About St. James · Mukwonago, Wisconsin
St. James the Less is a Roman Catholic parish in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, part of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The parish traces its origins to early missionary activity in the 1840s, with the present parish community formally established in 1896. Today it serves as a tri-parish community together with St. Peter in East Troy and St. Theresa in Eagle, offering multiple weekend and weekday Masses, reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation, and a wide range of parish ministries. The current parish campus sits on East Veterans Way in Mukwonago and is pastored by Fr. Jordan Berghouse.
- Established
- 1896
- Patron
- St. James the Less (Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Jordan Berghouse
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. James the Less welcomes visitors, returning Catholics, and those searching for a place to grow in faith. Parishioners worship together at a full schedule of weekend and weekday Masses, gather for reconciliation and Wednesday evening Eucharistic Adoration, and serve through a broad range of ministries, faith formation programs for children and adults, prayer groups, and outreach. As a tri-parish Catholic community alongside St. Peter in East Troy and St. Theresa in Eagle, St. James offers the resources of a larger Catholic family while retaining the warmth of a Mukwonago parish rooted in faith since 1896.
Mass times at St. James
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday: 5:00–5:45 PM
- Saturday: 3:00–3:30 PM
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 6:30–8:00 PM
Welcome & About St. James the Less
St. James the Less Catholic Parish describes itself as a family and a community in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, where every person is welcomed as a beloved child of God. The parish invites visitors, returning Catholics, and those searching for a place to grow in faith to join in worship, learning, and service. Newcomers are encouraged to register through the parish office, and the parish offers a variety of opportunities — liturgies, prayer groups, faith formation programs, and volunteer activities — to engage with parish life.
- Pastoral welcome message on the homepage and 'Welcome to St. James' page
- Online Parish Registration form linked from the welcome page
- Online Giving available through the parish website
History of St. James
The parish's written history stretches back to the 1840s, when Father Martin Kundig began missionary visits to the Mukwonago area on horseback, baptizing children including the son of John and Mrs. Fardy, and continuing his visits through about 1851. An 1851 attempt to raise a church on land bought from Sewall Andrews on Highway 83 was abandoned when a windstorm toppled the framework, after which Mukwonago Catholics attended Mass in East Troy or private homes.
- 1840s – First baptisms in Mukwonago by missionary Fr. Martin Kundig
- 1851 – Unfinished church building blown down by windstorm on Highway 83
- 1896 – Parish purchases building from disbanded German Reformed congregation, names it St. James Catholic Church (now a house on Lincoln Avenue)
- 1926 – Under Fr. Balbreiter, the stone-and-brick church designed by E. Brielmaier & Sons is built on Grand Avenue
- 1957 – Land for the current parish campus is purchased
- 1978 – 1926 church sold; historic building later becomes St. Pius V Chapel under the Society of St. Pius X
Parish Life & Tri-Parish Community
St. James the Less shares pastoral and sacramental life with two neighboring parishes, forming a tri-parish Catholic community in Waukesha County. Together, the three parishes offer a fuller schedule of Masses, reconciliation, and adoration, and they pool faith formation and ministry resources for area Catholics.
- St. James the Less – Mukwonago (this parish)
- St. Peter – East Troy (Saturday 5:30 PM; Sunday 9:30 AM; 1st Saturday 8:00 AM)
- St. Theresa – Eagle
Clergy & Staff
St. James the Less is currently served by its pastor, Fr. Jordan Berghouse, who has spoken about learning the community through the long history of the parish and its people. Parish office staff support sacramental scheduling, faith formation registration, and day-to-day operations during office hours.
- Pastor: Rev. Fr. Jordan Berghouse
- Parish office staff (Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM)
- Parish phone: (262) 363-7615
Sacraments
Information on the sacraments is available through the parish office. The website highlights sacramental life through Mass and Reconciliation schedules, with the pastor and staff available to arrange baptisms, weddings, anointing of the sick, and other rites.
- Eucharist – celebrated daily (see Mass schedule)
- Reconciliation – Wednesday 5:00–5:45 PM; Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick – contact the parish office
Faith Formation & Ministries
The parish offers faith formation programs for children and adults, prayer groups, liturgical ministries, and broader volunteer and outreach opportunities, inviting parishioners of every age to take part in the life of the Church.
- Faith Formation / Religious Education for children and adults
- Prayer groups
- Liturgical ministries
- Volunteer and outreach ministries
- Online Giving
Visit, Register & Contact
The parish welcomes visitors and new members. Those wishing to join St. James the Less can complete online Parish Registration via the welcome page, and the parish office is open Monday–Friday to assist with sacramental needs and general inquiries.
- Online Parish Registration on the welcome page
- Address: 830 E. Veterans Way, Mukwonago, WI 53149
- Phone: (262) 363-7615
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
- Directions map linked from the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Martin Kundig (missionary priest)1840s–1851
Early missionary who rode from Milwaukee on horseback to baptize children in the Mukwonago area.
- Rev. Fr. Balbreiter
Pastor who led the building of the 1926 stone-and-brick church on Grand Avenue.
- Fr. Jordan Berghouse
Current pastor of St. James the Less.