About St. Mary · Lyndon Station, Wisconsin
St. Mary's Parish is a small Catholic community of 157 families in Lyndon Station, Wisconsin, just north of the Wisconsin Dells off Interstate 90/94 (exit 79). It is the oldest existing parish in the Diocese of La Crosse, founded by Irish immigrant settlers in 1851, and is locally known as the "Upper Cathedral of the Dells." The current stone church was built in 1899 by hundreds of Irish immigrant parishioners and dedicated on May 8, 1900 by Bishop James Schweback. The parish maintains an active sacramental and parish life with Mass, weekly adoration, Friday confessions, CCD religious education, a cemetery, and several parish committees.
- Established
- 1851
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (parish name St. Mary's; originally St. Bridget's until 1877)
- Rector
- Fr. Cryton Outschoorn
- Diocese
- Diocese of La Crosse (Tomah Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a small, welcoming parish that serves 157 families just north of the Wisconsin Dells, with a regular weekly schedule of Mass, Wednesday adoration, and Friday confessions. It offers the full sacramental life — Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, Communion to the homebound, and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults — alongside CCD religious education, a parish school connection through St. Patrick School in Mauston, and active pastoral, finance, cemetery, buildings & grounds, and sacred worship committees. As the oldest existing parish in the Diocese of La Crosse, it carries a deep Irish-Catholic heritage that continues through ongoing preservation of its historic 1900 church.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday – 8:30 a.m.
Adoration times
- Wednesday – 8:30 a.m.
History of St. Mary's Parish
St. Mary's traces its roots to 1851, when Irish immigrant settlers welcomed Father M. Gaertner from Sauk City for the first Mass. A small church was finished by 1853 and named St. Bridget's, on the site of today's St. Mary's Cemetery on Highway J. Under Father Stehle (from 1856) the parish bought 30 acres for the cemetery and moved the church there. In 1863 parishioners built a 60×30-foot frame church in the new Village of Lyndon Station. Father John Mears (1876–1892) opened the first parochial school on April 28, 1877 and renamed the parish St. Mary's. By 1894 membership had reached 900 souls, and under Father Nevins the cornerstone of the present stone church was laid on September 28, 1899. Hundreds of Irish immigrants hauled stone from Lemonweir Mills and sand from the John Dougherty farm, and Bishop James Schwebeck dedicated the new church on May 8, 1900. A convent was added in 1951, and the parish school closed in 1968. Recent preservation efforts include a window restoration project begun in 2013 and a floor restoration project in 2018.
- 1851 — First Mass celebrated by Father M. Gaertner from Sauk City
- 1853 — Original St. Bridget's Church completed
- 1856 — Father Stehle purchases 30 acres for St. Mary's Cemetery
- 1863 — Frame church built in the Village of Lyndon Station
- 1876–1892 — Father John Mears serves as pastor; opens first parochial school April 28, 1877
- 1877 — Parish renamed from St. Bridget's to St. Mary's
- 1894 — Parish reaches 900 members
- 1899 — Stone laid July 15; cornerstone September 28
- 1900 — Church dedicated May 8 by Bishop James Schwebeck
- 1951 — Convent built for teaching sisters
- 1968 — Parish school closes
- 2013 — Window restoration project begins
- 2018 — Floor restoration project
Architecture & Building Heritage
The present church is a stone edifice built in 1899 by hundreds of Irish immigrant parishioners. The stone was cut and hauled from the Lemonweir Mills area, while river-washed sand was brought from the John Dougherty farm along the Wisconsin River. Over a two-year period, men with teams of horses, wagons and stone boats worked countless hours hauling materials to the masons and carpenters. Locally the church is nicknamed the 'Upper Cathedral of the Dells.' The parish continues to invest in preservation: a window restoration project (begun 2013) restored the original stained-glass works of art, and a 2018 floor project preserved the timeless beauty of the interior for generations to come.
- Stone from Lemonweir Mills
- Sand from the John Dougherty farm on the Wisconsin River
- Window restoration project (2013)
- Floor restoration project (2018)
Parish Staff & Pastoral Leadership
The parish is led by Fr. Cryton Outschoorn as pastor, assisted by Deacon Tom Hale. Lay staff keep the parish and its cemetery running day to day.
- Fr. Cryton Outschoorn — Pastor
- Deacon Tom Hale
- Sandy Madland — CCD Coordinator (608-393-2515)
- Heather Morrison — Secretary
- Jae Bornemeier — Assistant Secretary
- Jade Pusel — Music Director
- Dennis Franek — Parish & Cemetery Maintenance
Parish Councils & Committees
Parishioners serve on a number of councils and committees that guide the life of St. Mary's.
- Pastoral Council — Jim Cauley (Chair), Ted Czajkowski, Jodi Nelson, Pam Browne (Secretary), Connie Walsh, Kevin Heimerl
- Finance Council — Jim McGowan Jr, Matt McGowan, Dennis Franek, Rodney Senzig, Tom Guyse
- Buildings & Grounds Committee — Jim Cauley, Sheri Guyse, Tanya Walsh, Laehn Garrett Madland, Vicki McGowan, Andrew Erickson
- Cemetery Committee — John Pody, Dennis Franek, Jerome Senzig, Pat Mitchell, Dick Domke, Jim Crowley, Jim Cauley, Matt Leja, Mike Schanke, Gage Kobylski
- Sacred Worship Committee — Sheri Guyse, Brian Fox, Dennis Franek, Linda Lochner, Jade Pusel, Ted Czajkowski, Diane Czajkowski
Sacraments
St. Mary's celebrates the full sacramental life of the Church. Baptisms are typically celebrated during or at the end of Sunday Mass, and parents are asked to call the rectory to schedule a preparation appointment. Couples wishing to marry at St. Mary's should contact the parish office at least nine months in advance; weddings are not celebrated during Advent or Lent. The parish also brings Holy Communion to the homebound through Eucharistic Ministers and offers the Anointing of the Sick through visits by Fr. Cryton Outschoorn.
- Baptism
- Marriage (9-month preparation; not during Advent/Lent)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Communion for the homebound
- Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) — welcome for those inquiring about the Catholic faith
Faith Formation — CCD
St. Mary's runs a parish-based Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) religious education program for the children of registered families. Inquiries about registration or curriculum should be directed to the CCD Coordinator, Sandy Madland, at 608-393-2515. The parish also maintains a working relationship with St. Patrick School & Parish in Mauston.
- CCD Coordinator: Sandy Madland — (608) 393-2515
- Partner school: St. Patrick School & Parish in Mauston
St. Mary's Cemetery
St. Mary's Cemetery was established in 1850 alongside the original St. Bridget's Church, which once stood within the cemetery grounds. After the parish relocated to the Village of Lyndon Station in 1863, the cemetery has remained at 1804 County Road J, south of Highway 12/16. Plot records have been kept by hand since the beginning, and the parish is currently transitioning these historical records to a digital platform — including a searchable spreadsheet of plots, a list organized by last name, and an overview map of cemetery sections.
- Established 1850
- Location: 1804 County Road J, south of Highway 12/16
- Records being digitized into a searchable map (best viewed from a computer)
Parish Office, St. Bridget's Hall & Contact
The parish office is located in the church basement at 117 N. Juneau St., Lyndon Station, WI 53944 (mailing address: P.O. Box 303, Lyndon Station, WI 53944-0303). Secretary office hours are Wednesday and Friday 9:00 a.m. to Noon, and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Priest office hours are Tuesday through Friday 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The parish hall is named St. Bridget's Hall, in honor of the parish's original name.
- Parish Office phone: 1-608-666-2421
- St. Bridget's Hall (parish hall)
- Secretary office hours: Wed & Fri 9 a.m.–Noon; Sat 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Priest office hours: Tue–Fri 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Becoming a Member
Anyone wishing to join the parish is invited to contact the parish office to set up a time to meet. The parish notes that it is 'growing month by month' and welcomes all who want to experience God to the full. New members do not need to be parishioners in order to seek Baptism for a child, and the RCIA process welcomes inquirers from any background.
- Contact the parish office to set up a meeting
- RCIA open to anyone interested in the Catholic faith
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father M. Gaertner1851
Came from Sauk City to celebrate the first Mass in the new settlement.
- Father Stehle1856–
Purchased 30 acres for the present St. Mary's Cemetery and moved the original church and burials there.
- Father John Mears1876–1892
Built the first parochial school (opened April 28, 1877); renamed the parish from St. Bridget's to St. Mary's.
- Father Nevins1890s–1900
Pastor during construction of the current stone church; cornerstone laid September 28, 1899.