Timeline of Bp. Banks' years in Green Bay

By Jeff Kurowski
Compass Assistant Editor

	S p e c i a l   S e c t i o n : Farewell to Bishop Banks
	• 'Blessed be God Forever'     Bp. Robert Banks retires as the     diocese's chief shepherd and spiritual     leader  • Highlights of 13 years in Green Bay  • Bishop seen as priest-servant     Friends, colleagues, see Bishop as     spiritual, caring  • Bp. Robert Joseph Banks biography  • Accepted the hard times with grace     Bishop believes God at work  • A style that works     Bishop noted for his care and listening     skills  • College presidents remember Bp. Banks  • Lay Catholics remember Bp. Banks  • Diocesan employees remember Bp. Banks  • Bishops, priests comment on Bp. Banks  • Religious leaders discuss Bp. Banks  • Thirteen years as the leader draw to an end  • Bishop Banks' Corner --     Giving glory to our Father  • Editorial -- Job well done     Bp. Robert Banks has served the     church of the Diocese of Green Bay     well for 13 years

Dec. 5, 1990 -- Bp. Robert Banks is installed as Green Bay's 10th bishop.

Feb. 4, 1991 -- Bp. Banks returns to Green Bay after recuperating from quadruple heart bypass surgery, Dec. 10, in Boston.

March 1, 1991 -- "Bishop Banks Corner," debuts in The Compass. It begins as a monthly column, but later becomes a weekly feature.

Aug. 3, 1991 -- Bp. Banks tosses the coin for the annual Bishop's Charities Game. Green Bay defeats the New England Patriots 28-7. The Packers have yet to lose a Bishop's Charities contest in the 10 years Bp. Banks has been associated with the game.

August, 1991 -- Bp. Banks announces that a group of nine cloistered Carmelite nuns from Grand Rapids, Mich., will establish a new Carmel in the diocese in the fall at Robinsonville.

September, 1991 -- "Called By Name" is launched in the Green Bay Diocese. Parishioners call forth those they consider good candidates for the priesthood or religious life.

Oct. 1, 1991 -- It is announced that Bp. Banks or Bp. Robert Morneau will visit each parish in the diocese within the next six years. The goal of the visits is to be present to the parish faith community.

Nov. 3, 1991 -- Bp. Banks joins Bp. Robert Herder of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and Bp. William Stevens of the Episcopalian Church in signing a Covenant to unite in faith. The statement allows for the sharing of the same petitions at liturgies, the study of covenant documents, the holding of dialogues and conducting social outreach projects.

January, 1992 -- Parishes are asked for recommendations as part of a parish planning process.

February, 1992 -- The Crozier Society is established in recognition of those who donate $500 or more annually to the Bishop's Appeal. Crozier Society members are invited to an annual dinner to honor their support.

February, 1993 -- The Diocese of Green Bay celebrates its 125th anniversary. Bp. Banks releases his anniversary message. St. Francis Xavier Cathedral is open for anniversary year tours.

March 3, 1993 -- Bp. Banks celebrates a 125th Anniversary Mass at St. John Nepomucene Church in Little Chute.

March 13, 1993 -- Bps. Banks and Morneau travel to Rome for their "ad limina" visit with Pope John Paul. "Ad limina" visits by bishops are required every five years.

May, 1993 -- Bp. Banks releases a pastoral letter asking parishes to initiate a stewardship program of increased giving within the next year.

July 1, 1993 -- Bp. Banks is instrumental in the formation of a pension program for lay parish employees.

July 24, 1993 -- Bp. Banks leads the 125-year celebration of Catholic Settlers' Day at Heritage Hill State Park in Allouez.

Sept. 1, 1993 -- Bp. Banks is a guest on Mother Angelica Live on EWTN.

November, 1993 -- Bp. Banks is elected chairman of the U.S. Catholic Conference's Education Committee.

Dec. 3, 1993 -- Bp. Banks celebrates a 125th anniversary Mass at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay concluding a yearlong celebration.

Oct. 1994 -- As a continuation of parish planning which began in 1991, plans are announced for mergers and linkages.

Dec. 3, 1994 -- Bps. Banks, Morneau and Wycislo celebrate Mass at St. Peter Church, Oconto, in recognition of the 325th anniversary of the first Mass in the area by Jesuit Fr. Claude Jean Allouez.

April 1995 -- The U.S. Catholic Conference Commission on Certification and Accreditation grants accreditation to the Commissioned Ministry Formation Leadership Program, a collaborative effort between the Green Bay Diocese and Silver Lake College, Manitowoc.

June 25, 1995 -- Bp. Banks dedicates Grellinger Hall, the new priest retirement facility located adjacent to the McCormick Home, Allouez.

Aug. 1, 1995 -- More than 100 junior and senior high school students from the Green Bay Diocese take a stand against violence by participating in the "Confronting Violence" walk, now known as the Peace Walk. The all-day event included a three-mile walk from St. Francis Xavier Cathedral to the diocesan offices. The Peace Walk is held annually.

September, 1995 -- Bp. Banks kicks off Emmaus, a yearlong program of spiritual and pastoral renewal for priests of the Diocese. The program includes overnight gatherings for priests featuring speakers, prayer, reflection and support.

September, 1995 -- The Claude Allouez Forum begins. The breakfast event, sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay and the Theological Institute of St. Norbert College, De Pere, strives to connect faith with everyday life.

Sept. 23, 1995 -- Bp. Banks is interviewed by CBS for the 48 Hours television program for a segment on parish life. The program airs on Oct. 5.

Nov. 12, 1996 -- Bp. Banks is elected treasurer of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and U.S. Catholic Conference.

February, 1997 -- The Diocese of Green Bay launches its World Wide Web program. The diocesan web page is part of a technology plan to further connect Catholics to diocesan information. A pilot program is also planned to help parishes and schools develop online capabilities.

March 1997 -- The Diocesan Renew 2000 Core Community meets for the first time. Bp. Banks issued a proclamation calling for participation by all diocesan parishes in Renew 2000 as a way to prepare for the Jubilee Year 2000 as called for by Pope John Paul.

May 13, 1997 -- The Catholic Foundation is formed. The goal of the foundation is to financially support ministries of the church for generations to come through planned giving.

June 4, 1997 -- Renew 2000 plans for diocesan parishes are unveiled to help Catholics prepare for the 2000th anniversary of Christ's birth and the start of the Third Millennium.

Dec. 12, 1997 -- Bp. Banks approves a new liturgy for use at funerals for cremated remains. This liturgy, The Order of Christian Funerals with The Appendix for the Funeral Liturgy in the Presence of Cremated Remains.

April 19, 1998 -- The first Stewardship Sunday is held in the Green Bay Diocese.

May 30, 1998 -- Bps. Banks and Morneau travel to Rome for "ad limina" visits with Pope John Paul.

June 13, 1998 -- Bp. Banks leads a celebration of 150 years of Catholic faith in Wisconsin presiding at the Wisconsin Sesquicentennial Green Bay Diocese Mass at the Brown County Fairgrounds in De Pere.

Aug. 13, 1998 - Karen Posdal becomes the first lay, non-religious parish director in the diocese, serving at St. Patrick Church, Stephensville, and St. Denis Church, Shiocton.

Oct. 4, 1998 -- Renew 2000 begins in the Green Bay Diocese. Small faith-sharing groups meet for six weeks, reading and discussing scripture.

November, 1998 -- Bp. Banks releases a pastoral letter on the celebration of the Eucharist. The letter is designed to offer reflections and practical suggestions to help Catholics of to participate in Mass in a more prayerful and meaningful manner.

December 1998 -- The Commissioned Leadership Program offered jointly by the Green Bay Diocese and Silver Lake College becomes the first diocesan program to receive full accreditation from the United States Catholic Conference (USCC).

Nov. 22, 1998 -- The United Methodists join the original 1991 Covenant uniting local major religious bodies.

January, 1999 -- The new parish planning process begins. Each parish receives a copy of "Local Area Planning Guidelines -- 1999," designed to guide parish leaders and parishioners through the next phase of restructuring.

Jan.8, 1999 -- Bp. Banks visits the Green Bay Diocese's mission in the Dominican Republic.

June 11, 1999 -- Bp. Banks travels to Cologne, Germany to make a presentation as part of a select international team of bishops hoping to convince the world's major industrial nations to drastically reduce the foreign debt of the world's poorest countries.

Oct. 9, 1999 -- "Walk with Jesus Downtown" takes place to raise awareness of what life is like as a priest, brother or sister is held in Green Bay. The walk becomes an annual event.

Nov. 11, 1999 -- Bp. Banks celebrates a welcoming Mass for the relics of St. Therese of Lisieux at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. The overflow crowd watches the service on closed circuit television across the street at First United Methodist Church.

Nov. 13-14, 1999 -- Bp. Banks calls all parishes in the diocese to make their presence known to their neighbors through Operation Outreach. Parishioners make door-to-door visits dropping off brochures with specific parish information.

Dec. 31, 1999 -- Bp. Banks opens the Jubilee Door at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Green Bay, symbolizing the doors God opens. He also designates 10 pilgrimage sites in the diocese for the Jubilee Year.

March, 2000 -- Bp. Banks, in conjunction with the state's four other Catholic bishops, approves transferring the observance of the Ascension from the 40th day after Easter to the Seventh Sunday of Easter.

May 12, 2000 -- Bp. Banks approves the parish planning process. Plans for 15 geographical areas are released.

June 11, 2000 -- Bp. Banks joins other faith leaders in celebrating 2,000 years since the birth of Christ at an ecumenical gathering at the Xavier High School Fine Arts Center in Appleton.

June 16, 2000 -- Bp. Banks leads a diocesan pilgrimage to Rome. The tour includes visits to Vatican City, the four major basilicas and the Colosseum, and Mass with Pope John Paul II.

June 28, 2000 -- More than 90 sixth through eighth graders gather for "Steppin Right 2000" at St. Agnes Parish, Green Bay. The event, to be offered annually, is designed to increase vocation awareness.

Sept. 14, 2000: The Orville Janssen Forum opens at the Mount Tabor Center, Menasha, sponsored by the Diocese of Green Bay and Mount Tabor.

Oct. 14, 2000 -- Bp. Banks celebrates a special Eucharistic Liturgy at Schuldes Sports Center on the campus of St. Norbert College, De Pere, as part of the 2000 Eucharistic Congress. The Congress features more than 250 workshops for those interested in nurturing the spirit in themselves and others.

Dec. 4, 2000 - Bp. Banks celebrates the 10th anniversary of his installation as Green Bay's 10th bishop.

Feb. 9, 2001 - To assist Catholics in the diocese in preparing for death and to encourage the fullest use of the funeral liturgy, Bp. Banks releases A Pastoral Message on the Order of Christian Funerals.

March 21, 2001 - During Lent, Bp. Banks visits Fr. Mike Seis and the diocesan mission parish in Elias Pena, Dominican Republic.

March 28, 2001 - Bp. Banks serves on Bishop's Committee for Mundelien Seminary's "An Evening of Tribute," held in Chicago. Bp. Aloysius Wycislo is presented the Joseph Cardinal Bernadin Award at the celebration.

April 17, 2001 - Bp. Banks celebrates liturgy at the National Catholic Educational Association Convention and Exposition in Milwaukee.

May 20, 2001 - Catholics in the Green Bay Diocese take part in a national renewal of their commitment to a five-year campaign against the overuse of sex and violence in the media in celebration of World Communications Day.

July 1, 2001 - The Green Bay Diocese's social service agencies link their programs and services under a single name - Catholic Charities.

Aug. 20, 2001 - Bp. Banks throws out the football for the annual Bishop's Charities Game in which the Packers defeated the Broncos 22-7.

Sept. 1, 2001 -- Bp. Banks welcomes Pres. George W. Bush to Green Bay at Austin Straubel International Field.

Sept. 12, 2001 - Bp. Banks offers prayer for the victims of the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania at a special memorial Mass at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay. He also asked parishes to take up special collections to assist those directly affected by the attacks.

Sept. 23, 2001 - Bp. Banks celebrates Mass at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay in recognition of the 150th anniversary of the cathedral parish.

Sept. 25, 2001 - The monthly Bill Zimmer Forum opens at Sacred Heart Church in Manitowoc.

Nov. 16, 2001 - The Diocese of Green Bay, at the direction of Bp. Banks, releases A Policy Statement on the Use and Abuse of Alcohol.

Nov. 18, 2001 - Bp. Banks joins other local church leaders at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, De Pere, for the 10th renewal of the covenant between local churches.

Dec. 14, 2001 - Bp. Banks asks Catholics in the Green Bay Diocese to take part in the churchwide day of fasting and prayers for peace designated by Pope John Paul.

March 17, 2002 - Bp. Banks dedicates the new Monastery of the Holy Name of Jesus near Denmark, new home for the Discalced Carmelite Nuns.

April 9, 2002 - At the diocesan Rural Life Days in Chilton, Bp. Banks speaks to the media for the first time about allegations of sexual abuse against priests in the Green Bay and Boston Dioceses.

April 12, 2002 - Bp. Banks discusses allegations of sexual abuse against priests in Boston during interviews with several media including Time magazine and the New York Times.

April 16, 2002 - Bp. Banks appoints eight members to the Record Review Task Force to review the personnel files of all diocesan priests in search of abuse allegations.

May 31, 2002 - Findings of the Record Review Task Force are released. The Task Force reviewed the files of 39 priests in the diocese who had allegations of sexually abusing minors.

June 13-14, 2002 - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops adopt a "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" at a historic meeting in Dallas, Tex. Bp. Banks votes in favor of the Charter.

July 1, 2002 - A new stewardship plan entitled, "Stewardship - A Way of Life" begins in the Diocese of Green Bay. The plan calls for a focus on prayer, service and sharing.

Aug. 28, 2002 - Bp. Banks and Auxiliary Bp. Robert Morneau represent the Diocese of Green Bay at the installation of Abp. Timothy Dolan in Milwaukee.

Sept. 22, 2002 - Bp. Banks joins other local church leaders at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Marinette to renew the covenant which began in 1991.

Sept. 26, 2002 - The monthly Bp. John Grellinger Forum opens at St. Mary Parish, Oshkosh.

Oct. 29, 2002 - Bp. Banks dedicates the new St. Francis of Assisi Chapel at Camp Tekawitha in Shawano County.

Nov. 21, 2002 - Bp. Banks refutes headline in Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel accusing him of overlooking alleged child sexual abuse by Fr. Paul Shanley, a Boston area priest and accused pedophile.

Dec. 12, 2002 - Bp. Banks is subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury in Massachusetts regarding the sex abuse scandal in Boston.

Dec. 13, 2002 - Plans for the Bishop Wycislo Center, an 11,000 square-foot addition to St. Francis Xavier Cathedral are unveiled.

Dec. 16, 2002 - The Diocese of Green Bay releases its 2001-2202 Annual Report. The document, which includes breakdowns of diocesan revenues and expenses, is sent to all registered Catholics in the diocese.

Dec. 20, 2002 - Bp. Banks celebrates 50 years as a priest.

Jan. 10, 2003 - Bp. Banks travels to Rome for a week-long visit with alumni of the North American College.

Feb. 26, 2003 - Bp. Banks celebrates his 75th birthday and submits his letter of resignation to the Vatican in accordance with Canon Law.

April 10, 2003 - Bp. Banks holds a press conference to respond to allegations of abuse by Fr. Don Buzanowski in 1990.

May 28, 2003 - Informational sessions on sexual abuse prevention open in the Diocese of Green Bay. All diocesan employees and volunteers who spend time with children are required to take part in the four-hour training sessions.

June 19, 2003 - Bp. Banks attends the spring meeting of the U.S. Catholic bishops in St. Louis.

July 20, 2003 - The Massachusetts' Attorney General announces that Bp. Banks and other former officials of the Archdiocese of Boston will not face any criminal charges relating to sexual abuse by priests in Boston.

Sept. 5, 2003 - The Green Bay Diocese supports two bills before the State assembly and Senate that propose the inclusion of clergy as mandatory reporters of sexual abuse of children.

Oct. 10, 2003 - Bp. Banks introduces Bp. David Zubik as the newly appointed bishop of the Green Bay Diocese, and is unanimously elected administrator of the diocese by the Diocesan Consultors.

Oct. 16, 2003 - Bp. Banks visits the Dominican Republic in celebration of the diocesan mission parish's 40th anniversary.

Oct. 26, 2003 - Major donors to the annual Bishop's Appeal pay tribute to Bp. Banks with a standing ovation at the annual Crozier Society dinner.

Nov. 7, 2003 - The religious men and women of the Green Bay Diocese honor Bp. Banks at a celebration at St. Matthew Church in Green Bay.

Nov. 10, 2003 - Bp. Banks attends the U.S. Catholic bishops meeting in Washington, D.C.