About St. Dominic · Brookfield, Wisconsin
St. Dominic Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish located at 18255 W. Capitol Drive in Brookfield, Wisconsin, within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. It traces its roots to 1842, when Irish Catholic families in the Townships of Brookfield and Menomonee gathered in log cabins on local farms to celebrate the Eucharist around a 20-family enclave identified by missionary priest Rev. Martin Kundig. Originally a mission of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee, it became a parish in its own right on June 26, 1956 under Archbishop Albert G. Meyer. Today St. Dominic operates a parish school (K3-8), an extensive discipleship and formation program for all ages, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, music ministry, and outreach through hospitality, prayer and service teams, all gathered under the mission statement, 'To seek Christ, know Christ, and become Christ, each one for the sake of all.'
- Established
- 1842 (as a mission); established as a parish June 26, 1956
- Patron
- St. Dominic (de Guzmán, founder of the Order of Preachers)
- Rector
- Rev. Dennis J. Saran
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. Dominic welcomes visitors as a 'community of faith seeking hope, forgiveness, meaning, grace — seeking Christ,' with a place to belong, grow and serve. Members shape the parish through a robust Discipleship & Formation program — Children (K3–Grade 5), Middle School Edge, High School Life Teen, Adult Confirmation, OCIA (formerly RCIA), and Small Groups — alongside vibrant Prayer & Worship life, including weekly Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration (1:00–7:30 PM), an Adult Choir and cantors, a 40 Hours of Adoration annual devotion, and active rosary groups. Outreach flows through Servant Helpers, Pastoral Care, Music Ministry and a parish school that has educated local Catholics since 1959, while the parish's border location between Brookfield, Menomonee Falls, Pewaukee, Milwaukee and Wauwatosa creates what Fr. Saran calls 'a very diverse group of people.'
Mass times at St. Dominic
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 – 4:00 PM in the chapel
Adoration times
- Tuesdays: 1:00 – 7:30 PM (private adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
- 40 Hours of Adoration: annual multi-day devotion (e.g., March 20–23, 2025) with extended hours open to all
Our Parish Story — 1842 to Today
St. Dominic's story stretches from 1842 Irish Catholic gatherings in log cabins on Brookfield and Templeton farms, through 114 years of mission status (served successively from St. John's Cathedral, St. James in Lannon, and St. Agnes in Butler), to formal establishment as a parish on June 26, 1956 under Archbishop Albert G. Meyer. The original 'Marcy Church,' a small lannon-stone frame building seating about 200, was likely the first Catholic church in Waukesha County. After World War II, suburban migration from Milwaukee swelled the community, leading to the 1956 founding under Fr. Edward Grohall, the 1959 dedication of church and school, the 1981 Silver Jubilee in the new octagonal lannon-stone church, and the 2018 installation of the parish's fifth pastor, Fr. Dennis Saran.
- 1842: Irish Catholics gather on Brogan and Clarey farms; Rev. Martin Kundig identifies St. Dominic as a 20-family enclave in the Town of Marcy
- 1842–1956: Mission of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, then St. James (Lannon), then St. Agnes (Butler)
- June 26, 1956: Archbishop Albert G. Meyer establishes St. Dominic as a parish; Fr. Edward M. Grohall named first pastor; boundaries set (Silver Spring, Burleigh, Pilgrim, Barker)
- October 16, 1956: 150 families gather at the Schroeder Hotel to begin building
- July 27, 1958: Groundbreaking for first church and school
- November 8, 1959: Archbishop William E. Cousins dedicates first church; school opens with 259 pupils
- August 8, 1978: Mortgage burning — parish debt-free
- May 6, 1979: 'Equal Sacrifice — not Equal Gifts' campaign launches $1M new-church/gym drive
- 1981: Silver Jubilee celebrated with a High Mass in the new octagonal church
- 1989: Fr. Grohall dies; leaves Endowment Fund seed money and bell tower funds
- August 8, 2006: First phase of the Prayer Gardens of St. Dominic blessed
- December 5, 2010: Newly renovated church blessed at special Mass
- October 30, 2011: Athletic Facility and Parish Arts & Activities Center dedicated
- September 2017: Fr. Dennis Saran appointed parish administrator
- October 28, 2018: Fr. Saran installed as fifth pastor
- 2019: Risen Christ shrine installed and blessed by Archbishop Listecki
- 2020: Columbarium at the Prayer Gardens of St. Dominic installed and blessed
Prayer & Devotions
Devotional life at St. Dominic centers on Eucharistic Adoration and the Rosary. Adoration runs every Tuesday afternoon and evening (1:00–7:30 PM); the parish encourages parishioners to sign up for regular or substitute weekly half-hour time slots. The Rosary is prayed Tuesdays at 7:00 PM during Adoration, Wednesdays at 8:00 AM, and Fridays following the 8:30 AM Mass.
- Eucharistic Adoration — Tuesdays 1:00–7:30 PM
- Rosary — Tuesdays 7:00 PM (during Adoration)
- Rosary — Wednesdays 8:00 AM
- Rosary — Fridays following the 8:30 AM Mass
- Intentional Prayer Team — prays after weekend Masses
- Prayer Network — email/phone requests coordinated through Mary Lestina
- Prayer Booklet available (includes Angelus, Rosary, Act of Spiritual Communion, and prayers for health and healing)
Discipleship & Formation
St. Dominic organizes faith formation around three ministry areas — Adult, Student, and Child — staffed by Jill Fischer, Mary Lestina, Michael Ricci and others. Programs range from OCIA (formerly RCIA) and Adult Confirmation to Small Groups, Vocations, and Young Adult ministry (ages 19–35).
- Adult Ministry: Small Group Facilitators, Welcome Team, OCIA (Journey to Become Catholic) Team, Adult Confirmation, Vocations Team, Young Adult Team (Fr. David Sweeney contact)
- Student Ministry: EDGE (middle school) and Life Teen (high school) Core Teams, Confirmation Core Team, Senior Leadership (high-school peer leaders), retreats
- Child Ministry: Catechists K3–Grade 5, Catechist Substitutes, Children's Liturgy of the Word (Sunday 9:00 AM Mass), Vacation Bible School (last full week of July)
- Stewardship: 2024 Commitment Cards and an online stewardship form on stdominic.net
Parish School (K3–Grade 8)
St. Dominic Catholic School, located on the parish campus at 18105 W. Capitol Drive, has been in continuous operation since 1959, when it opened with eight grades, eight classrooms, a library, and 259 pupils under founding pastor Rev. Edward Grohall. Today it is led by principal Ms. Colleen Rooney (262-783-7565, ext. 271; [email protected]) and shares the campus with parish formation programs.
- Address: 18105 W. Capitol Drive, Brookfield, WI 53045
- Phone: 262-783-7565
- Principal: Ms. Colleen Rooney
- Wednesday 8:30 AM Mass is the all-school Mass (limited seating)
Music & Worship
Music ministry at St. Dominic includes an Adult Choir (Thursday rehearsals, typically serving the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass), cantors (audition required, rehearsing Wednesdays 10:30 AM and Thursdays 5:00 PM), and instrumentalists (audition required). Deacons coordinate prayer ministry, including the Intentional Prayer Team.
- Adult Choir — Thursday rehearsals
- Cantors — audition required
- Instrumentalists — audition required
- Intentional Prayer Team — Deacon Jeff Kucharski
Pastoral Care, Outreach & Service
Outreach flows through Pastoral Care & Outreach and the Servant Helpers umbrella, with dedicated staff (Michael Ricci, Meg Picciolo) coordinating service and events. The community supports homebound parishioners through a Eucharist-for-the-Homebound ministry and welcomes those experiencing illness through Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum.
- Servant Helpers — parish service outreach
- Eucharist for the Homebound visits by trained ministers
- Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum ('Last Rites') for the seriously ill
- Funeral ministry coordinated through the parish staff
Sacraments
The parish website dedicates a section to the seven sacraments, including reconciliation, first Eucharist, homebound communion, and marriage preparation. Children's sacraments require enrollment in either Child Formation classes or the parish day school for at least one year prior, plus weekly Sunday Mass attendance and active parish membership.
- Baptism — through Child Formation or day school
- First Reconciliation — ages 7+, in the year of reception
- First Holy Communion — formal preparation in fall and spring
- Confirmation — Confirmation Core Team leads a semester-long journey with retreat
- Adult Confirmation / OCIA — Journey to Become Catholic (Mary Lestina)
- Marriage — preparation via Deacon Jeff Kucharski
- Anointing of the Sick & Viaticum — priests and deacons serve parishioners near death
Leadership & Councils
Parish leadership combines ordained clergy and permanent deacons with lay-led Pastoral and Finance Councils. Trustee-Treasurer Kathy Hoffman and Parish Council members serve alongside ex-officio staff including Jill Fischer (Director of Discipleship & Formation) and Kevin Pasqua (Pastoral Council Liaison).
- Pastor: Rev. Dennis J. Saran
- Associate Pastor: Rev. David Sweeney
- Deacons: Greg Diciaula (ordained 2009), Jeff Kucharski (ordained 2022), Nick Baumgardner (transitional)
- Pastoral Council and Finance Council members
- Ex-officio: Jill Fischer (Discipleship & Formation), Kevin Pasqua (Pastoral Council Liaison)
Visit, Contact & Newcomer Info
St. Dominic invites visitors and new parishioners to call 262-781-3480 or email [email protected]. The parish shares an 'I'm New' welcome designed to help newcomers learn what to expect at Mass, how to register, and how to get involved.
- Parish Office: 18255 W. Capitol Drive, Brookfield, WI 53045
- Phone: 262-781-3480 (Parish) / 262-783-7565 (School)
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–5:00 PM; Fri 9:00 AM–3:00 PM; summer (Memorial Day–Labor Day) 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
- Designed to serve Catholics in Brookfield and the Menomonee Falls area, drawing also from Pewaukee, Milwaukee, and Wauwatosa
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Edward M. Grohall1956–1983
Founding pastor appointed June 26, 1956 by Archbishop Albert G. Meyer. Organized the first Parish Council in 1971; died in 1989 leaving Endowment Fund seed money and bell tower funds.
- Rev. Vincent Silvestri1983–1993
Named second pastor December 4, 1983; oversaw the construction and dedication of the current octagonal lannon-stone church.
- Rev. Curt Frederick1993–2004
Named third pastor July 1, 1993 (1,450 families). Led 1995 fund drive to retire debt and build Marcy Center; oversaw introduction of the parish mission statement in 1996.
- Rev. David Reith2004–2017
Appointed fourth pastor June 22, 2004 (1,968 families); oversaw the Prayer Gardens (2006), church renovation (2010), and Athletic Facility / Parish Arts & Activities Center (2011).
- Rev. Dennis J. Saran2017–present
Appointed parish administrator September 2017; installed as fifth pastor October 28, 2018.