About St. John the Evangelist · Gillett, Wisconsin
St. John the Evangelist is a Roman Catholic parish serving the small community of Gillett in Oconto County, northern Wisconsin, as part of the Diocese of Green Bay. The parish is 'linked' with St. Michael Parish in Suring, WI (with a mission chapel at Chute Pond), sharing a priest celebrant while keeping its own identity, office, secretary, and parish council. Worship is offered in Gillett on Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning, Tuesday morning, and on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Fridays, with faith formation classes for children, RCIA for adults, and a commitment to prayer, service, and education.
- Established
- 1872
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Father Antonio (Tony) De los Santos
- Diocese
- Diocese of Green Bay
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist in Gillett is a small but vibrant rural Catholic community that prides itself on being warm and welcoming to all. As a linked parish with St. Michael of Suring, members can draw on a wider faith family while keeping the close-knit feel of a country parish, with regular weekly Mass, Saturday and weekday Reconciliation, Communion and Confirmation preparation, and an RCIA process for adults exploring the Catholic faith. It is the kind of place where parishioners know one another, support one another, and actively live out the Gospel through prayer, service, and education.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM (St. John, Gillett)
- Wednesday following the 8:30 AM Mass (St. Michael, Suring)
- By appointment at either parish
- Advent and Lenten Communal Penance Services
About the Parish
St. John the Evangelist is a Roman Catholic parish located at 127 S. Garden Avenue in the small Oconto County community of Gillett, Wisconsin. It belongs to the Diocese of Green Bay and is partnered with St. Michael Parish in Suring, WI — together they share a priest celebrant while each parish keeps its own identity, office, secretary, and parish council. The parish's stated mission is to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ through prayer, service, and education, while actively proclaiming 'All are welcome.'
History of St. John's Catholic Congregation
The Catholic community in Gillett was organized as a mission in 1872 or 1873, served from nearby Keshena and Stiles. With no resident priest, parishioners would make the two-day trip to bring a priest to town, and Mass was celebrated in members' homes about twice a month. The first church was built in 1887 on Main Street, and in 1907 it was moved to its present South Garden Avenue location, where a rectory was also built for resident priests. The church has been remodeled several times, an outdoor shrine was added in 1958, and the 1962 Diamond Jubilee — coinciding with the Silver Jubilee of then-pastor Rev. Michael Bablitch — brought a new altar and a full redecoration of the interior.
- 1872/1873: Catholic mission organized in Gillett, served from Keshena and Stiles.
- 1887: First Catholic church built on Main Street.
- 1907: Church moved to South Garden Avenue; rectory added for resident priests.
- 1958: Outdoor shrine added to parish grounds.
- 1962: Diamond Jubilee of the parish and Silver Jubilee of Rev. Michael Bablitch; new altar and full redecoration.
Parish Staff
The parish is currently served by Father Antonio 'Tony' De los Santos as pastor. He is assisted by Kathy Campshure (parish secretary for St. John), Tricia Fischer (financial secretary for St. Michael), Sheelagh School (Faith Formation Coordinator for St. Michael), and Samantha Zeitler (Faith Formation Coordinator for St. John).
- Father Antonio (Tony) De los Santos — Pastor
- Kathy Campshure — Secretary, St. John Parish
- Tricia Fischer — Financial Secretary, St. Michael Parish
- Sheelagh School — Faith Formation Coordinator, St. Michael
- Samantha Zeitler — Faith Formation Coordinator, St. John
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The community of St. John the Evangelist (Gillett) and St. Michael (Suring/Mountain) is committed to quality Catholic formation in collaboration with parish families, aspiring to form a community of prayer, service, and discipleship. Classes meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:00–7:15 PM, with First Communion classes added on selected Wednesdays at 5:00 PM. Faith formation is a requirement for the reception of First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation.
- Wednesday evening classes, 6:00–7:15 PM
- First Communion classes on selected Wednesdays at 5:00 PM
- Faith Formation Coordinator (St. John): Samantha Zeitler
- Faith Formation Coordinator (St. Michael): Sheelagh School
Sacraments
The linked parishes prepare children and adults for the Church's central sacraments. Children preparing for First Reconciliation and First Communion must be baptized (with baptismal records on file if baptized elsewhere), learn the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, attend Mass together as a family, and take part in a First Communion Retreat. Confirmation candidates must be baptized, attend an enrollment Mass with a sponsor, choose a Confirmation name, complete 25 service hours (10 of them recent), write a letter to the bishop, attend a Confirmation retreat and interview, and participate in the Confirmation liturgy.
- First Reconciliation
- First Communion
- Confirmation
- Baptism (records required if celebrated at another parish)
- RCIA for adults and older children
RCIA & Adult Education
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the communal process through which interested adults — and older children not baptized as infants — are introduced to the Catholic faith and way of life. It involves several stages punctuated by liturgical rites, usually culminating at the Easter Vigil when participants become full members of the Church. The parishes emphasize that this is a process, not a program, and participants are encouraged to proceed at their own pace.
- Open to adults and older children seeking full initiation
- Culminates typically at the Easter Vigil
- Contact either parish office to begin: St. John's 920-855-2542 or St. Michael's 920-842-2580
Linked Parishes: St. John & St. Michael
St. John the Evangelist in Gillett is formally linked with St. Michael Catholic Church in Suring, WI (which also serves a mission chapel at Chute Pond). The two parishes share a priest celebrant but maintain separate parish offices, secretaries, parish councils, and committees — preserving the distinct identity of each community while pooling pastoral leadership. Weekend Masses rotate between Gillett (Saturday 4:00 PM vigil and Sunday 10:15 AM) and Suring (Sunday 8:45 AM), with additional weekday Masses in each location.
- St. John the Evangelist — Gillett (127 S. Garden Ave.)
- St. Michael — Suring (210 S. Krueger St., PO Box 248)
- St. Michael Chapel — Chute Pond
- Shared pastor; separate offices, secretaries, councils, and committees
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
Parishioners and visitors can reach the Gillett parish office by phone at 920-855-2542 (fax 920-855-1449) or by email at [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM (the bulletin currently lists Monday 8:00 AM–Noon). The parish bulletin is published weekly and is available on the parish website, with a deadline of Monday 10:00 AM for submissions.
- Address: 127 S. Garden Avenue, Gillett, WI 54124
- Phone: 920-855-2542 — Fax: 920-855-1449
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday 8:00 AM – Noon (as listed in bulletin)
- Bulletin deadline: Monday 10:00 AM
- Website: http://www.stjohnstmichael.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael Bablitch
Pastor at the time of the parish's Diamond Jubilee in 1962, when he was also celebrating his own Silver Jubilee as a priest.
- Father Antonio (Tony) De los Santos
Current pastor; from Naga City in the Archdiocese of Caceres, Philippines, ordained March 29, 1981. Previously served as Temporary Administrator of St. Benedict Parish in Suamico and St. Pius in Little Suamico, Administrator of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Sobieski and St. Patrick in Green Bay, and most recently Administrator of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Jude, and St. Joseph parishes in Green Bay.