About Holy Mother of Consolation · Oregon, Wisconsin
Holy Mother of Consolation is a Roman Catholic parish in Oregon, Wisconsin, within the Diocese of Madison. Its roots go back to 1857, when Irish settler families founded St. Mary's Church two miles northwest of the village; in 1885–1886 the congregation moved into Oregon itself and adopted its present name. Today the parish belongs to St. Cletus Parish (Pastorate 24), a merged community of five Dane and Rock County churches, including St. Joseph (Edgerton), St. Paul (Evansville), St. Augustine (Footville), and St. Ann (Stoughton). Mass is celebrated at its 651 North Main Street church several times a week, with weekly Eucharistic Adoration and Confession on Tuesdays.
- Established
- 1885
- Patron
- Holy Mother of Consolation (Our Mother of Consolation / Mary, Consoler of the Afflicted)
- Rector
- Fr. David Wanish (Parochial Administrator of St. Cletus Parish / Pastorate 24)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Madison
Why belong here
Holy Mother of Consolation is the Catholic home for Oregon, Wisconsin, with a heritage stretching back to the Irish immigrant families of the 1840s. As one of the five worship sites of St. Cletus Parish, it offers multiple weekly Masses, regular Eucharistic Adoration, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation both before Sunday Mass and on Tuesday evenings. The parish office at 651 North Main Street is staffed for sacramental needs, and the community gathers at an accessible location at the corner of North Main Street and Netherwood Road (Business Highway 14), one mile from the Highway 14 exit for Hwy. MM.
Mass times at Holy Mother of Consolation
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 4:30–5:30 PM
- Sunday 9:30–10:00 AM
Adoration times
- Tuesday 4:30–5:30 PM (Veneration of the Blessed Sacrament and Private Reconciliation)
Identity & Heritage
Holy Mother of Consolation Parish is the Oregon, Wisconsin, worship site of the new St. Cletus Parish (Pastorate 24) in the Diocese of Madison. Its congregation descends from Irish Catholic families who settled Fitchburg and Oregon in the 1840s and celebrated Mass in George Fox's log home from 1844 onward. The parish carries forward a community tradition that has occupied successive church buildings on the same North Main Street location for more than 140 years.
History
The first Catholic church in the area — St. Mary's — was built in 1857 on two acres given by Barney and Mrs. McGlynn for one dollar. As the congregation migrated into the village, a yellow-brick church was constructed in 1885 from Munger brickyard bricks; the parish was renamed Holy Mother of Consolation and a rectory was built the same year. A new parsonage followed in 1900. The 1885 church was lost to fire in 1961 and replaced in 1962 by the contemporary church that stands today, which seats 600.
- 1857 — St. Mary's Church built on County Road M, Fitchburg
- 1885 — Yellow-brick church built in Oregon; parish renamed Holy Mother of Consolation
- 1900 — Parsonage erected near the church
- 1954–1968 — Parish grade school operated, staffed by Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa
- 1961 — Yellow-brick church destroyed by fire
- 1962 — Present church built and dedicated on the same lot
- 1963 — Old parsonage sold for $1,000 and moved to Whalen Road, Fitchburg
St. Cletus Parish (Pastorate 24)
On September 20, 2025, the Diocese of Madison canonically united Holy Mother of Consolation with four neighboring parishes to form St. Cletus Parish. The merger joins the Catholic communities of St. Joseph (Edgerton), St. Paul (Evansville), St. Augustine (Footville), Holy Mother of Consolation (Oregon), and St. Ann (Stoughton), along with St. Ann School in Stoughton.
- St. Joseph — Edgerton
- St. Paul — Evansville
- St. Augustine — Footville
- Holy Mother of Consolation — Oregon
- St. Ann — Stoughton (home of St. Ann School)
Clergy & Staff
St. Cletus Parish was established with a pastor, two parochial vicars, and a deacon serving all five worship sites. Fr. David Wanish was installed as pastor at Holy Mother of Consolation Church on October 26, 2025, by Bishop Donald J. Hying. A staffed parish office handles sacramental needs across the pastorate.
- Fr. David Wanish — Parochial Administrator / Pastor
- Fr. Randy Budnar — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. John Bosco Pudhota — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Mark Priniski — Parish Deacon
- Parish office contact: Beth Craig, [email protected]
Sacraments
Reconciliation (Confession) and Eucharistic Adoration are the publicly scheduled sacraments and devotions listed for Holy Mother of Consolation. For baptism, marriage, anointing of the sick, or sacramental emergencies across the pastorate, parishioners are directed to contact the St. Cletus Parish Office.
- Reconciliation: Sunday and Tuesday (see schedule)
- Eucharistic Adoration: Tuesdays
- Other sacraments: contact the parish office at 608-835-5763
Visit & Contact
Holy Mother of Consolation Church is located on Oregon's North Main Street with easy access from Highway 14. The parish office is reachable by phone or email through the St. Cletus Pastorate. Sacramental emergencies after hours are handled through the parish office phone line.
- Address: 651 North Main Street, Oregon, WI 53575
- Phone: (608) 835-5763
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stcletuspastorate.org/
- St. Cletus Parish Office: 608-707-0208
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. David WanishInstalled October 26, 2025
Installed as first pastor of newly merged St. Cletus Parish at Holy Mother of Consolation Church by Bishop Donald J. Hying.