Yesterday in La Crosse

Area Catholics welcomed a new bishop, 25 years ago

Published

5 years ago

February 24, 2020

In February of 1995, Raymond Burke was installed as the new bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse in a two-hour mass at St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral. The previous bishop, John Paul, had retired in December. Burke had taught religion at La Crosse Aquinas and had spent some time at the Vatican before being named bishop. Burke has been a cardinal since 2010.

The O.J. Simpson murder trial in California had been going on since late January, with daily coverage on cable news. The football star turned actor was on trial for the 1994 deaths of his ex-wife and her male friend. The trial would go on until October, when O.J. was found ‘not guilty.’

The Pegasus Players were performing the musical “The Fantasticks” at the Pump House. And for the first time in a decade, there was no semi-pro basketball team based at the La Crosse Center. The Catbirds moved to Pittsburgh after the end of the ’93-’94 season. The Bobcats wouldn’t come along until ’96. No CBA team in town in 1995, yesterday in La Crosse.

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.