About St. Mary · Leopolis, Wisconsin
St. Mary Catholic Parish (formally St. Mary of the Assumption) is a small, rural Catholic parish in the Village of Leopolis, Shawano County, Wisconsin, founded by Bohemian (Czech) immigrant settlers. It is part of the Diocese of Green Bay and today is linked with three other parishes — St. Anthony, Tigerton; St. Mary, Marion; and Holy Family–St. William, Wittenberg — as the 'Four Parish Catholic Community' (flockof4.org). The parish is currently administered by Conventual Franciscan Friar Timothy Mwanjala Machila, OFM Conv., who also serves St. Francis Solanus in Gresham. The 1912 brick church still serves a congregation of about 75 families and is known for its stained glass, bell tower, and ongoing preservation work.
- Established
- 1887
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (formally St. Mary of the Assumption); the original 1887 log church was dedicated to St. John Nepomucene
- Rector
- Rev. Timothy Mwanjala Machila, OFM Conv. (Parish Administrator, since 2022; appointed to new assignment July 1, 2025)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Green Bay
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a small, faith-filled rural Catholic parish in the heart of Wisconsin's farming country, where generations of Bohemian, German, and French immigrant families have worshipped for nearly 140 years. Parishioners gather for Sunday Mass, frequent confession, Holy Hours, and a justice task force that engages in local community organizing. With only about 75 members, the parish has been remarkably creative — renting space to other congregations, hosting a Sunday school class, and taking on ambitious preservation projects (bell tower, roof, stone tuck-pointing, altar, ceiling restoration) to keep the historic 1912 church alive. It is a place where everyone knows each other and where the faith of the founding Bohemian pioneers continues in a warm, multi-parish community.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 9:00 AM
- Saturday 9:00 AM
Adoration times
- First Thursday at 9:00 a.m.
Parish History
St. Mary's story begins with the founding of Leopolis in 1865 by Nathan Leopold and a wave of Bohemian, German, and French immigrant families. With no church, the pioneers worshipped outdoors and in private homes until June 5, 1876, when Fr. Amandus Masscheliein, OFM, rode in on horseback from Keshena and celebrated the first official Mass on Matthias Cerveny's kitchen table. In 1886 the community built a log church on the highest point in Leopolis (completed 1887, about 15 families), which they dedicated to their Czech patron saint, St. John Nepomucene. The present brick church was built to accommodate 45 families and blessed by Bishop Joseph Fox in 1912, with the cornerstone reading 19211. It was placed under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary as St. Mary of the Assumption.
- 1865 — Village of Leopolis founded by Nathan Leopold
- June 5, 1876 — First Mass celebrated on Matthias Cerveny's kitchen table by Fr. Amandus Masscheliein, OFM
- 1876–1880 — Leopolis served as a mission from Keshena
- 1887 — Log church of St. John Nepomucene completed (altar by Cerveny)
- 1911 — New main altar purchased
- 1912 — Present church blessed by Bishop Joseph Fox (cornerstone 19211)
- 1920 — Stained glass windows added
- 1928 — Two side altars and two statues added
Becoming an Independent Parish
For seventy years, the Leopolis faithful were a mission shuffled between parishes: Keshena (1876–1888), Sacred Heart in Shawano (1888–1890), St. Rose in Clintonville (1890–1893), back to Shawano (1893–1909), and St. Francis in Gresham (1909–1946). In 1946, St. Mary became an independent parish with Fr. Anthony Baier as its first resident pastor; he oversaw construction of the rectory and sacristy in 1949. Between 1954 and 2006 the parish was led by nine resident pastors.
- 1876–1946 — Mission status under five successive parishes
- 1946 — Became independent parish; Fr. Anthony Baier first resident pastor
- 1949 — Rectory and sacristy built under Fr. Baier
- 1954–2006 — Nine resident pastors served the parish
Modern Renovations & Preservation
In 2004, Fr. Harry Hafeman launched construction of a side entrance with an elevator to make the historic church handicap-accessible; Bishop David Zubik blessed the completed addition in 2006. In the same year, St. Mary was linked with St. Anthony (Tigerton), St. Mary (Marion), and Holy Family–St. William (Wittenberg) into the Four Parish Catholic Community, with Fr. John Girotti appointed pastor and Fr. Hafeman assisting. A traditional ceiling-painting restoration by a Milwaukee artist was begun under Fr. Girotti and completed in 2010 under Fr. Patrick Lloyd. In 2012, a new altar was installed and blessed by Bishop Robert Banks.
- 2004 — Side entrance with elevator begun under Fr. Harry Hafeman
- 2006 — Project blessed by Bishop David Zubik
- 2006 — Parishes linked as Four Parish Catholic Community
- 2010 — Ceiling restoration completed under Fr. Patrick Lloyd
- 2012 — New altar blessed and dedicated by Bishop Robert Banks
Our Pastor & Clergy
St. Mary is currently administered by Rev. Timothy Mwanjala Machila, OFM Conv., a Conventual Franciscan friar from Kenya. After ordination in Limuru, Kenya, he returned to Rome for further studies and completed a doctorate in Church History at the Pontifical Gregorian University in May 2022. He was then requested to come to the Diocese of Green Bay to serve St. Francis Solanus in Gresham and St. Mary in Leopolis as Parish Administrator, beginning in 2022. He is one of three Kenyan Conventual Franciscans — together with Friar Simon Minyati and Friar Ayub Mwenda — invited to rural Wisconsin by then-Vicar General Fr. John Girotti after years of preparation in Chicago.
- Rev. Timothy Mwanjala Machila, OFM Conv. — Parish Administrator since 2022
- Doctorate in Church History, Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome), 2022
- Ordained in Limuru, Kenya
- Currently serves alongside the broader Four Parish Catholic Community
Parish Life & Ministries
With about 75 parishioners, St. Mary maintains a remarkably active parish life for its size. The parish operates a justice task force that participates in three local community organizing initiatives and runs a Sunday school class. Pastoral and finance councils — staffed in part by parish leader Ann Marie Brei — coordinate the work of the parish together with the wider Four Parish Catholic Community.
- Justice task force (community organizing)
- Sunday school class
- Pastoral Council
- Fundraising / rental of parish facilities
Preserving a Historic Building
The 1912 St. Mary of the Assumption church is a beloved piece of Leopolis heritage, and the small congregation has taken on a series of major preservation projects. Recent work has included roof repairs, tuck-pointing of the stone walls, repairs to the bell tower, and fixing the concrete steps. To fund this work, the parish has rented spaces in its parking lot and building to other congregations and charitable organizations, and has welcomed a steady stream of new members over the years.
- Roof repairs
- Tuck-pointing of stone walls
- Bell tower repair
- Concrete step repair
- Side entrance / handicap accessibility (2006)
- Ceiling restoration with traditional painting (2010)
- New altar (2012)
Visiting & Contact
St. Mary's is located at W11842 Third Street in the Village of Leopolis, Shawano County. The parish shares administration with St. Anthony (Tigerton), St. Mary (Marion), and Holy Family–St. William (Wittenberg) through the Four Parish Catholic Community website, flockof4.org. The parish can be reached at (715) 535-2571, and a legacy parish-news site (ourparishnews.yahoosites.com) preserves history and news for the community.
- Address — W11842 Third Street, Leopolis, WI 54948
- Phone — (715) 535-2571
- Website — flockof4.org
- Legacy site — ourparishnews.yahoosites.com/st-marys-leopolis.html
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Amandus Masscheliein, OFM (Missionary from Keshena)1876–1880
Celebrated the first official Mass in Leopolis on June 5, 1876, on Matthias Cerveny's kitchen table.
- Fr. Anthony Baier1946–1954
First resident pastor when St. Mary became an independent parish in 1946. Built the rectory and sacristy (1949).
- Fr. Harry Hafemanserved into 2000s
Initiated the side entrance and elevator project (completed and blessed by Bishop David Zubik in 2006) for handicap accessibility.
- Fr. John Girottimid-2000s
Appointed pastor of the Four Parish Catholic Community; began the ceiling restoration project with traditional painting.
- Fr. Patrick Lloydcompleted ceiling restoration in 2010
Pastored during completion of the ceiling restoration; new altar blessed in 2012 by Bishop Robert Banks.
- Rev. Timothy Mwanjala Machila, OFM Conv.2022–
Conventual Franciscan friar from Kenya; assigned to St. Francis Solanus, Gresham, and St. Mary, Leopolis, after completing a doctorate in Church History in Rome.