About Holy Family · Edgar, Wisconsin
Holy Family Catholic Church is a small Roman Rite Catholic parish serving the unincorporated community of Poniatowski and the surrounding farming country near Edgar, Wisconsin, in Marathon County. It belongs to the Diocese of La Crosse (Wausau Deanery) and shares pastoral ministry with nearby St. John the Baptist Parish in Edgar, where its pastor resides. Weekends bring a Saturday evening Mass and a Sunday morning Mass, a Tuesday evening weekday Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a CCD/faith-formation program for the parish's children.
- Established
- 1882
- Patron
- The Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph)
- Rector
- Rev. Alan P. Wierzba
- Diocese
- Diocese of La Crosse (Wausau Deanery)
Why belong here
Holy Family offers the full rhythm of Catholic life in an intimate rural setting: weekend Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, a Tuesday evening Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesdays, and Confessions before each Mass or by appointment. Families can enroll children in the parish CCD/faith-formation program (Wednesdays), and the Homebound Ministry ensures shut-ins stay connected to the parish through visits and Holy Communion. For Catholics in the Poniatowski/Edgar farming country who want a small, tradition-rooted parish with deep Polish-Catholic heritage, Holy Family is a clear spiritual home.
Mass times at Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 6:30 pm
- Tuesday: 4:30 pm
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
About Holy Family Catholic Church
Holy Family Catholic Church serves the rural Polish-settler community of Poniatowski (mailing address Edgar) in Marathon County, Wisconsin. It is a parish of the Diocese of La Crosse within the Wausau Deanery and shares pastoral ministry with St. John the Baptist Parish in Edgar. The parish offers weekend and weekday Mass, weekly Adoration, a Confession schedule tied to each Mass, and a parish CCD program for its children.
- Located in the unincorporated community of Poniatowski
- Diocese of La Crosse, Wausau Deanery
- Shared pastoral leadership with St. John the Baptist, Edgar
- Mailing and physical address: 125074 County Road U, Edgar, WI 54426
Parish History
Holy Family was founded by Polish Catholic settlers who moved onto the rich Cassel-township farmland in the early 1880s. Local historical sources date the parish's formation to 1882 and note that the pioneers' first house of worship was a log chapel. In 1886 Rev. Andrew Gara became the community's first resident pastor and is credited with putting the parish's foundation. During his twelve-year tenure the original log structure was replaced by a brick-veneer church in 1890, and the congregation was renamed "Holy Family." The parish established its cemetery during this early period and continued under successive pastors in the early twentieth century.
- 1882: Polish Catholic settlers form the parish and build the first log church
- Original community name: 'Administration of St. Joseph Parish' (Gmina Polska)
- 1886: Rev. Andrew Gara becomes first resident pastor; serves until 1898
- 1890: Brick-veneer church replaces the log chapel; congregation renamed Holy Family
Parish Staff
Day-to-day parish life at Holy Family is led by a small team that includes a shared pastor, an office administrator, the Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE), and a cemetery secretary.
- Pastor — Rev. Alan P. Wierzba (715-352-3011; [email protected])
- Office Administrator — Michelle Socha (715-507-1975; [email protected])
- CRE (Coordinator of Religious Education) — Juan Martinez ([email protected])
- Cemetery Secretary — Jan Schreiner (715-241-8898)
- Homebound Ministry — Dorrie Martyn (via St. John Parish Office, 715-352-3011)
CCD / Faith Formation
Holy Family's parish school of religion (CCD) meets on Wednesday evenings and walks school-aged children through Catholic doctrine, prayer, and the sacraments. Second grade is the dedicated year for First Reconciliation preparation.
- CRE: Juan Martinez — [email protected]
- Weekly class time: Wednesdays 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
- 2nd Grade year focuses on First Reconciliation
- The parish welcomes and is actively recruiting substitute catechists
Homebound Ministry
The parish's Homebound Ministry reaches out to parishioners who can no longer easily attend Mass, offering visits, fellowship in faith, and Holy Communion. Coordinated through the St. John Parish Office in Edgar.
- Coordinator: Dorrie Martyn
- Phone: 715-352-3011 (St. John Parish Office)
- Email: [email protected]
- Includes visits, phone calls, and Holy Communion to the homebound
Parish Cemetery
Holy Family maintains a parish cemetery developed during the early pastorate of Rev. Andrew Gara in the 1890s.
- Cemetery Secretary: Jan Schreiner — 715-241-8898
Contact, Office Hours, and Location
The parish office is on County Road U in the Poniatowski community. Office hours vary by season — evenings plus Saturday mornings during the school year (Aug. 11 – June 15), and afternoons during the summer (June 16 – Aug. 10).
- Address: 125074 County Road U, Edgar, WI 54426
- Parish office: 715-507-1975 — [email protected]
- Pastor (St. John Parish Office, Edgar): 715-352-3011 — [email protected]
- Aug. 11 – June 15: Monday–Thursday 5 pm–7 pm; Friday closed; Saturday 10 am–2 pm; Sunday 10 am–12 pm
- June 16 – Aug. 10: Monday–Thursday 3 pm–5 pm; Friday–Saturday closed; Sunday 10 am–12 pm
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Andrew Gara1886-1898
First resident pastor at Poniatowski; credited with putting the parish's foundation; oversaw replacement of original log church with the present brick-veneer church in 1890, at which time the congregation was renamed Holy Family.