About St. Joseph · Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Green Bay serving Sturgeon Bay and the Door County peninsula in northeastern Wisconsin. The parish is part of a 'Quad-Parishes' collaboration that also includes Holy Name of Mary, Ss. Peter and Paul (Institute), and Corpus Christi — sharing staff for faith formation, youth ministry, and religious education. The parish gathers around the mission 'To Love as HE Loved, To Live as HE Lived, To Serve as HE Served' and operates from its historic stone church (with twin steeples visible across town) on Louisiana and 5th Avenue. Fr. Matthew Rappl currently serves as pastor alongside two permanent deacons, and the parish reaches out to the wider community through Catholic Charities, St. Vincent de Paul, the Christ Child Society, and a televised Mass ministry on local cable channel 989.
- Established
- 1865
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Matthew (Matt) Rappl
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers a tight-knit parish family where longtime residents and newcomers worship together in a historic stone church whose twin steeples anchor the Sturgeon Bay skyline. The parish runs a full lifelong-faith program — Genesis Religious Education for grades 1–5, the EDGE middle-school and Life Teen high-school youth ministries, a tri-parish Sunday Scripture study for adults, First Reconciliation and First Eucharist preparation, and a RCIA-track through its faith formation office. Outreach runs deep through the St. Joseph Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Christ Child Society of Door County, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Green Bay, and a Tuesday-evening devotion schedule (Adoration, Rosary, Mother of Perpetual Help Devotions, Mass) that gives parishioners a weekly rhythm of prayer. Saturday Mass is also livestreamed on the parish Facebook page and rebroadcast on cable channel 989 so the homebound and wider Door County community can stay connected.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:00–5:50 p.m. (before the 6:00 p.m. Mass)
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 p.m. (before the 4:00 p.m. Mass)
- First Friday 7:50–8:20 a.m. (per Diocese of Green Bay listing)
- By appointment — contact the Parish Office (920) 743-2062
- Communal Reconciliation services during Advent and Lent
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month, following the 8:30 a.m. Mass until 12:45 p.m. (concluding with Benediction)
- Tuesday evenings at 5:00 p.m. (before the 6:00 p.m. Mass)
Welcome to St. Joseph Parish
St. Joseph Catholic Church sits in the heart of Sturgeon Bay on the corner of Louisiana Street and 5th Avenue, marked by twin steeples that can be seen from miles away. The parish invites visitors and longtime residents alike to make it their spiritual home, offering weekday and weekend Masses, regular reconciliation, Eucharistic adoration, and a broad slate of formation and outreach ministries. First-time visitors are greeted warmly; the parish office is open Monday–Thursday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., at 526 Louisiana Street.
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Mailing address: 526 Louisiana Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
- Phone: (920) 743-2062
- Parish contact email: [email protected]
Devotions and Prayer
Tuesday evenings at St. Joseph follow a regular rhythm of devotion: 5:00 p.m. Adoration and Reconciliation, 5:30 p.m. Rosary, 5:45 p.m. Mother of Perpetual Help Devotions, and 6:00 p.m. Mass. The parish also livestreams the Saturday Vigil Mass on Facebook for those at home.
- Tuesday Rosary — 5:30 p.m.
- Mother of Perpetual Help Devotions — Tuesdays 5:45 p.m.
- Sunday Scripture Study — Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. at the Faith Formation Center with Penny Biwer
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Joseph is led by its pastor, Rev. Matthew Rappl, and assisted by two permanent deacons, Edward Winter and Mark Bortle. A staff of lay coordinators administers faith formation, youth ministry, music, and parish operations. Music Ministry is led by Cheryl Simon.
- Pastor — Rev. Matthew Rappl
- Deacon — Edward Winter
- Deacon — Mark Bortle
- Administrative Assistant — Barb Wagner ([email protected])
- Secretary — Carrie Kostreva ([email protected])
- Faith Formation Coordinator (Grades 1–5 / Adult Ed.) — Laura Hoffman ([email protected])
- Youth Ministry Coordinator (Grades 6–12) — Sarah Gavin ([email protected])
- Music Ministry — Cheryl Simon
- Building & Grounds / Maintenance — Keith Minten
- Cleaning (Faith Formation Center / Rectory) — Barb Enigl
History of St. Joseph Parish
Founded in 1865 as the first Catholic parish in the Sturgeon Bay area, St. Joseph grew from a 35-by-45-foot frame church built on land purchased for $66 to today's stone Romanesque Revival church with twin steeples. Key milestones include the first resident pastor (Rev. Ferdinand Stem, 1869), the establishment of Holy Guardian Angels School by the Racine Dominican Sisters in 1888, the construction and 1910 dedication of the present church, and the 2015 celebration of the parish's 150th anniversary with Bishop David Ricken.
- 1865 — Parish founded; land purchased for $66; first Mass in the John Long home on Louisiana Street
- 1869 — Rev. Ferdinand Stem appointed first resident pastor; first church bell arrives
- 1872 — Jan. 12, church formally dedicated by Rev. John Adelaar
- 1888 — Holy Guardian Angels School opens (Racine Dominican Sisters; 111 students)
- 1891 — Steeple completed (cost: $6,000)
- 1908–1910 — Present stone church built (cost: $38,295.61)
- 1910 — Solemn dedication, Nov. 14
- 1932+ — Fr. Anthony Koefer builds new school and present parsonage
- 1990 — Fr. Robert Karuhn begins ministry; expands religious education
- 1999 — Fr. Charles Mocco implements diocesan linkage with Ss. Peter & Paul
- 2007 — St. John Bosco School formed by consolidation of three parish schools
- 2010 — 100th anniversary of the church dedication celebrated with Bishop Ricken
- 2015 — 150th anniversary of the parish celebrated with Bishop Ricken (Sept. 5)
- July 1, 2023 — Fr. Matthew Rappl appointed 20th-era pastor (also of Ss. Peter & Paul)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Joseph is coordinated by Laura Hoffman and serves the Quad-Parishes of St. Joseph, Holy Name of Mary, Ss. Peter and Paul, and Corpus Christi. Programs cover childhood through adulthood and include preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist (begun in first grade, ordinarily celebrated in second grade).
- Genesis / Tri-Parish Religious Education — grades 1–5, Wednesdays 5:30–6:45 p.m. at the Faith Formation building
- Sacrament Preparation — First Reconciliation and First Eucharist
- Liturgy of the Word for Children — preschool through 3rd grade, during the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass
- Sunday Scripture Study for adults — Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. with Penny Biwer
Youth Ministry — EDGE & Life Teen
The parish's youth ministry is led by Sarah Gavin and is shared with the Quad-Parishes. EDGE serves middle-school students (grades 6–8); Life Teen serves high-school students and includes an annual summer mission trip. Both programs meet faith, fellowship, and questions head-on in a welcoming environment.
- EDGE — middle school; 5:30–6:45 p.m. at St. Joseph (alt. session 6:00–7:30 p.m. at Holy Name of Mary)
- Life Teen — high school youth ministry
- Annual summer mission trip
- Contact: Sarah Gavin, [email protected] or 920-743-4716
Outreach and Charity
St. Joseph reaches out to the wider Sturgeon Bay and Door County community through several organizations. The parish supports Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Green Bay and houses an active St. Vincent de Paul Conference, which quietly serves neighbors in need with rent, utility, transportation, lodging, food, and gas-voucher assistance. The Christ Child Society of Door County conducts an annual Baby Bottle fundraiser for mothers and infants in need. The parish also makes home visits to the homebound on the last Friday of each month.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — St. Joseph Conference ([email protected]; 1-920-388-9644)
- Christ Child Society of Door County (annual Baby Bottle fundraiser)
- Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Green Bay
- Holy Dusters (parish cleaning ministry)
- Home visits by deacons and priest — last Friday of the month
Sacraments
St. Joseph prepares parishioners for and celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments. Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick are all coordinated through the parish office and faith-formation team.
- Baptism — registered, participating members; contact office 3 months in advance; parent class required
- First Reconciliation — preparation begins in 1st grade; celebrated in 2nd grade
- First Eucharist — preparation begins in 1st grade; celebrated in 2nd grade
- Confirmation — through Life Teen / youth ministry
- Marriage — appointment with priest; registered participating members
- Anointing of the Sick / Home Visits — by request; visits on the last Friday of the month
Facilities, Building & Grounds
The parish plant includes the historic 1910 stone church at 110 N. 5th Avenue, the parish offices and rectory (parsonage) at 526 Louisiana Street, and the former St. Joseph school building, now repurposed as the Faith Formation Center serving the Quad-Parishes. Recent stewardship projects have included cleaning, repair, and encapsulation of the stained-glass windows; air-conditioning the church, offices, and parsonage (2006); and upgrades to the church sound system.
- 110 N. 5th Avenue — church (corner of Louisiana & 5th Ave)
- 526 Louisiana Street — parish offices / rectory (mailing address)
- Faith Formation Center — former St. Joseph school building
- Building & Grounds: Keith Minten
- Cleaning: Barb Enigl
Stay Connected
In addition to the parish website (www.stjosephsb.com), St. Joseph maintains an active Facebook presence and publishes a weekly bulletin that can be downloaded from the website. The Saturday Vigil Mass is livestreamed on Facebook for those at home, and the televised Mass on cable channel 989 reaches the homebound across Door County.
- Weekly bulletin — downloadable from stjosephsb.com
- Facebook — facebook.com/St.JosephCatholicSB (Saturday Vigil livestream)
- Facebook — St. Joseph Catholic Parish – Faith Formation Center
- Facebook — GENESIS/Tri Parish Elementary Religious Education Program
- Televised Mass — Cable channel 989
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Ferdinand Stem1869–early 1870s
First resident pastor; brought the first church bell to Sturgeon Bay.
- Rev. John Adelaar1872–1873
Dedicated the church on January 12, 1872; served 15 months.
- Rev. Anthony Koeferfrom 1932
Built the new school and the present parsonage on Louisiana Street.
- Rev. Robert Karuhnfrom September 1990
Focused on spiritual growth, ecumenical/interfaith liturgies, and a full preschool-through-high-school religious education program plus adult faith formation.
- Rev. Charles Moccofrom September 1999
Implemented the diocesan plan linking St. Joseph with Ss. Peter and Paul (Institute).
- Rev. Robert (Bob) Konkol (OFM)Pastor at 150th anniversary (2015); died in office
Late Franciscan; authored the mission statement 'Love as He loved, live as He lived, serve as He served.'
- Rev. Robert Stegmannaround 2013–June 2023 (19th pastor)
19th pastor; served simultaneously as pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul; oversaw 150th anniversary and ongoing Quad-Parish collaboration.
- Rev. Matthew Rappleffective July 1, 2023
Born in Neenah; ordained July 1, 2017; previously Parochial Vicar at St. Raphael the Archangel (Oshkosh) and pastor of Sacred Heart (Manawa) and SS. Peter and Paul (Weyauwega).