About Holy Name · Watertown, South Dakota
Holy Name of Jesus Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Watertown, South Dakota, founded on August 16, 1955, when Bishop William O. Brady divided the local Catholic community, carving the new parish out of Immaculate Conception. As of June 2024 the parish is home to 801 registered families and is one of two Catholic parishes in Watertown, the other being Immaculate Conception. Since July 5, 2023, Holy Name of Jesus has been part of the Ave Maria Pastorate, a cluster of seven rural and town parishes in the Diocese of Sioux Falls created under the diocese's 'Set Ablaze' pastoral initiative to minister effectively amid declining vocations. Worship is offered at 1009 Skyline Drive on the north side of Watertown, with daily Mass Tuesday through Friday, Sunday Masses, and a Saturday evening Mass in odd-numbered months that is also broadcast on local radio KXLG 99.1.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- Holy Name of Jesus
- Rector
- Reverend Shaun T. Haggerty
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux Falls
Why belong here
Holy Name of Jesus offers daily and Sunday Mass in the northern half of Watertown, with the 8:30 a.m. Sunday Mass also broadcast on local radio KXLG 99.1 for those who cannot attend in person. The parish is supported by a robust network of family and adult formation ministries — including Families of Character, men's and women's discipleship groups, a young couples group, and the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — all coordinated across the seven-parish Ave Maria Pastorate. As one of two Watertown parishes it shares a consolidated Catholic school (Ave Maria Catholic School & Faith Formation Center), a pastorate nurse, and dedicated facilities staff, while still retaining its own historic church, rectory, Angelus Center, and shrines on Skyline Drive.
Mass times at Holy Name
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 8:00–8:20 a.m.
- Saturday 3:00–4:00 p.m. (odd-numbered months)
- Anytime by appointment
History of Holy Name of Jesus Parish
Holy Name of Jesus Parish was founded August 16, 1955, when Bishop William O. Brady divided the Catholic community of Watertown and set the new parish apart from Immaculate Conception to serve the northeast and northwest areas of the city. The founding pastor was Father Myron Martin; the first Masses were celebrated in the city auditorium, while sacraments such as baptism, marriage, and funerals continued at Immaculate Conception until the parish's own facilities were built. In 1957 a new school and auditorium were completed and the Bernadine Sisters from Reading, Pennsylvania, took over the school. Under Father Francis Dillon (pastor 1963–1973) the school closed in 1966, and the present church and rectory were built and blessed by Bishop Lambert A. Hoch on March 3, 1968. Successive pastors — Father James Wolf, Father Robert L. Flannery, Father Joseph E. Murphy, Father Jerome Holtzman, Father John Lantsberger, Father Michael Wensing, and now Father Shaun T. Haggerty — each shaped the parish through new facilities, art, and ministries. Most recently, on July 5, 2023, Holy Name was grouped with six surrounding parishes into the new Ave Maria Pastorate under the Diocese of Sioux Falls' Set Ablaze pastoral initiative.
- Founded August 16, 1955 by Bishop William O. Brady
- Founding pastor: Father Myron Martin
- School opened 1957, staffed by Bernadine Sisters from Reading, PA
- School closed 1966 due to declining vocations
- Present church and rectory blessed March 3, 1968 by Bishop Lambert A. Hoch
- Joined Ave Maria Pastorate on July 5, 2023 under the Set Ablaze initiative
Ave Maria Pastorate
On July 5, 2023 the Diocese of Sioux Falls formed the Ave Maria Pastorate under its Set Ablaze pastoral initiative, designed to set the Catholic faithful of the diocese on fire and to find innovative ways to serve the people amid decreasing priestly vocations. Four priests — Father Shaun Haggerty (Pastor), Father John Fischer, Father Christopher Hughes, and Father Richard Baumberger — share responsibility for the seven parishes in the pastorate. A new Watertown-area district was also created, bringing together Holy Rosary (Kranzburg), Immaculate Conception and Holy Name (Watertown), Blessed Sacrament (Florence), St. Henry (Henry), St. Mary's (Bryant), and St. Michael's (Clark).
- Formed July 5, 2023 under the Diocese of Sioux Falls' Set Ablaze program
- Seven parishes: Holy Name of Jesus (Watertown), Immaculate Conception (Watertown), Holy Rosary (Kranzburg), Blessed Sacrament (Florence), St. Henry (Henry), St. Mary's (Bryant), St. Michael's (Clark)
- Pastoral team: Fr. Shaun Haggerty, Fr. John Fischer, Fr. Christopher Hughes, Fr. Richard Baumberger
Parish Staff
Beyond the priests, Holy Name of Jesus is served by a wider pastorate staff including music, formation, facilities, finance, and pastoral care roles.
- Alison Thyen — Music Director for Watertown Parishes
- Loretta Redder — Coordinator of K–6th Grade Formation for Watertown Parishes
- Coordinator of 7–12th Grade Faith Formation
- Kara Schleusner — Principal of Ave Maria Catholic School
- Parker Schlenker — Director of Discipleship & Evangelization
- Bridget Bauman, RN — Pastorate Nurse
- Doug Lage — Maintenance Supervisor for Holy Name of Jesus
- Tony Aas — Facilities Manager
- Sheila Bach — Facility/Environment
- Terri Bjerke — Business Manager
- Cindy LaBerge — Parish Accountant
- Nicole Sharp — Accountant for Holy Name of Jesus
- Eileen Lindner — Receptionist/Office for Holy Rosary and Blessed Sacrament
- Paul Verdouw — Facility for Immaculate Conception/St. Mary's Cemetery
Faith Formation & Catholic School
Holy Name of Jesus shares in the Ave Maria Catholic School & Faith Formation Center, which serves the seven parishes of the pastorate. The new center builds on the legacy of Holy Name School (founded 1957), Immaculate Conception School (operating through 2025), and Holy Rosary School (closed 2013). It provides Catholic elementary education for parish children and a sacred space for religious education for public-school students, especially in the Watertown area, as well as a gathering space for pastorate-wide events. The pastorate also runs a Youth Faith Formation program (K–6 and 7–12 grade), Vacation Bible School, and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (a Montessori-based catechism for ages 3–9).
- Ave Maria Catholic School & Faith Formation Center (serves all 7 pastorate parishes)
- K–6 Faith Formation and 7–12 Faith Formation
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Levels I (ages 3–6) and II (ages 6–9)
- Vacation Bible School / Vocation Bible School
Adult & Family Formation
The pastorate offers an unusually rich slate of adult and family formation ministries — for women, men, young adults, engaged and married couples — designed to strengthen Catholic family life and discipleship. Programs are coordinated across the Ave Maria Pastorate and meet at various parish locations including the Holy Name Angelus Center and Immaculate Conception Parish Center.
- Families of Character — 6-session 'Thriving Family Accelerator' with Jordan Langdon ($400/couple)
- Young Couples Group (Sundays 2:00 p.m., children welcome)
- Women's Study Group (Tuesdays 4:30 p.m. at Holy Name Angelus Center)
- SHE Shall be Called Women's study (Wednesdays at Immaculate Conception Parish Center)
- 4Fathers 4Families Men's Group (Wednesdays 6:30 p.m. at Ave Maria Catholic School Library)
- Young Men's Group, ages 18–29 (Mondays 7:00 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Parish Center)
- Watertown Men's Group (Thursdays 6:30 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church Hall)
- Couple's Retreats (Abbey of the Hills, Broom Tree Retreat Center)
Liturgical & Pastoral Ministries
In addition to Mass and the sacraments, the parish supports Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (with formal training and a homebound ministry track), a liturgical scheduling system (MSP), a Safe Environment program, and a pastorate nurse ministry. The parish's facilities — the church, rectory, Angelus Center, and Parish Center — host these ministries as well as the various groups listed above.
- Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC) training
- Homebound visits
- Liturgical ministry scheduling via MSP
- Safe Environment program
- Pastorate Nurse (Bridget Bauman, RN)
- Angelus Center, Parish Center, and rectory used for ministry and meetings
Shrines & Sacred Art
Holy Name of Jesus is notable for several sacred-art features installed by its pastors over the decades. The Holy Family Shrine stands on the west side of the rectory, installed during Father Jerome Holtzman's tenure. In 2015, under Father Michael Wensing, a new New Life Shrine was completed featuring an original bronze sculpture by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz titled 'Return of the Unborn.' Several other pieces of art inside the church were commissioned during Father Holtzman's pastorate.
- Holy Family Shrine (west side of rectory)
- New Life Shrine (2015) with Timothy Schmalz bronze 'Return of the Unborn'
- Commissioned artworks inside the church
Contact, Office Hours & Location
Parishioners and visitors can reach Holy Name of Jesus at 1009 Skyline Drive, Watertown, SD 57201. The parish office phone is (605) 886-2628 and email is [email protected] (current email: [email protected]). Office hours are Monday–Thursday 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00–5:00 p.m., and Friday 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. The parish's legacy website at watertownholyname.org now redirects visitors to avemariapastorate.org for current information.
- Address: 1009 Skyline Drive, Watertown, SD 57201
- Phone: (605) 886-2628
- Fax: (605) 886-2142
- Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
- Website: avemariapastorate.org (legacy: watertownholyname.org)
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00–5:00 p.m.; Fri 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
- Emergency line (Anointing of the Sick / Last Rites): (605) 884-5088
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Myron Martin1955–1963
Founding pastor; led the new parish carved out of Immaculate Conception by Bishop William O. Brady on August 16, 1955.
- Father Francis Dillon1963–1973
Second pastor; oversaw closure of Holy Name School in 1966 and construction of the present church and rectory, blessed by Bishop Lambert A. Hoch on March 3, 1968.
- Father James Wolf1973–May 1982
Third pastor.
- Father Robert L. Flannery1982–July 1988
Fourth pastor.
- Father Joseph E. Murphyfrom July 1988
Fifth pastor.
- Father Jerome Holtzmanfrom 1992
Added the Angelus Center in 1999, commissioned artworks inside the church, and built the Holy Family Shrine on the west side of the rectory.
- Father John Lantsbergerfrom July 2000
Led complete renovation of the Parish Center (former Holy Name School building) in 2004.
- Father Michael Wensingfrom July 2013
Consolidated Watertown's Catholic school under the Watertown Catholic School Corporation (Immaculate Conception School); in 2015 completed new landscaping and the New Life Shrine with Timothy Schmalz's bronze 'Return of the Unborn.'
- Father Shaun T. Haggertycurrent
Current pastor; leads Holy Name of Jesus as part of the Ave Maria Pastorate formed July 5, 2023.