About St. Adalbert · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
St. Adalbert Parish is a Roman Catholic parish on Milwaukee's historic South Side, founded in 1908 by Polish immigrants as a daughter parish of St. Hyacinth. Today the parish serves a primarily Spanish-speaking community while still maintaining its landmark Polish-inspired Romanesque Revival church, completed in 1931, which is one of Milwaukee's celebrated 'Polish Cathedrals.' Its mission is 'to grow as a community of faith animated by the Holy Spirit, united in Christ the Eucharist, and committed in the generous service to God's people.' The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and operates St. Adalbert School, an active faith formation program, and a calendar of weekend and weekday Masses celebrated in both English and Spanish.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- St. Adalbert of Prague (Św. Wojciech)
- Rector
- Fr. Ricardo Martín
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. Adalbert welcomes parishioners and visitors into a bilingual Catholic community at the heart of Milwaukee's South Side, with weekend and weekday Masses in English and Spanish and a calendar that includes Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays and regular Reconciliation on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The parish combines the prayerful beauty of a 1930s Polish-heritage landmark church — complete with a Kraków-inspired bell tower and stained-glass windows — with a vibrant school, a year-round faith-formation program, and lay ministries such as altar serving and ushers that invite families to participate actively in the liturgy.
Mass times at St. Adalbert
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Wednesday 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Friday 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Adoration times
- Thursday 1:00 pm – 7:00 pm (1st Thursday of the month)
Parish Identity & Mission
St. Adalbert is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee located at 1923 W. Becher Street on the city's historic South Side. Its parish mission, displayed prominently on the parish website, is 'to grow as a community of faith animated by the Holy Spirit, united in Christ the Eucharist, and committed in the generous service to God's people.' Founded in 1908 by Polish immigrants as a daughter parish of St. Hyacinth, St. Adalbert (known in Polish as Kościół Świętego Wojciecha) takes its name from St. Adalbert of Prague, the celebrated Slavic missionary-bishop and martyr.
- Patron: St. Adalbert of Prague
- Founded: 1908 (incorporated January 30, 1908; lots purchased June 23, 1908)
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Milwaukee
- Parish Mission statement published on the parish website
History of St. Adalbert Parish
On January 26, 1908, laymen and women met at St. Hyacinth Parish to petition Archbishop Sebastian Messmer for a new Polish parish further west on the South Side. Sponsored by Rev. Hyacinth Gulski, who provided land, seed money, and moral support, the parish was incorporated four days later and five lots on the corner of Becher and South 19th Street were purchased on June 23, 1908 for $13,000. The cornerstone was blessed by Father Michael Domachowski, the first pastor, on August 30, 1908. A combined church-and-school building with eight classrooms and a Sisters' residence was completed on February 28, 1909; six School Sisters of Notre Dame opened the school that year with 411 students. The parish originally registered 550 families.
- First pastor: Rev. Michael Domachowski (1908–1909)
- Long-time pastor: Rev. Wacław (Wenceslaus) Kruszka (1909–c.1931)
- Combined church-and-school building completed February 28, 1909
- School peak enrollment: 1,585 pupils with 23 sisters (1924)
- Daughter parishes founded with St. Adalbert support: St. Barbara, St. Mary Magdalene, Blessed Sacrament, St. Alexander, St. Helen
The Present Church Building (1931)
With attendance still growing under Father Kruszka, the parish voted in 1930 to build a new church at a cost of $252,000 on land donated by St. Hyacinth. Engineers drove large pilings into the marshy soil, and after the October 1929 stock-market crash, plans were scaled back: the bell tower was built shorter than originally designed and a proposed second tower on the left of the façade was never built. Architect Francis (S.) Gurda designed the building in the Polish-inspired Romanesque Revival style, and the Mikolajewski firm served as contractor. The 1,200-seat church was completed and blessed on April 23, 1931.
- Architect: Francis (S.) Gurda
- Contractor: Mikolajewski construction firm
- Cost: $252,000 (1930 dollars)
- Capacity: 1,200 seats
- Belfry tower height: about 132 feet
- Cornerstone laid May 1930; blessed April 23, 1931
Architecture & Interior Features
St. Adalbert's is Milwaukee's only example of Polish-inspired Romanesque Revival architecture. Its tall northwest tower echoes the tower of Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, Poland, and the copper-clad belfry holds four bells inscribed with the names St. Adalbert, Jesus, Mary, and the Angel. Decorative brickwork in a strongly contrasting dark brown forms horizontal bands at the front entrance and the transept end walls, plus diamond, chevron, and checkerboard patterns on the tower. The clock in the upper stage of the bell tower and the last of the stained-glass windows were installed in the early 1940s, and interior renovations were carried out in the late 1950s in honor of the parish's 50th anniversary.
- Polish-inspired Romanesque Revival (the only one in Milwaukee)
- Four bells in the copper belfry: St. Adalbert, Jesus, Mary, the Angel
- Decorative brick bands, diamonds, chevrons, and checkerboards
- Stained-glass windows installed 1940s
- Interior renovations c. 1958 for the 50th anniversary
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. Adalbert is served by a small pastoral team led by Fr. Ricardo Martín as pastor. Lidia Bonilla serves as Director of Religious Education, Nancy Lechuga as Business Administrator, Maria Colchado as Parish Life Coordinator, and Maria Tejeda as Parish Secretary. The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, and can be reached at 414-988-0228 (fax 414-930-9054).
- Fr. Ricardo Martín — Pastor
- Lidia Bonilla — Director of Religious Education
- Nancy Lechuga — Business Administrator
- Maria Colchado — Parish Life Coordinator
- Maria Tejeda — Parish Secretary
- Parish office: Mon–Fri, 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Adalbert is directed by Lidia Bonilla, who also serves as a Confirmation catechist and youth leader in the parish. The parish's faith-formation program works hand-in-hand with St. Adalbert School to support sacramental preparation and ongoing religious education for parish youth.
- Director of Religious Education: Lidia Bonilla
- Confirmation catechesis and youth ministry offered
- Faith-formation program coordinated with St. Adalbert School
Liturgical Ministries
Lay faithful take an active role in the liturgy through the parish's published ministries. The website lists opportunities to serve as Altar Servers — assisting the priest with duties such as ringing the altar bell, carrying liturgical books, and bringing up the gifts — and as Ushers, who help welcome and seat those attending Mass.
- Altar Servers
- Ushers
Music & Youth Ministry
Outside the classroom and parish religious-education programs, parish and school staff lead a youth music ministry called Apóstoles En Acción, which involves more than 50 students. The parish and school also collaborate on faith experiences such as staff retreats, weekly Scripture-based school prayer, and the preparation of weekly school Masses.
- Apóstoles En Acción — youth music ministry (50+ students)
- Confirmation youth leadership
St. Adalbert School
St. Adalbert School, located adjacent to the church at 1913 W. Becher Street, is a parish-sponsored Catholic school that has been educating South Side children since 1909. The school's mission statement emphasizes preparing students 'for high school and beyond in the Catholic tradition by being active in learning, engaged in community, and grounded in faith.' The school leadership team includes Father Ricardo Martín (Pastor), Lisa Manier (Principal), and an Assistant Principal, with a guidance counselor on staff.
- Address: 1913 W. Becher St., Milwaukee, WI 53215
- Phone: 414-645-5450
- Email: [email protected]
- Pastor: Father Ricardo Martin
- Principal: Lisa Manier
- Catholic, parish-sponsored school since 1909
Facilities, Address & Contact
The parish complex sits on the same corner — Becher and South 19th — where five lots were purchased from a swampy field in 1908. The 1929/1930–31 church anchors the site, with the historic 1909 combined school building, a rectory, and the parish cemetery (where NASCAR champion Alan Kulwicki is buried) all on or near the original grounds. St. Adalbert School occupies 1913 W. Becher Street, immediately west of the church.
- Parish address: 1923 W. Becher Street, Milwaukee, WI 53215
- School address: 1913 W. Becher St., Milwaukee, WI 53215
- Phone: 414-988-0228 (parish); 414-645-5450 (school)
- Fax: 414-930-9054
- Parish office hours: Mon–Fri, 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Visiting & 'I'm New' Resources
St. Adalbert's website includes an 'I'm New' page that walks first-time visitors through common questions about what to wear, when to attend, where to park, and how Communion, the offering, and other parts of the Mass work. The parish explicitly invites visitors to dress comfortably, with a general request that clothing be 'respectable and conservative.'
- What to wear: come as you are; conservative length shorts and respectful clothing requested
- Mass times: see the home page
- Maps and directions linked from the parish website
History of the Parish Cemeteries & Notable Burials
The parish grounds include a cemetery that has long been part of St. Adalbert's South Side campus. Among those buried there is Alan Kulwicki, the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup champion and a South Side Milwaukee native, whose resting place has made the cemetery a point of local interest.
- Alan Kulwicki (1992 NASCAR Winston Cup champion) is buried in the parish cemetery
- The cemetery is part of the historic St. Adalbert campus
Cultural Heritage: A 'Polish Cathedral' on Milwaukee's South Side
St. Adalbert is one of several historic Polish Catholic parishes clustered on Milwaukee's South Side, often grouped together in local histories as the city's 'Polish Cathedrals.' Originally founded as a Polish-language parish, the building's Polish-inspired Romanesque Revival architecture — including the Kraków-style bell tower and decorative brickwork — reflects the cultural identity of its founders. Although the surrounding neighborhood is now predominantly Spanish-speaking, the parish continues to celebrate its Polish heritage through the preserved 1931 church building, while embracing its present-day bilingual (English/Spanish) Catholic community.
- One of Milwaukee's historic 'Polish Cathedrals'
- Originally a Polish-language parish; now primarily Spanish-speaking
- Architectural style honors Polish heritage
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael Domachowski1908–1909
First parish priest; blessed the cornerstone on August 30, 1908 and oversaw the combined church-and-school building completed February 28, 1909. Transferred to St. Vincent de Paul Parish on September 18, 1909.
- Rev. Wacław (Wenceslaus) Kruszka1909–c.1931
Long-serving pastor who built the sisters' residence, expanded the school, introduced parish financial disclosure after the St. Josaphat crisis, and oversaw construction of the present church completed April 23, 1931. Instrumental in founding multiple daughter Polish parishes.