About St. Francis of Assisi · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
St. Francis of Assisi Parish is a multicultural Roman Catholic parish on Milwaukee's near north side, founded in 1871 by the Capuchin Franciscan friars and entrusted ever since to the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. The parish is predominantly Puerto Rican, African American, and young-adult in makeup, and worship is offered in English and Spanish — including a lively Gospel Choir Mass that Milwaukee historian John Gurda once called 'the best-kept secret in the city of Milwaukee.' The parish shares its 1937 N. Vel R. Phillips Avenue campus with the Capuchin Spiritual Center, a newer ministry of the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph dedicated to encounter, prayer, and renewal.
- Established
- 1871
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Fr. Francisco Javier Rodriguez, OFM Cap.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi offers a rare combination of historic Capuchin Franciscan spirituality and a genuinely multicultural, multi-generational community where members describe themselves more as family than as a church. Whether you are drawn by the lively 8:30 a.m. Gospel Choir Mass, the bilingual Spanish/English liturgy that serves a primarily Puerto Rican congregation, the weekly young-adult Mass at 6:15 p.m. on Sundays, or the new Capuchin Spiritual Center's days of recollection and spiritual direction, there is a place for you here. The parish lives out the Capuchin charism of service to the poor, the outcast, and the overlooked — through St. Vincent de Paul, prison ministry, the VITA free tax program, and pastoral care at Plymouth Manor Nursing Home.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Or by appointment — call the parish office at (414) 374-5750
Adoration times
- Tuesday, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (followed by Evening Prayer and Benediction)
- Capuchin Spiritual Center offers additional Eucharistic Adoration with Vespers
Parish History
The Capuchin Franciscans came to Milwaukee from Switzerland in 1851 at the invitation of Bishop John Martin Henni to serve the city's German Catholic immigrants. In 1869 the friars built a chapel and friary on the block bounded by 4th, 5th, Brown, and Reservoir Streets — at the time the northern edge of the city. So many Catholics from the surrounding neighborhood began attending Mass there that in 1871 Bishop Henni formally established St. Francis Parish as Milwaukee's eighth parish, with Father Lawrence Voerwerk as its first priest. The present stone church, designed by New York architect William Schickel in the Romanesque Revival style, was dedicated in 1877. Over the decades the parish transitioned from a German-language congregation to a multicultural one, beginning regular outreach to African Americans and Puerto Rican Catholics in the 1950s and adding a Spanish homily (later a full Mass) in 1959. The parish continues to live out the Capuchin charism of service to the poor and outcast, today turning that attention to young-adult Catholics.
- Founded 1871 by the Capuchin Franciscan Friars
- First priest: Father Lawrence Voerwerk
- Present church dedicated 1877; designed by William Schickel
- Romanesque Revival style; Schickel's first Milwaukee commission
- First German-language parish to add Spanish-language ministry (1959)
- Active in civil rights advocacy during the late 1960s
The Church Building
The present St. Francis church is a Romanesque Revival stone building designed by New York architect William Schickel (1850–1907), a German-born designer who briefly trained in the office of Richard Morris Hunt before opening his own practice in 1873. Schickel designed three Milwaukee churches in the Romanesque Revival style — St. Francis of Assisi (1877), Holy Cross on Bluemound Road (1879), and what is now St. Martin de Porres (originally St. Elizabeth, 1907). The Capuchin friary chapel from 1869 sits on the same block, at 1927 North 4th Street between Reservoir Avenue and Brown Street.
- Architect: William Schickel (New York)
- Style: Romanesque Revival
- Year dedicated: 1877
- Address on same campus: 1937 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by its Capuchin pastor and supported by lay staff and directors who oversee religious education, Hispanic ministry, youth ministry, and the OCIA process. The parish also serves St. Benedict the Moor Chapel as pastor.
- Pastor: Fr. Francisco Javier Rodriguez, OFM Cap.
- Administrative Assistant: Stephanie Sprewer
- Directors of Religious Education: Karen Hill & Aurora Reyes
- OCIA Program: Mable Johnson & Jay Brady
- Youth Group Leader: Elyse Escobedo
- Hispanic Ministry: Ana Cristina Cantoral
Parish Community & Hispanic Ministry
St. Francis of Assisi describes itself as a multicultural parish community — predominantly Puerto Rican, African American, and young adults — that offers a warm welcome to all. Members say they think of themselves less as a church and more as a family. El Ministerio Hispano de la Parroquia de San Francisco serves the Spanish-speaking community through faith formation, service opportunities, the bilingual Sunday Mass, and parish life. The community also hosts an annual celebration on the feast of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of Puerto Rico.
- Predominantly Puerto Rican, African American, and young adult community
- Bilingual (English/Spanish) Sunday liturgy
- Annual Feast of St. John the Baptist (patron of Puerto Rico)
- Prayer Chain, Circulo, Prayer Groups, Music Ministry
Service to the Community
The parish's outreach is grounded in Catholic Social Teaching and the Capuchin Franciscan charism of walking with 'two feet — one of mercy, and one for justice.' The Human Concerns Committee coordinates outreach to the St. Ben's Community and the holiday Giving Tree, and several times a year the parish takes up collections for justice efforts beyond the parish and city. St. Vincent de Paul, prison ministry, the free VITA tax program, and ongoing pastoral care at Plymouth Manor Nursing Home are ongoing ministries.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Prison Ministry Program (inspired by Matthew 25:31-46)
- VITA Free Tax Preparation — (414) 376-8124 or [email protected]
- Pastoral Care at Plymouth Manor Nursing Home
- Human Concerns Committee
- St. Ben's Community outreach
- Holiday Giving Tree
Faith Formation & Becoming Catholic
St. Francis offers faith formation for all ages. Adults are invited into a lifelong journey of faith through Adult Faith Formation programs. Children and youth programs include Religious Education classes and sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Adults, teens, and children seeking to become Catholic (or to receive Confirmation or First Communion) are welcomed into the OCIA process (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), led by Mable Johnson and Jay Brady. Classes for Confirmation meet at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesdays at St. Benedict the Moor.
- Adult Faith Formation
- Religious Education for Children & Youth
- OCIA — Becoming Catholic (adults, teens, children)
- Sacramental preparation: Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
The St. Francis Youth Group brings high-school-age students together for faith, friendship, and fun, while the parish's Sunday evening 6:15 p.m. Mass and the Young Adult Ministry are specifically aimed at young-adult Catholics — a population the parish identifies as the largest block in the Catholic Church but the least served. The Capuchin Spiritual Center further supports young-adult ministry through its programming.
- St. Francis Youth Group (high school)
- Young Adult Ministry (and 6:15 p.m. Sunday Mass)
- Young Adult Group meetings (per parish bulletin)
Capuchin Spiritual Center
Founded in 2025 as the newest ministry of the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph, the Capuchin Spiritual Center (CSC) is co-located in the St. Francis Capuchin Center. Rooted in the Capuchin Franciscan tradition and inspired by the life and spirituality of Blessed Solanus Casey, the CSC is a sacred space for rest, reflection, and growth — offering reconciliation, healing, fellowship, and quiet time with the Lord.
- Days of Recollection
- Seasonal Talks & Reflections
- Taizé Prayer Services
- Eucharistic Adoration with Vespers
- Blessing of the Sick
- Spiritual Direction
- Young Adult Ministry
- Phone: (773) 343-0649
Visit & Contact
St. Francis of Assisi Parish and the Capuchin Center are located at 1937 N. Vel R. Phillips Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53212, in the heart of 'Brewers Hill' on the near north side of downtown Milwaukee. The parish office can be reached at (414) 374-5750 or [email protected], and Sunday Mass is livestreamed at 8:30 a.m. on Facebook and YouTube.
- Address: 1937 N. Vel R. Phillips Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53212
- Phone: (414) 374-5750
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stfrancismil.org
- Sunday Mass livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube at 8:30 a.m.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Lawrence Voerwerk1871–
First priest of St. Francis Parish; commissioned architect William Schickel to design the present Romanesque Revival church.