Some forty years ago,  Northeast Wisconsin was feeling the impact of the religious changes that began with Vatican II. Many different people, from all walks of life, searched for a way to reach a deeper sense of unity. They sought to design a place that would bring them together and offer a more open, more global concept of community. It was out of this desire that the Ecumenical Center was born.

Forty years later, this dream, conceived by many, has grown into something big, something unique, and something they all hoped for.

Among these many men and women who carried the banner of unity, one of them, in particular, found the courage to lead this change forward. He dared to experiment with an ecumenical vision. And he was encouraged to do so on a university campus, where thousands of young people found their sense of belonging within the walls of this nationally recognized Ecumenical Center.

This person was Fr. Richard Mauthe.

Fr. Mauthe’s contributions to the community are vast. His charisma is unforgettable. His energy is admirable. His kindness is inspiring. And his dedication to doing God’s work is illuminating.

Remembering the past serves as a foundation for understanding and building the future. is past summer, with the change in leadership at the Ecumenical Center, we have pledged to rededicate ourselves to remembering our past, celebrating our present, and believing in our future… a future resembled in our students—the proprietors of our respective faiths.

So to live up to this promise, and to enlighten the dream that begun almost half a century ago, we are inviting you to join us in what will be a remarkable experience.

We invite you to join us on the first Tuesday of every month (excluding January 2010) at 7 pm at the Ecumenical Center for Tuesdays with Mauthe.

At this event, we will share our praise and our gratitude for all those who were a part of this ecumenical vision, and will highlight the person who took the baton of leadership.

We will hear Fr. Dick recall the tales of the past and inspire us for the best that is yet to come. Much has happened over the past forty years. Help us remember, help us celebrate, and help us believe in that very special future.

Join us for a dinner that will be served to you by students that represent that future.

Join us in an evening that binds the glory days of the past, the excitement of the present, and the remarkable future that is before us.

Join us in hearing the wisdom of this extraordinary man, while witnessing the youthfulness that makes this dream of the ecumenical experience alive.

About Mauthe

Richard Mauthe was ordained a Catholic Priest of the Green Bay Diocese on June 8, 1958. His first assignment was as an Assistant Pastor at Sts. Peter & Paul Parish in Green Bay, WI. He served there for six and one-half years before leaving for his next assignment as the Newman Center Chaplain at the Green Bay Extension of the University of Wisconsin.

While serving at the Newman Center, the University became an independent campus of the University of Wisconsin System and is now known as UWGB (e University of Wisconsin- Green Bay). Fr. Mauthe and other area religious leaders formed the UWGB Ecumenical Center during his service to the University. is Center is unique in the United States, and perhaps the World, as it brought together many different denominations and religions to form a place and presence in the center of a public campus. Fr. Dick served at the University for thirty years.

Thereafter, Fr. Mauthe was assigned to St. Louis Parish in Dykesville, WI, just north of Green Bay on the way to Door County. He served there until his formal retirement.

Fr. continues to serve as a weekend assistant at Stella Maris Parish on the Door County Peninsula, as chaplain to the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross, as well as preaching and other good works for
children in need.

For his many contributions to the community, Fr. Mauthe has been awarded multiple honors and recognitions, including the Rev. Richard Mauthe Perpetual Scholarship (1991), e Cardinal John Newman Diocesan Director Award (1992), and the International Serra Award (2009) among many others.

Always ahead of his time, Fr. Mauthe keeps up with the advance of technology. To visit his personal website, please go to: http://www.fathermauthe.com/