About Holy Assumption · West Allis, Wisconsin
Holy Assumption is a historic Catholic church at 7109 West Orchard Street in West Allis, Wisconsin. Originally organized in 1901 to minister to the flood of Catholic workers drawn to the Allis-Chalmers plants, it grew into one of the foundational parishes of West Allis. In 2024, Holy Assumption merged with neighboring St. Rita and St. Augustine parishes to form Saint Barnabas Catholic Congregation, where Holy Assumption continues as the primary worship site with Sunday Masses in English and a Saturday Vigil Mass in Spanish. Today the parish combines its century-old identity with the diverse, bilingual community of the newly merged Saint Barnabas congregation.
- Established
- 1901
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (Our Lady of the Assumption)
- Rector
- Father Gerardo Carcar
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
Holy Assumption (now the Holy Assumption Site of Saint Barnabas Catholic Congregation) is a welcoming, bilingual Catholic community with deep roots in West Allis dating back to 1901. Parishioners come from across the area, from lifelong West Allis families who attended the legacy parish school to young Hispanic households drawn to the Saturday Spanish Vigil Mass. The parish feeds hundreds of local families each month through its historic food pantry, supports the wider community through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, runs the OCIA process for adults joining the Church, and shares a Catholic academy with the other West Allis parishes. Mass is offered in English and Spanish, confession is available Saturday evenings, and the Pastoral and Finance Councils give parishioners a real voice in the life of the merged parish.
Mass times at Holy Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 6:00 PM at the Holy Assumption Site
Adoration times
- Friday 5:00 PM–9:00 PM at the St. Augustine Site (parish-wide adoration)
Parish History
Holy Assumption was organized in 1901 when thirteen Catholic families in North Greenfield asked Archbishop Katzer for a priest to minister to the workers streaming into the Allis-Chalmers plants. Rev. Julius Burbach led the parish for more than fifty years and oversaw construction of the 1902 combination church-school, the 1915–16 basement church, and the present 1925 Romanesque Revival upper church designed by Clas, Shepherd & Clas. The School Sisters of Notre Dame ran the school from 1905 until 2005, and the parish's outreach food pantry — still serving about 80 households a week — was founded here in the late 20th century.
- 1901: parish officially organized; Rev. J.H. Burbach appointed pastor in September
- 1902: combination church and school completed on West Orchard Street; School Sisters of Notre Dame arrive
- 1915–1916: basement church built, seating 640
- 1925: present upper church completed, designed by Clas, Shepherd & Clas
- 2023: St. Florian Parish (West Milwaukee) merged into Holy Assumption
- July 1, 2024: Holy Assumption, St. Rita, and St. Augustine merged into Saint Barnabas Catholic Congregation
The Building and Architecture
The 1925 church is a Romanesque Revival structure of brick with round-arched windows and doors, elaborate shaped gables, stone quoining, and metal-domed towers, showing Byzantine influence. It was designed by the Milwaukee firm Clas, Shepherd & Clas, the same architects who handled a $77,000 addition permitted in June 1924. The building is recorded in the Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI #9274) as a historic house of worship.
Becoming Saint Barnabas Catholic Congregation
Since 2021 the three legacy parishes — St. Rita, St. Augustine, and Holy Assumption — had been sharing a pastor, a joint pastoral council, merged committees, a unified website, and joint events. Archbishop Jerome Listecki approved their formal merger effective July 1, 2024, creating Saint Barnabas Catholic Congregation. Holy Assumption continues as one of three worship sites, alongside St. Augustine and the now-closed St. Rita site. The parishes' buildings and parishioners are now part of Saint Barnabas.
- St. Rita Site: 2318 S. 61st Street (now closed)
- St. Augustine Site: 6768 W. Rogers Street
- Holy Assumption Site: 7109 W. Orchard Street (this parish)
Mass and Worship Times at the Holy Assumption Site
The Holy Assumption Site is the principal English-language worship site of the merged parish and also hosts the congregation's Spanish-language Saturday Vigil Mass. Daily Mass and Liturgy of the Word with Communion Service rotate among the sites and are listed in the weekly bulletin and calendar.
- Saturday Vigil (Spanish): 7:00 PM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM (English)
- Sunday: 10:30 AM (English)
- Daily Mass: see weekly calendar/bulletin
Sacraments
Saint Barnabas Catholic Congregation celebrates the seven sacraments recognized by the Catholic Church. Preparation is typically required and parishioners are encouraged to contact the parish office well in advance — the parish asks for at least six months' notice for weddings.
- Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation
- Sacraments of Healing: Penance (Reconciliation), Anointing of the Sick
- Sacraments of Vocation: Marriage (6-month notice), Holy Orders
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
The parish runs the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) for unbaptized adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church, as well as for baptized Christians from other denominations preparing for Confirmation and Eucharist. The journey follows the ancient catechumenate: Period of Inquiry (Pre-Catechumenate), Rite of Initiation, Catechumenate, Rite of Election, the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, and Mystagogy.
Food Pantry
Saint Barnabas Catholic Congregation is proud to serve hundreds of families and individuals in the West Allis community each month through the Food Pantry operated out of the Holy Assumption Site building. Doors open at 12:30 PM and the pantry is open Tuesday and Friday afternoons from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. Visitors are asked to bring a photo ID/proof of address and to come once per week.
- Location: behind the church, parking lot off 71st Street, 1533 S. 71st St
- Hours: Tuesdays and Fridays, 1:00–3:00 PM (doors 12:30 PM)
- Average: about 80 households served per week
- Food Pantry Director: Sharon Huizenga, 414-774-3010 ext. 106, [email protected]
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
A parish-based St. Vincent de Paul conference, historically located at the Holy Assumption School Site, brings person-to-person service to people in need: providing basic necessities such as food and clothing, and visiting the sick and hospitalized. Volunteers from any parish or the wider community are welcome.
- Located in the St. Barnabas Congregation School building, 1526 S. 72nd St
- Focus: food, clothing, and visits to the sick
Mary Queen of Saints Catholic Academy
Mary Queen of Saints Catholic Academy is the regional Catholic school serving the West Allis and West Milwaukee parishes of Saint Barnabas. It integrates the teachings of Jesus Christ into the spiritual, academic, and social development of each child and offers a faith-based curriculum with weekly Mass and Rosary, fine arts/music, smaller class sizes, a full-time resource teacher, speech pathologist, before- and after-school care, and participation in the Milwaukee and Wisconsin Parental Choice Programs.
- Address: 1227 S. 116th Street, West Allis, WI 53214
- Phone: 414-476-0751
- Programs: Full-day K3, K4, K5; Parental Choice Program participation
Parish Governance — Pastoral Council and Finance Council
The pastor of Saint Barnabas Catholic Congregation is advised by a Pastoral Council (focused on missionary and pastoral planning) and a Finance Council (focused on administration of parish assets and the annual budget). Pastoral Council typically meets on the third Wednesday of each month at the Holy Assumption site.
- Pastoral Council 2025–2026: Rachel Borden (Chair), Jeff Stanislawski and Ginger Ryback (Co-Vice Chairs), Kitty Klein (Secretary), Sr. Bernadette Kele, Nancy Melcher, plus ex-officio trustees Kathleen Dagenhardt and Larry Horning
- Finance Council Chair: Phil Ryback; Co-Chair: Kathleen Dagenhardt
- Four stewardship commissions: Prayer & Worship, Service, Hospitality, Evangelization
Parish Staff and Clergy
Holy Assumption (as part of Saint Barnabas Catholic Congregation) is served by a pastor, two deacons, and a full lay staff. The site retains the legacy contact email [email protected] and the long-standing phone number 414-774-3010.
- Father Gerardo Carcar — Pastor
- Deacon Terry Starns
- Deacon Steve Pemper
- Brad Berghouse — Director of Administrative Services
- Ann Marie Gonzalez Sein — Director of Evangelization & Formation
- Kevin Bourassa — Director of Liturgy
- Pat Rogutich — Liturgist
- Sharon Huizenga — Service Commission
- Maria M. Bauer and Rita Gawronski — Secretaries
- Mike Schroeder and Cesar Esparza — Maintenance
Visit and Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at the Holy Assumption Site of Saint Barnabas Catholic Congregation. The parish office can be reached at the phone and email below, and the official website at stbarnabascc.org provides current schedules, bulletins, and online giving.
- Address: 7109 West Orchard Street, West Allis, WI 53214
- Phone: 414-774-3010
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stbarnabascc.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J.H. (Julius) Burbach1901–c.1950s
Founding pastor; selected the Orchard Street site in 1901, oversaw construction of the 1902 church/school, the 1915–16 basement church, and the 1925 upper church. Served the parish and the city of West Allis for over 50 years; known as 'Mr. West Allis'; published two histories of West Allis.