About St. John · Pelican Lake, Wisconsin
St. John Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic mission parish at 750 Appleton Street in the Village of Pelican Lake, Wisconsin. It is clustered with Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Rhinelander and belongs to the Diocese of Superior. The parish serves approximately 100 parishioners in about 40 households, drawing worshippers from Pelican Lake and from the former mission churches of St. Mary's in Jennings and St. James in Monico, whose members folded into St. John's when those parishes closed. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 11:30 a.m. at the Pelican Lake site, while the cluster's other weekend Masses, daily Masses, confession, and adoration are held at the Nativity campus.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- St. John
- Rector
- Rev. Jerome D'Souza
- Diocese
- Diocese of Superior
Why belong here
St. John's is a small but welcoming lakeside Catholic community that gathers three former parishes (Pelican Lake, Jennings, and Monico) into one place of worship. Worshippers are warmly invited to Sunday Mass at 11:30 a.m. and to share in a church whose bell, sanctuary light, and bell tower each carry the memory of the surrounding Northwoods Catholic communities that built them. Whether you are a year-round resident, a summer visitor, or passing through, the people of St. John's extend a real welcome to come and worship the Lord with them.
Mass times at St. John
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 4:30 pm (at Nativity, Rhinelander)
- Saturday 3:15 pm (at Nativity, Rhinelander)
- By appointment — call the parish office at 715-362-3169
Adoration times
- Adoration Chapel at Nativity: Monday–Thursday 8:00 am–4:00 pm
- Adoration Chapel at Nativity: Friday 8:00 am–12:00 pm
- Exposition: 1st Friday of the Month, 3:00 pm–7:00 pm
- Exposition: 3rd Wednesday of the Month, 10:00 am–3:00 pm
- Holy Hour: Tuesdays 6:30 am–7:30 am
Welcome to St. John's Catholic Church
St. John's is a small Roman Catholic mission parish in the Village of Pelican Lake, Wisconsin, located at 750 Appleton Street on the shore of Pelican Lake in Oneida County. Worshippers and visitors are warmly invited to Sunday Mass at 11:30 a.m., and the parish — though small — is described by its own website as a place where 'friends and strangers' can come to know the people of St. John's and feel welcome.
- 750 Appleton Street, Pelican Lake, WI
- Sunday Mass at 11:30 am
- Part of the Diocese of Superior
- Mission of Nativity of Our Lord Parish, Rhinelander
History of St. John's, Pelican Lake
Catholics have worshipped in Pelican Lake for over a century. The first Mass was celebrated in the wooden home/rooming house of John E. Rice on the lakeshore, with Fr. Saile traveling from Antigo about every three weeks. The first purpose-built church, a small wooden structure, was built in 1907 under Fr. Toplac, pastor of Eagle River and Three Lakes, who built many mission churches across the region. Frs. Gerlitski and Shank from Eagle River provided priestly services; Fr. Shank famously pumped a railroad handcar to reach Monico and Pelican Lake for Sunday Mass. After surviving a lightning strike that set its steeple on fire — parishioners sawed the burning steeple off above the roof to save the building — the original church eventually proved too small. A new brick church was built in 1958 on a lot donated in memory of the Isadore Jansen and Matthew Porten families, under Frs. Arthur Shank, George Votruba, and William Cary. In 1983 the diocese closed St. James in Monico, and its parishioners joined St. John's, joining those from St. Mary's in Jennings (also closed), whose members had already been absorbed.
- First Mass at John E. Rice's lakeside home/rooming house
- Fr. Saile came from Antigo about every three weeks
- First church built 1907 under Fr. Toplac of Eagle River/Three Lakes
- Steeple struck by lightning; parishioners sawed it off to save the church
- Current brick church built 1958 on Jansen/Porten family-donated lot
- Fr. Arthur Shank, Fr. George Votruba, and Fr. William Cary led the 1958 building project
- Absorbed St. Mary's, Jennings and St. James, Monico (closed by diocese)
- A mission of Immaculate Conception (now Nativity of Our Lord), Rhinelander since 1946
The Three Communities of St. John's
Three communities — Pelican Lake, Jennings, and Monico — make up St. John's today. When the diocese closed St. Mary's in Jennings and St. James in Monico, their members were welcomed into St. John's, bringing with them treasured items that now enrich the parish's worship space.
- Church bell came from St. Mary's Church, Jennings
- Sanctuary light came from St. James Church, Monico
- Bell tower built with memorials and donations from members and visitors
- Diversity of membership noted as a strength by the parish
Parish Life and Organizations
A small but active parish life has marked St. John's since its founding. An active Ladies Club has flourished since the parish's beginning, instrumental in serving the needs of the parish — especially its young people — and in upkeep and maintenance of the building. A strong Parish Council continues to function as the lead governance group of the church.
- Ladies Club — active since the parish's founding
- Parish Council — lead governance body
- Youth Ministry (grades 6–12) at the cluster level
- Faith Formation / Religious Education
- RCIA — through the Nativity cluster
Cluster with Nativity of Our Lord, Rhinelander
St. John's is clustered with Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Congregation in Rhinelander, sharing one pastor (currently Rev. Jerome D'Souza) and one parish office. Nativity of Our Lord was itself formed on January 1, 2005, when the Congregation of the Immaculate Conception (St. Mary's) and St. Joseph's Congregation in Rhinelander were legally joined under Fr. John Gerritts and Bishop Raphael M. Fliss. Today the combined parish serves about 1,719 households (3,832 individuals), employs ten parish-office staff and four deacons, and runs Nativity Catholic School with a lay administrator, 24 lay teachers, and 11 supportive staff.
- Single pastor for both sites: Rev. Jerome D'Souza (since July 2025)
- Parish Office: 715-362-3169 — [email protected]
- Formed January 1, 2005 by merger of Immaculate Conception (St. Mary's) and St. Joseph's, Rhinelander
- Father John Gerritts blessed the merger with Bishop Raphael M. Fliss
Sacraments
Through the cluster, St. John's parishioners prepare for and receive the seven Catholic sacraments, including Baptism, First Eucharist and First Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Reconciliation is regularly scheduled Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons at Nativity, and by appointment through the parish office.
- Baptism
- First Eucharist / First Reconciliation
- Confirmation
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Reconciliation (Confession)
Our Pastor and Staff
The current pastor of St. John's (and of Nativity of Our Lord) is Rev. Jerome D'Souza, who began his ministry with the cluster parishes on July 1, 2025. Born June 1, 1971, in Karnataka State, India, Father Jerome is the eldest of five children of Lawrence and Pauline D'Souza, holds degrees in Philosophy and Theology and a Master's in Pastoral Theology from St. Peter's Pontifical Institute in Bangalore, and was ordained a priest on December 20, 2000. He was incardinated into the Diocese of Superior in December 2020. The cluster's Pastoral Staff includes two named deacons (Ray Ambrosius and Mike DeBay), a Business Administrator (Michael DeBay), a Coordinator of Youth Ministry (Erika Warning-Meyer), a Youth Ministry Support Specialist (Amber Metzger), a Parish Secretary (Patti Shepard), and a Bookkeeper (Jacki Quinn).
- Rev. Jerome D'Souza — Pastor (since July 2025)
- Deacon Ray Ambrosius
- Deacon Mike DeBay
- Michael DeBay — Business Administrator/IT/Facilities
- Erika Warning-Meyer — Coordinator of Youth Ministry, grades 6–12
- Amber Metzger — Youth Ministry Support Specialist
- Patti Shepard — Parish Secretary
- Jacki Quinn — Bookkeeper
Nativity Catholic School
The cluster operates Nativity Catholic School in Rhinelander, which serves the Catholic families of both Nativity of Our Lord and St. John's Pelican Lake. The school employs a lay administrator (Principal Brittany Gauthier), 24 lay teachers, and 11 supportive staff.
- Nativity Catholic School (Rhinelander) — cluster PK–8 school
- Principal: Mrs. Brittany Gauthier
- School Secretary: Mrs. Heather Morrison
- School Office: 715-362-5588 — [email protected]
- Lay administrator, 24 lay teachers, 11 supportive staff
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Sailepre-1907
Came from Antigo to say Mass about every three weeks at John E. Rice's lakeside home/rooming house.
- Fr. Toplac1907
Pastor of Eagle River and Three Lakes; built the first wooden church in Pelican Lake.
- Fr. Gerlitskiearly 1900s
Served St. John's with Fr. Shank from Eagle River.
- Fr. Shank (Arthur)early-to-mid 1900s
Reached Monico and Pelican Lake by pumping a railroad handcar; helped shepherd the transition under the Bishop of Green Bay and oversaw the agreement with Holy Family, Elcho.
- Fr. George Votruba1950s
Helped lead the building of the new brick church.
- Fr. William Cary1950s
Helped lead the building of the new brick church completed in 1958.
- Fr. Richard Burzinskilate 1900s (about 2 years)
Pastorate during which St. John's was again served from St. Joseph's, Rhinelander.
- Fr. John Gerritts2002–2011
Last remaining priest serving St. John's in 2002; formed Nativity of Our Lord on Jan 1, 2005; reassigned to Hudson, WI on Dec 30, 2011.
- Fr. Thomas Thakadipuram2012–2015
Became pastor of Nativity of Our Lord and St. John Pelican Lake after Fr. Gerritts.
- Fr. Michael McLain2015
Pastor until December 2015.
- Fr. Randall Knauf2016
Became pastor in February 2016.
- Fr. Mike Tupa2018
Became pastor in 2018.
- Fr. Maridas VallaBhaneni2019
Sacramental Minister.
- Fr. Christopher Kemp2020–2025
Served as pastor of both St. John Pelican Lake and Nativity of Our Lord, Rhinelander.
- Rev. Jerome D'Souza2025–present
Incardinated into the Diocese of Superior in December 2020; began ministry with the Rhinelander cluster parishes on July 1, 2025/2026.