About St. Joseph · Baraboo, Wisconsin
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Baraboo, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of Madison. It is one of four worship sites of the St. John Paul II Pastorate (formerly Pastorate 7), which also includes Holy Family in La Valle, Sacred Heart in Reedsburg, and St. Cecilia in Wisconsin Dells. The parish runs a parish school (PK–8) and an Early Childhood Center, celebrates daily and Sunday Mass, offers a robust confession schedule, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and is the spiritual home of Camp Gray, a Catholic summer camp and retreat center founded by a former pastor.
- Established
- 1850 (first Mass); parish formally organized 1858 (as St. Michael's); renamed St. Joseph's by 1878
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Paul Ugo Arinze (Parochial Administrator, St. John Paul II Pastorate)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Madison
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers the full rhythm of Catholic life in the Baraboo valley: a daily-Mass schedule with two Sunday Masses and a Saturday Vigil, a generous confession schedule six days a week, and Monday Eucharistic Adoration running from morning to evening. Families with children can enroll at the parish's own PK–8 school or its Early Childhood Center (ages 6 weeks to 3 years), and the parish's Family of Faith, Vacation Bible School and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd programs carry that formation into the wider parish family. As one of four worship sites in the new St. John Paul II Pastorate — and the spiritual home of Camp Gray — St. Joseph is a parish with deep local roots and a wider diocesan reach.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 7:30 a.m.
- Tuesday: 7:30 a.m.
- Wednesday: 7:30 a.m.
- Thursday: 4:30 p.m.
- Friday: 7:30 a.m.
- Saturday: 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Adoration times
- Monday: 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Parish Identity and Pastorate
St. Joseph Parish in Baraboo is one of four worship sites that together make up the St. John Paul II Pastorate of the Diocese of Madison. The cluster was first formed on July 1, 2023 as 'Pastorate 7' under the diocese's 'Into the Deep' pastoral planning process, and was given its present name by Bishop Donald J. Hying in the spring of 2024. The pastorate's other sites are Holy Family in La Valle, Sacred Heart in Reedsburg, and St. Cecilia in Wisconsin Dells; the latter will eventually house a relic of St. John Paul II obtained by the pastorate's Polish-born parochial vicar, Father Piotr Janas, SChr.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Paul Ugo Arinze
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. William Van Wagner (effective July 1, 2025)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Piotr Janas, SChr
- Sister parishes: Holy Family (La Valle), Sacred Heart (Reedsburg), St. Cecilia (Wisconsin Dells)
History of St. Joseph Parish
Catholic life in Baraboo dates to May 1850, when Father Maximilian Gaertner agreed to read Mass on his next monthly visit. For four years the small flock met in the Wisconsin House hotel and in parishioners' homes, with families walking six to fourteen miles to attend. The parish grew to about fifty families and in 1859 began raising money for a permanent church; in 1861 it purchased an old red-brick former Congregational building at Second Avenue and Oak Street. A larger church was built and dedicated in 1877, and the parish — then known as St. Michael's — was renamed St. Joseph's by 1878.
- 1850: First Catholic Mass in Baraboo by Father Maximilian Gaertner
- 1861: First church building purchased ($500, old brick on Second Ave & Oak St)
- 1877: New church dedicated; St. Michael's Cemetery blessed the same day
- 1878: Parish renamed from St. Michael's to St. Joseph's
- 1885: Parish incorporated under Wisconsin law (January 16)
- 1887: Father Durward arrives; builds the present church ($30,000)
- 1911: Father O'Reilly arrives; builds school ($29,000) and convent ($5,500)
- 2004: 4,500 sq ft addition dedicated July 4 under Father Vosen
St. Joseph Parish School
The parish school sits at 310 Second Street, just across from the church, and serves Pre-K through 8th grade with about 179 students. Its mission statement is to TEACH the basic truths and values of the Catholic faith, EMPOWER students to become committed, active Christian stewards, and INSPIRE them to be lifelong learners — a phrasing that matches the parish's wider motto 'Proclaiming, Celebrating, Teaching, Serving.' The school is led by Dr. Timothy Lowe and admits students of any race, color, or national/ethnic origin.
- Address: 310 Second Street, Baraboo, WI 53913
- Phone: (608) 356-3083
- Grades: Pre-K – 8
- Enrollment: ~179 students
- Mascot: Baraboo Raiders
- Facebook: facebook.com/barabooraiders
Early Childhood Center
St. Joseph Early Childhood Center provides daily care and learning experiences for children from 6 weeks to 3 years old, fostering development spiritually, intellectually, socially, emotionally and physically.
- Ages served: 6 weeks – 3 years
- Phone: (608) 356-5969
Faith Formation and Family Life
Faith formation at St. Joseph runs through the parish's Faith Formation Office (310 2nd Street) and includes the parish-wide 'Family of Faith' program, which closes each year with a community picnic (often at Village Forest Park in Baraboo). Children are also served by Vacation Bible School (multi-session summer program) and by the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium, which periodically hosts open houses for parents, caregivers and interested adults.
- Faith Formation Office: 310 2nd St, (608) 356-5353
- Family of Faith (parish-wide formation + annual closing picnic)
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS Atrium open houses)
- Vacation Bible School — multi-session summer program
Liturgical Ministries and Music
The parish maintains a published liturgical-ministry schedule, prominently featuring the Altar Server / Acolyte program. Music ministry includes both an Adult Choir and a Handbell Choir, with regular weekly rehearsals listed on the parish calendar.
- Altar Servers / Acolytes
- Adult Choir (weekly rehearsal)
- Handbell Choir (weekly rehearsal)
- Liturgical Ministry Schedule (published on stjohnpaul-ii.org)
Cemeteries
Two parish cemeteries serve St. Joseph's faithful. St. Michael's Cemetery was blessed on the same day as the dedication of the second church in September 1877, when the parish still bore that name. St. Joseph's Cemetery was purchased during Father John T. Durward's pastorate beginning in 1887. The parish notes that sacramental records (baptism, confirmation, first communion, marriage, death) and cemetery records from approximately 1880 to the present are available for genealogical searches through the parish office.
- St. Michael's Cemetery (blessed September 1877)
- St. Joseph's Cemetery (purchased during Fr. Durward's tenure, from 1887)
- Records (baptism, confirmation, first communion, marriage, death, cemetery) c. 1880 – present
United in Faith Capital Campaign
The parish is currently running a 'United in Faith' capital campaign, with materials and an FAQ published on the St. Joseph page of the pastorate website. The parish frames the campaign in prayer: 'Strengthen our bonds of friendship Lord and guide us in this important campaign so that we may continue to grow and nurture faith here at St. Joseph's parish.'
- United in Faith campaign materials (PDF)
- Campaign FAQ published on the parish site
Practical Information
The parish office can be reached at (608) 356-4773. Worship is led from 300 2nd Street / 304 East Street in Baraboo (the parish office address on parish-related listings is 300 2nd Street; GCatholic and the Sauk County Historical Society give the church/campus address as 304 East Street). The parish school sits just across at 310 Second Street, and the Faith Formation Office shares that building. The parish's online home is its page within the St. John Paul II Pastorate site, where Mass times, the liturgical-ministry schedule, Council minutes, online giving, and a live Google Calendar of Masses are all kept up to date.
- Parish phone: (608) 356-4773
- Online home: stjohnpaul-ii.org/saint-joseph-baraboo
- Online giving and registration via the pastorate site
- Parish Council minutes published
- Patron prayer on the site: 'St. Joseph, Pray for Us!'
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Maximilian Gaertner1850–c. 1854
First visiting priest; read monthly Mass in homes and the Wisconsin House hotel; returned to Austria at age 65.
- Father Joseph Schreiner1859–1869
Ten-year pastorate; current church property purchased in 1873 (during/just after his tenure).
- Father Mathew White1869–1874
Young Irish-American, Sauk County native and UW law-school graduate.
- Father Aloy Laigneil ('Laquiel')1874–1876
Dutch priest; led the building of the second church (dedicated 1877); returned to Holland.
- Father Charles Gunkel1876–1878
German priest.
- Father A. Michael1878–1880
Tenure saw parish renamed from St. Michael's to St. Joseph's by 1878.
- Father P. J. Lavin1880–1887 (7½ years)
Former Civil War chaplain; incorporated the parish under Wisconsin law on Jan. 16, 1885.
- Father John T. Durwardfrom 1887
Built the present church ($30,000), the parish house, and established the first sisters' school.
- Father Edward C. O'Reillyfrom October 1911
Built the school ($29,000), convent ($5,500), and new heating plant.
- Monsignor Francis X. Gray
O'Reilly's successor; founded Camp Gray; convent mortgage burned January 1918.
- Father Vosen
Oversaw the 4,500 sq ft church expansion dedicated July 4, 2004.
- Rev. Garrett B. Kau
Parochial Vicar (transferred out of the pastorate effective July 1, 2025).
- Rev. Paul Ugo Arinzecurrent
Parochial Administrator of the St. John Paul II Pastorate.