About St. Charles Borromeo · Cassville, Wisconsin
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in the Village of Cassville, in far southwestern Wisconsin along the Mississippi River. Founded in 1852 — the same year the first Mass was celebrated in the Cassville area — it sits on a stretch of river country first seen by Father Marquette and Louis Joliet in 1673 and later evangelized by the missionary priest Blessed Father Samuel Mazzuchelli. Today the parish is one of seven churches in the St. Joseph the Worker Pastorate (Pastoral Area 1) of the Diocese of Madison, sharing its clergy with neighboring St. Mary Help of Christians in Cassville, St. Mary in Bloomington, St. John in Patch Grove, and the Potosi-area parishes.
- Established
- 1852
- Patron
- St. Charles Borromeo (Cardinal Archbishop of Milan)
- Rector
- Rev. Stephen Brunner (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Madison
Why belong here
St. Charles Borromeo is a tight-knit Mississippi-river parish with deep 1852 roots in the history of Wisconsin Catholicism, yet it remains a living community: weekday and Saturday Mass is offered regularly, confessions are heard before the Saturday Vigil Mass, the parish shares a strong pastorate-wide clergy team (three priests and a deacon) that also serves Family Faith Formation, and St. Charles Catholic School runs a Montessori program for ages 3–6 plus the 'Little Chargers' daycare. Visitors are welcomed warmly — the church itself is open seven days a week from May through October — and the parish gathers around beloved traditions like the Fall Festival, the Advent Breakfast, the rummage sale, and an annual Restoration Celebration.
Mass times at St. Charles Borromeo
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:30–4:15 PM at St. Charles, Cassville (before the 4:30 PM Vigil Mass)
History & Catholic Heritage of the Cassville Area
St. Charles Borromeo sits on land first seen by Father Marquette and Louis Joliet in 1673 and later evangelized by Blessed Father Samuel Mazzuchelli in the 1830s. Although St. Charles itself was not officially founded by Mazzuchelli, his missionary work in southwestern Wisconsin inspired the establishment of Catholic parishes along the Mississippi, including Cassville. The first Mass in the area was celebrated in 1852 and the parish was established that same year.
- 1673 — Father Marquette and Louis Joliet pass Cassville on the Mississippi
- 1830s — Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli ministers to Catholic families across southwestern Wisconsin
- 1852 — First Mass celebrated in the Cassville area
- 1852 — St. Charles Borromeo Parish established
- October 24, 2024 — Restoration Celebration marking work on the historic church
Parish Identity & Patron Saint
The parish is named for St. Charles Borromeo, the 16th-century Cardinal Archbishop of Milan whose feast day is November 4. The connection to Father Mazzuchelli is personal: Mazzuchelli's own middle name, 'Carlo,' honored St. Charles Borromeo as the patron of his native Milan — a devotion he carried with him to the New World.
- Patron: St. Charles Borromeo, Cardinal Archbishop of Milan
- Feast day: November 4
- Personal connection: Blessed Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli's middle name was 'Carlo'
St. Joseph the Worker Pastorate (Pastorate 1)
St. Charles Borromeo is one of seven parishes in the St. Joseph the Worker Pastorate, sharing clergy and resources with sister parishes across southwestern Wisconsin. From the Cassville cluster, the office at 605 E. Dewey St. (PO Box 166) also serves St. Mary Help of Christians in nearby Glen Haven.
- St. Mary Church — Bloomington, WI
- St. Charles Borromeo Church — Cassville, WI
- St. Mary Help of Christians Church — Glen Haven, WI
- St. John Church — Patch Grove, WI
- St. Clement Church — Lancaster, WI
- Ss. Andrew & Thomas Churches — Potosi, WI
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is currently shepherded by a Parochial Administrator and two Parochial Vicars who rotate through the seven churches of the pastorate, with a deacon assisting in pastoral ministry. The Cassville office is staffed by a parish secretary, and the broader pastorate employs a Director of Evangelization.
- Rev. Stephen Brunner — Parochial Administrator (608-723-4990, [email protected])
- Rev. Mark Miller — Parochial Vicar (608-723-4990, [email protected])
- Rev. Sudhakar Reddy Devarapu — Parochial Vicar (608-723-4990, [email protected])
- Deacon Roger Scholbrock — Pastoral Minister (608-723-4990 or 563-542-5519)
- Ms. Leigh Boorn — Director of Evangelization
- Mrs. Cheryl Junk — Secretary (Cassville office, 608-725-5595, [email protected])
Parish Council (2025)
The Parish Council represents the lay faithful of St. Charles Borromeo in guiding parish life.
- Denny Uppena
- Judy Adrian
- Suzanne Brinkman
- Agnes Hughes
- Isaac Okey
- Gina Kartman
- Cliff Tennessen
- Joe Uppena
St. Charles Catholic School & Early Childhood
St. Charles Catholic School serves families in the Cassville area with full-day and optional half-day schedules, plus a Montessori program for ages 3–6 and the 'Little Chargers' daycare with wrap-around care before and after school. Enrollment and registration information is handled through Cheryl at the parish office.
- St. Charles Catholic School (Cassville)
- Montessori program for ages 3–6
- Full-day and optional half-day preschool/elementary schedules
- Little Chargers Daycare with before- and after-school wrap-around care
- Contact: Cheryl at 608-725-5173 or [email protected]
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
Through Family Faith Formation, St. Charles partners with Ss. Andrew-Thomas to host monthly religious-education nights. The evening begins with a family meal, followed by lessons for parents and grade-level classes — including First Reconciliation / First Communion prep for second graders and a separate track for 7th and 8th graders led by Fr. Steve.
- Family Faith Formation — first Wednesday of the month, 6:00–7:30 PM (meal included)
- First Reconciliation / First Communion preparation (Grade 2) — taught by Fr. Sudhakar
- Middle-school track (Grades 7–8) — taught by Fr. Steve with a separate curriculum
- Parents equipped by Fr. Mark to hand on the faith at home ('Domestic Church')
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments, with preparation programs available through the St. Joseph the Worker Pastorate.
- Baptism — contact the parish office to schedule and attend a baptismal preparation session
- Confirmation
- Eucharist (First Holy Communion)
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Holy Orders
- Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:30–4:15 PM at St. Charles
- Anointing of the Sick — call 608-723-4990 in a sacramental emergency
Parish Life, Festivals & Community Outreach
St. Charles Borromeo is known for its warm, traditional parish life — including a Fall Festival, rummage sale, Advent Breakfast, and an annual Restoration Celebration on the historic church. The parish also participates in hands-on community service projects such as the community beef-canning day at the school kitchen.
- St. Charles Fall Festival
- St. Charles Rummage Sale (late October)
- Advent Breakfast (first Sunday in December)
- Christmas in Cassville (Saturday after Thanksgiving)
- Restoration Celebration (October 24, 2024)
- Community beef-canning day at St. Charles School kitchen
Visiting & Contact
St. Charles Borromeo welcomes visitors. The church is open seven days a week from May through October, 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM. The parish office is at 605 E. Dewey St., PO Box 166, Cassville, WI 53806; office hours vary, so callers are asked to phone ahead.
- Address: 605 E. Dewey St., PO Box 166, Cassville, WI 53806
- Phone: (608) 725-5595
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.swwicatholicparishes.com/ (also https://stjworkerparish.com/st-charles)
- Open to visitors May–October, 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM, seven days a week