About Holy Apostles · New Berlin, Wisconsin
Holy Apostles Catholic Parish & School is a vibrant, welcoming Catholic community in New Berlin, Wisconsin, within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Founded in 1855 as St. Valerius and renamed Holy Apostles in 1889, the parish now serves more than 2,200 households and operates a K3–8 school on the same campus at 16000 West National Avenue. The parish describes itself as a Vatican II community whose mission is to 'Love God, Love Others, and Transform Our World' through six Habits of Discipleship (Pray, Ponder the Word of God, Celebrate the Sacraments, Use Our Gifts, Serve Others, and Live Our Faith Daily). It offers weekend and weekday Mass, a perpetual Adoration Chapel, a parish school, and a robust network of ministries in faith formation, music, youth, and outreach.
- Established
- 1855
- Rector
- Fr. Ariel Orozco
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
Holy Apostles is a multi-generational Catholic community of more than 2,200 households that pairs a parish school (3K–8th grade) with ministries for every age and stage of life. It offers daily Mass, an Adoration Chapel open seven days a week, an active music ministry with choirs and ensembles for all ages, Family Discipleship and sacramental preparation for children, youth and confirmation formation, and small-group fellowship. Its outreach — through the parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference, Mercy Mats for the homeless, and partnerships with the New Berlin Food Pantry and MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary — gives parishioners tangible ways to live the Gospel beyond the church walls.
Mass times at Holy Apostles
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:00–6:00 PM (Welcome Center / Timothy conference room)
Adoration times
- Monday 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Tuesday 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Wednesday 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Thursday 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Friday 6:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Blessed Sacrament present in chapel)
- Saturday and Sunday 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM (open for silent prayer; no Blessed Sacrament present)
- Open for silent prayer Mon–Thu until 8:00 PM, Fri until 3:00 PM
History of Holy Apostles Parish
Holy Apostles traces its roots to 1855, when Milwaukee's first bishop, John Martin Henni, established a German parish in New Berlin named St. Valerius. Local farmer Bernard Casper and his wife Catherine donated three acres for the church and cemetery. A white frame and log church was built just west of the present-day bell tower. The parish's first Catholic school opened in 1862 in a log cabin. In 1889 a larger brick-and-cut-stone Gothic church with a 134-foot steeple was built and the parish was renamed Holy Apostles. Disaster struck on July 3, 1907, when lightning destroyed the steeple and the church, school, and convent; the rectory followed on January 17, 1908. A new church and rectory were built by fall 1908, a new three-story brick school and convent followed in 1910 under Fr. Albert Lofy, and the parish celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2005 with a new sanctuary crucifix.
- 1855 – St. Valerius founded by Bishop Henni; Casper family donates 3 acres
- 1862 – First Catholic parish school in New Berlin opens in a log cabin
- 1889 – Gothic brick church built; parish renamed Holy Apostles
- 1907 – Lightning destroys church, school, convent (134-foot steeple)
- 1908 – Rectory destroyed by chimney fire; new church and rectory built by fall
- 1910 – New three-story brick school and convent built under Fr. Albert Lofy
- 1937 – German sermons discontinued
- 1966 – Current church dedicated Christmas Eve by Fr. Trost (capacity ~1,400)
- 2005 – 150th anniversary; interior remodeled and 17.5-foot sanctuary crucifix installed
- 2018 – Holy Apostles School celebrates 125th anniversary
Mission and Habits of Discipleship
Holy Apostles describes itself as a Vatican II parish whose mission is to 'Love God, Love Others, and Transform Our World.' The parish identifies six 'Habits of Discipleship' that frame parish life and programming: Pray, Ponder the Word of God, Celebrate the Sacraments, Use Our Gifts, Serve Others, and Live Our Faith Daily. The about page invites visitors and newcomers to encounter Christ, know Him, and fall in love with Him in this community.
- Pray — alone and with others
- Ponder the Word of God
- Celebrate the Sacraments — especially the Eucharist
- Use Our Gifts
- Serve Others — especially the last, the lost, the least, and the lonely
- Live Our Faith Daily
Parish Staff and Leadership
Holy Apostles lists each staff member under one of its 'Mission' areas — Pastor, Pastoral Care, Administration, Advancement, Building & Grounds, School, Sunday Experience, Discipleship, and Communications. Fr. Ariel Orozco serves as Mission Director / Pastor. The parish is led in counsel by a Pastoral Council (twelve members) and a Finance Council (seven members) established under Canon Law. Two deacons — Mike Chmielewski and Mike Skupien — serve in the Sunday Experience area.
- Fr. Ariel Orozco — Mission Director / Pastor
- Abby Wass — Pastoral Associate
- Deacon Mike Chmielewski — Mission Director, Sunday Experience
- Deacon Mike Skupien — Mission Director, Sunday Experience
- Sherri Meyer — Mission Director, Administrative Services
- Jodi Phillippi — Mission Finance Coordinator
- Dana Fredrickson — Mission Human Resources Coordinator
- Teresa Tobin — Mission Manager, Family Discipleship
- Nancy Petoskey Ahern — Mission Manager, Youth Discipleship
- Christina Kuenzi — Mission Director, Liturgy and Music
- Lori Suarez — Mission Director / School Principal
- Greg Weyker — Mission Coordinator, Cemetery and Facilities
- Dan Brever — Stewardship and Engagement Coordinator
- Devin Ulrich — Communications Coordinator
Pastoral Council and Finance Council
The Pastoral Council, established by Canon Law, advises the pastor on how to live the mission of forming disciples. It includes nine parishioners selected for three-year terms, a trustee-treasurer, a trustee-secretary, and the pastor, meeting typically once per month. The Finance Council advises the pastor on the administration of parish resources and consists of seven members, including four parishioners, two pastoral-council representatives, the trustee-treasurer, and the pastor; terms are two years with about seven meetings per year.
- Jessica Conley — Pastoral Council President
- Kate McDonald — Vice President
- Rebecca Toledo — Secretary
- Dave Arend — Trustee-Treasurer
- Dana Jossie — Trustee-Secretary
- Fr. Ariel Orozco — Pastor
Holy Apostles Catholic School (3K–8th Grade)
Holy Apostles Catholic School provides a Catholic education for students 3K through 8th grade on the parish campus. The elementary program (5K–5) uses self-contained classrooms with two sections per grade, taught by certified specialists in Spanish, music, physical education, art, and technology, and integrates the Project Lead the Way Launch science curriculum. Middle school (6–8) follows a departmentalized schedule with four specialist teachers for core subjects. Faith formation is woven throughout: weekly Mass, adoration-chapel visits, religious education, class retreats, service opportunities, and sacrament preparation. Extracurricular offerings include scouting, chess club, Student Council (grades 6–8), and organized athletics beginning in 5th grade. The school is accredited through the Archdiocese and Wisconsin Religious and Independent Schools Accreditation (WRISA).
- 3K and 4K preschool programs
- Elementary (5K–5): self-contained classrooms with specialists
- Middle School (6–8): departmentalized schedule
- Project Lead the Way Launch science curriculum
- Spanish, music, physical education, art, technology specialists
- 4K/5K buddy program in grades 4–5
- Student Council leadership program (grades 6–8)
- 8th grade leadership: Commissioning Mass, ropes course, 1st-grade buddies, Washington D.C. trip
- Archdiocesan and WRISA accreditation
- Active Home and School Association
Faith Formation for Children, Teens, and Families
The parish supports parents as the primary educators of their children in the faith. Family Discipleship, for families with children in grades 1–5, replaces the traditional classroom model with hands-on, interactive formation that engages the whole family. Sacramental preparation (First Reconciliation and First Communion) is done at home using the Blessed program by Dynamic Catholic, with children required to be at least 7 years old and in second grade or above, and to have completed at least one year of prior faith formation. Middle School Discipleship continues formation through 6th grade.
- Family Discipleship for grades 1–5
- Sacramental preparation: First Reconciliation and First Communion
- Middle School Discipleship through 6th grade
- SONshine Kids preschool Sunday school (ages 3–5) during the 10:00 AM Mass
- Vacation Bible School (VBS) summer program for 4K–5th grade
- Vista family-oriented summer camp
- Contact: Teresa Tobin, [email protected], (262) 754-0157
Music and Liturgy (Sunday Experience)
Holy Apostles creates a 'Sunday Experience' in which the community celebrates the Eucharist through inspiring sung prayer and spirit-filled, real-world preaching. The parish maintains a vibrant music ministry with trained cantors at every liturgy and several ensembles, and hospitality is offered in the Welcome Center after Mass.
- Adult Choir
- Children's Choir
- Contemporary Music Ensemble
- High School Ensemble
- Seasonal Brass Ensemble
- Hospitality in the Welcome Center after Mass
Outreach and Service to the Community
Holy Apostles runs an active human-concerns program through its St. Vincent de Paul conference, partnerships with local food and homeless ministries, and parish-based service projects. New members are encouraged to engage through these ministries as part of the 'Serve Others' Habit of Discipleship.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (Holy Apostles / Elizabeth Seton Conference) — home visits, emergency rent/utilities, food, clothing; contact Bob Nolan (414) 425-9061
- SVdP Meal Program in Milwaukee County — 'to go' dinner Sunday–Friday 5:00–6:00 PM
- New Berlin Food Pantry at 14750 W. Cleveland Ave — donations Wed 9 AM–5 PM; clients served Wed 12:00–5:15 PM
- MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary (MBHS) — daytime sanctuary; Doorway Ministry Tuesdays 11:00 AM–1:30 PM at 2461 W. Center St.
- Mercy Mats — crochet group making sleeping mats from recycled plastic bags for MBHS; contact Kris Kodaski
Getting Involved at Holy Apostles
The 'Serve Holy Apostles' and 'Serve Our Community' pages invite parishioners to volunteer across parish ministries and community partnerships. New members are welcomed at the 10:00 AM Mass on the second Sunday of each month, followed by hospitality in the Welcome Center.
- Contact Fr. Arul Ponnaiyan ([email protected], 262-786-5445) to register as a new member
- New-member welcome after the 10:00 AM Mass on the 2nd Sunday of each month
- Volunteer opportunities in St. Vincent de Paul, Mercy Mats, Food Pantry, Doorway Ministry
- Music ministry ensembles for adults, children, high schoolers, and brass
- Pastoral Council and Finance Council service
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joseph Moder1883
Refurbished and reopened the school, secured the Sisters of St. Francis to teach for two years.
- Fr. Albert Lofycirca 1910
Plans approved and built a new three-story brick school and convent.
- Fr. Trost1966
Celebrated the first Mass in the new (current) church on Christmas Eve 1966.
- Fr. Don Thimm2010–2026
Long-serving pastor, succeeded by Fr. Ariel Orozco per 2026 Archdiocese of Milwaukee priest appointments.
- Fr. Arul Ponnaiyan
Listed as a parish contact in the 'New Members' welcome materials on hanb.org; pastoral associate role noted.