About St. Columbkille · Columbus, Wisconsin
St. Columbkille is a small Catholic parish set in the rural Dodge County township of Elba, just outside Columbus, Wisconsin. Founded in 1850 by Irish immigrant Fr. James D. Roche, it is the middle link of the Western Dodge County Catholic Churches, sharing pastoral ministry with St. John the Baptist in Clyman and Holy Family in Reeseville. The parish's current church was built and dedicated in 1965 and renovated in 1994, and it sits across the road from working farmland — a setting the community describes as 'literally in the middle of a cornfield.' The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and continues to thrive as a close-knit, family-oriented, volunteer-driven rural congregation.
- Established
- 1850
- Patron
- St. Columbkille
- Rector
- Fr. Will Arnold
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. Columbkille is one of the youngest per-capita parishes in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, with roughly a quarter of its 100–110 Sunday attendees being children or teenagers. The community runs on strong women's and men's groups, deep family involvement, and a volunteer-driven approach to ministry and maintenance. Rooted in 1850 but anchored by a 1965 church set in the rolling Dodge County countryside, the parish offers a traditional, family-oriented Catholic home that is also actively engaged in international mission work and the New Evangelization.
Mass times at St. Columbkille
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday evenings during the 6 pm Adoration hour at St. Columbkille
- Saturday mornings 9:30–10:30 am at St. John the Baptist, Clyman
- By special request through the Tri-Parish Office
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00 pm (preceding 7:00 pm Mass) at St. Columbkille
History of St. Columbkille
St. Columbkille was founded in 1850 by Fr. James D. Roche, an Irish immigrant priest whose family roots still run through the parish. The original church was completed in 1857 under Fr. Martin Kundig. In 1893 Elba became a mission of St. Jerome's in Columbus, and in 1906 it became a mission of Holy Family in Reeseville. The present-day church was built and dedicated in 1965 under Fr. Vale Rykoski, and a 1994 renovation was made possible by a gift from former parishioners Ed and Agnes Bolger. The early congregation was mostly made up of farming families; the nearby Yeager Mill in Danville once ground rye flour for the community. Since 1999 the parish has been formally part of the tri-parishes of Clyman, Elba and Reeseville, sharing a pastor while retaining its own identity.
- Founded 1850 by Fr. James D. Roche
- Original church completed 1857 under Fr. Martin Kundig
- Mission of St. Jerome, Columbus from 1893; mission of Holy Family, Reeseville from 1906
- Present church dedicated 1965 under Fr. Vale Rykoski
- Renovated 1994 through Ed and Agnes Bolger
- Joined tri-parishes in 1999 under Fr. John Simon
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation for students in Grades 5 through 10 meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:15 to 7:30 pm in the Tri-Parishes Center. Families register through the Tri-Parish Office and notify the office if a student will be absent.
- Faith Formation Grades 5–10
- Wednesdays 6:15–7:30 pm in the Tri-Parishes Center
- Register through the Tri-Parish Office at (920) 927-3102 or [email protected]
Pastoral Care & Sacrament of the Sick
The parish operates a robust Pastoral Care ministry that brings the Eucharist, prayer services, communion services, and personal visits to homebound parishioners, those in assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and hospitals. The ministry ensures that members who cannot attend Mass remain connected to the parish community. Spiritual direction is also available for those wishing to deepen their relationship with God. For emergency anointing of the sick, parishioners are encouraged to call the Tri-Parish Office.
- Communion visits to the homebound
- Prayer and communion services at nursing homes and assisted living facilities
- Hospital visits
- Spiritual direction
- Emergency Anointing of the Sick via the Tri-Parish Office (920) 927-3102
Parish Community & Groups
St. Columbkille describes itself as a 'three-small-parishes' family that relies mostly on volunteer work for both ministry and maintenance. The parish has a strong women's group, a strong men's group, and a great deal of parish pride. The tri-parishes' shared mission statement reads: 'Wherever you are on your faith journey, the communities of Clyman, Elba and Reeseville welcome you to our three parishes… Orthodox in our Roman Catholic faith, we seek to creatively serve the New Evangelization, by bringing the unchurched in our community to Christ.'
- Women's group
- Men's group
- Tri-Parishes volunteer model
- Active interest in international mission work
- Commitment to the New Evangelization
Tri-Parish Office & Contact
The three parishes share a single administrative office, based at 302 Prairie Street in Reeseville. Office hours include Tuesday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm and Wednesday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. The same phone number (920) 927-3102 and fax (920) 927-1970 serve all three parishes.
- Tri-Parish Office: PO Box 277, 302 Prairie Street, Reeseville, WI 53579
- Phone: (920) 927-3102
- Fax: (920) 927-1970
- Office hours: Tue 9–3, Wed 9–5
- Office email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James D. Roche1850–
Irish immigrant founder of St. Columbkille; distant relative of longtime parishioner Joe Roche.
- Fr. Martin Kundig
Completed the original church building in 1857.
- Fr. Vale Rykoski
Pastor who built and dedicated the present-day church in 1965.
- Fr. John Simon1999–
Led the formation of the tri-parishes of Clyman, Elba and Reeseville sharing a single pastor.
- Fr. Michael Erwin
Earlier pastor of the tri-parishes; also served St. Katharine Drexel in Beaver Dam.