About St. Mary · Marion, Wisconsin
St. Mary Parish is a small Catholic community in the village of Marion, Wisconsin, part of the Diocese of Green Bay. Founded in the late 1880s by European immigrant families, the parish has worshipped in two successive church buildings — the original 1889 frame church and the present Highway 45 church built in 1960. Today St. Mary is linked with St. Anthony of Tigerton and Holy Family–St. William of Wittenberg to form the Three Parish Catholic Family, sharing clergy and staff. The parish is known for its St. Peregrine Shrine, weekly Monday-night rosaries, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, and a welcoming, prayer-centered rural Catholic life.
- Established
- 1889
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Mark Rydell
- Diocese
- Diocese of Green Bay
Why belong here
St. Mary in Marion is a small but prayer-rich rural Catholic community where families have worshipped together since 1889, and many current parishioners are descendants of the founding families. Weekly Mass is complemented by never-ending Monday-night rosaries and monthly Eucharistic Adoration, with the parish's St. Peregrine Shrine open daily for visitors. The Three Parish Family model — sharing clergy and faith formation with St. Anthony of Tigerton and Holy Family–St. William of Wittenberg — gives parishioners both a tight-knit hometown parish and a broader rural Catholic network, with religious education for lower and upper grades, accessible facilities (carport and elevator), and active worship, finance, and cemetery committees that welcome new members.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays 10:00 – 10:15 AM
- Wednesdays 9:00 – 10:00 AM
- Saturdays 9:00 – 10:00 AM
Adoration times
- Monthly Eucharistic Adoration (see parish office for specific date/time)
St. Mary Parish — Marion, Wisconsin
St. Mary is a small Catholic parish in the village of Marion in Waupaca County, Wisconsin, part of the Diocese of Green Bay. The parish shares a pastor with St. Anthony of Tigerton and Holy Family–St. William of Wittenberg, and the three are administered together as the Three Parish Catholic Family. The parish's mailing address is P.O. Box 106, Tigerton, WI 54486-0106, and the church sits at 725 NE 7th St., Marion, WI.
- Address: 725 NE 7th St., Marion, WI
- Mailing: P.O. Box 106, Tigerton, WI 54486-0106
- Phone: (715) 535-2571
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: wittomary.org
- Diocese: Diocese of Green Bay
History of St. Mary in Marion
St. Mary was born of European immigration into Marion after 1880. Before 1887, area Catholics traveled to Clintonville for Mass. On September 1, 1887, parishioners bought land on Block 14, Lots 8 and 9, of the McDonald and Ramsdell Addition for $100. Father Nicholas Belle celebrated the first Mass in Marion in 1888 in the home of Lawrence Milbauer above his blacksmith shop. Parishioners built the first 30-by-50-foot church themselves and dedicated it in summer 1889; the bell, paid for with $83 raised by the congregation and installed May 3, 1899, still rings over the present church. The original church served the community until 1960, when Father James Jacobs and his brother Roger designed and built the present Highway 45 church.
- Land purchased Sept. 1, 1887 for $100
- First Mass: 1888 in the Lawrence Milbauer home above his blacksmith shop
- First church dedicated summer 1889 (30' x 50')
- Bell installed May 3, 1899 (still in use)
- New Highway 45 church built 1960 under Fr. James Jacobs
- St. Peregrine Shrine constructed 2006
- Carport, gathering space, upstairs bathroom and elevator added 2010
Founding Families and Early Parishioners
The first parishioners included the families of Thomas Ball, Lawrence Milbauer, August Bazile, Bernard A. Meyer, Joseph Huettner, George Hofman, Celestin Bazile, Pierre Emperour, Joseph Chevalier, John Mauel, Jacob Matheisel, Frnka Mauel, Joseph Bazile, Louis Fournier, Frank Hofman, Joseph Hofman, Jacob Bazile, Julius Gruentzel, John Korf, Archibald Shannon, and Herman Schreiber. According to the parish, many of their descendants remain members today.
- 22 founding families listed in parish records
- Hofman brothers (George, Frank, Eugene, John) — local wagon makers/carpenters who built the church
- James Sheen — tombstone maker from Hunting who cut the stone
- Frank Mauel — cut pine from today's Marion Athletic Field for the pews
- William J. Hofman — rang the original bell for the first time on May 3, 1899
Religious Education
Religious education for lower and upper grades is offered at St. Mary in Marion on Wednesday evenings. Classes meet at 5:30 PM. The program is shared across the Three Parish Family and coordinated through the Three Parish Office; contact Tammy Wendler ([email protected]) for registration and details.
- Religious Education for lower and upper grades
- Wednesday evenings at 5:30 PM
- Contact: Tammy Wendler, [email protected], (715) 535-2571
Parish Staff & Clergy
The Three Parish Catholic Family is staffed by a shared pastor, deacon, office administrator and communications coordinator. St. Mary is also served by a Deacon Emeritus. The St. Mary site in Marion is administered from the Three Parish Office.
- Rev. Mark Rydell — Pastor (Three Parish Catholic Family)
- Rev. Matthew Settle — Pastor of the Three Parish Family (2018 – c. 2024)
- Deacon Michael Brandt
- Deacon Howard Bricco — Deacon Emeritus
- Tammy Wendler — Office Administrator & Faith Formation Facilitator
- Elena Winfree — Communications Coordinator
Councils & Committees
Pastoral and finance councils are required by the Diocese of Green Bay. St. Mary, St. Anthony (Tigerton), and Holy Family–St. William (Wittenberg) meet jointly to discuss common concerns and separately for parish-specific matters. The Cemetery Committee covers Marion and Wittenberg, while the Worship Committee covers all three parishes.
- Pastoral Council — 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:00 PM in Tigerton
- Finance Councils — monthly (consult office for dates)
- Worship Committee — 3rd Wednesday at 2:00 PM in Tigerton (after 1 PM Holy Hour)
- Cemetery Committee — Marion & Wittenberg
- Building & Grounds Committee — sub-committee of Finance Council
Ministries Schedule
A printed and online Ministers Schedule coordinates Lectors and Altar Servers across the Three Parish Family in rotating quarterly blocks. If a scheduled minister is unavailable, the parish asks them to find a substitute from the ministers list. Questions are directed to Tammy at (715) 535-2571.
- Lectors — quarterly rotation
- Altar Servers — quarterly rotation
- Coordinator: Tammy, (715) 535-2571
The Three Parish Catholic Family
St. Mary of Marion, St. Anthony of Tigerton, and Holy Family–St. William of Wittenberg together form the Three Parish Catholic Family, sharing a pastor, office staff, religious education, and pastoral councils. The grouping has been in place across various forms for years and was unified under Fr. Matt Settle beginning July 2, 2018; Fr. Mark Rydell is the current pastor.
- St. Anthony — 430 Swanke St., Tigerton, WI 54486 (Mailing PO Box 106)
- St. Mary — 725 NE 7th St., Marion, WI
- Holy Family–St. William — Wittenberg, WI
- Shared Three Parish Office: (715) 535-2571
Three Parish Office & Office Hours
The Three Parish Office serves all three parishes (Marion, Tigerton, Wittenberg) from the shared office address in Tigerton. Office hours are posted on the website; parishioners are encouraged to call ahead or email for appointments.
- Phone: (715) 535-2571
- Email: [email protected]
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Visiting St. Mary — I'm New
Newcomers are warmly welcomed at St. Mary. The parish highlights accessible facilities (elevator and carport entrance), the daily St. Peregrine Shrine, Monday-night rosaries, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, and religious education for lower and upper grades — as well as Sunday and weekday Mass — as ways to enter into the life of the parish.
- Sunday Mass — 10:30 AM
- Wednesday Mass — 8:30 AM
- Confession — Sun 10:00–10:15 AM; Wed 7:30–8:15 AM (also Wed 9:00–10:00 AM and Sat 9:00–10:00 AM per the Mass Times page)
- Elevator & carport for easy access
- St. Peregrine Shrine open daily
- Monday night rosaries
- Monthly Eucharistic Adoration
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Nicholas Belle1888–
Founding pastor; celebrated the first Mass in Marion in the Lawrence Milbauer home in 1888 and oversaw construction and 1889 dedication of the original 30'x50' church. Served twice monthly from outside Marion.
- Rev. James JacobsSept. 10, 1956 – Sept. 1966
The parish's only resident pastor; designed and built the present Highway 45 church in 1960 with his brother Roger Jacobs. Transferred to Lena, WI after a 10-year term.
- Rev. Matt Settle2018 – c. 2024
Became pastor of the Three Parish Family (St. Anthony of Tigerton, St. Mary of Marion, Holy Family-St. William of Wittenberg) on July 2, 2018.
- Rev. Mark RydellCurrent
Current pastor of the Three Parish Catholic Family, succeeding Fr. Matt Settle.