be a breeze....We are moving from Buffalo, MN.

So what I'm taking from your info on Providence Academy is that there a pretty strict school. My son tends to have attention problems. Maybe the smaller classes might help him.

If you are coming from MN, then you already know what to expect weather wise. The 4 seasons are Winter, June, July, and August. WI also claims the mosquito as the state bird so that when the seasons are 2, they are called shovel and swat. Of course, summer is sometimes called Construction.
LaCrosse is named after the Indian game. There is a myth surrounding the 3 rivers. Where 3 rivers gather, the big winds do not blow. The big winds would be tornadoes. The 3 rivers are the LaCrosse, Black River, and the Mississippi. I used to enjoy driving along the Mississippi.
When I was still running, I only ran outside when the temperature was above 0 degrees. People laughed at me because I walked to work. Of course I was home before many of them had finished scraping their cars. I also worked part time at the YMCA in LaCrosse. Since it paid minimum wage, I only accepted minimum 2 hour shifts, which paid for gas.

A variation of how Wisconsinites look at cold weather. I read a different version the last winter I was there.
http://www.ridephoria.com/topic/2026...ont-know-cold/

Actually, I did enjoy the autumn colors. They served as a reminder that spring was on the other side of winter. I liked when the crocuses broke through the frozen ground. It didn't snow much my first winter in WI which meant the ground cracked open. I would rather have the snow on the ground. I did learn to shovel snow immediately before it froze.

[Pre Rejected]

You might like the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in LaCrosse.

www.guadalupeshrine.org

Here is the Mass Schedule

www.guadalupeshrine.org/pray/devotional-schedule

[tvknight415]

I live in the area. Are you planning to move to LaCrosse itself or one of the surrounding communities? In general our diocese is moderately conservative but there are areas of liberalism. PM me if you need any info about the area.