About St. Augustine of Hippo Catholic Church · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
St. Augustine of Hippo is a Roman Catholic parish in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, founded in 1887–1888 to serve the area's growing German immigrant community. The parish is one of the oldest Catholic congregations on Milwaukee's South Side and is today part of the South Shore Catholic Parishes, a collaborative cluster of six parishes sharing clergy and staff across Bay View, Cudahy, and St. Francis. The current Romanesque Revival church, designed by the prominent Milwaukee firm Brust & Philipp, was dedicated in 1908 and remains the spiritual home of a community that has celebrated more than 8,600 Baptisms, 5,700 Confirmations, 2,800 weddings, and 3,000 funerals over its 130+ year history.
- Established
- 1887 (parish organized); 1888 (first pastor appointed, first Mass celebrated, church consecrated); 1908 (current church dedicated)
- Patron
- St. Augustine of Hippo
- Rector
- Rev. Edward (Eduardo) Sanchez
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Milwaukee (Archdiocese of Milwaukee)
Why belong here
St. Augustine of Hippo offers the warmth of a more than 130-year-old parish community in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood, with a beautiful 1908 Romanesque Revival church where the same bells blessed in 1914 still ring over the city. As part of the South Shore Catholic Parishes, the parish shares two dedicated priests across six South Shore churches, meaning the faithful can worship at any of the cluster's daily and weekend Masses. With ministries in faith formation, shared music and worship leadership, charitable outreach, and sacramental preparation, plus a deep German-Catholic heritage preserved in its annual Oktoberfest, St. Augustine is a place where new and longtime parishioners alike are welcomed into a true community of refuge and spiritual growth.
Mass times at St. Augustine of Hippo Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Fridays after the 8:15 am Mass (approx. 8:45 am) at St. Augustine
- By appointment with one of the South Shore pastors
Parish History
St. Augustine of Hippo was organized in 1887 by Bay View's German-speaking Catholic families, who had previously had to travel to St. Anthony, Holy Trinity, Sacred Heart, or St. Stephen's for a German sermon. Father Peter Schumacher was appointed by the Archbishop on February 7, 1888 to lead the new parish; the first Mass was celebrated on August 25, 1888, and Archbishop Heiss consecrated the original combined church-and-school on September 23, 1888. A second, larger Romanesque Revival church — designed by Brust & Philipp and built for under $36,000 — was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1908, and remains the parish's home. Over 130+ years, the parish has celebrated more than 8,600 Baptisms, 5,700 Confirmations, 2,800 weddings, and 3,000 funerals.
- 1887 — Informal founding meeting in August Hermes' hardware store; 47 families organize
- February 7, 1888 — Father Peter Schumacher appointed first pastor
- August 25, 1888 — First Mass celebrated on a portable altar in the church/school building
- September 23, 1888 — Archbishop Heiss consecrates the original church
- 1906 — Decision to build a separate, larger church; budget set at $36,000
- April 12, 1908 (Palm Sunday) — Cornerstone of the current church laid
- November 26, 1908 (Thanksgiving Day) — Archbishop Messmer dedicates the new Romanesque Revival church
- 1910 — First pipe organ installed
- June 6, 1914 — Three bells blessed: 'Mary and Augustine,' 'Joseph,' and 'Peter'
- 1965 — Liturgy changes from Latin to English after Vatican II
- 1973 — Parish peaks at 5,000 parishioners from 1,300 families
- 1986 — Major renovation: altar moved forward, side pews turned, kneelers and communion rails removed
- 2000 — School merges with Immaculate Conception into St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Academy
- 2008 / 2018-present — Parish joins the South Shore Catholic Parishes collaborative
Architecture & Building
The current church is a Romanesque Revival building designed by the Brust & Philipp firm, with Peter Brust as the lead architect. Built in 1907–1908, the structure features stained glass windows, a large pipe organ (installed 1999), a main altar and side altars (the side altars donated by the Christ Noll family in 1922), and a prominent steeple tower that received working clock mechanisms in 2006 and was first illuminated at night in 2007. The three bronze bells blessed in 1914 still ring over the Bay View neighborhood. The parish has also opened its doors for Doors Open Milwaukee so visitors can experience the architecture and German heritage of the building.
- Style: Romanesque Revival
- Architect: Brust & Philipp (Peter Brust)
- Original budget: $36,000 (1906)
- Stained glass windows donated in the early 20th century
- Side altars donated by the Christ Noll family in July 1922
- Main altar donated October 1935
- Three bells (1914): 'Mary and Augustine,' 'Joseph,' 'Peter' — still ringing today
South Shore Catholic Parishes (Cluster)
St. Augustine of Hippo is one of six parishes in the South Shore Catholic Parishes collaborative, which serves the Catholic communities of Bay View, Cudahy, and St. Francis. The cluster includes Immaculate Conception, Nativity of the Lord, Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Paul, and St. Veronica. Two priests are shared across the six parishes, and the collaborative also shares a Director of Worship, a Director of Music, a Director of Formation, a Director of Administration, a Director of Facilities, a Communications Coordinator, and a Finance Officer. Weekend collection envelopes may be placed in any parish basket in the cluster and will be routed to the correct parish.
- Immaculate Conception (Bay View)
- Nativity of the Lord (Bay View)
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (St. Francis)
- St. Augustine of Hippo (Bay View — this parish)
- St. Paul (South Milwaukee)
- St. Veronica (Bay View / Cudahy area)
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by Fr. Edward (Eduardo) Sanchez, who ministers to the communities of St. Augustine of Hippo, Immaculate Conception, and Sacred Heart of Jesus within the South Shore Catholic Parishes. Fr. Michael Courchaine serves as Associate Pastor of the South Shore Catholic Parishes, and Fr. Carmelo Giuffre is the cluster's pastor. Day-to-day parish operations are supported by a shared team that includes a Director of Administration, a Director of Formation (Joshua Moore), a Director of Music (Del Kahlstorf), a Director of Worship (Paul Weisenberger), a Communications Coordinator (Bruna Antonson), and a Finance Officer (Chris Stemwell).
- Rev. Edward (Eduardo) Sanchez — Pastor, St. Augustine of Hippo (and Immaculate Conception / Sacred Heart of Jesus)
- Rev. Michael Courchaine — Associate Pastor, South Shore Catholic Parishes
- Rev. Carmelo Giuffre — Pastor, South Shore Catholic Parishes
- Paul Weisenberger — Shared Director of Worship
- Joshua Moore — Shared Director of Formation
- Del Kahlstorf — Shared Director of Music
- Kim Mueller — Shared Director of Administration
- Chris Stemwell — Finance Officer
- Bruna Antonson — Shared Communications Coordinator
- Joe Laska — Shared Director of Facilities
- Carlos Ortega — Shared Facilities Co-Director
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation for the parish is provided through the shared South Shore Catholic Parishes program, coordinated by Director of Formation Joshua Moore. Children typically prepare for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist in Grade 2, and for Confirmation in Grade 11. Religious education is available both in person and through home study for grades 1–11. The collaborative also offers adult faith formation, including preparation for Catholic initiation and adult confirmation, and sacramental preparation sessions that bring parents and children together in the fall before First Reconciliation.
- Religious Education available in person or by home study (Grades 1–11)
- First Reconciliation preparation in Grade 2 (fall sessions for parents and children)
- First Eucharist typically in Grade 2
- Confirmation preparation in Grade 11
- Adult Initiation / RCIA-style programs and adult confirmation preparation
- Sports participation through St. Thomas Aquinas Academy for parish youth in Grades 1–8
Worship & Music
Liturgy and music at St. Augustine of Hippo are coordinated within the South Shore Catholic Parishes cluster, with Paul Weisenberger serving as Shared Director of Worship and Del Kahlstorf as Shared Director of Music. The parish's current large pipe organ was installed in 1999, replacing the original 1910 instrument. The parish's mission statement emphasizes nurturing relationships with God through liturgy and prayer, and the building itself — with its 1908 Romanesque Revival design, stained glass, and 1914 bells — remains a striking setting for worship.
- Shared Director of Worship: Paul Weisenberger
- Shared Director of Music: Del Kahlstorf
- Current pipe organ installed in 1999 (replacing the 1910 original)
- Three bronze bells (1914) still in active use
Outreach & Parish Mission
St. Augustine describes itself as a Catholic Christian community, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that endeavors to make the parish 'a place of refuge and spiritual growth.' The parish supports 'brothers and sisters who may be hurting spiritually, physically, emotionally, or financially,' and seeks to nurture relationships with God, self, and others through liturgy, prayer, and action. Members are invited to share their talents, time, and treasure in service of the parish's growth. The parish also maintains a strong connection to its German Catholic roots through an annual Oktoberfest celebration.
- Mission: 'a place of refuge and spiritual growth'
- Pastoral care for those 'hurting spiritually, physically, emotionally, or financially'
- Annual Oktoberfest celebrating the parish's German Catholic heritage
- Doors Open Milwaukee participation to share parish history and architecture
- Shared communications and giving across the South Shore Catholic Parishes
Visiting & Contact
St. Augustine of Hippo is located at 2530 S Howell Avenue in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood (ZIP 53207). The parish phone number is 414-744-0808, and the parish email is [email protected]. Because St. Augustine is part of the South Shore Catholic Parishes collaborative, visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed at any of the six South Shore churches for daily and weekend Masses, reconciliation, weddings, funerals, and other sacramental needs.
- Address: 2530 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207
- Phone: 414-744-0808
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.staugies.org/
- Cluster website: https://www.southshorecatholic.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Peter Schumacher1888 – first pastor
Appointed by the Archbishop on February 7, 1888, to organize the new German-speaking parish; oversaw construction of the combined church-and-school building, its consecration by Archbishop Heiss on September 23, 1888, and the opening of the school with 80 pupils.