About St. Catherine Of Siena · Ripon, Wisconsin
St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee serving the city of Ripon, Wisconsin and the surrounding area. It was formed on July 1, 2005 from the merger of Ripon's two historic Catholic parishes — St. Patrick (founded 1883) and St. Wenceslaus (founded 1896) — and the patron saint's name was selected after parishioners voted to submit three candidates to the archbishop. The parish campus sits along East Blossom Street, with the main church at 228 E. Blossom St. and the parish office and St. Anne Chapel across the way at 218 E. Blossom St. It is led today by Parochial Administrator Fr. Chuck Wrobel with Deacon Jeff Copson, and offers weekend and weekday Mass, Saturday confession, Thursday Eucharistic adoration, faith formation for grades 1–11, a Confirmation program, and a wide network of parish organizations including the Knights of Columbus, Christian Women, Human Concerns, and the local St. Vincent de Paul conference.
- Established
- 2005
- Patron
- St. Catherine of Siena
- Rector
- Fr. Chuck Wrobel (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. Catherine of Siena is the combined faith home of Ripon's historic Catholic community, with the resources of two legacy parishes under one roof — daily and weekend Mass, Saturday confession, and weekly Thursday Eucharistic adoration with exposition. It runs a full religious education program for grades 1–11 (with First Reconciliation/First Eucharist in 2nd grade and a two-year Confirmation program for grades 10–11), an active adult formation process for those exploring Catholicism, and a deep bench of service organizations including the Knights of Columbus (Council #4877), Christian Women, Human Concerns, St. Vincent de Paul, and the Shut-In Ministry. The parish also hosts the Ripon Area Food Pantry out of its parish-center basement and live-streams Masses on Facebook for the homebound — making it both a worshiping community and a hub of outreach for the wider Ripon area.
Mass times at St. Catherine Of Siena
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM in the church (appointments outside this time available by calling the parish office)
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00–7:00 PM in the church (Adoration with exposition, following the 5:15 PM Mass)
Parish Identity & Mission
St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church identifies itself as a faith family rooted in the merged heritage of Ripon's two original Catholic parishes. Its published mission statement reads: 'We, as disciples of Jesus Christ and members of St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church of Ripon, ever grateful for our rich heritage, empowered by our common Baptism and increasingly enriched through lifelong formation and spiritual growth, proclaim the love and teachings of Christ through the sacraments, prayer, worship and service.' The parish is led by Parochial Administrator Fr. Chuck Wrobel with Deacon Jeff Copson, supported by Director of Administration and Ministry Diane Nowinski and Parish Secretary Esther Royce. A Prayer Hotline is also maintained through the parish office.
- Parochial Administrator: Fr. Chuck Wrobel (ext. 1)
- Deacon: Jeff Copson
- Director of Administration and Ministry: Diane Nowinski (ext. 2)
- Parish Secretary: Esther Royce (ext. 7)
- Prayer Hotline — coordinated through the parish office
History: From Two Parishes to One
Catholic presence in Ripon dates to 1883, when Archbishop John Martin Henni formally established St. Patrick's Parish — an Irish parish originally drawing railroad workers. In 1896, Polish and German-speaking Catholics requested a Polish-speaking priest and founded St. Wenceslaus on North Fond du Lac Street under its first pastor, Fr. Wenceslaus Kruszka. The St. Wenceslaus church burned in a 1906 mill-fire and was rebuilt in 1907. In 1922, St. Patrick's church was physically moved from Oshkosh Avenue to its present Blossom Street location; Fr. John Schmitz then built a new St. Patrick church on the same Blossom Street site in 1974. With declining priest numbers and duplication of services, parishioners themselves initiated a merger that was completed on July 1, 2005, creating the new St. Catherine of Siena Parish.
- 1883 — St. Patrick Parish founded by Archbishop John Martin Henni
- 1896 — St. Wenceslaus Parish founded (first pastor: Fr. Wenceslaus Kruszka)
- July 11, 1906 — St. Wenceslaus church destroyed by fire from a neighboring mill
- 1907 — St. Wenceslaus rebuilt and re-dedicated
- 1922 — Original St. Patrick church moved from Oshkosh Avenue to Blossom Street
- 1974 — Fr. John Schmitz builds new St. Patrick church on the Blossom Street site
- 1976 — Last Mass in old St. Patrick building (Feb. 22); first Mass in new church at Easter Vigil (Apr. 9)
- 1998 — Fr. Robert Fictum arrives as pastor of St. Wenceslaus, later pastor of both parishes
- July 1, 2005 — St. Patrick and St. Wenceslaus formally merge to form St. Catherine of Siena
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Catherine of Siena spans all ages, with the parish's stated mission that 'all who come to the St. Catherine of Siena community are able to discover God's love in their lives.' The Religious Education Program offers Wednesday-evening classes for grades 1–11, with preparation for the Sacraments of First Eucharist and First Reconciliation during the 2nd-grade year. Confirmation is a two-year program covering grades 10 and 11. Adult formation classes are also available for those interested in becoming Catholic or learning more about the faith.
- Religious Education: Wednesday-night classes for grades 1–11
- Grades 1–5 meet Wednesday afternoons 3:45–4:45 PM
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist celebrated during 2nd grade
- Confirmation: two-year program, grades 10–11 (Archdiocese of Milwaukee service requirement: 30 hours total)
- Adult formation / inquiry for those exploring the Catholic faith
- Registration and information: parish office, 920-748-2325
Confirmation Service Requirement
In line with Archdiocese of Milwaukee policy, Confirmation candidates must complete a total of 30 service hours (10 per year) across three categories: Family/Neighborhood, Parish, and Community/World Concerns. The parish distinguishes between charity (giving money or material items) and service (giving time and talent), and provides a working list of approved service opportunities for each category.
- Family/Neighborhood: babysitting, shoveling snow, raking leaves, mowing lawns, household chores, neighborhood projects
- Parish: liturgical ministries (lector, music, server, hospitality), visiting the sick/homebound with a Eucharistic Minister, fundraisers (KC/Christian Women breakfasts, Oktoberfest, Chicken Dinner, Chili Supper, Brat Frys), Religious Education helper
- Community/World: Community Café server at Father Carr's Place, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army bell ringing, Santa Club, Lions Club, Relay for Life, nursing home activities, charity walks/runs, Special Olympics, Red Cross, Diverse Options, Food Pantry
Parish Organizations
The parish maintains an active roster of organizations that welcome new members. Prayer and Worship ministries cover roles inside the liturgy — lectors, acolytes, Eucharistic ministers, cantors, musicians, sacristans, and hospitality ministers (ushers) — as well as the Shut-In Ministry that brings Communion to the homebound, sick, and elderly. Christian service and outreach are carried out through the Human Concerns Committee, Christian Women, the Knights of Columbus, and the local St. Vincent de Paul conference. The Ripon Area Food Pantry also operates out of the parish-center basement, supported by multiple area Christian churches.
- Knights of Columbus Council #4877 — Catholic men's fraternity; meets first Tuesday in the Knights' room
- Christian Women — parish fundraising through bake sales, scrip card sales, funeral committee, brat fry, Chicken Dinner, Chili Supper, Oktoberfest
- Human Concerns Committee — raises funds for Santa Club, Food Pantry, homeless shelters; hosts community Sharing Table on fifth-Tuesday months; meets first Tuesday
- St. Vincent de Paul (Ripon conference) — meets monthly at St. Catherine; provides limited rent, utility, temporary shelter, and basic-needs assistance
- Ripon Area Food Pantry — housed in the parish-center basement; weekly food distribution; volunteers purchase, stock, and pack boxes
- Shut-In Ministry — brings Communion to the homebound, sick, and elderly
Liturgical & Music Ministries
Volunteer liturgical roles are an essential part of parish life at St. Catherine of Siena. The parish regularly invites parishioners to serve in roles that support both the celebration of Mass and the wider worship life of the community.
- Acolyte — server at Mass
- Lector — reader at Mass
- Eucharistic Minister — distributes the Eucharist at Mass
- Cantor / Musician — Music Ministry
- Sacristan — replaces candles, maintains holy water fonts, waters plants, decorates the church for liturgical seasons
- Hospitality Minister (Usher)
Sacraments
Sacramental preparation is integrated into the parish's faith-formation programming, with First Reconciliation and First Eucharist received during the 2nd-grade year and Confirmation prepared for over a two-year span in grades 10–11. Reconciliation is also offered weekly on Saturdays in the church. Baptisms, marriages, and other sacraments are arranged by contacting the parish office.
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist — 2nd grade
- Confirmation — grades 10–11 (two-year program)
- Baptism — by arrangement through the parish office
- Marriage — by arrangement through the parish office
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Saturdays 3:00–3:30 PM or by appointment
Becoming a Parishioner
St. Catherine of Siena invites newcomers to register through its online Parish Registration Form. The form collects basic household information, asks about preferred language (English or Spanish are listed), and offers a menu of ministries and sacramental interests — including Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Religious Education, Faith Formation, Music Ministry, Mass Servers, Hospitality Ministers, Lectors/Readers, and Extraordinary Ministers — as well as event volunteering and sharing of personal information with parish ministries.
- New Parishioner Registration available via the parish website
- Indicate interest in specific ministries and sacraments during registration
- Contact parish office (920-748-2325) with questions
Visit, Contact & Practical Information
The parish campus is centered on East Blossom Street in Ripon. The main church — where weekend Masses, Saturday confession, and Thursday adoration take place — is at 228 E. Blossom St. The parish office and St. Anne Chapel — where some weekday morning Masses are celebrated — are directly across at 218 E. Blossom St. Office hours run mornings Monday through Friday, with extended afternoon hours on Tuesday and Thursday. The parish phone number is 920-748-2325, with staff extensions available for the pastor, Director of Administration and Ministry, and parish secretary. Mass is also live-streamed on the parish's Facebook page for the homebound and those unable to attend in person.
- Church: 228 E. Blossom St., Ripon, WI 54971
- Parish Office & St. Anne Chapel: 218 E. Blossom St., Ripon, WI 54971
- Parish Office Phone: 920-748-2325
- Office Hours: Mon, Wed, Fri 8:00 AM–12:00 PM; Tue, Thu 8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:00–4:00 PM
- Website: www.stcatofsiena.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/stcatherineripon (live-streamed Mass)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Wenceslaus Kruszka1896–
First pastor of St. Wenceslaus Parish in Ripon, well-known figure in Wisconsin's Polish Catholic community.
- Fr. John Schmitz
Built the new St. Patrick church on the Blossom Street site in 1974.
- Fr. Robert Fictum1998–
Came to St. Wenceslaus in 1998; later became pastor of both Ripon parishes and guided them through the merger into St. Catherine of Siena (2005).