About St. Anthony · Tigerton, Wisconsin
St. Anthony Catholic Church is a small, historic parish in the village of Tigerton, Wisconsin, in Shawano County. Established in 1882 (originally under the name St. Joseph) by roughly thirty Catholic families in the area, it is one of the oldest Catholic communities in this stretch of central Wisconsin and has been served by generations of Green Bay diocesan priests. Today St. Anthony is linked with St. Mary of Marion and Holy Family–St. William of Wittenberg as the 'Three Parish Catholic Family,' sharing a pastor and parish staff. The current church building, an 80-by-80-foot structure completed in 1972 with no mortgage, stands at 430 Swanke Street and is fully handicapped accessible.
- Established
- 1882
- Patron
- St. Anthony (the parish was originally named St. Joseph at founding in 1882; later rededicated under the patronage of St. Anthony)
- Rector
- Fr. Mark Rydell
- Diocese
- Diocese of Green Bay
Why belong here
St. Anthony is the heart of the Tigerton Catholic community, with deep roots going back to 1882 and a present-day church built debt-free in 1972 — a testament to generations of committed families. Because it is the central parish of the Three Parish Catholic Family (with St. Mary of Marion and Holy Family–St. William of Wittenberg), many tri-parish events are hosted right here, and the building is fully handicapped accessible. Visitors and parishioners find a welcoming schedule of weekday and Saturday Masses, regular Reconciliation, and a Wednesday-evening Religious Education program for both lower and upper grades.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:15–5:45 PM
- Saturday 3:45–4:15 PM
Parish History
Catholic life in Tigerton dates back to 1880–1881, when Father Theodore Richard of Wausau celebrated the first Mass in a log house called the Railroad House. The parish was formally established in 1882 by Father Peter Lochman (pastor of St. Rose in Clintonville) under the patronage of St. Joseph, with about thirty Catholic families. A first church was built in 1884 (20×40 feet, near Butternut St. and Highway 45), a second larger church in 1906, a rectory in 1914, and the present 80×80-foot church in 1971–72 under Father Gerard Van Nuland — opened debt-free on September 3, 1972. A bell tower with the original 1884 bell was added in 1996, and a 40×80-foot addition in 1989 became St. Joseph Hall and the three-parish office space.
- First Mass: Railroad House, 1880 (per baptismal records) or Easter 1881
- Parish founded 1882, originally as St. Joseph, by Father Peter Lochman
- First church built 1884 under Father John Seubert
- Second church built 1906 under Father Aloysius Bastian
- Rectory built 1914
- First parish hall: old Methodist Church, purchased 1925 (now a Tigerton Historical Society museum)
- Present church built 1971–72 under Father Gerard Van Nuland; first Mass September 3, 1972, no mortgage
- 1989 addition: St. Joseph Hall + three-parish office
- 1996 bell tower using the original 1884 bell
- Parish cemetery established January 15, 1894 (later incorporated into Tigerton Union Cemetery)
Religious Education & Faith Formation
Faith formation for parish children is offered on Wednesday evenings, in coordination with the broader Three Parish Catholic Family. Faith Formation is facilitated through the parish office.
- Religious Education: Wednesday evenings, 5:30 PM
- Classes for both lower and upper grades
- Faith Formation facilitated by Tammy Wendler (Office Administrator & Faith Formation Facilitator)
Parish Staff
St. Anthony shares its pastoral team with the other two parishes of the Three Parish Catholic Family. Day-to-day parish operations are coordinated through the central Three Parish Office.
- Fr. Mark Rydell — Pastor
- Deacon (parish deacon serving the three parishes)
- Tammy Wendler — Office Administrator & Faith Formation Facilitator ([email protected])
- Communications Coordinator
Three Parish Catholic Family
St. Anthony is one of three linked parishes in central Wisconsin — together with St. Mary of Marion and Holy Family–St. William of Wittenberg — sharing one pastor, one office, and a common mission. Because St. Anthony sits geographically between Marion and Wittenberg and is fully handicapped accessible, many tri-parish events are hosted at this location.
- St. Mary — Marion
- Holy Family–St. William — Wittenberg
- St. Anthony — Tigerton (central, fully accessible)
- Shared Three Parish Office
Parish Facilities & Accessibility
The parish complex combines the 1972 church with a 1989 addition that houses St. Joseph Hall and the three-parish office space. Improvements between 2012 and 2018 refreshed the hall (new blinds and flooring), added a new Reconciliation room, installed new kneeler pads and pew pads in the church, and added a new glass hall door with outside brickwork. The entire complex is fully accessible to the physically handicapped.
- Church (80×80 ft) — first Mass September 3, 1972
- St. Joseph Hall — built 1989 in the 40×80-ft addition
- Three Parish Office — same 1989 addition
- Bell tower — 1996, with the original 1884 bell
- Full handicapped accessibility throughout church and halls
Visiting & Contact
St. Anthony welcomes visitors and is a popular stop for Catholics in the Tigerton area. The parish office is staffed on weekdays (closed Mondays), and inquiries can also be made by email or phone.
- Address: PO Box 106, 430 Swanke St., Tigerton, WI 54486
- Phone: (715) 535-2571
- Office email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Three Parish Office Hours: Mon Closed; Tue/Thu/Fri 8 AM–2 PM; Wed 10 AM–5 PM
Recent Improvements (2012–2018)
Over a six-year window the parish completed a series of visible upgrades to both worship and gathering spaces, funded and accomplished by the parish community.
- New blinds and floor in the parish hall
- New Reconciliation (confessional) room
- New kneeler pads and pew pads in the church
- New glass hall door with matching outside brickwork
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Theodore Richard1880–1881
Celebrated the first Mass in Tigerton (Easter 1881) from Wausau; began preparations for a church in 1881.
- Father Peter Lochman1882 (founding)
Pastor of St. Rose Congregation, Clintonville; established the parish as St. Joseph in 1882.
- Father John Seubert1884
Pastor when the first church was erected.
- Father Aloysius Bastianearly 1900s
Urged construction of the second church, built in 1906.
- Father Gerard Van Nuland1971–1972
Pastor during construction of the present church; first Mass celebrated September 3, 1972 with no mortgage.
- Fr. Pius Cotterapprox. last 25 years
Listed among recent priests who served the parish.
- Fr. Frank Arcuriapprox. last 25 years
- Fr. Paul Fiderapprox. last 25 years
- Fr. Timon Costelloapprox. last 25 years
- Fr. Roger Strebelapprox. last 25 years
- Fr. Michael Carrollapprox. last 25 years
- Fr. Roseapprox. last 25 years
- Fr. Faustan Misakaboapprox. last 25 years
- Fr. Richard Stajnigerapprox. last 25 years
- Fr. John Girottiapprox. last 25 years
- Fr. Patrick J. Lloydapprox. last 25 years
- Fr. José Castañedaapprox. last 25 years
- Fr. Matt Settlerecent (predecessor to Fr. Rydell)
Identified on the parish St. Anthony page as the pastor at the time the history was last written.