About St. Ladislaus · Hatley, Wisconsin
St. Ladislaus Parish is a rural Catholic parish serving the small community of Bevent, Wisconsin (mailing address Hatley, WI 54440), in the Diocese of La Crosse's Wausau Deanery. The parish describes itself as a 'vibrant, Eucharistic-based Community' of believers rich in Polish-Catholic tradition. Founded in 1886 by Father Grabowski among the Polish settlers of the Pike Lake area, it remains a tight-knit rural parish led today by Father Augustine Bentil with pastoral associate Sister Mary Ellen Diermeier, FSP. Worship is centered on a Sunday morning Mass and a Saturday Vigil Mass, and the parish grounds still include the historic church hall and school building alongside a parish cemetery.
- Established
- 1886
- Patron
- St. Ladislaus (King Ladislaus I of Hungary)
- Rector
- Father Augustine Bentil
- Diocese
- Diocese of La Crosse (Wausau Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Ladislaus offers the warmth of a small, rural Catholic community where everyone knows one another, grounded in a 'vibrant, Eucharistic-based' identity and rich Polish-Catholic heritage going back to 1886. Worship is intimate (Sunday 10:10 a.m. and a seasonal Saturday Vigil), with a faith life that reaches beyond Mass into faith formation for all ages — preschool through adult — youth ministry, women's and parish retreats, Mornings of Adoration, Lenten Soup Suppers, Vacation Bible School, a yearly pilgrimage, and a sister-parish partnership in Kentucky. Families and visitors are welcomed into a parish that explicitly sees its mission as 'to accept, love and serve one another' through the stewardship of time, talent, and treasure.
Mass times at St. Ladislaus
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Mornings of Adoration (periodic; introduced between 1996 and 2011)
Welcome & Parish Identity
The official Weebly site greets visitors as 'Welcome to the Catholic Parish of St. Ladislaus, Bevent, Wisconsin' and describes the parish as 'a rural and vibrant Parish in the Diocese of La Crosse … committed to sharing the Gospel — The Good News of Jesus Christ.' The staff and parish family extend a warm welcome to members, friends, and visitors of this 'Eucharistic based Community.' The site invites people to browse often for resources, Catholic-faith information, ministry and program descriptions, and a calendar of events.
- Parish self-description: 'rural and vibrant … Eucharistic-based Community'
- Diocese of La Crosse parish
- Mission: praise and worship of God, hearing and responding to the Word, accepting and serving one another, stewardship of time/talent/treasure
History of St. Ladislaus Parish
The parish's own brief history, prepared for the DCCW, traces the community from the 1882 frame church built for Polish settlers of Pike Lake through the 1895 fire during construction of the present church, the 1896 completion, the 1913 parochial school, the 1926 brick-veneering under Father Francis Pudlo, and the wave of 1996–2011 improvements. The original frame church was relocated to Bevent's main street around 1896, used as a parochial school until 1914, then housed Cherek Brothers Grocery, and was razed in 1978.
- 1882 — small frame church and rectory built; rectory later moved when a new one was built
- 1886 — parish formally established on March 15 by Father Grabowski
- 1895 — construction of new church begins; fire nearly destroys it, saved by water brigade
- 1896 — present church completed (built at a cost of about $15,000)
- 1913 — parochial school built, initially staffed entirely by lay teachers
- 1926 — church brick-veneered under Father Francis Pudlo
- 1990 — Father Nowak retires; parish begins shared-pastor model
- 1996–2011 — church addition with elevator/handicapped accessibility, new altar from part of the original Communion rail, kitchen renovation, hall face-lift, cemetery expansion, new grottos, Religious Education expanded preschool through adult
Mass & Worship Schedule
The parish posts a simple weekly schedule on its homepage and on diocesan listings. The weekend liturgy is centered on a Saturday Vigil Mass (seasonal) and a single Sunday morning Mass, reflecting the parish's small-rural character. The Diocese of La Crosse parish page and discovermass.com both confirm the same schedule.
- Sunday — 10:10 AM
- Saturday Vigil — 4:00 PM (January 1 – June 30)
- Liturgy is celebrated in English
- Rite: Roman-Latin
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Ladislaus's Religious Education Program, originally a parochial school staffed by lay teachers (1913), has been expanded to cover all ages — preschool through adult — as one of the parish's signature 1996–2011 initiatives. The parish also runs Vacation Bible School, an active youth ministry, and a 'Jesus Lives Celebration.'
- Religious Education: preschool through adult
- Vacation Bible School
- Active youth ministry
- "Jesus Lives Celebration"
- Parochial school history dates to 1913
Retreats & Parish Life
The parish fosters a strong retreat and gathering culture, with women's retreats, youth retreats, and parish-wide retreats, plus monthly senior-citizen gatherings. A 'sister parish' relationship with a parish in Kentucky is celebrated yearly, extending St. Ladislaus's sense of Catholic community beyond Marathon County.
- Women's retreats
- Youth retreats
- Parish retreats
- Monthly senior-citizen gatherings
- Sister parish in Kentucky (yearly celebration)
Parish Facilities & Cemetery
The parish campus along State Highway 153 includes the 1896 church (renovated 1996–2011), a church hall, a former school building, the rectory, and a parish cemetery. The 1996–2011 improvements added a church addition with an elevator and handicapped accessibility, renovated the church kitchen, gave the hall a face-lift, expanded the cemetery, added new grottos, and built a new altar using part of the original Communion rail.
- 173141 State Highway 153, Hatley, WI 54440
- Church hall & school phone: 715-454-6770
- New altar built from part of the original Communion rail
- Cemetery expanded 1996–2011; new grottos added
- Elevator and handicapped accessibility added
Sacraments
St. Ladislaus prepares parishioners for the sacraments through the parish office. Couples should contact the parish for marriage preparation, and families seeking Baptism can reach the office (Sr. Mary Ellen Diermeier) to begin arrangements. Reconciliation is available on request and Anointing of the Sick can be arranged through the rectory.
- Baptism — contact parish office
- Marriage — contact parish office well in advance
- Reconciliation — on request through the office
- Anointing of the Sick — on request through the office
- Eucharist — Sunday 10:10 AM and seasonal Saturday Vigil
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Ladislaus by phone, email, or in person. The Weebly site's Contact Us page identifies Sr. Mary Ellen Diermeier as the main point of contact, and the Diocese of La Crosse parish listing confirms the same email and physical/mailing address.
- Rectory/Office: 715-446-3060
- Church Hall & School: 715-454-6770
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stladislaus.weebly.com
- Mailing address: 173141 State Highway 153, Hatley, WI 54440-5213
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Grabowski1886–
Founded St. Ladislaus Parish on March 15, 1886; originally known as the Congregation of Pike Lake.
- Rev. Ignatius Latorski
Rector of St. Ladislaus in 1913, when parish membership was about 200 families.
- Father Francis Pudlo
Brick-veneered the church in 1926; died the following year and is buried in the parish cemetery.
- Father Nowakuntil 1990
Retired in 1990; his departure led to the parish adopting a shared-pastor/resident pastoral-associate model.
- Father Augustine Bentil
Current pastor; shared-pastor arrangement with a sister parish, with Sister Mary Ellen Diermeier as resident pastoral associate.