About St. Joseph · Arkansaw, Wisconsin
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in the unincorporated community of Arkansaw, Pepin County, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of La Crosse. The parish is currently twinned with St. John the Baptist Parish in nearby Plum City, sharing a pastor, staff, bulletins, and pastoral council structure under a single administrative umbrella. Worship takes place in a rural country church on County Road Z, and the community gathers weekly for Saturday evening Mass, with weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation on a regular schedule.
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Junabe Villaflor Villapaz
- Diocese
- Diocese of La Crosse
Why belong here
St. Joseph in Arkansaw is a tight-knit rural Catholic community where parishioners know each other by name. The parish offers Saturday evening Mass, weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesday mornings, and Saturday confession — all in a peaceful country setting. Families belong here across generations, sharing faith formation, Knights of Columbus and Holy Name Society activities with neighboring St. John the Baptist Parish, and supporting one another in faith, farm life, and the ups and downs of rural Wisconsin living.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM
Adoration times
- Wednesday 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Parish Identity & Location
St. Joseph Catholic Church serves the rural unincorporated community of Arkansaw in Pepin County, western Wisconsin. The mailing and physical address is W7805 County Road Z, Arkansaw, WI 54721. The parish is part of the Diocese of La Crosse and falls within the diocese's Durand Deanery. Visitors driving in from Highway 10 are directed to take County Road X north (from either Durand or Plum City) into Arkansaw.
- Address: W7805 County Road Z, Arkansaw, WI 54721
- Diocese: La Crosse
- Deanery: Durand
- Rite: Roman-Latin
- Office phone: 715-647-2901
History of St. Joseph, Arkansaw
St. Joseph has served Catholic farm families in the Arkansaw bottoms for well over a century. A handwritten history of the parish is preserved in the Pepin County Heritage Center, alongside a feature article about Father Molinaro marking his 50th anniversary in the priesthood while assigned to St. Joseph's. Today the parish is formally linked (yoked) with St. John the Baptist Parish in Plum City, with whom it shares clergy, staff, religious education, and a joint bulletin.
- Manuscript history of St. Joseph's Church, Arkansaw — Pepin County Heritage Center archives
- Father Molinaro celebrated 50 years in the priesthood at St. Joseph's (archive article)
- Currently yoked with St. John the Baptist Parish, Plum City
Parish Staff
St. Joseph shares its administrative staff with St. John the Baptist Parish in Plum City, with maintenance and housekeeping staff dedicated to each church site.
- Maintenance Director (St. Joseph): Dave Drier
- Maintenance Director (St. John the Baptist): Pete Helmueller
- Housekeeping (St. Joseph): Vickie Hartung
- Housekeeping (St. John the Baptist Rectory): Suzanne Brunner
- Housekeeping (St. John the Baptist Church): Gwen Glaus
- Bookkeeper: Dorothy Kopp
- Secretary: Denise Pelzel
- Bulletin Editor: Aletha Pullen
- Director of Religious Education: Robyn Trannel
Linked Parish: St. John the Baptist, Plum City
Because the two parishes share a pastor and staff, Mass schedules, bulletin, and sacramental records are coordinated. St. John the Baptist offers additional daily Masses throughout the week that St. Joseph parishioners may attend, and joint activities (like 'That Man Is You' and faith formation) take place at the Plum City site.
- St. John the Baptist Parish — 212 Church Road, Plum City, WI 54761
- Rectory phone: 715-647-2301
- Central office: 715-647-2901
- Combined bulletin and announcements issued together
Parish Organizations & Ministries
Parishioners take part in a range of lay-led organizations that foster fellowship, faith, and service in the rural community.
- Holy Name Society
- Parish Council of Catholic Women
- Knights of Columbus
- St. Ann's Altar Society
- That Man Is You men's faith program
- Religious Education for youth (shared program)
- Parish Pastoral Council and Parish Finance Council
Sacraments & Faith Formation
The parish celebrates the regular sacraments at St. Joseph's and prepares parishioners for the rest (Baptism, Marriage, etc.) in coordination with the linked parish office. Robyn Trannel serves as Director of Religious Education for the combined parishes, and bulletins regularly invite families to register children for religious education classes.
- Eucharist (weekend and weekday Mass)
- Penance / Reconciliation (Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM)
- Eucharistic Adoration (Wednesday mornings)
- Religious Education for school-age children
- Sacramental preparation coordinated through the parish office
Communications & Online Presence
The combined parishes of St. John the Baptist and St. Joseph publish a weekly joint paper bulletin with announcements, the Mass schedule, daily readings, and liturgical roles. Bulletins are also shared on Facebook, where livestreamed Masses and parish news are posted.
- Weekly combined bulletin for both parishes
- Bulletin deadline: Monday noon
- Facebook page for livestreamed Masses, bulletins, and announcements
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Very Rev. Joseph Okine-Quarteyserving as of December 2020
Listed as Pastor of the linked parishes of St. John the Baptist, Plum City and St. Joseph, Arkansaw in the December 13, 2020 joint bulletin.
- Father Molinaro
Celebrated his 50th anniversary in the priesthood while assigned to St. Joseph's, Arkansaw; subject of a feature article preserved in the Pepin County Heritage Center archives.
- Rev. Junabe Villaflor Villapazeffective May 10, 2022
Appointed Pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Plum City and St. Joseph Parish in Arkansaw, having previously served as Parochial Administrator of the same parishes (Diocese of La Crosse announcement, May 17, 2022).