About Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist is the mother church and episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, located at 812 N. Jackson Street in downtown Milwaukee just east of Cathedral Square Park. Designed in 1847 by Philadelphia architect Victor Schulte in the German Zopfstil style and built of locally-fired cream city brick, it is the first church erected in Wisconsin specifically as a Catholic cathedral. The building has served continuously as the seat of Milwaukee's bishops and archbishops for more than 150 years, surviving a catastrophic 1935 fire and a major post-Vatican II interior reordering in 2001–2002. Today it functions as a working downtown parish with a strong bilingual (English/Spanish) congregation, the historic Open Door Café outreach, and a robust fine-arts and music program.
- Established
- 1847 (cornerstone; parish founded 1837; cathedral dedicated 1852/consecrated 1853)
- Patron
- Saint John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Edward Sanchez (Rector & Pastor, installed March 24, 2026 by Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist is uniquely positioned as both a working downtown parish and the mother church of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee — meaning Mass here is regularly celebrated by the archbishop and visiting bishops, and it draws close to 700 individuals at weekend Masses from across the region. It is one of the few parishes in central Milwaukee with a robust bilingual (English/Spanish) liturgical life, including a Sunday Mass in Spanish at 1:00 pm. For those drawn to service, the parish runs the Open Door Café, Milwaukee's only free midday hot-meal program (more than 25,000 meals served in a recent year), along with Prison Ministry, La Sagrada Familia, St. Vincent de Paul, Creation Care Team, and a Wednesday fine-arts concert series in one of the city's most beautiful historic interiors.
Mass times at Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 4:30–5:00 pm (English & Spanish)
- Tuesday 4:30–5:00 pm (English)
- Wednesday 4:30–5:00 pm (English & Spanish)
- Thursday 4:30–5:00 pm (English & Spanish)
- Thursday during Spanish Holy Hour 6:00 pm (English & Spanish)
- Sunday between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm Masses, except First Sunday Coffee (English & Spanish)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 am to 7:00 pm (Day-long Eucharistic Adoration)
- Lenten Wednesdays 1:00–5:00 pm (Wells Street entrance, as published)
History & Architecture
The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist traces its roots to 1837, when St. John's became Milwaukee's first Roman Catholic parish. After Pope Gregory XVI erected the Diocese of Milwaukee in 1843 and named John Martin Henni its first bishop, Henni laid the cornerstone for a new cathedral on December 5, 1847. The building, designed in the German Zopfstil style by Philadelphia architect Victor Schulte and built of Wisconsin cream city brick, was consecrated on July 29, 1853 and named for Henni's patron, St. John the Evangelist. A catastrophic fire gutted the interior on January 28–29, 1935; reconstruction under Archbishops Stritch and Kiley was completed in time for the Christmas 1942 midnight Mass. The present Renaissance/Baroque tower replaced an unsafe steeple in 1893 to designs by Ferry & Clas, reusing the original 1857 bells.
- First church in Wisconsin built specifically as a Catholic cathedral (cornerstone 1847)
- Designed in Zopfstil style by Victor Schulte; built of cream city brick
- Present tower designed 1893 by Ferry & Clas, with original 1857 bells
- Devastating fire January 28–29, 1935; rebuilt and rededicated Christmas 1942
- Reordered 2001–2002 under Archbishop Weakland; rededicated February 9, 2002
- Milwaukee Landmark; listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1974, #74000108)
Worship & Liturgy
The Cathedral offers a full weekly schedule of Masses in English and Spanish, daily Liturgy of the Hours, weekday confessions, and a Thursday Day of Eucharistic Adoration. Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob presides at major liturgies, and visiting bishops are frequent concelebrants. The bilingual character of the parish is central to its identity, with regular Spanish Masses, a Spanish Holy Hour, and Spanish-language confession. Communal Anointing of the Sick is offered monthly.
- Weekday Mass Monday–Friday 5:15 pm (English)
- Weekend Masses: Saturday Vigil 5:00 pm; Sunday 9:00 am & 11:00 am English, 1:00 pm Spanish (effective July 1, 2026: 8 am, 10 am, 12 pm Spanish)
- Liturgy of the Hours — Morning Prayer Mon–Fri 8:00 am; Evening Prayer Mon–Fri 5:00 pm
- Eucharistic Adoration — Thursday 7:00 am to 7:00 pm
- Reconciliation — Mon/Wed/Thu 4:30–5:00 pm (English & Spanish); Tue 4:30–5:00 pm (English); Sunday between Masses
- Spanish Holy Hour — Thursday 6:00 pm
Sacraments
The Cathedral celebrates all seven sacraments as both the mother church of the archdiocese and a working parish. Preparation for infant Baptism, adult Confirmation, RCIA, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick is coordinated through the Pastoral Associate. Communion is brought to the homebound by parish ministers, and annulment-support guidance is available.
- Baptism — preparation sessions for registered parishioners
- Reconciliation / Confession — Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu and Sunday (see schedule)
- Confirmation (adult) — preparation begins each January
- Christian Marriage — requires one year of parish registration; six months' preparation
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment; communal anointing second Saturday of each month
- RCIA — Becoming Catholic program via the Pastoral Associate
- Communion for the Sick / Homebound — Pastoral Care extension
- Annulment support via the Pastoral Associate
Outreach & Social Justice
The parish is widely known in downtown Milwaukee for the Open Door Café, housed in the parish center and recognized as Milwaukee's only free midday hot-meal program for the poor and homeless. In a recent year the Café served more than 25,000 meals, sourcing roughly 85 percent of its ingredients from the Hunger Task Force. Beyond the Café, the parish runs Prison Ministry, La Sagrada Familia (Hispanic outreach), the Creation Care Team, the Laundry of Love, and an Item-of-the-Week collection, and partners with St. Vincent de Paul, Kinship Community Food Center, Eastside Senior Services, JustFaith, and the Cathedral Center.
- Open Door Café — Milwaukee's only free midday hot-meal program
- Prison Ministry
- La Sagrada Familia (Hispanic outreach)
- Creation Care Team
- Laundry of Love
- Item of the Week / food and Respect Life collections
- CRS Rice Bowl / Lenten collections
- St. Vincent de Paul (Cathedral conference)
- Kinship Community Food Center
- Eastside Senior Services
- JustFaith
Music, Fine Arts & Concerts
Music is central to Cathedral life. The Director of Music leads the Cathedral Choirs and Ensembles, and the parish maintains pipe organs installed after the 1935 fire and rebuilt in 1942. The Fine Arts Series brings regular concerts and recitals into the sanctuary, including a recurring Wednesday Concert Series. The interior's art and architecture — Erhardt Stoettner / T.C. Esser stained glass, the marble baptismal font, and the Pomodoro-Maraniello crucifix — provide a fitting setting for sacred and civic musical programming.
- Cathedral Choirs and Ensembles
- Cathedral Organs
- Fine Arts Series
- Wednesday Concert Series
- Sacristan/Liturgist: John Ascher
- Director of Music: Michael J. Batcho
Faith Formation & Family Discipleship
Faith formation at the Cathedral extends from sacramental preparation through lifelong adult learning. The Family Discipleship umbrella includes UPLIFT Family Formation for school-age children, the parish elementary school (Catholic East Elementary, 2461 N. Murray Street), and SPRED for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Annual programming includes the Good News Adventure Vacation Bible School and the Becoming Catholic (RCIA) process for adults.
- Family Discipleship / UPLIFT Family Formation (K5–8th grade)
- Catholic East Elementary School (parish school, 2461 N. Murray St.)
- SPRED — Special Religious Development for children and adults with developmental disabilities
- Good News Adventure VBS
- Becoming Catholic / RCIA
- Married Couples Group
- Young Adult Group (ages 18–40)
Cathedral Tours & Visiting
Because the Cathedral is closed on weekdays outside scheduled services, visitors are encouraged to come on weekends before Mass or for a scheduled tour. A Virtual Tour of the Cathedral, with a clickable map of interior features, is hosted on the parish website. A general Cathedral tour is offered on selected Sundays at 12:00 pm. Highlights for visitors include the cathedra (made from marble of the original communion rail), the two memorial plaques in the narthex (1935 fire and 2002 renovation), the 13 hand-cut stained-glass windows, the fiberglass Italian crucifix with its 14-foot crown of thorns, the central marble baptismal font, and the 1984 cathedral crypt.
- Virtual Tour — https://www.stjohncathedral.org/cathedraltour/tourmap.htm
- Sunday tours at 12:00 pm on selected dates (see bulletin calendar)
- Cathedral opens one hour before Mass; closes after the last Mass
- Parish office open Mon–Fri 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Notable interior features: cathedra, narthex memorial plaques, Stoettner/Esser stained glass, Pomodoro-Maraniello crucifix, marble baptismal font, 1984 crypt
Staff & Clergy
The Cathedral is led by Rector & Pastor Fr. Edward Sanchez, installed on March 24, 2026 by Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob. Fr. José Gonzalez serves as Vice Rector and Associate Pastor, with Fr. Mike Hammer assisting and Deacon Thomas N. Hunt in diaconal ministry. Pastoral Associate Patricia L. Wisialowski oversees sacramental preparation and pastoral care; the broader staff includes directors of music, outreach, facilities, business, and communications.
- Rector & Pastor: Fr. Edward Sanchez
- Vice Rector & Associate Pastor: Fr. José Gonzalez
- Assisting Priest: Fr. Mike Hammer
- Deacon: Thomas N. Hunt
- Pastoral Associate: Patricia L. Wisialowski
- Sacristan/Liturgist: John Ascher
- Director of Music: Michael J. Batcho
- Director of Outreach Ministries: Shanedra Johnson / Idalia Nieves-Reyes
- Director of Facilities: Scott R. Fischer
- Business Manager: Amy J. Nikolai
- Communications Coordinator: Cathy Quandt
- Sexton: Dale Westbrook
Archbishop & Archdiocesan Succession
As the mother church of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, the Cathedral has been the seat of every ordinary since 1847. The succession begins with Bishop John Martin Henni (1844–1881), who built the cathedral, and continues through Michael Heiss, Frederick Katzer, Sebastian Messmer, Samuel Stritch, Moses Kiley, Albert Meyer, William Cousins, Rembert Weakland, Timothy Dolan, Jerome Listecki, and the current Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob, installed January 14, 2025. Three of those ordinaries — Henni, Kiley, and Cousins — are buried in the cathedral crypt, along with Auxiliary Bishop Leo J. Brust.
- John Martin Henni (1844–1881) — first bishop and first archbishop; built the cathedral
- Michael Heiss (1881–1890)
- Frederick Francis Xavier Katzer (1891–1903)
- Sebastian Gebhard Messmer (1903–1930)
- Samuel Alphonsus Stritch (1930–1939)
- Moses Elias Kiley (1940–1953) — completed 1935-fire reconstruction
- Albert Gregory Meyer (1953–1958)
- William Edward Cousins (1959–1977)
- Rembert George Weakland, O.S.B. (1977–2002) — commissioned 2001–2002 renovation
- Timothy Michael Dolan (2002–2009)
- Jerome Edward Listecki (2010–2024)
- Jeffrey Scott Grob (2025–present)
Get Involved & Support
Parishioners and visitors can support the Cathedral's mission through online giving, the Catholic Stewardship Appeal, the St. Francis de Sales Seminary Zeal for the Lord's House Campaign, and direct service in one of the many ministries. Hospitality, prayer, liturgical, and outreach volunteer opportunities — including the Prayer Link Team, Alpha & Hospitality Ministry, Knights of Columbus, the Open Door Café, and SPRED — are listed on the parish website.
- Online Giving (parish website)
- Catholic Stewardship Appeal
- St. Francis de Sales Seminary Zeal for the Lord's House Campaign
- Prayer Link Team
- Alpha & Hospitality Ministry
- Knights of Columbus
- Liturgical Ministries
- Volunteer at Open Door Café
- Safe Environment / Join the Parish / Update Contact Information
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Bishop John Martin Henni1844–1881
First Bishop (1843) and first Archbishop (1875) of Milwaukee; built and consecrated the cathedral; patron of the cathedral is his own patron, St. John the Evangelist.
- Archbishop Michael Heiss1881–1890
Henni's successor as ordinary; cathedral served under his tenure.
- Archbishop Frederick Francis Xavier Katzer1891–1903
Installed in time to oversee the 1893 tower replacement by Ferry & Clas; moved his residence away from the cathedral.
- Archbishop Sebastian Gebhard Messmer1903–1930
Oversaw the elaborately decorated interior and 1906 school and rectory construction.
- Archbishop Samuel Alphonsus Stritch1930–1939
Began rebuilding after the 1935 fire in 1936; transferred to Chicago before completion.
- Archbishop Moses Elias Kiley1940–1953
Completed the post-fire reconstruction; celebrated Christmas midnight Mass 1942 in the restored cathedral; buried in the cathedral crypt.
- Archbishop Albert Gregory Meyer1953–1958
Later Archbishop of Chicago and Cardinal.
- Archbishop William Edward Cousins1959–1977
A father of Vatican II; buried in the cathedral crypt.
- Archbishop Rembert George Weakland, O.S.B.1977–2002
Moved into the cathedral rectory; commissioned the controversial post-conciliar renovation (rededicated Feb. 9, 2002).
- Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan2002–2009
Later Cardinal, Archbishop of New York.
- Archbishop Jerome Edward Listecki2010–2024
Cathedral functioned under his tenure; led archdiocese through bankruptcy.
- Archbishop Jeffrey Scott Grob2025–present
Installed January 14, 2025; current ordinary of the archdiocese.
- Fr. Tim Kitzkeuntil 2025
Served as rector of the Cathedral while also shepherding the Family of Five Parishes on the East Side, before Archbishop Grob appointed Fr. Sanchez.
- Fr. Edward SanchezMarch 24, 2026–present
Appointed by Archbishop Grob in October 2025 and formally installed March 24 as rector and pastor; bilingual pastor; previously pastored Immaculate Conception, St. Augustine and Sacred Heart in Bay View.