About St. Gregory the Great · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
St. Gregory the Great is a Catholic parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, located at 3160 South 63rd Street on Milwaukee's southwest side at the corner of 60th and Oklahoma. Founded in 1955, the parish established its grade school in 1958 and continues today as a parish-and-school community serving the surrounding neighborhood. It offers weekend and weekday Mass in English, monthly First-Saturday confessions, Eucharistic Adoration on First Fridays, and a PreK–8 school educating roughly 160–180 students.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- St. Gregory the Great (Pope Gregory I, Doctor of the Church)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. Gregory the Great is a parish-and-school community that has welcomed southwest-side Milwaukee families since 1955, anchored by a PreK–8 parish school with about 180 students on the same campus. Worshippers find a straightforward schedule of Saturday Vigil, Sunday, and Tuesday/Thursday morning Masses in English, monthly First-Saturday confessions, and First-Friday Eucharistic Adoration, plus faith formation through the parish school and sacramental preparation. The parish has a documented 'sister parish' relationship with a community in the Dominican Republic, giving families a way to connect faith with concrete outreach.
Mass times at St. Gregory the Great
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- First Saturday of the month at 3:00 PM (until the line ends; enter via Door #9)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday – Blessed Sacrament Adoration (3100 area reference noted on parish listings; visitors are directed to confirm the current window with the parish office)
Parish History & Roots
St. Gregory the Great was created in 1955 when Archbishop Albert Gregory Meyer announced a new parish for Milwaukee's growing southwest side, naming Fr. Mark Lyons as its first pastor. The new church building hosted its first Mass on April 18, 1957, and charter members walked the surrounding blocks inviting neighbors to join. The parish's grammar school opened in 1958 under the care of the Ursuline sisters, who taught classes in the gymnasium until the dedicated school building was finished in 1961.
- 1955 — Parish founded by Archbishop Albert Gregory Meyer
- 1957 — First Mass in the new church, April 18
- 1958 — Ursuline sisters arrive; school opens
- 1961 — New school building completed
- Today — Continues to honor charter members at 60th & Oklahoma
Sacraments
The parish prepares children and adults for the sacraments through its parish school, Sunday-school program, and RCIA process. Reconciliation is offered monthly on the First Saturday and by appointment. The Anointing of the Sick is available on request, and arrangements for Baptism and Marriage are made through the parish office.
- Reconciliation: First Saturday 3:00 PM and by appointment (use Door #9)
- Anointing of the Sick: by appointment
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony: contact parish office
- RCIA: contact parish office
Parish School (PreK–8)
St. Gregory the Great Parish School, located at 3132 S 63rd Street, has educated children on the parish campus since 1958. The school's motto, 'Positive People, Learning, Living, and Growing in Christ Through Faith and Service,' captures its dual mission of academic preparation and Catholic formation. The school welcomes students of all faiths and participates in Wisconsin's Parental Choice (school voucher) programs, which can make tuition free for qualifying families.
- Address: 3132 S 63rd Street, Milwaukee, WI 53219
- Phone: 414-321-1350
- Grades: PreK–8
- Enrollment: ~160–180 students
- Average class size: ~17
- Yearly tuition: $3,800 (free for families using the Milwaukee or Wisconsin Parental Choice Programs)
- Accredited through the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and WRISA; member of NCEA
- Application deadlines: Aug. 20 / Sept. 20 / rolling
Faith Formation & Youth
Faith formation for children happens primarily through the parish school and Sunday-school program, which together prepare students for First Communion, Confirmation, and ongoing sacramental life. The parish also runs a Mass Server ministry open to any baptized Catholic student in grades 5–8 who has received First Communion, regardless of which school they attend.
- Parish school religious education (PreK–8)
- Sunday school for children who attend public/private schools
- Mass Server program (grades 5–8; contact Cindy Bremeier at 414-543-8292 ext. 213 / [email protected])
- Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation
Outreach & Sister Parish
St. Gregory the Great has a sister-parish relationship with a community in the Dominican Republic, giving parishioners a concrete way to live out the social-justice mission that the parish school highlights in its mission statement. Parishioners participate through prayer, donations, and mission-related communication organized under the parish's evangelization and outreach efforts.
- Sister parish in the Dominican Republic
- Outreach supported through the Love One Another capital campaign
- Social-justice teaching integrated into the parish school
Stewardship & Capital Campaigns
Through the Archdiocese of Milwaukee's 'Love One Another' campaign (launched in 2021), St. Gregory the Great has identified its greatest needs for the coming years, including the replacement of the 61-year-old school windows that were freezing and falling out of their frames. The campaign funds evangelization, outreach to those in need, support for priests/deacons/seminarians, Catholic schools, and centers of prayer and ministry.
- School window replacement project
- Evangelization and outreach initiatives
- Support for priests, deacons, and seminarians
- Strengthening the parish-and-school campus at 60th & Oklahoma
Visiting & Contact
The parish office and church are at 3160 S 63rd Street on Milwaukee's southwest side, at the corner of 60th Street and Oklahoma Avenue. Visitors coming for confession should use Door #9. The parish and school can be reached by phone, email, or through the website, and the parish publishes a regular bulletin with the current Mass and event schedule.
- Parish address: 3160 S 63rd Street, Milwaukee, WI 53219
- Parish phone: 414-543-8292
- Parish email: [email protected]
- School phone: 414-321-1350
- Website: stgregsmil.org (school: gregthegreat.org)
- Confessions enter through Door #9
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Mark Lyons1955–1957 (first pastor)
First pastor appointed by Archbishop Albert Gregory Meyer when the parish was formed in 1955.
- Rev. Francis J. Tenpenny1957–1969
Previously pastor of St. Joseph's, Lyons; transferred to St. Mary's, Hales Corners, in March 1969 and died July 9, 1969.
- Rev. Leonard Barbian
Served St. Gregory the Great before being appointed pastor of St. Mary's, Hales Corners, in July 1982.