About St. Mary · Lomira, Wisconsin
St. Mary Catholic Church is a historic parish in Lomira, Wisconsin, founded in 1870 and named for the Blessed Virgin Mary. The parish shares a staff with its sister congregation 'Sons of Zebedee' (the merged St. James in Oakfield and St. John in Byron), which together form a rural cluster in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Members describe themselves as 'an active faith community dedicated to living the Gospel through our worship and Catholic Education,' serving the small towns of Lomira, Oakfield, and Byron.
- Established
- 1870
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father Nathaniel Miniatt
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
Parishioners who join St. Mary's are welcomed into a small-town Catholic community that has faithfully served Lomira for more than 150 years, centered on a beautiful, well-loved historic church. Active groups have long included the Legion of Mary, the parish choir, family groups, and a consolidated Catholic school — meaning there are real ways to participate across generations. The parish shares faith formation and staff with Sons of Zebedee (St. James in Oakfield and St. John in Byron), giving newcomers multiple worship sites while keeping a personal, rural feel.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM (before the 4:00 PM Mass)
- By appointment (call to schedule)
Our Story — 150+ Years of Faith in Lomira
Catholic citizens of Lomira founded St. Mary in 1870 as a mission church, dedicating it on September 8, the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. From a small rural congregation of about 75 families in 1920, St. Mary has grown into a parish of roughly 415 families (as of the 125th anniversary), supported by a parish council, a consolidated school board, the Legion of Mary, a high school CCD program, a choir, and the Family of St. Mary's. The parish today is one of three churches in the St. Mary and Sons of Zebedee cluster, sharing staff and faith-formation programs with St. James in Oakfield and St. John in Byron.
- 1870 — Parish founded and dedicated on September 8 (Nativity of Mary).
- 1876 — School built under Father Spath with the Sisters of St. Agnes.
- 1895 — New school built; first eighth-grade class (two girls) in 1908.
- 1905 — Present church built.
- 1910 — Parish office officially incorporated.
- 1922 — Parish rectory built.
- 1956 — Current school building and convent in Lomira built.
- 1970 — School consolidated with St. Theresa School as Consolidated Catholic – Lomira & Theresa.
- 1988 — Fire destroys parish records and causes smoke damage; church rededicated in eight months.
- 2013 — Clustered with Sons of Zebedee; religious education programs merge in 2014.
- 2019 — Father Nathaniel Miniatt appointed administrator.
- 2020 — 150th anniversary celebrated September 8.
Worship and Sacraments
St. Mary's weekend Mass is celebrated Saturday at 4:00 PM with Reconciliation offered beforehand at 3:30 PM. A Sunday morning Mass is held at 8:00 AM, and a weekday Mass is celebrated on Friday at 8:30 AM. The parish invites parishioners and visitors to come and 'experience the Sacred' together.
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 4:00 PM (Reconciliation 3:30–4:00 PM)
- Sunday Mass — 8:00 AM
- Weekday Mass — Friday 8:30 AM
- Reconciliation by appointment
- Emergency anointing line: 920-266-8273
Parish Staff and Clergy
Staff are shared across St. Mary and Sons of Zebedee. Father Nathaniel Miniatt serves as pastor; he was appointed in June 2019 after three years as associate pastor at St. John Vianney in Brookfield. Two associate pastors — Father Zachary Galante and Father Mark Brandl — round out the priestly team, alongside a parish secretary, director of evangelization and discipleship, director of religious education, managing director, and parish organist.
- Father Nathaniel Miniatt — Pastor
- Father Zachary Galante — Associate Pastor
- Father Mark Brandl — Associate Pastor
- Bernadette Stephens — Parish Secretary
- Maryclare Stephens — Director of Evangelization and Discipleship
- Tracy Nadolski — Director of Religious Education
- Nicole Glogovky — Managing Director
- Wendy Pelletier — Parish Organist
Faith Formation and Catholic Education
Faith formation has been part of St. Mary's mission since the Sisters of St. Agnes opened the parish school in 1876. Religious education programs for St. Mary and Sons of Zebedee were combined in 2014 as part of the cluster, while each parish retains its own pastoral and finance councils. The parish's historic elementary school was consolidated with St. Theresa School in 1970 to form Consolidated Catholic – Lomira & Theresa, and has since been served by the School Sisters of St. Francis.
- Parish School (founded 1876 with the Sisters of St. Agnes)
- Consolidated Catholic – Lomira & Theresa (1970)
- Religious Education / CCD
- Shared faith formation with Sons of Zebedee (since 2014)
Music and Liturgy
Music at St. Mary is led by parish organist Wendy Pelletier, who also serves Sons of Zebedee. She plays and cantors for most Masses, selects music for the church year, emails monthly song lists to Father Miniatt, and rehearses weekly with cantors and the parish choir.
- Parish choir
- Cantor ministry
- Monthly music planning with the pastor
Cluster: St. Mary and Sons of Zebedee
St. Mary in Lomira is part of the St. Mary and Sons of Zebedee parish family with St. James in Oakfield and St. John in Byron. The cluster was formed in 2013 and shares staff and faith formation; Sons of Zebedee (originally two separate parishes) was merged in 1998. Masses rotate among the three churches, with Sons of Zebedee Sunday Mass at St. John's on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays and at St. James on the 2nd and 4th Sundays.
- Sons of Zebedee (St. James, Oakfield; St. John, Byron)
- Cluster formed 2013; faith formation combined 2014
- Sunday Mass schedule rotates between Sons of Zebedee sites
Visiting and Joining St. Mary
Newcomers are warmly welcomed. The parish family encourages visitors and prospective parishioners to register at either St. Mary or Sons of Zebedee based on the worship site they attend most often. The parish office is open Monday 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and Friday 9:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
- Parish office: 699 Milwaukee St., Lomira, WI 53048
- Office Phone: (920) 269-4429
- Office Hours: Monday 9 a.m.–12 p.m.; Friday 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
- Register with the parish of your primary Mass location
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father SpathAround 1876
Guided the building of the parish school with the Sisters of St. Agnes as teachers.
- Father Stephen StradingerAround 1995 (125th anniversary)
Pastored at the 125th anniversary when approximately 415 families belonged; active groups included Legion of Mary, high school CCD, choir, and Family of St. Mary's.
- Father Nathaniel MiniattSince June 18, 2019
Appointed administrator of St. Mary and Sons of Zebedee in June 2019; previously associate pastor at St. John Vianney in Brookfield for 3 years.