News

Deacon Wessing dies;
former editor of diocesan newspaper

By Patricia Kasten
Compass Associate Editor

APPLETON -- Deacon Reinhart John Joseph Wessing, 80, died on Feb. 24, 2008. He was currently serving as a deacon at St. Thomas More Parish in Appleton, where he had first been assigned as a deacon on Nov. 8, 1973.

	Related article this week: • Editorial -- Rest in peace     Deacon Wessing, longtime     Catholic editor, journalist, dies

The Mass of the Resurrection was scheduled for 11 a.m. on Feb. 28 at St. Thomas More Church in Appleton, with Bishop Robert Morneau as presider and Fr. Gerald Falk as concelebrant.

A native of Fond du Lac, Deacon Wessing was born May 10, 1927. He attended St. Lawrence Seminary in Mount Calvary before he graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, with a degree in journalism. He worked for several newspapers, including the Journal Standard in Freeport Ill., the Kanakakee (Ill.) Daily Journal and then as city hall reporter, copy chief and city editor at the Appleton Post-Crescent. He later worked in public relations for Kimberly-Clark and as editor of their corporate magazine. During World War II, he served (1945-47) in the Navy as a hospital corpsman.

He married Mary Rita Scott on Sept. 10, 1955 in Freeport, Ill. They had five children. In 1971, he was hired to start the diocesan communications department, and also be the editor of the diocesan newspaper, The Spirit, from 1971-73. He was general manager of the paper from 1973-78.

"I thought he was very thorough and very fair on things," said Jim Alt, who was hired by Deacon Wessing to succeed him as editor of The Spirit in 1973. "He was good at combining religion with journalism. He lived that, too."

Writing in The Compass in 2006, Deacon Wessing said that he "enjoyed every minute" with the paper "despite the criticisms and complaints. ... During my time as editor some of the most interesting happenings in the life of the church were taking place. The work of Vatican II and its effect on parish life was really beginning to develop. The concept of collegiality in its full meaning was new to the modern church. In the early church there was collegiality, but that disappeared."

On Oct. 20, 1973, Deacon Wessing was ordained to the permanent diaconate by Bishop Aloysius Wycislo. He also became a certified hospital chaplain, with special training with the dying and grieving. While still serving as diocesan director of communications, Deacon Wessing also founded the diocesan pro-life office in 1975. In 1978, he became director of the Office of the Permanent Diaconate, a post he held for four years.

"Reiny loved to communicate the message of Christ to others, through his writing, his preaching, his devotion to his family, and his love of the diaconate and the church," said Deacon Paul Grimm, current director of the diaconate.

"Although he was skilled at putting words on paper, Reiny did not stop there. He practiced what he wrote about by putting into action his service to others. Reiny supported the dignity and value of all people, shared his compassion with those who were grieving and in need of support, encouraged others to grow in their spirituality and service, and helped to form and mentor those being called to serve the church."

Deacon Wessing requested a leave of absence from the Green Bay Diocese to serve in the Superior Diocese. While there, he assisted at St. Francis Xavier Parish and was director of Holy Cross Center for Spiritual Growth in Merrill from 1982-88.

He returned to the Green Bay Diocese and was named parish director of St. Ann Parish in St. Anna in Calumet County, from 1988-1992. In 1992, family commitments took him to Freeport Ill., where he also served at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish until 1994, when he returned to Appleton and St. Thomas More.

Later in life, Deacon Wessing wrote a regular column in Together in Faith, an ecumenical newspaper in the Fox Valley, and was a periodic columnist in The Compass. In January, he had begun writing a new column for The Compass called "Silver and Gold."

"He was also a prophet," said Deacon Don Wetzel, who also serves at St. Thomas More Parish. "He said some things in his columns that people weren't always comfortable with."

Some of those topics dealt recently with Iraq, oil interests, racism in northeast Wisconsin and the abortion issue.

Deacon Wetzel also credited his fellow deacon for support. "I would like to say that he was very responsible for my response to ministry in the diaconate. I had recognized that before, but he also recognized it."

Deacon Wetzel was ordained just three years after Deacon Wessing and the two attended training together at the now-closed Sacred Heart Seminary in Oneida. Both have also been at St. Thomas More for most of their 30-plus years as deacons.

Deacon Wetzel noted the kindness of Deacon Wessing and his wife, Rita. One instance happened right around the time of their ordinations to the diaconate.

"My wife, Joan, had to be in bed for months after back surgery," said Deacon Wetzel. "And both of them were right there, helping us with making meals. Joan just told me: on every Sunday, for eight Sundays in a row, Rita came over with our Sunday meal."

Tony Kuick, diocesan director of communications, also called Deacon Wessing "a kind and gentle man who was deeply committed to his faith and his family."

Fr. Falk called Deacon Wessing "a prayerful man," who was "very homey and down to earth" and who always thought of others.

"He just gave of himself: heart, mind, body and strength," Fr. Falk added. "He gave it all to help people."

Deacon Wessing is survived by his wife, Rita, and their children: Mary Wessing, Therese (Al) Canales, Mark Wessing, Matthew (Yvonne) Wessing. He was preceded in death by their daughter, Bridget, in June 2007.