About St. Joseph · Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
St. Joseph Parish in Sun Prairie (East Bristol), Wisconsin, is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Madison that traces its origins to 1847, when German Catholic pioneers from Lower Franconia organized what became St. Joseph's Congregation. The present limestone church, an Early Gothic Revival landmark built in 1890 to designs by Milwaukee architect Henry Messmer, was added to in 1965 and again with a modern two-story north-wing addition in 2024. As of December 20 the parish was merged into Nativity of the Lord Parish — a pastorate uniting the East Bristol church with St. Olaf (DeForest), St. Jerome (Columbus), St. Thomas (Poynette) and St. Patrick (Doylestown) — under pastor Fr. James Leeser with parochial vicars Fr. Joji Thirumalareddy and Fr. Bala Kasipogu. The parish offers weekly Sunday Mass and weekday Masses, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, and ministries supporting local food pantries and faith formation for children of the area.
- Established
- 1847
- Patron
- St. Joseph (spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, foster father of Jesus)
- Rector
- Rev. James (Jim) Leeser (Pastor of Nativity of the Lord Parish, installed January 25 by Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Madison
Why belong here
Families in the rural Sun Prairie / East Bristol area find at St. Joseph a parish whose German-Catholic pioneer roots go back to 1847, with a striking 1890 Gothic Revival limestone church that is still in active use. As part of the newly formed Nativity of the Lord pastorate, parishioners have access to a wider circle of Masses, faith formation, a Catholic grade school in Columbus, food-pantry outreach, Eucharistic Adoration, and Reconciliation offered throughout the week. Joining this parish means becoming part of a tight-knit rural congregation committed to the sacraments, hospitality, and serving neighbors in need.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 7:30 a.m. – 7:50 a.m.
- Thursday 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Adoration times
- Tuesday 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Parish Identity and Campus
St. Joseph is the Catholic parish serving the unincorporated farming community of East Bristol in the Town of Bristol, just north-northeast of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. The congregation was organized in 1847 by missionary priest Rev. Adalbert Inama, O. Praem., and the present limestone church was completed in the 1890s to designs by Milwaukee architect Henry Messmer. The church sits in the Dane County countryside at 1935 County Highway V, with later additions attached to its east and south sides.
- Patron: St. Joseph
- Founded: 1847
- Style: Early Gothic Revival (1890); additions in 1965 and 2024
- Architect: Henry Messmer (Milwaukee)
- Diocese: Madison
History of St. Joseph's Congregation, East Bristol
The first Catholic Mass in East Bristol was celebrated in 1847 in the log home of settler Michael Schmitt. A modest log church was built on Schmitt-donated land in 1848 under Rev. Maximilian Gaertner; that structure was enlarged in 1856. Between 1864 and 1868, under Rev. Max DeBecke, a much larger stone church was erected and consecrated by Archbishop John Martin Henni of Milwaukee on November 24, 1868. In the 1890s the present Gothic Revival limestone church replaced that earlier stone building, marking the parish's high-Victorian flourishing.
The 1890 Gothic Revival Church
The current church, designed by the Swiss-American architect Henry Messmer, is a textbook example of Early Gothic Revival executed in rough-carved limestone with stone trim. The principal (north) façade fronts County Highway V and is dominated by a steeply pitched gable, a central bell tower and spire, lancet arched stained-glass windows, and a rose window in the gable. An inscription above the entry — 'Sanete Josephe, Ora Pro Nobis' — invites prayer to the parish's patron.
2002 and Later: From Resident Priest to Pastorate
St. Joseph has not had a resident priest since 2002, when it began sharing clergy with neighboring parishes. Over the past two decades the church has been served by pastors and parochial vicars based at St. Olaf in DeForest and the broader pastorate — first under Pastorate 17 of the Diocese of Madison, and now as part of the newly merged Nativity of the Lord Parish.
Merger into Nativity of the Lord Parish
Effective December 20 (per the Madison Catholic Herald), the Diocese of Madison merged St. Joseph East Bristol with St. Olaf (DeForest), St. Jerome (Columbus), St. Patrick (Doylestown), and St. Thomas the Apostle (Poynette) into a single Nativity of the Lord Parish. Fr. James Leeser was installed as pastor on January 25 at St. Olaf Church by Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison, with Fr. Joji Thirumalareddy and Fr. Bala Kasipogu serving as parochial vicars. The pastorate shares bulletin, faith formation, and outreach ministries.
Recent Storm Damage and Restoration
St. Joseph Church sustained storm damage in recent years, and a parish fundraiser — the 'Support the St. Joseph Church (East Bristol) Storm Damage Fund' — has been established to help reopen the doors. Donations are being accepted through the pastorate office to underwrite repairs and restoration work on the historic limestone structure.
Clergy and Staff
Fr. James (Jim) Leeser serves as pastor of Nativity of the Lord Parish and was installed in January by Bishop Donald J. Hying. He is assisted by parochial vicars Fr. Joji Reddy Thirumalareddy and Fr. Bala Kasipogu. Parish-office staff handle registration, bulletins, communications, and the food-pantry outreach for the merged parish.
- Rev. James Leeser — Pastor
- Rev. Joji Reddy Thirumalareddy — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Bala Kasipogu — Parochial Vicar
- Pastoral/administrative office: [email protected]
Ministries and Outreach
As part of Nativity of the Lord Parish, St. Joseph parishioners participate in a shared set of ministries. These include a Catholic grade school (St. Jerome School, Columbus), faith formation for children and youth across the pastorate, a Knights of Columbus council that provided the honor guard for the Installation Mass, and ongoing support for local food pantries serving DeForest/Windsor, Columbus/Fall River, and Poynette.
- St. Jerome School (Columbus) — 4K–8th grade Catholic elementary
- Faith formation and youth ministry (pastorate-wide)
- Food-pantry outreach (DeForest/Windsor, Columbus/Fall River, Poynette)
- Knights of Columbus
- Bulletin and communications ministry
- St. Joseph Church (East Bristol) Storm Damage Fund
Visit, Register, and Contact
Whether you are new to the area or have lived here for years, the parish welcomes registrations through the Nativity of the Lord Parish office. The 2024 addition has made the church accessible from the rear parking lot, with elevators and restrooms opening up the historic worship space to all.
- Address: 1935 County Highway V, Sun Prairie, WI 53590
- Phone: (608) 846-5726
- Email: [email protected]
- Emergency sacramental line: 608-453-5763
- Website: nativitylord.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Adalbert Inama, O. Praem.1847
Missionary priest from Roxbury who gathered scattered Catholic settlers and celebrated the first Mass in Michael Schmitt's log home; organized the parish.
- Rev. Maximilian Gaertner1848 (early years)
Oversaw the construction of the first log church on land deeded by Michael Schmitt.
- Rev. Max DeBecke1864–1868
Began construction of the stone church in 1864; consecrated by Archbishop John Martin Henni on November 24, 1868.
- Rev. John Baptist Hasselbauerlate 19th century
Help oversee the 1890s Gothic Revival limestone church construction.
- Rev. Lorenz Conradlate 19th/early 20th c.
Tenure shaped the church's early decades; honored at the 1997 150th anniversary.