The enduring legacy of Holy Cross Seminary and one of its first priests, Father Dennis Stanchik
When World War II ended, families were reunited, and one of the first places these young men and women turned to was the Church. The Catholic community across the country was vibrant, and the Diocese of La Crosse was no exception. Guiding the faithful during this period of growth and change required a bold and disciplined leader, and thankfully, our Lord provided the perfect person for the role of shepherding west-central Wisconsin during this time of significant expansion.
In 1945, Bishop Patrick Treacy was called to assist ailing Bishop McGavick as coadjutor. Throughout his tenure, Bishop Treacy earned the nickname “the building bishop” due to his remarkable achievements in expanding the diocese. He oversaw the construction of 47 new churches and rectories, 43 new convents and 42 new schools, which included six of the seven diocesan high schools, all designed to provide enough holy spaces for the growing Catholic population.
Bishop Treacy took the greatest pride in a building project that was not a church, school or even the new cathedral completed during his tenure. Instead, it was a project that was close to his heart and grand in scale: a diocesan seminary.
A Flourishing Catholic Culture
“Why did he start a seminary?” asks Father Dennis Stanchik, “The answer: it was a sign of the times. That’s the way I would put it. What do I mean by that? I mean, there was an abundance of nuns and priests. After World War II, there was a significant increase in the number of vocations, as many veterans decided to enter the seminary. There was an abundance of nuns and priests at that time. Bishops, especially in the United States and in our state, were convinced that we needed to train these young men.” Additionally, the neighboring dioceses of Madison and Green Bay were building seminaries for the same reason. It seemed the thing to do and the time to do it.
According to the 2017 diocesan publication “Feed My Lambs,” “Almost as soon as he arrived in La Crosse, Bishop Treacy began to consider the possibility of establishing a diocesan seminary. A seminary would be a way to foster vocations and, equally important, to foster native clergy.” He wasted no time on this project. After consulting with Cincinnati architect Edward Schulte—who was also working with Bishop McGavick on plans for a new cathedral—in the spring of 1947, Bishop Treacy announced his seminary plans to clergy at their conference in the fall of that same year.
Early Seminary Life and Growing Enrollment
To further cement the concept, Bishop Treacy organized temporary housing and meals, a faculty of priests and rectors and academic and extracurricular facilities for boys to begin their seminary experience that very same fall. Twenty-two boys enrolled. Room and board were originally at the Loretto Club on 11th and Cass Streets and later expanded to include two other large residences, one on Cass Street and one on King Street. Seminary students shared a few classes and athletic facilities with Aquinas High School. During this season of temporary residence, the original 22 seminarians swelled to 82 by 1951.
Groundbreaking for the massive building Bishop Treacy envisioned took place on Oct. 17, 1948, and construction began the following spring.
Father Dennis Stanchik’s Path to Priesthood
Born on the east side of Stevens Point, Dennis Stanchik and his family attended St. Stanislaus Parish, now known as Holy Spirit Parish. When World War II broke out, his family moved to Cudahy, a suburb of Milwaukee, where his father worked in a defense plant. Dennis spent most of his elementary years attending a Catholic school in Cudahy. The influence of religious teachers and the abundance of priests who surrounded him made the thought of attending seminary after eighth grade a given. He wanted a good education and knew he would receive one if he attended the local Saint Francis de Sales Seminary.
Dennis, his mother and his sister moved back to Stevens Point after he completed eighth grade, while his dad and older brother stayed in Cudahy for work. Dennis enrolled in Saint Francis de Sales as a resident student and spent his first two years of high school there.
Father Dennis recalls, “Bishop Treacy found out I had a connection through my Stevens Point address and said, ‘Send him over to La Crosse!’ So, when I arrived in La Crosse in 1949, it was the third year the seminary had been in operation. I started my studies at the seminary with a class of 50-100 students, but when I got to La Crosse, there were only 12 of us.” Upon his arrival, Dennis moved into the castle mansion that had served as Bishop McGavick’s residence at 1419 Cass Street, where he lived for the next three years until the students moved into the new seminary building.
Laying a New Foundation
It was an extraordinary undertaking to raise all the money for the land and buildings and to staff the seminary with diocesan clergy, but the energetic and ambitious Bishop Treacy didn’t shy away from these challenges. In 1951, he organized and hosted an elaborate three-day dedication for the building he named Holy Cross Seminary. Fittingly, the celebration was held Sept. 16-18, just after the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. According to Father Gerald Fisher’s 1969 diocesan history, “Dusk is My Dawn,” “Hardly a priest, sister, layman, or student in the diocese was not challenged in some way to participate in the festivities.” It was an all-hands-on-deck event. Notably, then-Monsignor Fulton Sheen addressed the crowds on the final day of the event.
Father Fisher describes the outdoor scene: “Even though the building was not finished on the inside, the stone exterior, the majestic statues and the altar topped with the huge statue of Christ the King all blended beautifully with the hills to the east and the Mississippi River to the west. Although the floor of this outdoor cathedral was just sand and the pews were simply boards mounted on cement blocks, the entire scene had an awe-inspiring reverence that was truly breathtaking.”
The event dazzled guests. Many priests, religious and laity describe the seminary dedication as “the most impressive event in the history of the diocese,” in which 36 bishops attended, 30,000 faithful attended the Masses, and 70,000 toured the massive building. Bishop Treacy beamed with pride, and he never tired of referring to the building, the faculty or the students as “second to none.”
The seminarians were finally able to move into Holy Cross in 1952. That year, 152 boys and 11 priest-faculty members took up residence there, even though the chapel, classrooms, gym and grounds were still under construction. Classes were held in the dormitories, and Father Dennis recalls, “Groundskeeping went on for at least two years, and we had to do half of it.”
Father Dennis fondly recalls his years at the seminary. He is grateful for the exemplary staff, whom he credits with the excellent education he received. His music director and liturgy teacher, Father Thomas Reardon, as well as Father Joseph Grassl and Father Michael Mertens, inspired Father Dennis on his journey to ordination. “They just gave me so much,” he shares.
Jack of All Trades
“I was always chosen to take on different roles wherever I went—whether it was running the mission program or being in the choir, I found myself doing all sorts of strange things,” Father Dennis recalls. Throughout his seminary years, he held numerous positions, including class president. One of his favorite pastimes during that time was athletics. “Sports have always played a significant role in my life. They provided me with a sense of purpose and activity. I used to think that if there were a sport out there, I would definitely try it,” he explains.
Dennis brought his enthusiasm for sports to major seminary at Saint Mary’s, the oldest seminary in the country, located in Baltimore, Md., where he studied from 1955 to 1959. During this time, he experimented with the Native American game of lacrosse and explored the relatively new sport of soccer, which was gaining popularity on the East Coast but was still unheard of in Wisconsin. He also developed a great interest in handball, racquetball and golf—sports he continued to play well into his priesthood, often joined by his friend and classmate from Stevens Point, Father James Logan (known as James Lodzinske during his seminary years). His passion for athletics eventually led him to become the athletic director at Regis High School during the early years of his priesthood.
After completing his major seminary, Dennis returned to La Crosse for his ordination by Bishop Treacy in Christ the King Chapel of Holy Cross Seminary. He was one of nine graduates in the first class in 1959.
Continuing a Legacy of Faith and Service
Enrollment declined in the 1960s, and the college seminary eventually closed in 1969. Two years later, after an extensive review, the high school seminary portion of Holy Cross closed as well on June 4, 1971. The diocese was now left to decide what to do with the massive and still relatively new structure. In 1974, it became the Diocese of La Crosse Diocesan Center.
While the purpose of the Holy Cross Seminary building has changed, its nature has not. The diocesan center now houses the diocesan curia, Catholic Charities, the diocesan house of formation, as well as residences for active and retired priests. Masses are routinely held in the Holy Cross Chapel, and the many people serving the Lord within this grand structure on any given day continue the legacy of service to the diocese and its people. A landmark in south La Crosse and nestled along the beautiful banks of the Mississippi River, the Holy Cross Diocesan Center is an ever-present reminder of the men and women who came before, as students, seminarians and more.
Father Dennis is one of the men who “came before.” He has served faithfully across the diocese and was granted senior priest status in 2003. At 92 years old and the final living member of the ordination class of 1959, Father Dennis now resides at the rectory of St. Bartholomew’s in Mill Creek. He is no longer dominating the playing field or running various committees. However, even as he struggles with poor eyesight and mobility issues, he is still able to keep up with his daily prayers with the use of a machine that scans and reads his Liturgy of the Hours, daily readings and Bible commentaries.
Occasionally, Father Dennis is called on to celebrate a Mass, funeral, or blessing ceremony. As life slows down, he shares: “I guess I am really learning to enjoy the people I am with. I’m realizing there are so many wonderful people I never appreciated enough.” But he is using his time now to do just that.