About Holy Family - St. Joseph · Marinette, Wisconsin
Holy Family Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Marinette, Wisconsin, part of the Diocese of Green Bay. It was formed on July 1, 1989, through the consolidation of four historic Marinette parishes — Our Lady of Lourdes (founded 1868), St. Joseph (founded 1888), Sacred Heart (founded 1893), and St. Anthony (founded 1901) — each originally serving the French, French, Polish, and German immigrant communities of the area. The parish continues to worship at two of the four original church buildings: Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 2737 Taylor Street and St. Joseph Church at 1225 Carney Boulevard. The current pastor is Very Rev. Celestine Byekwaso, leading a staff that includes a faith formation coordinator, youth minister, office manager, secretary, deacon/business manager, and maintenance personnel.
- Established
- 1989
- Patron
- Holy Family of Nazareth (parish name); the parish also retains St. Joseph Church as a named worship site
- Rector
- Very Rev. Celestine Byekwaso
- Diocese
- Diocese of Green Bay
Why belong here
Holy Family Parish welcomes those seeking an active Catholic community in Marinette, offering two worship sites — Our Lady of Lourdes Church and St. Joseph Church — with a full weekly Mass schedule. The parish invests in the next generation through a Faith Formation program for grades 1–11 (held Wednesdays at St. Thomas Aquinas Academy), a Youth Group for ages 3–18, and Children's Liturgy of the Word every other Sunday at the 10 AM Mass. A perpetual Adoration Chapel at the Taylor Street location invites parishioners into daily prayer, and the parish's mission emphasizes encouraging the Gospel, proclaiming it through meaningful worship and education, and living the truths of the Roman Catholic Church.
Mass times at Holy Family - St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, or by appointment with the Pastor (call 715-735-9100 ext. 101)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration Chapel at 2735 Taylor Street, available at all hours with an access code obtained from the parish office or a parishioner; adorers are needed to sign up for time slots or as substitutes
About Holy Family Parish
Holy Family Parish, Marinette, Wisconsin, declares its mission as threefold: to ENCOURAGE all people to live the Gospel message of Jesus Christ; to PROCLAIM the good news through meaningful worship experiences, ongoing educational enrichment, and offering services to all; and to LIVE THE TRUTHS of the Roman Catholic Church as they strive to reflect God's presence. The parish is led by Very Rev. Celestine Byekwaso and was built upon the foundation of four separate Marinette parishes consolidated in 1989.
- Mission: Encourage, Proclaim, and Live the Truths of the Roman Catholic Church
- Pastor: Very Rev. Celestine Byekwaso
- Diocese: Green Bay
- Formed July 1, 1989
History of the Parish
Catholicism in the Marinette area reaches back to the mid-19th century, when visiting priests celebrated Mass in private homes and on boats in the harbor. Four ethnic parishes eventually served the community, each preserving a distinct language and culture: Our Lady of Lourdes (French, 1868), St. Joseph (French, 1888), Sacred Heart (Polish, 1893), and St. Anthony (German, 1901). On July 1, 1989, these four parishes were merged into Holy Family Parish, keeping Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Joseph as active worship sites.
- 1868 — Our Lady of Lourdes founded; small church built on Water Street
- September 4, 1888 — Fr. Joseph F. Durin appointed to begin St. Joseph Church
- January 1892 — St. Joseph Church construction completed; 360 parishioners on rolls
- July 7, 1893 — Polish parishioners organize a separate parish; Sacred Heart cornerstone laid October 31, 1893
- Fall 1901 — About 85 German families separate to form St. Anthony Parish
- May 4, 1902 — Cornerstone laid for new St. Anthony Church (capacity 350 families)
- July 19, 1959 — Cornerstone laid for present Our Lady of Lourdes Church by Bishop Stanislaus V. Bona; rectory built the same year
- 1988 — Our Lady of Lourdes Social Hall (now Holy Family Parish Center) completed
- July 1, 1989 — Four parishes consolidated into Holy Family Parish; Sacred Heart Church sold
Worship Sites
The parish retains two of its four historic church buildings as active worship sites. Our Lady of Lourdes Church is located at 2737 Taylor Street, and St. Joseph Church stands at 1225 Carney Boulevard. The parish office and parish center (formerly the Our Lady of Lourdes Social Hall) are located at 2715 Taylor Street.
- Our Lady of Lourdes Church — 2737 Taylor Street (cornerstone 1959)
- St. Joseph Church — 1225 Carney Blvd. (construction completed 1892)
- Parish Office — 2715 Taylor Street
- Holy Family Parish Center (former OLOL Social Hall) — 1988
Parish Staff
The parish is served by a pastor, deacon, and a team of lay staff handling faith formation, youth ministry, office administration, and maintenance.
- Very Rev. Celestine Byekwaso — Pastor (ext. 101)
- Deacon David Denby — Deacon / Business Manager; also Campus Minister at St. Thomas Aquinas Academy
- Shae Kemppainen — Faith Formation Coordinator (ext. 104)
- Ciara Faucett — Youth Minister (ext. 105)
- Stephanie Stauss — Office Manager (ext. 108)
- Carol Ravet — Secretary (ext. 107)
- John LaCombe — Maintenance
- Jane Mattsen — RCIA Contact
- Jeri Keepers — Religious Education Contact (per diocesan directory)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Holy Family's Faith Formation program supplements Catholic teaching given at home with age-appropriate lessons on doctrine and the Trinity, while preparing young parishioners for the sacraments. First Reconciliation and First Communion are received in 2nd grade; Confirmation is received in 11th grade. All classes meet on Wednesday evenings from 5:45 PM to 7:00 PM at St. Thomas Aquinas Academy, 1200 Main Street, Marinette.
- Grades 1–11; tuition $35 per child for parish members, $50 for non-members
- Family discount: Child 1 $35, Child 2 $35, Child 3 $20, Child 4+ free
- No student turned away for inability to pay
- Grade 2 (First Reconciliation & Communion) — Catechist Ashley Campbell; curriculum Encounter with Christ: Eucharist and Reconciliation (Our Sunday Visitor)
- Grade 3 — Catechist Steph Stauss; curriculum We Believe: We Are the Church (Sadlier)
- Grade 7 — Catechist Jim Margetta; curriculum Catholic Faith Handbook (St. Mary's Press) and Decision Point (Ascension)
- Grade 11 (Confirmation) — Catechist Sally Faucett; curriculum Catholic Faith Handbook and Chosen: The Guide to Confirmation (Ascension)
- Sacrament fees: First Reconciliation $15, First Communion $15, Confirmation $50 parish / $80 non-parish
Youth Ministry
The parish offers several programs for youth ages 3–18, including faith formation, a youth group for socializing and growing in faith, and Children's Liturgy of the Word.
- Faith Formation for school-age youth (grades 1–11)
- Youth Group events in a relaxed faith-sharing setting
- Children's Liturgy of the Word every other Sunday at the 10 AM Mass for preschool through 2nd grade
RCIA & Sacramental Preparation
Adults seeking initiation into the Catholic Church are welcomed through the RCIA process. The parish contact for RCIA is Jane Mattsen.
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — contact Jane Mattsen via the parish office
- First Reconciliation and First Communion — Grade 2
- Confirmation — Grade 11
Volunteer & Get Involved
Parishioners can give of their time in faith formation, Children's Liturgy, and Eucharistic Adoration. The parish especially seeks volunteers to present Children's Liturgy lessons and crafts (preschool through 2nd grade), and adorers willing to fill weekly Holy Hour slots or serve as substitutes.
- Children's Liturgy volunteers — contact Jeri Keepers at [email protected]
- Catechist volunteers — contact Jeri Keepers at [email protected]
- Perpetual Adoration substitutes and committed adorers
Visit & Contact
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM. A drop box is available for after-hours correspondence.
- Office address: 2715 Taylor Street, Marinette, WI 54143
- Phone: (715) 735-9100
- Fax: (715) 735-9650
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 1:30 PM (drop box available after hours)