About St. John the Baptist · Jefferson, Wisconsin
St. John the Baptist is a historic Roman Catholic church in Jefferson, Wisconsin, part of the Diocese of Madison. The church sits at 214 North Sanborn Avenue in Jefferson and has long served as the anchor Catholic parish on the west side of the city, alongside its sister church St. Lawrence. In June (year per the Madison Catholic Herald merger announcement), St. John the Baptist was merged with the other parishes of Pastorate 14 into the new St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish under the Diocese of Madison's 'Into the Deep' strategic plan, with Monsignor Donald J. Heiar Jr. serving as parochial administrator. The parish maintains an affiliated K-8 school, St. John the Baptist Catholic School (333 East Church Street), which has been educating local youth in the Catholic faith since the 1870s, and offers weekly Mass in both English and Spanish for the Jefferson community.
- Established
- 1859
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. Msgr. Donald J. Heiar Jr. (Parochial Administrator of St. Teresa of Calcutta Pastorate 14)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Madison
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a full Catholic life in Jefferson: a daily and Sunday Mass schedule (including a Saturday Vigil and a Spanish-language Sunday Mass), weekday confessions after most Masses, and the historic St. John the Baptist Catholic School serving nearly 3,000 alumni since the 1870s. Worshippers are joined to a wider community of seven churches across Jefferson, Cambridge, Fort Atkinson, Milton, Palmyra and Sullivan under Pastorate 14, with multiple priests ensuring strong pastoral care, Hispanic ministry and faith formation for families in every corner of the tri-county area.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes after the start of daily Mass (unless otherwise noted), at St. John the Baptist in Jefferson
- After the Monday 7:30 AM Mass
- After the Tuesday 4:00 PM Mass
- After the Friday 4:00 PM Spanish Mass
- Saturdays at 4:00 PM (per Pastorate 14 — held at St. Lawrence, Jefferson)
St. John the Baptist Parish
St. John the Baptist is the historic Catholic church on the west side of Jefferson, Wisconsin, at 214 North Sanborn Avenue. Its sister church, St. Lawrence, sits on the east side of town. The parish has worshipped in Jefferson since 1859 — making it one of the longest-running Catholic communities in Jefferson County. Today it is part of the St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish within the Diocese of Madison.
- Address: 214 N Sanborn Avenue, Jefferson, WI 53549
- Parish Center: 324 E North Street, Jefferson, WI 53549
- Phone: (920) 674-2025
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: pastorate14.org (parish); stfranciscommunity.net (legacy)
History
Catholic life in Jefferson dates to the late 1850s in a heavily German-settler region. The Wisconsin Historical Society preserves a 'Golden jubilee of St. John the Baptist's parish of Jefferson, Wisc.' (Jefferson Banner, Jan. 13, 1909) and a 'Diamond jubilee of St. John the Baptist parish' (Jefferson Banner, Oct. 11, 1934). These anniversary articles name pioneer pastors and parishioners — Bishops John Martin Henni and Sebastian Gebhard Messmer, priests Dominic F. Thill, Donatus Beischl, N. A. Thill (d. 1898), John Pfaller, Ewald Beck, W. J. Pichery and others — and chart the parish's growth from its 1859 founding through the early 20th century.
Heritage of the SJB School
St. John the Baptist Catholic School at 333 East Church Street has educated Jefferson's youth since the 1870s. The school's own materials state: 'We have been educating the youth of Jefferson and the surrounding area in the Catholic Faith since the 1870s. Nearly 3,000 SJB graduates have enriched the families and communities in which they live.'
St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish (2024 Merger)
Under Bishop Donald J. Hying's 'Into the Deep' pastoral planning initiative, the Diocese of Madison grouped Jefferson's parishes into Pastorate 14 in 2023 and then formally merged them into the new St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish. St. John the Baptist (and St. Lawrence) in Jefferson, most recently part of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, joined six other tri-county churches in the merger. Msgr. Donald J. Heiar Jr. serves as parochial administrator, supported by multiple parochial vicars.
- Cambridge — St. Pius X
- Fort Atkinson — St. Joseph
- Jefferson — St. John the Baptist & St. Lawrence
- Milton — St. Mary
- Palmyra — St. Mary
- Sullivan — St. Mary Help of Christians
Pastoral Team
Msgr. Donald J. Heiar Jr. (ordained 2000 for the Diocese of Madison) leads the merged parish as parochial administrator. He is assisted by a team of parochial vicars including Fr. Jayaraj Kalivela, Fr. Jorge Miramontes (Spanish-language ministry), Fr. David Timmerman, Fr. Patrick Wendler, Fr. John Silva (until July 1), Fr. José Luis Vazquez, and Fr. Barry Meinholz (from July 1).
Mass & Worship Schedule
The current Pastorate 14 Mass schedule lists weekly Masses at St. John the Baptist Church in Jefferson, including a Saturday Vigil, three Sunday Masses (one in Spanish), and daily Masses on most weekdays. Confessions follow most daily Masses, and a pastorate-wide Sunday Spanish Mass is offered at 12:30 PM in Jefferson.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:30 PM (English) — at SJB
- Sunday: 7:30 AM, 10:30 AM (English); 12:30 PM (Spanish)
- Monday: 7:30 AM (Confessions follow)
- Tuesday: 4:00 PM (Confessions follow)
- Wednesday: 8:15 AM School Mass
- Thursday: 7:30 AM (Confessions follow)
- Friday: 4:00 PM Spanish Mass (Confessions follow)
- Saturday: 8:15 AM
Hispanic / Spanish-Language Ministry
St. John the Baptist is the home of the tri-county Spanish-language Catholic life, with a Sunday Spanish Mass at 12:30 PM and a Friday Spanish Mass at 4:00 PM. The ministry is coordinated by Fr. Jorge Miramontes (parochial vicar with Spanish language proficiency) and Fr. José Luis Vazquez. The Daily Union has covered Jefferson-area Catholic pilgrimages tied to Our Lady of Guadalupe devotions, evidence of an active Spanish-speaking community at SJB.
- Sunday 12:30 PM — Misa en español
- Friday 4:00 PM — Misa en español (Confesiones después)
- Guadalupe / Hispanic devotions reported in local press
St. John the Baptist Catholic School (PreK–Grade 8)
The parish school at 333 East Church Street has been educating children in the Catholic faith since the 1870s. Its mission: to lead children to Jesus within a spiritually rich school community and an academically sound curriculum. Tuition tiers (2025-26) vary by parish membership; fees include an Art Fee ($10/child), Hot Lunch ($3.25/student), Athletics ($25/student; $75 family max), Playground ($50/family), and a sliding Technology Fee ($20–$75 by grade). Admissions are open regardless of race, color, or national/ethnic origin per the school's published policy.
- Principal: Mr. Bill Bare
- Pastor: Monsignor Donn Heiar
- School office: (920) 674-5821
- Fax: (920) 674-2521
- Tuition (2025-26): Contributing member / Non-parish member tiers
- Preschool: PreK 3 ($1,000), PreK 4 ($1,350), 4K all week ($1,850)
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish through the Parish Center (324 East North Street, Jefferson, WI 53549) by phone at (920) 674-2025 or email at [email protected]. School visitors should use the East North Street parking lot, walk between the Parish Center and Gymnasium, and use the intercom at the secured rear entrance of the school.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Dominic F. Thill
Listed in 1909 Golden Jubilee and 1934 Diamond Jubilee articles as one of SJB's pastors
- Rev. Donatus Beischl
Listed among early pastors in 1909 Golden Jubilee
- Rev. N. A. Thilld. 1898
Deceased 1898; named in 1909 Golden Jubilee
- Rev. John Pfaller
Listed in both 1909 and 1934 anniversary articles
- Rev. Ewald Beck
Listed in 1934 Diamond Jubilee
- Rev. W. J. Pichery
Listed in 1909 Golden Jubilee
- Rev. Msgr. Donald J. Heiar Jr.2023–present
Parochial Administrator of Pastorate 14 / St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish following 'Into the Deep' pastoral reorganization; previously associated with the Jefferson parishes