About St. Mark · Rothschild, Wisconsin
St. Mark Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic community serving the village of Rothschild and surrounding areas in central Wisconsin, within the Diocese of La Crosse (Wausau Deanery). Established in 1960, the parish today counts roughly 700 registered households and is the home of one of the elementary campuses of Newman Catholic Schools, hosting preschool through Grade 5. Worship is offered in the Roman Rite, with Sunday Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, weekday Masses on Thursday and Friday, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a full sacramental and religious education program for children and adults.
- Established
- 1960
- Patron
- St. Mark the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. Janusz Kowalski
- Diocese
- Diocese of La Crosse (Wausau Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Mark offers a complete Catholic life in one location: weekend and weekday Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet, daily-confession opportunities four days a week, a parish school housing preschool through Grade 5 (part of Newman Catholic Schools), a graded religious education and sacrament-preparation program (with First Communion in 2nd grade and Confirmation in 10th), an active RCIA for adults, and a strong fabric of parish councils and committees — Family Life, Ladies Council, Justice & Peace (with the Circle of Joy Food Pantry), Sacred Worship, Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils, Catholic Education/Formation, and more — where parishioners can put time, talent and treasure to work.
Mass times at St. Mark
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 7:40 am
- Friday 7:40 am
- Saturday 3:30 pm
- Saturday 10:30 am (Sacrament Preparation page)
- Sunday 7:30 am
Adoration times
- Friday 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament), followed by the Divine Mercy Chaplet (no Adoration on July 3, 2026 per parish notice)
History of St. Mark Parish
From its founding on July 1, 1960 through the 2007 reordering of the church and the ongoing Newman Catholic Schools partnership, this section walks through the parish's story as told on the parish's own history page.
- 1960 — Parish established by Bishop John P. Treacy (Diocese of La Crosse) under the patronage of Mark the Evangelist; Fr. Angelo Commoretto appointed first pastor.
- 1960 — 27 acres purchased; land clearing begins in November.
- 1961 — Bishop Treacy dedicates the gym as a temporary church and breaks ground for the school on May 28, 1961 (the same day as First Communion).
- 1961 — Rectory built on Leon Street for the pastor and first assistant Fr. Thomas McGinnis.
- 1962 — School opens September 10, staffed by the Sisters of the Divine Savior.
- 1981 — Schumacher Hall (gym, locker rooms, lunchroom, kitchen) completed and dedicated February 1, 1981 by Bishop Frederick W. Freking; named after pastor Fr. Charles Schumacher.
- 2007 — Church interior reordered.
- Today — About 700 registered households.
Parish Staff
The parish staff supports worship, faith formation, music, administration, finances, pastoral care and facilities.
- Rev. Janusz Kowalski — Pastor
- Deacon Michael Lambrecht — Deacon
- Mary E. Martin — Pastoral Musician (directs adult choir, bell choir, cantors, Youth Choir and Common Song)
- Mary H. Hart — Director of Religious Education
- Caren Alsides — Secretary to the Parish and Staff / Parish Bookkeeper
- Mikki Fronek — Primary Organist (Sunday, weddings, funerals)
- Sue Soriano — Pastoral Care (home visits, assisted living, nursing homes)
- Dean Brzezinski — Custodian and Maintenance
Councils and Committees
Parishioners serve on a wide network of councils and committees. Contact the Parish Office (715-359-5206) to get involved.
- Parish Pastoral Council
- Parish Finance Council
- Catholic Education/Formation Committee
- Endowment Trust Trustees
- Family Life Committee
- June Bug
- Justice and Peace Committee (Circle of Joy Food Pantry)
- Ladies Council
- Sacred Worship Committee
- Newman Catholic Schools Commission
Religious Education and Sacramental Preparation
Religious education at St. Mark supports parents as the primary educators of their children in the Catholic faith, through worship, prayer, catechesis, service and fellowship.
- Curriculum: Discover! Finding Faith in Life for grades 1–5 (each child receives a Discover Kit with Catholic Children's Bible and Activity Book; online eLearning lessons for home).
- Grades 6–9 cover the Creed, Sacraments, Church History, Morality, Scripture, Jesus in the New Testament, Theology of the Body (TOB), and Prayer.
- Sunday School program for ages 3, 4 and 5 — twice monthly during the 10:00 am Liturgy in the school building.
- First Communion: celebrated in 2nd grade after completion of 1st-grade faith formation.
- Confirmation: celebrated in 10th grade through the religious education program.
- RCIA — catechetical process for adults interested in becoming Catholic; contact the Parish Office.
Sacraments
The parish provides preparation for and celebration of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church.
- Baptism — contact the Parish Office for baptism dates and to register for preparation sessions.
- Marriage — notify the Parish Office one year prior to the desired wedding date.
- Reconciliation — Thu 7:40 am, Fri 7:40 am, Sat 3:30 pm, Sun 7:30 am (also Sat 10:30 am per the Sacrament Preparation page).
- Anointing of the Sick — Spring and Fall, or in the home and hospital on request.
- First Communion — through the religious education program in 2nd grade.
- Confirmation — through the religious education program in 10th grade.
- RCIA — for adults seeking membership in the Catholic Church.
Newman Catholic Schools (NCS)
St. Mark is associated with Newman Catholic Schools, the multi-parish Catholic school system serving the Wausau area. St. Mark currently houses Preschool through 4-year-old Pre-K and Kindergarten through Grade 5.
- Early Childhood Centers: St. Therese (Schofield) and St. Michael (Wausau).
- Elementary Schools: St. Anne (Wausau) K–5; St. Mark (Rothschild) Pre-K–5.
- Middle/High School: Newman Catholic Middle and High School (Wausau) grades 6–12.
- Governance: NCS is governed under the authority of the Catholic Church; direction begins with the diocesan bishop and flows through the Dean / Dean's Delegate to NCS.
- NCS Education Commission: a policy-forming and consultative body; meetings in Sept, Nov, Jan, Mar, May.
Justice and Peace — Circle of Joy Food Pantry
The Social Justice Committee promotes awareness of social justice and service according to Catholic Social Teaching through prayer, education, social action and stewardship.
- Circle of Joy Food Pantry — for food and household assistance, call the Parish Office at 715-359-5206.
Ladies Council
Open to all women of the parish, the Ladies Council meets quarterly (announced in the bulletin) and supports parish and community needs through fundraisers and service.
- Bake Sales — first weekend in December (with a raffle) and Palm Sunday weekend.
- Take-and-Bake Pizza Sale — preorders assembled for parishioners and the community.
- Holy Treasures Rummage Sale — held periodically during Spring break; has raised up to $6,000 for the parish.
- Baby Quilts — a quilt is sewn for each child baptized in the parish.
- Funeral Committee — hosts a luncheon following parish funerals; welcomes men and women who can bake or prepare salads.
- Dinner parties — Christmas dinner in December, spring dinner in May, plus occasional parties (e.g., Mardi Gras).
Family Life Committee
Consultative body that coordinates pastoral care and parish life around bereavement, anniversaries, new members, parish social gatherings, and 'June Bug' (the parish's signature community event).
Sacred Worship Committee
Promotes the praise and glory of God and service to others through full participation in the Liturgy.
Catholic Education/Formation Committee
Fosters ongoing Catholic catechetical formation, education (Newman Catholic Schools), and enrichment of parish members in the spirit and theology of Vatican II. Contact the Parish Office to get involved.
Diocesan Annual Appeal
Each year St. Mark Parish participates in the Diocese of La Crosse Annual Appeal, which supports diocesan-wide ministries such as FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), the Watermark Mission disaster-recovery ministry, and Catholic Charities / refugee resettlement efforts. Parishioners can give by mail or online through the diocesan secure website (selecting St. Mark Parish, Rothschild — parish code #542).
- Most Rev. William Patrick Callahan — Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse.
- Parish identifier on the diocesan giving page: #542.
Visit, Contact and Office Hours
St. Mark Catholic Parish is located at 602 Military Road, Rothschild, WI 54474. The Parish Office phone is 715-359-5206. Office hours are Monday–Thursday 9:00 am–4:00 pm and Friday 9:00 am–12:00 pm.
- Address: 602 Military Road, Rothschild, WI 54474
- Phone: 715-359-5206
- Website: http://www.smproths.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StMarkCatholicParish/
- Diocese: Diocese of La Crosse — https://diolc.org/parish/st-mark-parish/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Angelo Commoretto1960–
First pastor appointed by Bishop John P. Treacy when the parish was established on July 1, 1960.
- Fr. Thomas McGinnis1961–
First assistant pastor; arrived when the Leon Street rectory was built in June 1961.
- Fr. Charles Schumacher
Pastor for whom Schumacher Hall (the 1981 gym/lunchroom/locker-room addition) was named; it was dedicated February 1, 1981 by Bishop Frederick W. Freking.
- Rev. Janusz Kowalskipresent
Current pastor; also serves St. Therese Parish per Newman Catholic Schools magazine.