About St. Mary of Good Counsel · Mayville, Wisconsin
St. Mary of Good Counsel is a Roman Catholic parish in Mayville, Wisconsin, belonging to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and currently grouped with neighboring St. Andrew (Lomira) and St. Theresa (Theresa) as part of the 'Dodge East Catholic' community of parishes. Founded by German immigrant farmers in 1856 and established on a written deed on September 22, 1857, the parish takes its name from the Latin 'Sanctae Mariae boni consilii' — Mary, Mother of Good Counsel. Today the parish celebrates Mass on Saturday evenings, Sunday mornings, and Friday mornings at its 302 S. German Street church, with three priests — Rev. Nathaniel Miniatt (pastor), Rev. Zachary Galante, and Rev. Mark Brandl — serving all three Dodge East parishes together.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- St. Mary of Good Counsel (Our Lady of Good Counsel)
- Rector
- Rev. Nathaniel Miniatt
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. Mary of Good Counsel offers a welcoming, traditional Catholic life in the heart of rural Mayville — with weekly Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, weekday Mass on Fridays, the Sacrament of Reconciliation before the Vigil, and shared faith-formation across the Dodge East Catholic grouping. As part of a tri-parish community with St. Andrew (Lomira) and St. Theresa (Theresa), parishioners benefit from three full-time priests, a Mass-and-confession schedule that covers every day of the week across the grouping, and a long history (since 1857) of Catholic witness in Dodge County. Visitors and new parishioners are warmly invited to join in Word and Sacrament and to share their time, talent, and treasure.
Mass times at St. Mary of Good Counsel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30pm–4:15pm (St. Mary, Mayville)
- Saturday 3:30pm–4:00pm (St. Mary, Lomira)
- Sunday 10:45am–11:30am (St. Mary, Lomira)
- Friday (1st Friday) 4:30pm–6:00pm (St. Mary, Lomira)
- Thursday 6:00pm–7:00pm during Adoration (St. Theresa, with Confession)
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00pm–7:00pm (St. Theresa, with Confession)
About the Parish
St. Mary of Good Counsel is a Roman Catholic parish in Mayville, Wisconsin, part of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and now grouped with St. Andrew (Lomira) and St. Theresa (Theresa) as the 'Dodge East Catholic' community of parishes. The parish mission statement reads: 'We the Parishes of St. Mary, St. Andrew and St. Theresa proclaim our faith in Jesus Christ and affirm our call to be his disciples as Members of the Roman Catholic Church. Strengthened by Word and Sacrament, we are called to share our faith freely, recognize the needs of others, and build a community where all are welcome without prejudice, with prayerful use of our time, talent and treasures.'
- Patron: St. Mary of Good Counsel (Our Lady of Good Counsel)
- Feast day: April 26
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Milwaukee
- Pastoral grouping: Dodge East Catholic (St. Mary / St. Andrew / St. Theresa)
Parish History
The parish was founded by German Catholic immigrants among the early Dodge County settlers and takes its origin in 1856. Its legal foundation was the warranty deed of September 22, 1857, between four lay trustees and Bishop John Martin Henni of Milwaukee, by which the parish received its formal Latin title 'Sanctae Mariae boni consilii.' The original small wooden church was soon replaced (in the late 1870s) by a larger brick church under the pastorate of Father Woelfl. A 2007 parish booklet celebrated 150 years of the parish's Catholic life in Mayville.
- 1856 — parish founded by German Catholic settlers in the Town of Williamstown
- 1857 (Sept. 22) — warranty deed for church land signed with Bishop John Martin Henni
- First wedding in the church: Henry & Mrs. Boehmer, September 1857
- 1875–1881 — Father Woelfl builds the second (brick) church
- Post-1881 — Mayville served as a mission attached to St. Theresa
- 2007 — 150th-anniversary parish booklet published
- Today — grouped with St. Andrew and St. Theresa as 'Dodge East Catholic'
Parish Clergy and Staff
St. Mary of Good Counsel, together with sister parishes St. Andrew and St. Theresa, is served by a team of three priests of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Day-to-day parish business is handled through the Dodge East Catholic office in Mayville.
- Pastor: Rev. Nathaniel Miniatt — 920-266-8273 — [email protected]
- Associate Pastor: Rev. Zachary Galante — 920-387-2920 ext. 335 — [email protected]
- Associate Pastor: Rev. Mark Brandl — 920-583-4125 — [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 7:00am–3:00pm at 112 S. German St., Mayville
- Emergency after-hours anointing line: 920-266-8273
Parish Office & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the Dodge East Catholic office during regular weekday hours, and an emergency after-hours line is available for the Anointing of the Sick.
- St. Mary of Good Counsel church: 302 S. German St., Mayville, WI 53050
- St. Andrew the Apostle: W3081 Hwy Y, Lomira, WI 53048
- St. Theresa: 102 Church St., Theresa, WI 53091
- Parish office (mailing): 112 S. German St., Mayville, WI 53050
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00am–3:00pm
- Phone: 920-387-2920 ext. 337
- Emergency after-hours anointing: 920-266-8273
Ministries and Becoming Catholic
Parish life and faith formation are shared across the three Dodge East Catholic parishes. The parish website lists RCIA / OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for those discerning or preparing to enter the Catholic Church, and the three-parish structure allows for shared sacramental preparation, evangelization, and pastoral care across the rural Dodge County area.
- RCIA / OCIA — Becoming Catholic
- Shared faith formation across St. Mary, St. Andrew and St. Theresa
- Sacramental preparation under the three-priest Dodge East Catholic team
- Outreach 'recognize the needs of others' as part of the parish mission
Notable & Parishioner Trivia
A few details drawn directly from the parish's own published history that parishioners enjoy pointing to:
- Parish Latin name on the 1857 deed: 'Sanctae Mariae boni consilii of Mayville'
- First missionary of the area: Rev. Father Rehrl
- First resident pastor: Father Hennsler (succeeded by Fathers Lange and Metzger until 1875)
- Father Woelfl (1875–1881) built the brick church that anchored the parish for a generation
- After Father Woelfl, Mayville was a mission attended from Theresa by Fathers Luette and Huber
- The adjacent Saint Mary's Catholic Cemetery preserves the parish's story and graves
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Father Rehrlpre-1857–early years
First missionary of the area; attended St. Mary's for many years.
- Rev. Father Hennsleruntil 1875
First resident pastor of St. Mary's.
- Rev. Father Langeuntil 1875
Successor to Father Hennsler; served with Father Metzger.
- Rev. Father Metzgeruntil 1875
Served with Fathers Hennsler and Lange.
- Rev. Father Woelfl1875–1881
First permanent pastor; built the second (brick) church during his tenure.
- Rev. Fathers Luette, Huberpost-1881
Attended Mayville as a mission attached to Theresa after Father Woelfl's transfer.