About St. Francis Xavier · Green Bay, Wisconsin
St. Francis Xavier Cathedral is the cathedral church (mother church) of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and a vibrant downtown parish community located at 140 South Monroe Avenue in Green Bay. The brick Romanesque Revival cathedral was consecrated on November 20, 1881, after five years of construction funded by local German immigrants, the Bavarian Mission Society in Munich, and a donation from King Ludwig I of Bavaria. The building grew out of an 1851 German-immigrant parish — the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known locally as 'the German Church' — and is renowned for its Johann Schmitt mural, Josef Albrecht beatitude paintings, Liebmann Memorial Rose Window, and 1982 Joseph Francis Memorial pipe organ.
- Established
- 1851
- Patron
- St. Francis Xavier
- Rector
- Rev. Ryan Krueger
- Diocese
- Diocese of Green Bay
Why belong here
St. Francis Xavier is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Green Bay — a historic downtown cathedral where Catholics of Green Bay can worship at the seat of the local bishop, attend a Sunday Mass interpreted for the Deaf, pray in eucharistic adoration on Wednesdays, and join vibrant parish life including the SVdP Cathedral Conference #7, the Dignity of Life Committee (40 Days for Life, food pantry, shelter meals), Music Ministry, Mary's Garden altar servers, choir, and a full sacramental and faith-formation program. Visitors are warmly welcomed to tour the cathedral and the on-site Green Bay Diocese Museum.
Mass times at St. Francis Xavier
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
- Saturday: 8:00 am – 9:00 am (except Holy Saturday)
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm (Diocese of Green Bay Holy Hour listing shows 3:00 – 8:00 pm ending with Benediction)
- Thursday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (September through April, per parish ministry listing)
History of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral
The parish that would become St. Francis Xavier Cathedral traces its roots to 1851, when German immigrants in Green Bay founded Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish and built a small wooden-frame church on Madison Street — commonly called 'St. Mary's' or 'the German Church.' When the Vatican erected the Diocese of Green Bay in 1868, that Annunciation church served as the pro-Cathedral until a permanent cathedral could be constructed. Bishop Francis Xavier Krautbauer, the second bishop, broke ground in 1876 on a Romanesque Revival brick building patterned after Munich's Ludwigskirche. After five years of construction the cathedral was consecrated on November 20, 1881, and named for the Jesuit missionary St. Francis Xavier. Key subsequent additions include the twin tower belfries (1904), three-story sacristy (1918), enclosed entrances and interior remodel (1959), and the Cathedral Center / Diocese Museum (2004). A multi-phase $2.4 million restoration closed the cathedral in September 2017 and reopened on December 3, 2017 — the feast of St. Francis Xavier.
- 1851 — Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish founded by German immigrants
- 1868 — Diocese of Green Bay erected; Joseph Melcher named first bishop
- 1876 — Construction of new cathedral begins under Bishop Krautbauer
- 1881 — Cathedral consecrated November 20
- 1904 — Twin tower belfries added
- 1918 — Three-story sacristy added
- 1959 — Three enclosed entrances and interior remodel
- 2004 — Cathedral Center completed (new home of Diocese Museum)
- 2006 — Sanctuary renovation begins (Carrara marble altar)
- 2014–2017 — Series of 18 phased restorations ($2.4M interior phase)
- 2017 — Cathedral listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Sacraments at the Cathedral
As the mother church of the Diocese of Green Bay, the cathedral coordinates all seven sacraments. Baptism is offered for infants and children under age 8 after Baptism Preparation sessions; children age 8 and older enter through the RCIA adapted for children. First Reconciliation is normally celebrated in second grade. Confirmation preparation begins in 9th grade, with the sacrament conferred in 11th grade after classes, retreat, and discernment. Matrimony: engaged couples should contact the parish office to begin preparation. Anointing of the Sick is available on request.
- Baptism (infants/children under 8)
- Baptism via RCIA (children age 8+ and adults)
- First Reconciliation (typically 2nd grade)
- First Holy Communion (Catholic day school sacramental prep)
- Confirmation (11th grade, with 9th–10th grade prerequisite)
- Matrimony / Holy Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Holy Orders (vocation referrals through diocese)
Youth Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Francis Xavier serves children and youth from age 3 through grade 12, combining a Montessori-based Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium (ages 3–6 and grade 1) with traditional Faith and Life (Ignatius Press) curriculum for grades 2–8 and the Didache Series (Midwest Theological Forum) for grades 9–12. Classes meet Wednesdays — grades 1–8 from 4:30–5:45 pm and grades 9–12 from 6:45–8:15 pm. Sacramental preparation for First Confession and First Holy Communion is offered to Catholic day school students, and Confirmation preparation culminates in 11th grade. Coordinator: Connie DeMeuse ([email protected] / 920-393-3773).
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (ages 3–6; Level 2 for grade 1)
- Faith and Life series (Ignatius Press) for grades 2–8
- Didache Series (Midwest Theological Forum) for grades 9–12
- First Confession and First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation (11th grade sacrament)
- Contact: Connie DeMeuse — [email protected], 920-393-3773
Music Ministry & Liturgy
The Music Ministry supports the entire Cathedral and diocesan community in sung prayer, offering everything from chant to contemporary repertoire. The Joseph Francis Memorial pipe organ — installed by the Wicks Organ Company of Highland, Illinois, in 1982 with 56 ranks, four manuals, and 3,282 pipes — accompanies all liturgies. Choirs include the St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Children's Choir, the Senior Choir (rehearsals Tuesday evenings at 7 pm in the Choir Loft; sings at the 11:30 am Sunday Mass), and a choir for funerals and special Masses. The ministry is led by Diocesan and Cathedral Music Director Michael Miller. Invitations are open to all who live in the Diocese of Green Bay.
- Joseph Francis Memorial pipe organ (Wicks, 1982; 56 ranks, 4 manuals, 3,282 pipes)
- Senior Choir — rehearsals Tuesday 7 pm; sings Sunday 11:30 am Mass
- Cathedral Children's Choir
- Funeral choir / Bereavement singers
- Music Director: Michael Miller
- Patron: St. Cecilia, patron saint of musicians
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Parish life at St. Francis Xavier reaches well beyond the sanctuary. The Dignity of Life Committee operates the Cathedral food pantry, prepares meals for the New Community Shelter and St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter, supports Love Life year-round with baby items, sponsors the Advent Giving Tree, sells Seroogy's chocolates during Advent and Lent, participates in 40 Days for Life (Fridays 4–6 pm), and partners with the Back to School Store and Brown County 'A Pair and a Spare' underwear/sock drive. The St. Vincent de Paul Cathedral Conference #7 assists with rent, furniture, household items, and education scholarships, bringing groceries on home visits. Other ministries include the Men's Association, Ladies Auxiliary, Fiat Chalice Program (women), Monday-night Gospel reflection/prayer group, Homebound Visits, and Mary's Garden altar servers.
- Dignity of Life Committee
- SVdP Cathedral Conference #7
- Cathedral Food Pantry
- Shelter Meals at New Community Shelter & St. John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter
- 40 Days for Life (Fri 4–6 pm)
- Advent Giving Tree & Seroogy's chocolate sales
- St. Francis Xavier Cathedral Men's Association
- Ladies Auxiliary Ministry
- Fiat Chalice Program (women)
- Homebound Visits
- Mary's Garden (altar servers, grade 3+)
Green Bay Diocese Museum
The Green Bay Diocese Museum, relocated to the Cathedral Center in 2004 and re-energized in 2021–2022 under Bishop Ricken's direction, sits on the lower level of the cathedral. It traces the development of the Catholic Church in northeastern Wisconsin and the Diocese of Green Bay from 1868 to the present and houses the Perrot Ostensorium — a silver monstrance crafted in 1686 and given by Nicholas Perrot to the St. Francis Xavier mission at De Pere, the oldest European religious artifact of its kind in Wisconsin. Exhibits also include a relic collection, vestments, sacramental artifacts of the early immigrants, and a permanent display honoring all 12 bishops of the diocese. An interactive kiosk offers diocesan history. The museum is free and open every Sunday after the 9:00 am Mass until approximately 11:00 am, and on Wednesdays 3:00–6:00 pm, plus by appointment.
- Perrot Ostensorium (1686 silver monstrance) — oldest artifact of its kind in Wisconsin
- Photographs and artifacts tracing St. Francis Xavier Cathedral from 1851 to present
- Permanent display honoring all 12 bishops of the Diocese of Green Bay
- Relics, vestments, and sacramental artifacts of early immigrants
- Interactive touchscreen kiosk on diocesan history
- Open Sundays after 9:00 am Mass, Wednesdays 3:00–6:00 pm, and by appointment
Architecture, Art, and Sacred Furnishings
The cathedral's brick Romanesque Revival architecture owes its silhouette to Munich's Ludwigskirche. Inside, the eye is drawn to Johann Schmitt's monumental 1883 Crucifixion mural (40 × 25 ft), Josef Albrecht's eight Beatitude paintings (early 1900s), the four evangelists painted on the sanctuary ceiling encircled by 'The Word of the Lord Endureth Forever,' and stained-glass windows from the Tyrol Art Glass Company of Innsbruck and the Columbia Art Glass Company of Cleveland. The Liebmann Memorial Rose Window (1950s) gathers more than 4,000 pieces of glass into 'The Mystical Body of Christ.' The 2006 sanctuary renovation introduced the present white Carrara marble altar (housing relics of Sts. Boniface, Timothy, Tiburtius, and Francis Xavier) and the cathedra bearing Bishop David Ricken's coat of arms. The 1881 Our Mother of Perpetual Help Peace Altar remains the only original altar.
- Johann Schmitt — Crucifixion mural (1883)
- Josef Albrecht — eight Beatitude paintings (early 1900s)
- Liebmann Memorial Rose Window — 'The Mystical Body of Christ' (1950s, 4,000+ pieces of glass)
- Tyrol Art Glass Company (Innsbruck) & Columbia Art Glass (Cleveland) stained-glass windows
- Carrara marble main altar with relics of Sts. Boniface, Timothy, Tiburtius, and Francis Xavier
- Cathedra with Bishop David Ricken's coat of arms
- Our Mother of Perpetual Help / Peace Altar (original 1881)
- Joseph Francis Memorial pipe organ (Wicks, 1982)
Staff, Leadership, and Parish Council
The cathedral is led by Rector Rev. Ryan Krueger. Parish staff includes Office Manager Jan Phillips, Office Assistant Jolene Uelmen, Diocesan and Cathedral Music Director Michael Miller, Faith Formation Coordinator Connie DeMeuse, and Facilities and Maintenance lead Michael Klatt. Parish Council President is Patrick Du Chateau. Trustees and Finance Council support temporal affairs.
- Rector: Rev. Ryan Krueger
- Office Manager: Jan Phillips
- Office Assistant: Jolene Uelmen
- Diocesan & Cathedral Music Director: Michael Miller
- Faith Formation Coordinator: Connie DeMeuse
- Facilities & Maintenance: Michael Klatt
- Parish Council President: Patrick Du Chateau
- Diocesan Bishop: Most Rev. David Ricken (12th Bishop of Green Bay, appointed 2008)
Bishop, Diocese, and Wider Context
St. Francis Xavier Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, erected by Pope Pius IX in 1868. The current diocesan bishop is Most Rev. David Ricken, the 12th bishop of Green Bay, appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008 and formerly bishop of Cheyenne. Bishop Ricken in 2009 declared the 1859 apparition seen by Adele Brise at Champion 'worthy of belief,' and in 2020 the Brise shrine was designated the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. Past bishops whose names live on in the cathedral include Joseph Melcher (first bishop), Francis Xavier Krautbauer (who built the cathedral and is interred in it), and Aloysius Wycislo (the Bishop Wycislo entrance bears his name).
- Diocese: Diocese of Green Bay (erected 1868)
- Current Bishop: Most Rev. David Ricken (12th bishop, since 2008)
- First Bishop: Joseph Melcher (1868–1873)
- Second Bishop / Cathedral Founder: Francis Xavier Krautbauer (1875–1885) — interred in the cathedral
- Bishop Wycislo entrance commemorates Aloysius John Wycisło (1968–1983)
- Related: National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion (designated 2020)
- Sunday Mass with Bishop Ricken broadcast on WFRV Channel 5
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Ryan Kruegercurrent
Rector of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral as listed on the parish staff page.
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