About Blessed Virgin Mary · Marytown, Wisconsin
Our Lady of the Holyland is a merged Roman Catholic parish in the northwest corner of Wisconsin's Archdiocese of Milwaukee, encompassing five worship sites across northeast Fond du Lac County: Holy Cross in Mt. Calvary, St. Cloud, St. Joseph in St. Joe, St. John the Baptist in Johnsburg, and St. Mary in Marytown. The parish traces its roots to 1841, when German immigrant families settled the Holyland region with the help of Fr. Caspar Rehrl, the 'Apostle to the Holyland.' St. Mary's in Marytown, formally the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish established in 1849, is one of the five historic churches now united under a single Capuchin Franciscan-led parish.
- Established
- 1849
- Patron
- Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Fr. Paul Koenig, OFM Capuchin
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Holyland brings together five historic rural Wisconsin churches — Holy Cross, St. Cloud, St. Joseph, St. John the Baptist, and St. Mary — into one close-knit community of faith cared for by Capuchin Franciscan friars. Members can worship at whichever worship site fits their week, with a full Sunday Mass schedule across the parish and daily Mass rotating between sites. The parish is rooted in the pioneer Catholic farming heritage of the Holyland and welcomes new parishioners to call either the Mt. Calvary or Johnsburg parish office to register.
Mass times at Blessed Virgin Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday — 3:45 p.m. (Holy Cross, Mt. Calvary)
Welcome & Identity
Our Lady of the Holyland is a single Catholic parish in the northwest corner of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, made up of five historic worship sites spread across the rural Holyland region of northeast Fond du Lac County: Holy Cross in Mt. Calvary, St. Cloud, St. Joseph in St. Joe, St. John the Baptist in Johnsburg, and St. Mary in Marytown. The parish vision statement calls its members disciples called to grow, and its mission is 'We are God's children in the Holyland striving to welcome one and all.' The parish has been designated an official Jubilee pilgrimage site.
- Mt. Calvary Office: 308 S. County W, Mt. Calvary, WI 53057 — 920-753-3311
- Johnsburg Office: N9288 Hwy. W, Malone, WI 53049 — 920-795-4316
- Parish email: [email protected]
History of the Holyland Parishes
Catholic settlement of the Holyland began in 1841, when Fr. Caspar Rehrl — the 'Apostle to the Holyland' — arrived with German pioneer families and founded St. John the Baptist Parish in Johnsburg. In 1849 Fr. Rehrl established the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish at Marytown on land donated by Mathias Burg, and built a log chapel under the patronage of St. Nicholas in nearby Mount Calvary to serve the immigrant farmers. That Mount Calvary chapel, later renamed Holy Cross, eventually spun off parishes in St. Cloud and St. Joe, which were reunited in 2010 as St. Isidore the Farmer Parish.
- 1841 — St. John the Baptist Parish, Johnsburg, founded
- 1849 — Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish (St. Mary), Marytown, founded
- 1849 — Log chapel under the patronage of St. Nicholas, Mount Calvary, built by Fr. Rehrl
- 1857 — Capuchin Franciscan friars of the Province of St. Joseph begin serving the Holyland
- 2010 — Mount Calvary-area parishes (Holy Cross, St. Cloud, St. Joe) merge into St. Isidore the Farmer
St. Mary's at Marytown
St. Mary's at Marytown is the historic Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish established in 1849 on land donated by Mathias Burg. The original timber church was replaced in 1879 with a locally quarried limestone building; a stove fire gutted its interior, and a second fire in 1907 left only the exterior stone walls. The Hutter Construction Company of Fond du Lac rebuilt the church in 1907 in the Romanesque Revival style. A parish school was added in 1918 and the interior was ornately decorated within the next decade, along with a stone grotto honoring Our Lady of Lourdes on the grounds. The property is documented on the Wisconsin Historical Society inventory (HI59982).
- Year built: 1880, with 1907 additions/rebuild
- Architectural style: Romanesque Revival
- Wall material: Limestone (locally quarried from the Lake Winnebago ridge)
- Historic name: Church of the Holy Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Address: N10232 State Highway 149 / Hwy G, Marytown, WI 53061 (Calumet Township, Fond du Lac County)
Clergy & Capuchin Franciscan Heritage
The Capuchin Franciscan friars of the Province of St. Joseph have served the people of the Holyland continuously since 1857. Today the parish is led by Fr. Paul Koenig, OFM Capuchin, as pastor, with Fr. Baudry, OFM Capuchin, serving as sacramental minister. New parishioners are invited to register by calling either parish office.
- Fr. Paul Koenig, OFM Capuchin — Pastor
- Fr. Baudry, OFM Capuchin — Sacramental Minister
Parish School
Holyland Catholic School serves children from across all five worship sites of the parish, with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee noting that Holyland Catholic School children typically participate in parish life. The parish office in Mt. Calvary is the central point of contact for school-related inquiries.
- Holyland Catholic School (parish school)
Worship Sites Across the Parish
Our Lady of the Holyland Parish comprises five worship sites spread across northeast Fond du Lac County. Each church retains its historic identity while sharing clergy, ministry, and mission under one parish umbrella.
- Holy Cross Church — 308 S. County W, Mt. Calvary, WI 53057
- St. Cloud Church — 924 S. Main Street, St. Cloud, WI 53079
- St. Joseph Church — W620 County G, St. Joe, WI
- St. John the Baptist Church — N9288 Cty W (Hwy W), Malone / Johnsburg, WI 53049
- St. Mary Church — N10232 Hwy G, Marytown, WI 53061
Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors are invited to become part of the Our Lady of the Holyland community by attending Mass at any of the five worship sites, registering as parishioners through the Mt. Calvary or Johnsburg parish office, and supporting the parish school and other ministries. The parish office hours and contact numbers are listed above for inquiries about registration, sacraments, or involvement.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Caspar Rehrl
Missionary priest known as the 'Apostle to the Holyland'; founded St. John the Baptist in Johnsburg (1841) and oversaw the establishment of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish at Marytown (1849). Also founded the Congregation of St. Agnes, whose major institutions are largely located in Fond du Lac.