About St. Mary · Bloomington, Wisconsin
St. Mary Catholic Church is a Roman-Latin rite parish in the small village of Bloomington, Grant County, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of Madison. The parish is part of the St. Joseph the Worker Pastorate, which clusters eight southwestern Wisconsin Catholic churches served jointly by a team of three priests. The Bloomington congregation, originally established as the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1899, remains an active faith community offering daily and Sunday Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, Family Faith Formation, and the parish-operated St. Mary's School (PreK–8).
- Established
- 1899
- Patron
- Originally dedicated as the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary; commonly known as St. Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Stephen Brunner (Parochial Administrator of the St. Joseph the Worker Pastorate)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Madison (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
St. Mary's Bloomington offers the full rhythm of Catholic life in a small, intergenerational rural community: weekday Mass twice a week (Thursday and Friday at 8:15 AM), Sunday Mass at 10:00 AM, Saturday morning Eucharistic Adoration with confessions (8:00–9:00 AM), an active parish school serving PreK–8, monthly Family Faith Formation nights that include a shared family meal, and a priest team that personally shepherds multiple generations through First Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick and Holy Orders. Joining St. Mary's means becoming part of a more than 125-year-old faith community that has worshipped in Bloomington since 1899 and now shares pastoral resources with seven sister parishes across Grant County.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 8:00–9:00 AM (at St. Mary Church, Bloomington)
Adoration times
- Saturday 8:00–9:00 AM (St. Mary Church, Bloomington)
Parish Identity & Pastorate
St. Mary Catholic Church, Bloomington, Wisconsin, is one of eight parishes in the St. Joseph the Worker Pastorate of the Diocese of Madison. Founded in 1899 under the Marian title Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it has worshipped continuously in Bloomington for more than 125 years. The Bloomington parish shares pastoral care with St. Charles Borromeo (Cassville), St. Clement (Lancaster), St. Mary Help of Christians (Glen Haven), St. John (Patch Grove), Ss. Andrew-Thomas (Potosi/Tennyson), and St. Andrew (Tennyson).
- Diocese: Madison
- Pastorate: St. Joseph the Worker
- Parish office: 535 Congress St., PO Box 35, Bloomington, WI 53804
- Office phone: 608-994-2526
- Pastorate phone / sacramental emergency: 608-723-4990
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
- Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Julie M Jentz
Clergy & Staff
The pastorate is currently served by a team of three priests, with a deacon and parish-office staff supporting the Bloomington church.
- Rev. Stephen (Steve) Brunner — Parochial Administrator ([email protected])
- Rev. Mark Miller — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
- Rev. Sudhakar Reddy Devarapu — Parochial Vicar; 25th priestly anniversary celebrated at St. Mary's Bloomington ([email protected])
- Deacon Roger Scholbrock — Pastoral Minister (608-723-4990 or 563-542-5519)
- Mrs. Julie M Jentz — Administrative Assistant, Bloomington parish office
Parish History
The parish traces its origins to 1898, when the Archbishop approved construction of a Catholic church in Bloomington. The congregation placed the project under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary and built the original Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with Father Nicholas Hanert becoming the first resident pastor on July 14, 1899 and celebrating the first Mass on December 10, 1899.
- 1898 – Archbishop approves a Catholic church for Bloomington
- 1899 – Original church built; first resident pastor Fr. Nicholas Hanert arrives July 14
- December 10, 1899 – First Mass celebrated
- 1913 – Father Ruppechter starts the first parish school in the original parish house
- 1918 – Father Adam Arentz arrives
- 1920 – Bishop Schwebach dedicates a new parochial school with three classrooms
- October 1928 – Father Gray secures the convent home and grounds
- May 1936 – Father William Braun becomes pastor
- November 26, 1942 (Thanksgiving Day) – New church dedicated at cost of ~$70,000 plus donated labor
- 1954 – Father Braun moves to Lancaster after 18 years; Father Dwyer succeeds
- April 1958 – New classrooms, lobby, kitchen, lunch room and auditorium completed
- Mid-1960s – Vatican II changes bring English Mass
- 1979 – Father Meier oversees church redecoration and reroofing
- 1985 – Teaching Sisters depart; lay teachers take over
- December 1995 – Father David Timmerman arrives as pastor
- 1996 – Church air conditioning installed; basement redecorated
- 1997 – Planning begins for the parish's 100th-anniversary church redecoration
- Recent years – Parish joins the St. Joseph the Worker Pastorate in the diocesan realignment
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the seven Catholic sacraments. Parents wishing to baptize infants and children should contact the parish office to schedule the baptism and a baptismal preparation session. Couples should contact a priest for marriage preparation. First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation is integrated into the parish's Family Faith Formation program.
- Baptism – contact parish office; baptismal preparation session required
- Confirmation
- Eucharist (First Reconciliation / First Communion)
- Marriage – contact a priest
- Holy Orders
- Reconciliation – Saturday 8:00–9:00 AM at St. Mary Bloomington
- Anointing of the Sick – call sacramental emergency line 608-723-4990
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation in the pastorate follows a 'Family Faith Formation' model: families gather on the first Wednesday evening of each month (6:00–7:30 PM) for a shared meal and lessons. Fr. Mark teaches parents, Fr. Sudhakar teaches 2nd grade (First Reconciliation/First Communion prep), and Fr. Steve teaches 7th–8th graders. The other grade levels are taught by parish catechists. The rest of the month, families work through materials together at home — the home being the 'Domestic Church.' A separate High School Program and diocesan opportunities such as Kairos TEC are also offered.
- Family Faith Formation (K–6) – first Wednesday of the month, 6:00–7:30 PM, with family meal
- 7th & 8th Grade curriculum (Fr. Steve)
- 2nd Grade Sacramental Prep – First Reconciliation & First Communion (Fr. Sudhakar)
- High School Program
- Kairos TEC – diocesan youth retreat
- Summer Bible School (St. Mary's Bloomington)
St. Mary's Catholic School & Early Learning Center
St. Mary's Catholic School has served Bloomington families continuously since 1913 and currently operates a PreK–8 program at 531 Congress Street. The school is co-educational, affiliated with the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), and maintains a 5:1 student-teacher ratio. An Early Learning Center complements the school for the youngest parishioners.
- Grades: PreK–8
- Enrollment: approximately 26 students
- Student–teacher ratio: 5:1
- Average class size: 4
- Address: 531 Congress St., Bloomington, WI 53804
- Affiliation: National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
- Early Learning Center – separate early-childhood program
- Lay teachers since 1985 (replacing teaching Sisters)
Ministries & Parish Life
In addition to its sacramental and educational ministries, the parish supports a parish council, electronic giving, and a roster of liturgy, youth and outreach ministries listed on the parish website.
- Liturgy & Worship
- Youth Ministry
- Becoming Catholic (OCIA/RCIA)
- Parish Council
- Electronic Giving / Donations
- News & Events / Parish Bulletin / Events Calendar
- Pastor's Blog
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Nicholas Hanert1899–
First resident pastor of St. Mary's Bloomington; arrived July 14, 1899; celebrated the parish's first Mass on December 10, 1899.
- Father Ruppechter
Made the first effort to establish a parish school in 1913, using the original parish house.
- Father Adam Arentz1918–
Arrived 1918; pushed for and built the parochial school, dedicated by Bishop Schwebach in spring 1920.
- Father GrayOctober 1928–
Secured the convent home, its grounds and grove.
- Father William BraunMay 1936–1954
Served eighteen years; oversaw construction and 1942 dedication of the new church (Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26).
- Father Dwyer1954–
Succeeded Father Braun; oversaw demolition of old church and construction of classrooms/kitchen/lunch room/auditorium completed April 1958.
- Father Meier1979 reference
Oversaw redecoration and reroofing of the church while services were held in the basement.
- Father David TimmermanDecember 1995–
Installed A/C (1996), redecorated church basement, and led planning for the parish's 100th anniversary redecoration beginning in 1997.