About Our Lady of Lourdes · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Our Lady of Lourdes is a Roman Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee located at 3722 South 58th Street on the city's south side. Founded in 1958, the parish is a lay-led community in which Parish Director Deb Steppe serves as pastoral and spiritual leader, with Fr. Bill Burkert serving as assisting priest. The parish is known for its strong commitment to social justice, active nonviolence, care for the poor, support of the grieving, and a twinning relationship with Outreach to Haiti in Port-au-Prince.
- Established
- 1958
- Patron
- Our Lady of Lourdes
- Rector
- Deb Steppe (Parish Director)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
Our Lady of Lourdes welcomes all — visitors and members alike — into a caring community of disciples committed to living the Gospel through worship, formation, and action. Members grow in faith through the innovative intergenerational GIFT (Generations in Faith Together) program, serve their neighbors through St. Vincent de Paul, food pantry, St. Ben's Meal Program, the All Saints Meal Program, St. Luke's Eucharistic Ministry, and Ministry to the Homebound, and live out Catholic Social Teaching via a Social Justice Committee and an Active Nonviolence group. The parish also maintains a twinning relationship with Outreach to Haiti in Port-au-Prince.
Mass times at Our Lady of Lourdes
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment only — call the Parish Office at (414) 545-4316
Parish History
Canonically established June 20, 1958 by Archbishop Albert E. Meyer and named for the centennial of Our Lady's apparition to St. Bernadette, Our Lady of Lourdes was built on a valley (parts of it swampy) on Milwaukee's south side. Founding pastor Fr. Charles Kleefisch arrived from St. Peter's, Beaver Dam and the community first worshipped at Greenfield City Hall on October 26, 1958, before moving into its own church on December 6, 1959. By fall 1960 the parish had grown to about 700 families and Fr. David Wanner was appointed its first Associate Pastor.
- Founded June 20, 1958 by Archbishop Albert E. Meyer
- First pastor: Fr. Charles Kleefisch
- First Masses celebrated at Greenfield City Hall beginning Oct 26, 1958
- First Mass in own church: Dec 6, 1959
- Temporary church (gymnasium) formally dedicated May 1, 1960 by Archbishop William E. Cousins
- First Associate Pastor: Fr. David Wanner (Sept 1960)
- Sunday Associate: Fr. John E. Twomey (professor at St. Francis Seminary)
Sacraments
Reconciliation is offered by appointment through the Parish Office. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are prepared together and typically received in second grade, with the child required to be enrolled in the parish's GIFT faith-formation program for at least one year prior. Families work together throughout the year to prepare for these sacraments.
- Reconciliation — by appointment, call Parish Office
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist — 2nd grade, alongside GIFT enrollment
- Contact the Parish Office for Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick
Faith Formation — GIFT (Generations in Faith Together)
GIFT is Our Lady of Lourdes' innovative, intergenerational faith-formation program for singles, seniors, couples, and families/households of all varieties. Monthly GIFT sessions feature engaging presentations and dialogue on topics such as active nonviolence, immigration, environmental stewardship, and 'Activating the Body of Christ.' A GIFT Core Team assists in planning and meets every other month.
- Intergenerational learning for all ages and household types
- Monthly sessions on faith and current social issues
- Examples: 'Activating the Body of Christ,' Active Nonviolence, Immigration: Fiction, Facts & Faith
- Children's ministry under Steve Szymanski (Director of Child Ministries/Social Justice)
Adult Ministry — Discipleship Institute
The Discipleship Institute is the parish's adult ministry, with a 'Leadership-Reach Out' component for parishioners seeking to deepen discipleship and service.
- Leadership-Reach Out track for adult disciples
Social Justice & Active Nonviolence
Our Lady of Lourdes embraces Catholic Social Teaching as essential to its faith. The Social Justice Committee (SJC) partners with other Southeastern Wisconsin parishes and educates parishioners on fair trade, healthcare, housing, hunger, human trafficking, immigration, diversity, and environmental concerns. The SJC meets the 2nd Thursday of each month (no meetings in July or August). An Active Nonviolence group emerged from a 2023 book group reading Arthur Laffin's 'The Risk of the Cross' and authors the Nonviolence Corner on the Social Justice webpage.
- Social Justice Committee — meets 2nd Thursday monthly
- Active Nonviolence group (formed 2023)
- Annual 'Season For Nonviolence' emails
- Earth Day spring clean-up with Milwaukee Riverkeeper
- Partnership with Forward Latino
Outreach & Human Concerns
Our Lady of Lourdes fosters relationships with ministries serving the homeless, hungry, poor, and global community. The Human Concerns Committee coordinates charitable efforts that flow from the corporal works of mercy.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — fills requests for food, furniture, and necessities
- Food Pantry — open every other Tuesday
- St. Ben's Meal Program — OLOL serves a meal at St. Benedict the Moor Parish the 2nd Wednesday of each month
- All Saints Meal Program — OLOL volunteers 4:00–6:30 pm at All Saints Church, 4051 N. 25th St.
- St. Luke's Eucharistic Ministry — distributes communion at St. Luke's Medical Center on the 2nd Wednesday at 6:30 PM
- Ministry to the Homebound — visits, communion, and prayer for home-based parishioners
- Outreach to Haiti — twinning relationship with Port-au-Prince
- Repairers of the Breach
- MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary
- Catholic Charities
- Blood Drives
Worship & Music Ministries
The Worship Team, led by Jim Wielgosz (Director of Worship Ministries), coordinates liturgical ministries, while the Music Ministries team provides music at weekend Masses. OLOL invites parishioners to join these ministries to enrich the prayer of the community.
- Director of Worship Ministries: Jim Wielgosz
- Worship Ministries team
- Music Ministries team
Parish Staff & Leadership
Our Lady of Lourdes is a lay-led parish. The Archbishop appoints a Parish Director to serve as pastoral, spiritual, and administrative leader, currently Deb Steppe, who also directs the Women's Retreat. Fr. Bill Burkert serves as Assisting Priest. Tanya Gross is Director of Formation Ministries and Steve Szymanski is Director of Child Ministries/Social Justice.
- Deb Steppe — Parish Director
- Fr. Bill Burkert — Assisting Priest
- Tanya Gross — Director of Formation Ministries
- Steve Szymanski — Director of Child Ministries/Social Justice
- Jim Wielgosz — Director of Worship Ministries
- Parish Office: (414) 545-4316
Parish App & Staying Connected
Our Lady of Lourdes uses the WeConnect Parish App for special Mass times, events, cancellations, the parish calendar, staff listing, and online giving. Search 'WeConnect Parish App' in the Apple App Store or Google Play and select 'Our Lady of Lourdes Milwaukee.'
- WeConnect Parish App — iOS and Android
- Parish YouTube channel for live-streamed Mass and prayer services
- Wednesday Table Reflections available online
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Charles Kleefisch1958–
Founding pastor; appointed by Archbishop Albert E. Meyer on June 20, 1958; arrived from St. Peter's, Beaver Dam.
- Fr. David Wanner1960–
First Associate Pastor, appointed September 1960 as parish grew to ~700 families.
- Fr. John E. Twomey1958–
Sunday Associate; professor at St. Francis Seminary.