About St. Ignatius · New Post, Wisconsin
St. Francis Solanus Indian Mission is a Catholic parish located on the Lac Courte Oreilles Indian Reservation in Stone Lake, Wisconsin, serving a faith community inspired by Gospel values of compassion and love. The parish includes a Catholic school for grades K-8, staffed by Sisters and lay teachers, and operates a souvenir shop selling Native American crafts. It has been served by Franciscan priests since 1878 and diocesan priests since 1860, with continuous service since 1988. The parish is open to visitors year-round and relies on donations for its operations.
- Established
- 1790
- Patron
- St. Francis Solanus
- Rector
- Fr. David Neuschwander
- Diocese
- Diocese of Superior
Why belong here
Join a community that serves God and neighbors through liturgical life, religious formation, cultural celebration, and service. The parish offers a Catholic school, active ministries, and a welcoming environment rooted in compassion and love. Volunteers and parishioners are essential to sustaining the mission’s educational, spiritual, and outreach programs.
Mass times at St. Ignatius
Weekly Mass schedule
History
The mission was established in 1790 with the first converts to Catholicism. Franciscan priests took charge in 1878, and a small log cabin church was begun in 1881, completed in 1885. The school was opened in 1885 with Sisters of St. Francis from Milwaukee. The church was destroyed by lightning in 1921 and rebuilt in 1923–24. The school reopened in 1927 with Sister Sirilla LaRush, the first Native American religious from the mission. Franciscan priests returned in 1938. The mission has undergone numerous renovations and expansions, including new school buildings, playgrounds, and church renovations, with major updates continuing into the 2020s. The parish celebrates the feast day of St. Francis Solanus on July 14.
School
The Catholic School serves 50-100 students each year, from Kindergarten through Grade 8. It is staffed by 4 teachers: 2 Sisters and 2 Lay Teachers. The School Sisters of St. Francis from Milwaukee have been teaching at the mission since 1885, and the Franciscan priests from the Sacred Heart Province in St. Louis have served the mission since 1938.
Ministries
The parish offers liturgical life, ongoing religious formation, cultural dimensions, and service to all. The mission is open to visitors year-round and depends on donations for its operations.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Gregory Hopefl1988
Diocesan priest, became pastor in 1988
- Rev. Philip Gordon1918-1921
First American Indian priest, became pastor in 1918