About St. Joachim · Pittsville, Wisconsin
St. Joachim Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the village of Pittsville in Wood County, Wisconsin. It belongs to the Diocese of La Crosse (Wisconsin Rapids Deanery) and worships at 5312 3rd Avenue. The community celebrates Mass in English on Saturdays, Sundays, and twice during the week, with First Friday adoration and First Saturday devotions. The parish has a working PCCW (Parish Council of Catholic Women), a youth ministry, faith formation under a DRE, and a beloved annual Harvest Festival that doubles as a fundraiser and social gathering for parishioners throughout the surrounding farmland.
- Established
- 1879 (first Mass celebrated in Pittsville by Fr. Charles Bayerle); 1887 (mission church built); 1908 (first resident pastor); 1977 (present church built)
- Patron
- St. Joachim (father of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Nathan
- Diocese
- Diocese of La Crosse (Wisconsin Rapids Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Joachim is a small, family-style parish where individual parishioners are quickly known by name. The community gathers around a steady weekly schedule of Masses, First Friday adoration, First Saturday devotions, and a robust faith-formation program led by a full-time Director of Religious Education, plus an active youth ministry. Its PCCW coordinates an annual Harvest Festival, a bake stand, a chicken dinner, basket raffle, bingo, and kids' games — the kind of multigenerational gathering that defines rural Catholic life in central Wisconsin. The Diocese of La Crosse supports online giving through the parish's page on diolc.org, and priests and staff are reachable by phone and email throughout the week.
Mass times at St. Joachim
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 9:15 AM (First Friday of the month only)
- Saturday 8:15 AM (First Saturday of the month only)
- Saturday 6:15 PM
Adoration times
- First Friday 9:15 AM – 10:15 AM (following the 8:45 AM Mass)
Welcome to St. Joachim Catholic Church
St. Joachim Catholic Church is a small, English-language Roman Catholic parish in Pittsville, Wisconsin, part of the Diocese of La Crosse. The community gathers Saturday evening and Sunday morning for Mass, with two weekly weekday Masses and a First Saturday morning Mass. The parish office is open four mornings a week, and the church can be reached by phone at (715) 884-6815 or by email at [email protected].
- Parish address: 5312 3rd Ave, PO Box 69, Pittsville, WI 54466-0069
- Diocese: La Crosse (Wisconsin Rapids Deanery)
- Office hours: Mon 10–3, Tue 10–3, Wed 10–4, Thu 10–2
Parish History & Heritage
Catholic worship in Pittsville dates to 1879, when Fr. Charles Bayerle said the first Mass in the home of Lawrence Ward. The 1887 St. Joachim Mission Church served about 80 families and was attended from Rudolph and Bakerville until 1908, when Fr. John Willitzer became the first resident pastor. He led the parish for 38 years, oversaw construction of the 1912 brick church and a 1921 grade school staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, and even ran a high school called "Maryheart" from 1948–1961.
- 1879 — First Mass celebrated in Pittsville at Lawrence Ward's home
- 1884 — Fr. Aug. Van Sever appointed pastor of Rudolph with Pittsville as mission
- 1887 — St. Joachim Mission Church built
- 1908 — Fr. John Willitzer becomes first resident pastor; serves 38 years until 1946
- 1912 — Larger brick church constructed
- 1920/1921 — Grade school opened, staffed by School Sisters of Notre Dame; closed 1972
- 1948–1961 — "Maryheart" high school in operation
- 1977 — 1912 church demolished and replaced with the current church
- 1990 — Original 1912 steeple purchased by Al & Chris Buchanan
- 2014 — Steeple donated to Pittsville Area Historical Society; restored 2015
Clergy & Staff
St. Joachim is currently served by a resident pastor, Fr. Nathan, supported by four lay staff members handling religious education, youth ministry, bookkeeping, and parish secretarial work.
- Fr. Nathan — Pastor (608-863-6762, [email protected])
- Cindy Schooley — DRE and Website Administrator (715-213-6940)
- Mary Zdun — Bookkeeper
- Irene Klevene — Secretary (715-213-4752 / 715-884-6815)
- Hillary Tolzmann — Youth Minister (715-323-5164)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Joachim is coordinated by the Director of Religious Education, who also serves as the parish's website administrator. The DRE supports sacramental preparation and ongoing catechesis for parishioners of all ages, working alongside the youth minister.
- DRE: Cindy Schooley (715-213-6940)
- Youth Minister: Hillary Tolzmann (715-323-5164)
- Parish library with reading materials for teens, adults, and kids (see Library Corner on the parish website)
Parish Life & PCCW (Harvest Festival)
The Parish Council of Catholic Women (PCCW) is the engine of parish social life. Its signature event is the annual Harvest Festival, a one-day fundraiser and community gathering featuring a chicken dinner (volunteers cook and donate food), a bake stand, basket raffle, bingo, kids' games, a hamburger stand, and an auction. Parishioners sign up in the parish hall weeks in advance to volunteer or contribute dishes and money.
- PCCW President: Sharon McDonald (715-884-6491)
- Harvest Festival — Sunday, August 11, 2024
- Activities: Chicken Dinner, Bake Stand, Basket Raffle, Bingo, Kids games, Hamburger Stand, Auction
- Volunteer sign-up book kept in the parish hall
Contact, Giving & Diocesan Resources
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Joachim by phone, mail, or email, and can give online through the Diocese of La Crosse's secure online giving page specific to St. Joachim. The parish website links to diocesan family-life and men's-ministry Facebook pages as additional resources.
- Parish phone: (715) 884-6815
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Mailing: PO Box 69, Pittsville, WI 54466-0069
- Online giving via Diocese of La Crosse: https://diolc.org/st-joachim-parish-pittsville/
- Diocesan resource links: Family Life and Men of the Cross Facebook pages
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Charles Bayerle1879–1884 (approximate)
Pastor of SS. Peter and Paul, Grand Rapids/Wisconsin Rapids; celebrated the first recorded Mass in Pittsville at the home of Lawrence Ward and continued monthly home Masses.
- Fr. Aug. Van Sever1884 – June 1907
Appointed pastor of Rudolph with Pittsville as a mission; oversaw construction of the 1887 St. Joachim Mission Church.
- Fr. J. SchumacherJune 1907 – January 1908 (about 6 months)
Pastor of Bakerville; attended St. Joachim in the interim.
- Fr. John WillitzerJanuary 1908 – 1946
First resident pastor of St. Joachim; ordained only six months before assignment; served 38 years until his death. Oversaw the 1912 church and 1920/1921 grade school, served missions at Babcock, Altdorf, and Vesper.