Featuring:
- Most Rev. David L. Ricken, DD, JCL (Bishop, Diocese of Green Bay)
- John Schneider (General Manager, Seattle Seahawks)
- Very Rev. James Baraniak, O. Praem. (Prior, St. Norbert Abbey | Chaplain, Green Bay Packers)
- Very Rev. Daniel Felton (Vicar General, Diocese of Green Bay)
- Rev. Matthew Dougherty, O. Praem. (Celebrant, 4 p.m. Mass)
Living lives of faith was the focus of this much-anticipated annual event, which was held at the Norbertine Center for Spirituality at St. Norbert Abbey on December 10, 2016. Men of all ages gathered together for this day of inspiration, education, challenge, and prayer.
Bishop David Ricken, faithful leader of the Diocese of Green Bay, and John Schneider, a De Pere native with a commitment to faith and excellence on and off the field, offered keynote addresses about living lives of faith as men, along with Fr. James Baraniak, O. Praem., and Fr. Daniel Felton. Mass with celebrant Fr. Matthew Dougherty, O. Praem., concluded the day.
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In the News
Seahawks GM Schneider to speak in De Pere
November 25, 2016
The Green Bay Press-Gazette
About the Presenters
Most Rev. David L. Ricken, DD, JCL
Bishop Ricken was ordained to the priesthood in September 1980. His first appointment was as associate pastor to the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pueblo, Colorado. Five years later he was named the administrator of Holy Rosary Parish in Pueblo and vice chancellor of the diocese.
In 1987 then-Father Ricken attended the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, where he received his Licentiate degree (JCL) in canon law. Upon returning to the diocese, he was appointed the vocation director and vicar for ministry formation. Three years later, he added diocesan chancellor to his responsibilities as well as assisting in the Diocesan Tribunal. He served in these positions until October 1996, when he was nominated to be an official of the Congregation for the Clergy at the Vatican.
In January 2000 he was ordained to the episcopacy for the Diocese of Cheyenne at the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. In September 2001 Bishop Ricken became the seventh leader of the Diocese of Cheyenne. During his tenure in the diocese, he was one of the founding members of the Wyoming Catholic College. Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Ricken the twelfth bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay and he was installed as bishop on August 28, 2008, at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay.
Bishop Ricken is a member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and is presently a member of the Bishops’ Advisory Council for the Institute for Priestly Formation and the Catholic Mutual Relief Society. Bishop Ricken also serves on various boards and committees, locally and nationally.
John Schneider
Schneider is a De Pere native with a commitment to faith and excellence on and off the field. He attended Abbot Pennings High School, where he played football and finished as one of the school’s all-time leading rushers. He earned a degree in history and also studied education at the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, playing football for one year before a shoulder injury cut short his career.
Schneider is currently in his 24th season working in the professional ranks, and enters his seventh season as executive vice president and general manager of the Seattle Seahawks, having been named to the position in 2010. In this role he manages all aspects of the Seahawks’ roster and draft process while working collaboratively in all facets of the football operations department.
Schneider has constructed a team that appeared in back-to-back Super Bowls and won Super Bowl XLVIII—the first NFL title in franchise history. The 2013 championship was won with the youngest 53-man roster to ever win a Super Bowl. Schneider was named Sports Illustrated’s Executive of the Year for 2012 after the Seahawks made the playoffs and just missed playing for the NFC Championship.
Schneider and his wife Traci have two young sons, Ben and Jack. In 2012, they launched “Ben’s Fund” in partnership with Families for Effective Autism Treatment (FEAT) of Washington. Named after their oldest son, “Ben’s Fund” provides grants to families in order to help cover costs associated with medical bills, therapies, and numerous other aspects of supporting a child or children on the autism spectrum. With the support of team and community, they have partnered to raise nearly $2 million for “Ben’s Fund” in five short years.
Very. Rev. James Baraniak, O. Praem.
Fr. Baraniak is a 1984 graduate of Antigo (Wisconsin) High School. He entered the Norbertine Order in August 1986 and was ordained to the priesthood in January 1993. Fr. Baraniak received a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology and psychology from St. Norbert College (SNC) and a Master of Divinity as well as a Master of Arts in liturgy from Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. He continued his graduate studies in theology and liturgy at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana.
In 1993 Fr. Baraniak was appointed associate pastor of Old St. Joseph Church and associate director of campus ministry at SNC. In 1996 he was named associate pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, De Pere, and in 2004 was named pastor of SNC Parish. He served the Norbertine community as vocations director during 1995-2007.
Fr. Baraniak is currently prior of St. Norbert Abbey, a member of the Norbertine vocations team, and is on the board of directors of Catholic Athletes for Christ. Since 1997 Fr. Baraniak has served the Green Bay Packers as chaplain, and since 1999 has been a sacramental minister at the Green Bay Correctional Institution.
Very Rev. Daniel Felton
The oldest of five children, Fr. Felton was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, on February 5, 1955. He attended St. Edward Grade School and Appleton West High School, Wisconsin, and holds degrees from St. Norbert College, De Pere; St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota; and the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome.
Fr. Felton was ordained to the priesthood in June 1981. Since then, his parish assignments have brought him across Wisconsin, including to Holy Innocents, Manitowoc; St. Raphael the Archangel, Oshkosh; St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Manitowoc; St. Edward, Mackville; St. Mary, Greenville; and St. Nicholas, Freedom.
Presently Fr. Felton is vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Green Bay. He enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and weightlifting.