About Blessed Savior Catholic Church · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Blessed Savior Catholic Parish is a merged Roman Catholic parish on the northwest side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Formed on July 1, 2007, from the union of four historic Northwest Side parishes — Corpus Christi, Mary Queen of Martyrs (itself a merger of Mother of Perpetual Help and St. Stephen Martyr), Our Lady of Sorrows, and St. Philip Neri — Blessed Savior worships on the renovated campus of the former Corpus Christi at 8545 W. Villard Avenue. The parish sustains a multi-campus Catholic school system (Blessed Savior School, three sites), an active St. Vincent de Paul food pantry and meal ministry, and a music ministry with cantors, choir, ensemble, and handbell ringers. Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday at 4:00 pm and Sunday at 9:00 am in English, with daily Mass on Monday and Wednesday mornings in the chapel.
- Established
- 2007
- Rector
- Rev. Mark C. Payne
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
Blessed Savior is a faithful, community-rooted Catholic parish that has united four historic Northwest Milwaukee congregations under one roof while preserving their shared tradition of outreach. Parishioners belong to a parish that still runs its own multi-campus Catholic school (K3/K4 through Grade 8), feeds the hungry through a St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry and a monthly meal served downtown at 9th & Madison, gathers in a vibrant music ministry of cantors, choir, ensemble, and handbell ringers, and walks with adults and children through the RCIA and First Eucharist/First Reconciliation processes. It is a place where the neighborhood identity of the original four parishes continues in daily Mass, faith formation, and visible charity work on the northwest side of Milwaukee.
Mass times at Blessed Savior Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Individual: by appointment (call the parish office)
- Communal reconciliation: see events calendar for dates
About Blessed Savior Parish
Blessed Savior Parish was created on July 1, 2007, by the union of four Northwest Milwaukee parishes — Corpus Christi, Mary Queen of Martyrs (itself a merged parish of Mother of Perpetual Help and St. Stephen Martyr), Our Lady of Sorrows, and St. Philip Neri. Renovating the site of the former Corpus Christi, Blessed Savior has combined familiar surroundings from each of the four founding parishes and their five worship sites to create a comfortable, welcoming worship environment. The parish has maintained and expanded the community roots of the original parishes through St. Vincent de Paul meal programs, the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, and continued support of neighborhood watch groups.
- Founded July 1, 2007
- Formed from Corpus Christi, Mary Queen of Martyrs, Our Lady of Sorrows, and St. Philip Neri
- Worship site: 8545 W. Villard Ave. (former Corpus Christi campus)
- Parish office / center: 8607 W. Villard Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53225
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Rev. Mark C. Payne as Pastor and Fr. Francis Assisi Sebamalai as Associate Pastor, with Brother Joe Pense serving as Pastoral Associate. Administrative and ministry staff include Donica Lintner (Interim Director of Administrative Services), Doyin Aderele (Administrative Assistant), Marilyn Ratke (Director of Music), and Simon Biagui (Director of Evangelization and Discipleship / Interim Christian Formation Coordinator).
- Rev. Mark C. Payne — Pastor (Ext. 12)
- Fr. Francis Assisi Sebamalai — Associate Pastor
- Brother Joe Pense — Pastoral Associate
- Donica Lintner — Interim Director of Administrative Services (Ext. 104)
- Doyin Aderele — Administrative Assistant
- Marilyn Ratke — Director of Music (Ext. 15)
- Simon Biagui — Director of Evangelization and Discipleship (Ext. 13)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Blessed Savior offers faith formation for school-aged children who have not yet received First Communion and Confirmation. Registration forms are available on the side table outside the vesting room or downloadable from the website, with a $125 registration fee. Classes are held at St. Agnes Parish in Butler. Simon Biagui, the Interim Christian Formation Coordinator, meets families after Mass or by phone (414-464-5033) to answer questions and place children in the appropriate year of catechesis.
- Children's Faith Formation (K3–Grade 8)
- Classes held at St. Agnes Parish, Butler
- Registration fee: $125
- Coordinator: Simon Biagui (Director of Evangelization and Discipleship)
Sacraments
The parish prepares children and adults for the sacraments of initiation. First Eucharist and First Reconciliation preparation emphasizes the family as the first place children learn community, faith, love, and reconciliation. The RCIA process welcomes adults and children older than 7 into the catechumenate; the RCIC adapts the same journey to a child's level. Adults seeking Confirmation, First Eucharist, or Reconciliation may also join the RCIA group. Typically, those ready are baptized, communicated, and confirmed at the Easter Vigil (or at Pentecost for those seeking Confirmation). Persons who have been married outside the sacrament must have a prior bond annulled or convalidated before entering RCIA for Baptism.
- Baptism — through RCIA (adults) / RCIC (children older than 7)
- First Eucharist & First Reconciliation preparation
- Confirmation (Easter Vigil or Pentecost)
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick & individual Reconciliation — by appointment
Music Ministry
Music ministry at Blessed Savior enhances the Liturgy through cantors, choir members, ensemble singers, handbell ringers, and instrumentalists. The mission is for music to become the prayer of the community as musicians encourage congregational singing. All Music Ministers in the Choir and Ensemble meet weekly to prepare music that nurtures the faith of the community.
- Cantors rehearse Thursday evenings 5:45–6:30 pm
- Choir / Ensemble rehearse Thursday evenings 6:30–8:00 pm
- Handbell Choir meets seasonally on Saturdays at 1:00 pm
- Instrumental practices scheduled on Saturdays or by musician availability
- Director of Music: Marilyn Ratke (Ext. 15)
Blessed Savior Catholic School
Blessed Savior Catholic School is a single school operating on three campuses located on the northwest side of Milwaukee, participating in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP). The school accepts new registrations at all campuses for the 2025-2026 school year. Each campus is led by its own principal and serves grades K3 or K4 through 8. The school community comes together at regularly scheduled all-school prayer services.
- East Campus (Grades K3–8): 5140 N. 55th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53218 — Erin O'Donnell, Principal — 414-438-2745 — [email protected]
- West Campus (Grades K4–8): 8545 W. Villard Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53225 — Natalie Galloway, Principal — 414-464-5775 — [email protected]
- South Campus (Grades K4–8): 4059 N. 64th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53216 — Paula Dixson, Principal — 414-463-3878 — [email protected]
- Participates in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program (MPCP)
Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul
Blessed Savior hosts the local St. Vincent de Paul Conference, which operates two distinct ministries. The Food Pantry, located at 5558 North 69th Street, opens its doors to families in need of food, clothing, beds, furniture, and appliances; the Conference meets on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month at 10:00 AM at the Food Pantry. The Meal Program provides a full meal on the third Sunday of each month at Milwaukee's 9th & Madison meal site; parishioners prepare the food at home and bring it to the church hall, where it is transported downtown to be served.
- Mission: 'In the face of the poor we see Jesus, and in Jesus we see the face of the poor.'
- Food Pantry — 5558 North 69th Street — 414-464-3817 (call ahead for hours)
- Food Pantry meetings — 1st & 3rd Mondays, 10:00 AM at the Pantry
- Meal Program — 3rd Sunday of each month, served at 9th & Madison
- Volunteer to serve: contact Casey Gill
- Annual home visits to families requesting help
Visiting & Contact
The Parish Office / Center mailing address is 8607 W. Villard Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53225, with a main phone line of 414-464-5033 and email [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. The church building sits at 8545 W. Villard Avenue, where the chapel is entered through the East doors for weekday Mass. The St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry is in a separate location at 5558 North 69th Street.
- Parish Office / Center: 8607 W. Villard Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53225
- Church: 8545 W. Villard Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53225-3507
- Phone: 414-464-5033
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
- St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry: 5558 N. 69th St. — 414-464-3817
Roots of the Four Founding Parishes
Before the 2007 merger, each of the four founding parishes had decades of history on Milwaukee's northwest side. Our Lady of Sorrows, for example, was established with Archbishop Albert Meyer presiding at the groundbreaking and Fr. Robert Schweizer as founding pastor; its first Mass drew about 980 parishioners, and its construction debt was cleared by 1972. Its Christian Mothers Society, Holy Name Society, Church Youth Organization, and Parish Council (formed 1975) anchored the parish through decades of growth before population began declining in the late 1980s. Mary Queen of Martyrs itself had already united Mother of Perpetual Help and St. Stephen Martyr. St. Philip Neri and Corpus Christi completed the union.
- Corpus Christi — 8607 W. Villard Ave. (now the Blessed Savior campus)
- Mary Queen of Martyrs — 5409 W. Villard Ave. (former Mother of Perpetual Help + St. Stephen Martyr)
- Our Lady of Sorrows — 4063 N. 64th St. (founded mid-20th c.; Fr. Robert Schweizer, founding pastor)
- St. Philip Neri — 5566 N. 69th St.
- Parishes first clustered in 2003 at the Archdiocese's request
- Merger proposal accepted by Archbishop Timothy Dolan in June 2006
- Merger effective July 1, 2007