About St. Anne · Somerset, Wisconsin
St. Anne Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 141 Church Hill Road in Somerset, Wisconsin, serving the village of Somerset and surrounding communities in St. Croix County. As part of the Diocese of Superior, St. Anne is one of three parishes in the Somerset Cluster (Three Parish Family), joined with St. Joseph in Farmington and Assumption of the BVM in Osceola. The parish offers daily and Sunday Mass in English, regular confession, perpetual-style Eucharistic Adoration in its chapel, and a robust faith-formation program that includes Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, K-10 classes, Youth Group, and Confirmation preparation.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- St. Anne
- Rector
- Very Rev. John Gerritts (Supervising Pastor)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Superior
Why belong here
St. Anne offers a faithful Catholic home rooted in over 170 years of Somerset history, with daily Mass, two Sunday Masses, Saturday Vigil Mass, and a chapel dedicated to Eucharistic Adoration several days a week. Families grow together through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, K-10 Faith Formation, Youth Group, Confirmation preparation, and parish-school partnership, while adults are served through Bible studies, small groups, and lecture series. As part of the Three Parish Family with St. Joseph and Assumption of the BVM, St. Anne combines small-parish warmth with the broader resources of a clustered Catholic community in the Diocese of Superior.
Mass times at St. Anne
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM (St. Anne)
- Saturday: 4:15 PM – 4:40 PM (St. Anne)
- By appointment — call Fr. Joseph at 715-371-1235
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 5:30 PM (in the Chapel)
- Wednesday: 9:00 AM (in the Church)
- Thursday: 7:30 AM (in the Chapel)
- Friday: 7:30 AM (in the Chapel)
- Thursday before First Friday: 9:00 AM – 11:55 PM (overnight until Friday 8:00 AM in the Chapel, ending with Benediction)
Parish History
Catholic life in Somerset traces to the early 1850s, when French-Canadian homesteaders like Joseph and Louis Parent settled the bluffs above the Apple River. Traveling priests celebrated Mass in homes, and in 1856 the community built a log-cabin church called St. Joseph. Renamed St. Vincent de Paul in 1864 and placed under the patronage of St. Anne in 1898, the parish grew steadily — building a brick church in 1875, a school in 1890, and the present church in 1916. Major campus milestones include the 1908 school and convent staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Crookston, a new school in 1957, a 2003 church-rectory gathering addition dedicated by Bishop Raphael M. Fliss, and a 2024 interior remodel.
- 1856 — log-cabin church built (originally called St. Joseph)
- 1864 — renamed St. Vincent de Paul by Fr. Nicholas Stehle
- 1873 — Fr. Henry Wirtz becomes first resident pastor
- 1875 — brick church completed overlooking the Apple River
- 1890 — parish school opens ($2,600)
- 1898 — placed under patronage of St. Anne by Bishop James Schwebach
- 1908 — three-story school and convent opens (Sisters of St. Joseph, Crookston)
- 1916 — present-day church constructed
- 1957 — new school opens (263 students)
- 1998 — farewell celebration for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Crookston
- 2003 — church-rectory addition dedicated by Bishop Fliss
- 2024 — major interior remodel completed
Clergy & Staff
St. Anne is supervised by Very Rev. John Gerritts of the Diocese of Superior, with Fr. Jojappa (Joseph) Madanu serving as Sacramental Minister and Parish Life Coordinator and Fr. John Drummy as Resident Priest. Five deacons serve the parish and the wider Somerset Cluster, including Dcn. Larry Amell, Dcn. Tom Rausch, Dcn. Jeff Mason, Dcn. Robin Major, and Dcn. Edward Colosky.
- Very Rev. John Gerritts — Supervising Pastor
- Rev. Jojappa (Joseph) Madanu — Sacramental Minister / Parish Life Coordinator
- Fr. John Drummy — Resident Priest
- Dcn. Larry Amell
- Dcn. Tom Rausch
- Dcn. Jeff Mason
- Dcn. Robin Major
- Dcn. Edward Colosky
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Anne welcomes students from kindergarten through Grade 10, alongside the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) atrium program for ages 3 through Kindergarten and sacramental preparation tracks. Families may attend formation at any of the Three Parish Family locations. The 2026-2027 registration window opens April 29, 2026.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — Ages 3 through Kindergarten; Level 1 offered Wednesdays 6:00-7:30 PM or Fridays 8:15-9:45 AM
- Faith Formation Grades 1-5 — Sundays 9:00-10:15 AM at St. Anne
- Faith Formation Grades 6-10 — Wednesdays 7:00-8:30 PM
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Eucharist — preparation begins Grade 1, celebrated in Grade 2; $25 materials fee
- Confirmation — Grade 11, Wednesdays 7:00-8:30 PM; no registration cost
- Cost: $80 per child / $240 max per family; sacramental preparation classes are free
- Registration window April 29, 2026 – August 28, 2026
Youth Ministry
The parish Youth Group is open to students entering Grades 6 through 12 and meets Wednesday evenings with dinner provided. Activities include an annual mission trip, dinner-and-a-show nights, service projects, a high school discipleship weekend, and Extreme Faith Camp.
- Open to all students entering Grades 6-12
- Meets Wednesdays 5:30 – 7:00 PM (dinner provided)
- Annual Mission Trip
- High School Discipleship Weekend
- Extreme Faith Camp
- Service projects and fellowship nights
- Contact: Ben & Rachel Schmitt (St. Anne location)
Adult Formation
Adult Formation is shared across the Three Parish Family and typically offers lecture series, Bible studies, small-group discussions, and adult-youth gatherings. Programming is announced via the parish Facebook page and website.
- Lecture series
- Bible studies
- Small group discussions
- Adult-Youth gatherings
- Contact: Bernadette Gockowski — [email protected]
Three Parish Family (Cluster)
St. Anne in Somerset, St. Joseph in Farmington, and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Osceola together form the Three Parish Family — a unified cluster of parishes combining their resources to serve Somerset, Farmington, and Osceola in western Wisconsin. Faith Formation, Youth Group, and Adult Formation are coordinated across all three sites, and families may attend programs at whichever location fits their schedule.
- St. Anne — Somerset, WI
- St. Joseph — Farmington, WI
- Assumption of the BVM — Osceola, WI
- Cluster-wide Faith Formation, Youth Group, and Adult Formation
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone at 715-247-3310 or by email at [email protected]. The mailing address is PO Box 9, Somerset, WI 54025. The church is located at 141 Church Hill Road, on the east side of the Apple River in the Village of Somerset.
- Phone: 715-247-3310
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing: PO Box 9, Somerset, WI 54025
- Church: 141 Church Hill Rd., Somerset, WI 54025
- Website: https://stannesomerset.org
- Facebook: StAnneSomersetWI
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Nicholas Stehle (of Hudson)1864
Renamed the log-cabin parish from St. Joseph to St. Vincent de Paul.
- Fr. Henry Wirtz1873
First resident pastor; built the 1875 brick church on the east side of the Apple River.
- Fr. John Rivard1956
Purchased land across the highway for a new school; opened August 20, 1957 with 263 students.