About St. Francis and St. Mary · Brussels, Wisconsin
St. Francis & St. Mary Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish in the rural Town of Brussels, Door County, Wisconsin, part of the Diocese of Green Bay. The parish sits at 9716 Cemetery Road and serves worshippers with weekly Mass on Saturdays, Sundays and on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. It grew out of the historic St. Francis Xavier Church, founded in 1877 by Crosier Father Edward Francis Daems and led for most of its first century by the Norbertine Fathers of St. Norbert Abbey. Today the parish offers weekend and weekday Mass, religious education for K–12, RCIA, Baptism, Marriage and Anointing of the Sick, and active ministries in worship, formation and service.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- St. Francis Xavier and the Blessed Virgin Mary (parish name: St. Francis & St. Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Antonio Rex Palaya (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Green Bay
Why belong here
St. Francis & St. Mary offers the full rhythm of Catholic parish life in a small, rural Door County setting: weekend and weekday Mass with a Saturday 5:45 p.m. vigil and Sunday 8:00 a.m. Mass, plus Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Baptism and Marriage celebrated from a single historic worship site. The parish welcomes newcomers through its RCIA process, forms children through a Wednesday-evening Religious Education program for Grades K–12, and walks sacramental candidates through First Reconciliation/Communion in 2nd grade and Confirmation in 12th grade. Visitors and parishioners are invited into a faith-filled community that sees itself as stewards for future generations.
Mass times at St. Francis and St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:30–6:30 p.m.
- Sunday 8:30–9:30 a.m.
- Tuesday 8:00–8:30 a.m.
- Wednesday 8:00–8:30 a.m.
Welcome & Mission Statement
St. Francis & St. Mary Parish invites visitors and newcomers into a faith-filled rural community in the Town of Brussels, Door County. Its published mission commits the parish to welcome all, to offer opportunities for growth in relationship with God, others and self through worship, education, evangelization and service, and to be responsible stewards so those opportunities remain for future generations.
Parish History
Founded in 1877 by Crosier priest Fr. Edward Francis Daems and named by Bishop Francis Xavier Krautbauer, the parish was entrusted to the Norbertine Fathers of St. Norbert Abbey (West De Pere) from 1893 to 1986, who designed and built the present church (cornerstone 1909, dedicated by Bishop Joseph Fox, November 23, 1909) and the 1936 Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in the adjacent cemetery. The parish was incorporated in the Diocese of Green Bay in 1920, became a diocesan parish in 1986, and in 1993 merged with Our Lady of the Snows of Namur to form today's St. Francis & St. Mary Parish at the original St. Francis Xavier site.
- 1877 — Three acres donated by Alex Franc; Crosier Fr. Edward Francis Daems credited as founder
- 1893 — Norbertine Fathers begin ministry in Brussels
- 1909 (June 27) — Cornerstone blessed by Abbot Bernard Pennings, O. Praem.
- 1909 (Nov 23) — Church dedicated by Bishop Joseph Fox, Diocese of Green Bay
- 1920 — Parish incorporated; rectory built
- 1936 — Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes built in the cemetery
- 1986 — Norbertines end ministry; diocesan priests assigned
- 1993 — Merger with Our Lady of the Snows, Namur creates St. Francis & St. Mary Parish
- 1994–2013 — Capuchin Fr. Pius Cotter serves as pastor
- 1997–2000 — Twenty stained-glass windows restored
- 2005 — Entrance remodeled
- 2006 — Air conditioning installed
- 2007–2008 — Pews and kneelers refurbished
- 2009 (June 27) — Centennial celebrated
- 2010 — New sanctuary altar and tabernacle installed
Parish Staff
Day-to-day parish life is led by the Administrator, supported by deacons, a Pastoral Minister, a Religious Education Coordinator and office staff. The parish office can be reached at 920-825-7555 or via email; an after-hours answering service routes emergency calls immediately and otherwise sends a message to staff.
- Fr. Antonio Rex Palaya — Administrator ('Fr. Rex')
- Deacon Paul Zenefski
- Deacon Ray (Baptism & Marriage contact)
- Sue Johnson — Pastoral Minister
- Ann Kleist — Secretary & Parish Bookkeeper / Special Projects Coordinator
- Penny Price — Religious Education Coordinator ([email protected])
- Parish office: 920-825-7555 · [email protected] (new email: [email protected])
Sacramental Preparation & Sacraments
The parish prepares children for the sacraments of initiation through its Religious Education program and welcomes adults seeking to join the Catholic Church through RCIA. Parents should contact Fr. Rex or Deacon Ray to schedule Baptism; engaged couples are asked to contact them at least six months before the wedding date.
- Baptism — contact Fr. Rex or Deacon Ray
- First Reconciliation and First Communion — 2nd Grade
- Confirmation — 12th Grade
- Marriage — minimum 6 months' notice; contact Fr. Rex or Deacon Ray
- Anointing of the Sick — available through the parish
Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) is a communal process restoring the ancient practice of the Church for forming new members. The parish RCIA team walks inquirers through the Pre-Catechumenate, Rite of Initiation, Catechumenate, Rite of Election, the Easter Vigil Sacraments of Initiation, and Mystagogy. Both unbaptized adults and already-baptized Christians seeking full communion are welcomed.
Religious Education & Faith Formation
Faith formation is offered for all children attending public school, Grades K through 12, with weekly Wednesday classes and sacramental milestones at 2nd and 12th Grade. Classes meet on the parish campus or at cooperating community sites across the parish family.
- Grades K–5 — 6:00–7:15 p.m. at St. Francis & St. Mary Church
- Grades 6–8 — 7:30–8:30 p.m. at St. Francis & St. Mary Church
- Grades 9–11 — 7:30–8:30 p.m. at Brussels Community Center or Union Town Hall (UTH), 905 Cty Rd DK
- Grade 12 Confirmation — 7:15–8:15 p.m. at St. Hubert Parish, Rosiere (E8035 Cty Rd X, Casco)
- First Reconciliation and First Communion in 2nd Grade
- Confirmation in 12th Grade
The Cemetery & Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
The parish church sits alongside a historic parish cemetery, and the cemetery is a real part of the parish's life. In 1936 Norbertine Fr. Jerome Gloudemans led the construction of a Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in the cemetery next to the church. In 2025 the parish, with Fr. Antonio Rex Palaya and the Brussels Heritage & Community group, dedicated a new cemetery display listing nearly 200 people buried between 1860 and 1911, with memorial benches for reflection.
Getting Involved & Newcomers
The website welcomes newcomers and invites them to call the office for mass-time information or to view the online calendar. Faith-life pages, sacraments, ministries, online giving and a continuously updated bulletin are all linked from the home page. The parish mission frames belonging around worship, education, evangelization and service.
- Online giving (one-time and recurring Offertory)
- Weekly bulletin
- Newcomer / contact form on the website
- Office answering service for after-hours calls
Being Catholic Today
An extended statement of Catholic belief on the parish site walks visitors through revelation, the Paschal Mystery, the centrality of the Mass, the seven sacraments, Catholic social teaching, communion with the saints (especially Mary), and the call to a countercultural, service-oriented life. It serves as a doctrinal landing page for newcomers and those inquiring about the faith.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Edward Francis Daems, C.R. (Crosier)founder
Belgian Crosier priest credited as founder; parish established with three acres donated by Alex Franc in 1877
- Norbertine Fathers of St. Norbert Abbey, West De Pere1893–1986
Served the parish for 93 years. Fr. Jerome Gloudemans led construction of the current church (cornerstone 1909, dedicated 1909) and the cemetery Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes (1936)
- Diocesan Priests (Diocese of Green Bay)1986–1993
Assigned after the Norbertines withdrew in 1986
- Fr. Pius Cotter, O.F.M. Cap.1994–2013
Capuchin pastor; oversaw stained-glass restoration (1997–2000), entrance remodel (2005), air conditioning (2006), pew/kneeler refurbishment (2007–2008), centennial in 2009, and new altar and tabernacle in 2010
- Fr. Edward Looney2015–(after Fr. Cotter)
Diocese of Green Bay priest (ordained 2015); served as pastor of St. Francis & St. Mary together with St. Peter and St. Hubert (Lincoln/Rosiere); known for Marian writings, radio and 'The Chosen' video study