About St. Francis Xavier · Merrill, Wisconsin
St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church is a Roman-Latin rite parish in Merrill, Wisconsin, founded in 1885 (building on a Catholic mission established in Merrill as early as 1875). It belongs to the Diocese of Superior and shares the Merrill Catholic cluster with St. John the Baptist in Bloomville, where a Sunday and weekday Mass are also offered. The parish operates St. Francis Xavier Catholic School (Pre-K through grade 8) on the same East 10th Street campus and is currently served by Very Rev. Christopher Kemp as supervising pastor, with Deacon Jim Arndt assisting. Its mission is stated as 'a welcoming faith community centered in the Eucharist and guided by the Holy Spirit,' committed to inspirational worship, faithful discipleship, and service to others.
- Established
- 1885
- Patron
- St. Francis Xavier
- Rector
- Rev. Christopher Kemp
- Diocese
- Diocese of Superior
Why belong here
A family-oriented Merrill parish rooted in 140 years of Catholic tradition, St. Francis Xavier offers daily and weekend Mass in English (including a Sunday Mass at its mission church, St. John the Baptist in Bloomville), a robust Eucharistic Adoration chapel schedule, and an on-site Catholic school (PreK–8) that models its 'Service, Faith, eXcellence' mission. The parish is actively served by priest and deacon, supports a St. Vincent de Paul outreach center, the Merrill Community Food Pantry, and the Lincoln County Christmas Spirit Appeal, and runs beloved community events like Lenten fish fries and a fall sportsmen's banquet. Music ministry includes four choirs (youth, teen, family, and handbell), and the parish is raising $2 million to renovate its worship space — a tangible sign of a community investing in its future.
Mass times at St. Francis Xavier
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Adoration times
- Monday: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Tuesday: 5:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM (closed 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM for Mass)
- Thursday: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Friday: 5:00 AM – 8:00 AM
About St. Francis Xavier Parish
St. Francis Xavier is a Roman-Latin rite Catholic parish in Merrill, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of Superior. Founded in 1885, it currently worships in the former St. Robert Bellarmine complex adopted after the 1995 merger of Merrill's two historic parishes. The parish states its mission as 'a welcoming faith community centered in the Eucharist and guided by the Holy Spirit' that gives glory to the Lord through inspirational worship, faithful discipleship, and service to others. It shares ministry with St. John the Baptist Parish in Bloomville, where additional Sunday and weekday Masses are celebrated.
- Diocese of Superior parish
- Mission: welcoming, Eucharistic-centered, Spirit-guided
- Shares the Merrill cluster with St. John the Baptist, Bloomville
Parish History
Catholic missionaries from Wausau served Catholics in pre-Merrill (Jenny) from the 1870s before the parish was formally established on May 17, 1885 under Fr. Engelburt Blume. The original church at Second and Blaine Streets seated 500 and was later razed. The parish split into St. Francis Xavier and St. Robert Bellarmine in the late 1950s, then re-merged in June 1995, with parishioners voting to retain the name 'St. Francis Xavier.' A continuous Catholic school presence has endured for more than a century.
- 1875 — Catholic mission in Merrill
- 1885 — Parish established; Fr. Engelburt Blume first resident pastor
- 1956 — St. Robert Bellarmine established (Bishop Joseph Annabring)
- 1961 — New St. Francis school and rectory on West Eighth St.; Msgr. Gerald Mahon first pastor
- 1969 — St. Francis school closes
- 1977 — Schools of both parishes form Merrill Catholic Schools
- 1995 — Parishes re-merge June; parish adopts former St. Robert facility
- 2010 — Fr. Michael McLain succeeds Fr. James Horath as pastor
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by Very Rev. Christopher Kemp, Supervising Pastor of the Merrill cluster, assisted by Rev. John Long (Sacramental Minister) and Deacon Jim (James) Arndt, who serves as Parish Life Coordinator. Parish office contact is through Kathy Leggett ([email protected]) at (715) 536-2803.
- Supervising Pastor: Rev. Christopher Kemp
- Sacramental Minister: Rev. John Long
- Deacon / Parish Life Coordinator: Jim (James) Arndt
- Parish contact: [email protected] · (715) 536-2803
St. Francis Xavier Catholic School
The parish operates St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, a PreK through grade 8 Catholic school on the E. 10th Street campus, with Principal Kate Shimel (Diocese of Superior directory). Its mission is 'to educate students of all faiths in a Christ-centered environment through Catholic values and traditions in an atmosphere of faith, hope, and love and lived through Service, Faith, and eXcellence' (SFX). Recent reporting describes approximately 124 students from 80 families, average class size of about 10, with ten faculty plus five additional staff. The Diocese also notes 164 students and ~1,000 registered parish families in slightly later figures.
- Grades PreK3 – 8
- Principal: Kate Shimel
- Motto: Service, Faith, eXcellence
- Address: 1708 East 10th Street, Merrill, WI 54452
- Phone: (715) 536-2803
Music & Liturgical Ministries
The parish runs an unusually broad Music Ministry of four separate choirs: youth, teenage, family, and bell (handbell), described by the parish as making liturgies 'lively and faith filled.' Youth and parents are actively involved as altar servers and lectors, contributing directly to weekend worship.
- Youth Choir
- Teenage Choir
- Family Choir
- Handbell Choir
- Altar servers
- Lectors
Outreach & Community Life
The parish extends well beyond the church walls: it financially supports the local St. Vincent de Paul outreach center and the Merrill Community Food Pantry, and participates in the Lincoln County Christmas Spirit Appeal to provide Christmas gifts to about 70 local families. Community-building traditions include Lenten Friday Fish Fries (4:30–7:00 PM) and an annual fall Sportsmen's Banquet, both of which draw from the wider Merrill community.
- St. Vincent de Paul outreach
- Merrill Community Food Pantry
- Lincoln County Christmas Spirit Appeal (gifts for ~70 families)
- Lenten Fish Fries (Fridays in Lent, 4:30–7:00 PM)
- Fall Sportsmen's Banquet
Sacraments & Faith Formation
Beyond the regular Mass, Confession, and Adoration schedule above, the parish supports sacramental preparation (baptism, marriage, first Eucharist, confirmation) and youth faith programming that includes participation in regional and national Catholic youth events. Parishioners can also engage with the broader faith resource FORMED, linked from the parish website.
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — contact parish office
- First Eucharist and Confirmation preparation
- Extreme Faith Youth Camp, Totus Tuus, National Catholic Youth Conference
- FORMED digital faith platform
Him First Campaign — Worship Space Renovation
The parish is currently running a $2 million 'Him First' capital campaign to renovate its worship space. As of the most recent parish bulletin referenced on the site, the campaign had raised approximately $1.4 million. Campaign materials, including the brochure and newsletter, are downloadable from the parish site, and pledges can be directed to Tracy Creel at [email protected].
- Goal: $2,000,000
- Raised (most recent bulletin): ~$1,400,000
- Contact: Tracy Creel, [email protected]
Visiting & Giving
The parish welcomes visitors at 1708 E. 10th Street, Merrill, and offers online giving and online payments (Visa/Mastercard/Discover/AmEx and EFT) for Sunday collections as well as tuition, hot lunch, after-care, and faith formation registration. A 'Find us on Facebook' link is featured on the homepage.
- In-person: 1708 E. 10th Street, Merrill, WI
- Online giving and parish/school payments
- Facebook (linked from homepage)
Merrill Cluster Parishes
St. Francis Xavier clusters with St. John the Baptist in nearby Bloomville, sharing clergy (Very Rev. Christopher Kemp as Supervising Pastor and Deacon Jim Arndt as Parish Life Coordinator) and contact information. Sunday and weekday Masses in Bloomville are listed on the parish schedule.
- St. John the Baptist — Bloomville (Sunday 11:00 AM; Thursday 9:00 AM)
- Shared clergy and parish offices with St. Francis Xavier
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Engelburt Blume1885–1920
Merrill's first resident pastor; appointed May 17, 1885; oversaw construction of original St. Francis Xavier Church (Second & Blaine Streets), the first rectory at 204 Blaine Street, and the opening of the parish school in 1898. Died in 1920 while still serving the parish.
- Fr. Leo Krynski1956–1970
First pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Parish (established July 1, 1956).
- Msgr. Gerald Mahon1961–
First pastor of the newly configured St. Francis Xavier Parish in 1961; oversaw the building of the West Eighth Street school (with temporary church inside), rectory, and convent.
- Fr. Edward Powell
Co-pastor (with Fr. James Kraker) of the Merrill parishes in 1989–1990 when the merger discussions were formally underway.
- Fr. James Kraker
Co-pastor of the Merrill parishes in 1989–1990 alongside Fr. Edward Powell during the early merger discussions.
- Fr. James Horath1992–2010
Arrived June 1992 as pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine; became pastor of both Merrill parishes when Fr. Powell retired in January 1995 and oversaw the June 1995 merger. Retired in June 2010.
- Fr. Michael D. McLain2010–2015
Second-career priest (ordained 2008 at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Superior). Became Parochial Administrator on June 29, 2010; Pastor on July 3, 2012; took on the Bloomville and Rhinelander-area parishes in 2014–2015. Died December 3, 2015.
- Rev. Christopher Kemp2015–present (approx.)
Current Very Rev. / Supervising Pastor of the Merrill cluster (St. Francis Xavier and St. John the Baptist, Bloomville).