About St. Boniface · Chetek, Wisconsin
St. Boniface Catholic Church is a historic parish in the small lake-country city of Chetek, Wisconsin (Barron County), part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior. Founded in 1880 by Polish and other European immigrant families, it is one of the four parishes that today form the 'SSPBAndJ' Catholic Cluster together with St. Peter in Cameron, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (ABVM) in Strickland, and St. Joseph in Barron. The parish gathers at 419 Third Street in downtown Chetek for Sunday Mass at 10:30 a.m. and a Thursday morning Mass, and is known for its active Council of Catholic Women, outdoor Polka Mass, and signature Feast of St. Boniface Pie & Ice Cream Social.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- St. Boniface (Boniface of Mainz, patron of Germany and apostle of the Germans)
- Rector
- Very Rev. John R. Gerritts (Supervising Pastor)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Superior
Why belong here
St. Boniface is a small, close-knit parish in downtown Chetek where Sunday Mass at 10:30 a.m. and Thursday morning Mass anchor the week, and Eucharistic Adoration follows the Thursday Mass from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. The parish runs a deep bench of ministries — Council of Catholic Women, Knights of Columbus Council #6754, altar servers, lectors, choir, rosary group, bereavement and Family Promise outreach, an Ave Maria religious gift shop, and children's/youth faith formation — so newcomers can find a place to serve quickly. Distinctive traditions such as the Outdoor Polka Mass, the Feast of St. Boniface Pie & Ice Cream Social, and the 'One Nation Under God' Liberty Fest weekend make it a parish that warmly reaches beyond its own walls.
Mass times at St. Boniface
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 8:00–8:30 AM (30 minutes before the weekday Mass at St. Boniface)
- By appointment through the cluster parish office (715-637-3255)
- Lenten communal Reconciliation at 9:15 AM at St. Boniface on scheduled Lenten days
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (immediately following the 8:30 AM Mass at St. Boniface, Chetek)
- First Friday of the month 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM at St. Peter, Cameron (cluster-wide)
- Wednesdays 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM at St. Joseph, Barron (cluster-wide)
History of St. Boniface Parish
The parish traces its roots to the late 1870s, when Catholic families in the young lumber settlement of Chetek gathered for Mass in the home of John Kleve, served by Father J. Dole of Our Lady of Lourdes in nearby Dobie. In 1880 the society purchased a former schoolhouse on two acres of land for $650 — it took fourteen years to pay off — and the parish was formally incorporated in 1881 and named Church of St. Boniface by Father Baker. By 1899 the congregation had grown to roughly 20 families, recorded as entirely Polish. A brick parsonage was added in the early 1910s, and by 1918 the pastor was Rev. W. Tabencki, who also served the Barron and Cameron missions. Today the parish is part of the four-church SSPBAndJ Catholic Cluster serving rural Barron County in the Diocese of Superior.
- 1880: Society buys former schoolhouse and 2 acres for $650
- 1881: Incorporated as 'Church of St. Boniface' by Father Baker
- 1899: ~20 families, all Polish
- Early 1910s: Brick parsonage built (~$2,000)
- 1918: Rev. W. Tabencki becomes pastor, also serving Barron and Cameron
Cluster of Parishes (SSPBAndJ)
St. Boniface no longer stands alone. It is one of four parishes in the SSPBAndJ Catholic Cluster, which shares priests, faith-formation programs, and sacramental ministry across the small towns of Barron County. The cluster is led by Very Rev. John R. Gerritts as Supervising Pastor, with Rev. Mariadas Vallabhaneni serving as Sacramental Minister and Patricia Gerber as Parish Director.
- St. Peter — 1618 20th St, Cameron (Sunday 8:30 AM)
- St. Boniface — 419 3rd St, Chetek (Sunday 10:30 AM)
- ABVM (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) — W16431 Old Hwy 14, Strickland (Saturday 4:00 PM)
- St. Joseph — 827 E LaSalle Ave, Barron (Saturday 6:00 PM)
Sacraments
The cluster parish office (715-637-3255) coordinates all sacramental preparation. Anointing of the Sick is available by calling the office, with a priest on call 24 hours a day for emergencies. The parish asks families to notify the office when a loved one is hospitalized so the person can be added to the prayer list and visited when possible.
- Baptism (with preparation)
- First Communion & Confirmation (via Faith Formation)
- Marriage (preparation required)
- Anointing of the Sick (call 715-637-3255; priest on call 24/7)
- Reconciliation: Thursday 8:00–8:30 AM, plus Advent/Lenten communal services
- RCIA for adults seeking full initiation
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children's Faith Formation, Youth Faith Formation, RCIA, Vacation Bible School, and adult 'Catholic Focus' sessions are all coordinated at the cluster level. The 'Prayer & Play' group for moms, caregivers, and little children meets every other Wednesday at 9:30 AM and is a popular entry point for young families. Online registration is available through the cluster website.
- Children's Faith Formation
- Youth Faith Formation
- Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
- Vacation Bible School
- Catholic Focus (adult formation)
- Prayer & Play (moms & kids, every other Wednesday 9:30 AM)
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Boniface runs a deep bench of parish ministries organized into Formation, Hospitality, Prayer, and Service groups. A 2023 Ministries Booklet lists more than twenty active groups, ranging from liturgical roles (altar servers, lectors, sacristans, choirs, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion) to outreach (Bereavement, Family Promise, 250 Works of Mercy) and parish life (Greeters, Ushers, Parish Welcoming).
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW) — first Wednesday of each month
- Knights of Columbus Council #6754 — second Tuesday monthly
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Choirs & Musicians (including Schola for special Masses)
- Sacristans, Greeters & Ushers, Parish Welcoming
- Bereavement Ministry, Family Promise, Parish Life
- Rosary Prayer Group
- Altar Society, Groundskeeping / Lawn Mowing
- Ave Maria Shop (volunteer-run religious gift shop, open after Mass)
Council of Catholic Women (CCW)
The St. Boniface Council of Catholic Women is one of the most visible lay organizations in the parish, with monthly meetings (typically the first Wednesday, September through May) and a long calendar of fundraisers, service projects, and social events. The CCW runs the annual Lenten Soup Luncheons, hosts a Mother/Daughter Banquet in May, and donates generously to local charities. Activities listed in their materials include Barren Tree, Mardi Gras pancake supper, Easter egg hunt, nursing home birthday party, spiritually adopting a seminarian, and 'Roses for Babies'.
- Monthly meeting first Wednesday, 9:00 AM
- Lenten Soup Luncheons (Wednesdays in Lent, freewill offering)
- Mother/Daughter Banquet (May)
- Supports Light the Way Fund, St. Vincent de Paul, and other local charities
Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus Council #6754 serves the entire SSPBAndJ cluster and meets the second Tuesday of each month. The council is active in faith, family, and community programs across Chetek and the surrounding area.
Signature Events & Traditions
St. Boniface is known for several distinctive traditions that blend its Polish-Catholic roots with active evangelization. The Outdoor Polka Mass each summer draws a crowd with polka dancing, pulled pork plates, and raffles. The Feast of St. Boniface Pie & Ice Cream Social marks the patron's June 5 feast day. Every July, the parish hosts the multi-day 'One Nation Under God' celebration during Chetek's Liberty Fest, featuring 24 hours of Eucharistic Adoration, 12 hours of Reconciliation, a sung High Mass with a men's Schola choir, an ice cream social, fair-food concessions, and a 250 Works of Mercy donation drive benefiting St. Vincent de Paul, ClaraVita Medical, and area food pantries.
- Outdoor Polka Mass + Polka Dance, Picnic & Raffles (summer)
- Feast of St. Boniface Pie & Ice Cream Social (around June 5)
- 'One Nation Under God' Liberty Fest weekend (July 3–5)
- Mother/Daughter Banquet (May)
- Vacation Bible School and Religious Education Finale
St. Boniface Cemetery
The St. Boniface Cemetery in Chetek is documented on the Barron County WIGenWeb Project as part of the parish's historic grounds, reflecting the parish's long-standing role as a center of Catholic life in the community since 1880.
Getting Involved & Contact
Newcomers and visitors are welcomed with the message 'You belong here!' Anyone interested in joining a ministry, registering for Faith Formation, or arranging a sacrament can call the cluster parish office at 715-637-3255 or email [email protected]. The parish office mailing address is 827 E. LaSalle Ave., Barron, WI 54812, while Mass at St. Boniface is celebrated at 419 3rd Street, Chetek, WI 54728.
- Cluster office phone: 715-637-3255
- St. Boniface direct line: 715-924-3514
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing: 827 E. LaSalle Ave., Barron, WI 54812
- Worship: 419 3rd Street, Chetek, WI 54728
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father J. Dolepre-1880
Missionary from Our Lady of Lourdes, Dobie; first to celebrate Mass in the Kleve home.
- Father Bakercirca 1881
Incorporated the society and named it Church of St. Boniface.
- Rev. W. Tabenckifrom February 1918
Also served the Catholic churches at Barron and Cameron (per 1920 county history).