About St. John Nepomuc · Prairie du chien, Wisconsin
St. John Nepomuc (often written St. John Nepomucene) is one of the two worship sites of Holy Family Parish in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of La Crosse. The parish was founded in 1891 to minister to the Bohemian community of the area, and the present church building was completed in 1950. On July 1, 2012, St. John Nepomuc was united with neighboring St. Gabriel Archangel Parish to form a single parish — Holy Family Parish — with two vibrant churches roughly two miles apart. The parish is also home to Prairie Catholic School and serves the wider Crawford County Catholic community.
- Established
- 1891
- Patron
- St. John of Nepomuk (Nepomucene)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Brandon A. Guenther
- Diocese
- Diocese of La Crosse
Why belong here
St. John Nepomuc Church is the heart of a thriving two-site Catholic community in Prairie du Chien, where worship is offered in English with weekday and weekend Masses, Saturday confessions, Eucharistic Adoration on Fridays, and active parish life across age groups. Parishioners are served by a pastor, associate, and deacon, supported by Holy Name Society, Faith Alive Bible Study, the parish choir, CCD religious education, the Prairie Catholic School, and a Parish Nursing Program. The 2015 Fellowship Hall, handicap-accessible and adjoining the church, makes the parish a true community center for the Bohemian-heritage neighborhood along the Mississippi.
Mass times at St. John Nepomuc
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM at St. John Nepomuc (no scheduled confessions on days with weddings or funerals)
Adoration times
- Friday 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM at St. John Nepomuc Church
Parish Identity & History
St. John Nepomuc Church is one of two worship sites of Holy Family Parish, a combined Catholic community in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of La Crosse. The parish was founded in 1891 to minister to the Bohemian (Czech) population, and the present church was built in 1950. In 2012 it merged with neighboring St. Gabriel Archangel Parish to become a single parish with two worship sites, preserving both buildings for active use.
- Founded 1891 for the Bohemian community of Prairie du Chien
- Original wood-framed church built 1891; present church built 1950
- First rectory 1893 (still standing)
- Parish merged with St. Gabriel's into Holy Family Parish on July 1, 2012
- Part of the Prairie du Chien Deanery, Diocese of La Crosse
Clergy & Staff
Holy Family Parish is led by a pastor with an associate pastor and deacon, supported by parish office staff and Prairie Catholic School personnel. The pastor's office and main parish office are located at the St. Gabriel's campus (506 N. Beaumont Rd.), while the St. John's rectory (710 S. Wacouta) handles most sacramental inquiries for the St. John's community.
- Very Rev. Brandon A. Guenther — Pastor (appointed July 2, 2024)
- Rev. Brian Ward — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Mark Grunwald
- Lana Gratace — Office Manager ([email protected])
- Sandy Halverson — Office Manager ([email protected])
- Pat Prochaska — Director of Religious Education
- Rose Bauer & Shirley Cipra — Parish Nursing Program
Sacramental Schedule
Confessions are scheduled before the Saturday evening Mass at St. John's, and Eucharistic Adoration is held on Fridays. Holy Day Mass times are announced in the bulletin.
- Confessions — Saturday 6:00 PM to 6:45 PM at St. John's
- Eucharistic Adoration — Friday 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM at St. John's
- Benediction — Friday 1:00 PM at St. John's
- No scheduled confessions on days with weddings or funerals
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the usual sacraments of the Roman Rite. Baptisms are arranged through the St. John's Rectory office, and marriages require at least six months of advance notice so the couple can complete preparation. First Communion, Confirmation, and ongoing faith formation are handled through Prairie Catholic School's CCD program.
- Baptism — call St. John's Rectory at 608-326-6511
- Marriage — contact the parish at least 6 months prior
- Anointing of the Sick and Homebound Communion — through the Rectory
- First Communion and Confirmation — via Prairie Catholic School CCD
Parish Life & Ministries
Parish life at St. John's is organized around worship, formation, fellowship, and outreach. Liturgical roles (Eucharistic Ministers, lectors, servers, ushers, and home communion ministers) are filled by volunteers from the parish, and the Holy Name Society, Faith Alive Bible Study, parish choir, and Parish Nursing Program round out the community's regular offerings.
- Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Altar Servers, Ushers
- Home Communion Ministers to the homebound
- Parish Choir — rehearsal Wednesday 6:00 PM at St. John's
- Faith Alive Bible Study — Sun 6:30 PM and Mon 10:00 AM
- Holy Name Society
- Parish Finance Committee
- Parish Nursing Program (Rose Bauer, Shirley Cipra)
- SCRIP fundraising
Prairie Catholic School
Catholic education in Prairie du Chien dates to 1866, and the School Sisters of Notre Dame began a 120-year presence in 1872. The two parish grade schools merged in 1992 to form Prairie Catholic School, with the primary grades at St. Gabriel's and the middle school at St. John's. A 2015 capital-campaign project added a new gymnasium, classrooms, and year-round day-care facility at the St. Gabriel's school site.
- Formed 1992 from the merger of St. Gabriel's and St. John's schools
- Primary grades at St. Gabriel's; middle school at St. John's
- Kindergarten added 1984; pre-K added 1988
- New gym, classrooms, and day-care completed 2015
Facilities & Buildings
Beyond the 1950 church building, the St. John's campus includes the parish rectory, the middle-school wing of Prairie Catholic School, and the new Fellowship Hall built adjoining the church in 2015–2016. The Fellowship Hall was specifically designed to be handicap-accessible, replacing large parish gatherings that had previously been held in the church's inaccessible basement.
- Present church built 1950
- New Fellowship Hall and kitchen completed February 2016
- $2.5 million capital campaign funded the hall plus St. Gabriel's gym/day-care
- Handicap-accessible parish center for large events
Visiting & Contact
St. John Nepomuc Church is located at 710 S. Wacouta Avenue, Prairie du Chien, WI 53821, and can be reached through the parish office at 608-326-6511 during office hours (Tuesday–Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM). The parish's main website at prairiecatholic.org hosts the calendar, bulletin, staff directory, and live Mass and event schedule.
- Address: 710 S. Wacouta Ave., Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
- Phone: 608-326-6511
- Office email: [email protected]
- Website: https://prairiecatholic.org/
- Rectory office hours at St. John's: Tue–Fri, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James C. Weighner2009–2024
Appointed pastor July 1, 2009; led the 2012 consolidation of St. Gabriel's and St. John's into Holy Family Parish and the capital campaign that built the new Fellowship Hall and gym/day-care; granted senior status effective July 2, 2024.
- Fr. Jerome Naduvathaniyil, OSBOct 2008 – July 2009
First diocesan Benedictine pastor after the Jesuit community departed Prairie du Chien on Oct. 22, 2008; transferred to St. Anthony, Loyal on July 1, 2009.
- Fr. ThomeOct 2008 – July 2009
Associate pastor alongside Fr. Jerome in 2008–2009.
- Jesuit Fathers1989–2008
Served both St. Gabriel's and St. John's from 1989; community left Prairie du Chien on October 22, 2008.
- Fr. Brandon A. Guenther2024–present
Appointed Parochial Administrator effective July 2, 2024, coming from Notre Dame/Holy Ghost parishes in Chippewa Falls.