About St. Mary · Stevens Point, Wisconsin
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Torun is a small Catholic community in the Town of Stockton, just outside Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Founded by Polish immigrant families in the late 1890s, it carries the heritage of Toruń, Poland — its founders named their settlement after the ancient Polish city. The parish is part of the Diocese of La Crosse, Stevens Point Deanery, and shares pastoral ministry with neighboring St. Adalbert Parish in Rosholt. Today the parish offers Sunday and weekday Mass, Eucharistic adoration, religious education, a parish cemetery, and traditional Polish-American customs such as the annual Ponczka (Polish pastry) sale.
- Established
- 1897
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (formally 'St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception')
- Rector
- Rev. Francis X. Dias
- Diocese
- Diocese of La Crosse (Stevens Point Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Mary-Torun is a small, close-knit parish where families still know one another by name — a true continuation of the Polish-American Catholic community its founders built in 1897. Visitors and parishioners are welcomed to Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m. with weekday Masses on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, Eucharistic adoration on Tuesdays, and the regular opportunity for confession. The parish's active committees (Sacred Worship, Education, Family Life & Social Justice, Buildings & Grounds, and Cemetery) make it easy to get involved, and traditional customs such as the annual Ponczka sale keep the community's Polish-Catholic heritage alive.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 5:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
- Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Adoration times
- Tuesdays beginning at 4:30 p.m., with Benediction prior to the 5:30 p.m. Mass
Parish Identity & Patron
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, known locally as St. Mary's or St. Mary-Torun, is a Polish-American Catholic parish in the small community of Torun in the Town of Stockton, just outside Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The parish carries the formal title 'St. Mary Immaculate Conception' and belongs to the Diocese of La Crosse's Stevens Point Deanery. Its feast, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, falls on December 8.
- Patron: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Feast day: December 8
- Diocese: La Crosse (Stevens Point Deanery)
History
The parish was founded in the 1890s by Polish immigrant farmers who had settled in the area around Dewey and named their community Torun after the ancient Polish city on the Vistula River. Julian Fierek organized the effort, and on December 5, 1897, Bishop Sebastian Messmer of the Green Bay Diocese dedicated the new Church of the Immaculate Conception. The parish was originally a mission of St. Casimir's in Hull and welcomed its first resident pastor, Fr. Romuald Magott, in December 1899. A larger church was dedicated in 1950 by Bishop John P. Treacy of La Crosse after the parish was transferred to that diocese in 1946.
- 1895 — Founding efforts organized by Julian Fierek, Felix Bruski, and John Ossowski
- December 5, 1897 — Original Church of the Immaculate Conception dedicated by Bishop Messmer
- December 1899 — First resident pastor, Fr. Romuald Magott, arrived
- 1946 — Parish transferred to the Diocese of La Crosse
- 1950 — Present church dedicated by Bishop John P. Treacy
Televised Mass for the Homebound
For parishioners who are unable to attend Mass in person, the parish lists several televised options on its Mass Times page: the Diocese of La Crosse website; Stevens Point Public Access Digital Channel 984 at noon and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday; Wausau Channel 12 (cable and satellite) or 27.1 (antenna) at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday; and Wausau Public Access Cable Channel 980 at 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday.
Parish Committees & Ministries
Parish life is shaped by an active set of committees that work with the Pastoral Council. The Sacred Worship Committee fosters the parish's liturgical and devotional life. The Education Committee supports evangelization, adult education, CCD / religious education, and the parish's Catholic-school ties. Family Life & Social Justice promotes respect for human life, care of the needy, hospitality, vocations, pre-marriage preparation, and pastoral care of single adults, widows, and the divorced. Buildings & Grounds cares for parish facilities, and the Cemetery Committee assists the Finance Council with the parish cemetery.
- Sacred Worship Committee
- Education Committee
- Family Life & Social Justice Committee
- Buildings & Grounds Committee
- Cemetery Committee
- Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council
Liturgical Roles & Parish Service
The parish's 'Serve' page invites parishioners to take on liturgical roles during Sunday Mass, including Altar Server, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Lector, Usher, Money Counter, or Scrip Seller. Some roles require a prior meeting with the pastor or staff.
- Altar Servers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Lectors
- Ushers
- Money Counters
- Scrip Sellers
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education at St. Mary-Torun is coordinated through the parish's Education Committee, which also supports evangelization, adult education, and the parish's relationship with the local Catholic school. Families are encouraged to contact the parish office for information on CCD classes, sacramental preparation, and ongoing faith formation for children and adults.
- CCD / parish religious education
- Adult education
- Sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation)
Polish-American Heritage
The community of Torun itself is a living expression of the parish's Polish heritage — its founders chose the name to honor the ancient Polish city of Toruń on the Vistula River. The parish continues Polish-American customs to this day, most visibly through the annual Ponczka (Polish pastry) sale. Polish remains part of the parish's story and identity, even though Mass and parish life are conducted in English.
- Annual Ponczka (Polish pastry) sale
- Settlement named after Toruń, Poland
- Founding community of Polish immigrant farmers
Contact & Visiting
The parish office is staffed part-time by Office Administrator Kristi Vuorinen and is open by appointment. The mailing address is 5589 Dewey Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54481. Mass-goers and visitors with questions can reach the parish by phone at 715-344-2599 or by email, and the pastor can be reached at his emergency number or diocesan email for urgent pastoral needs.
- Address: 5589 Dewey Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54481
- Parish phone: 715-344-2599
- Pastor emergency phone: 715-600-3245
- Office email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Office hours: By appointment
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Nicodemus Kolasinski1895–1898
Pastor of St. Casimir's, Hull, who supervised the founding and building of St. Mary's, Torun as a mission.
- Fr. Theophil Malkowski1898 (four months)
Oversaw the fledgling parish's organizational work.
- Fr. Romuald MagottDecember 1899 – 1900
First resident pastor of St. Mary's. Baptized the parish's first infant (Stephen Gburek) on Dec. 23, 1899.
- Fr. Joseph Smiech1900–1902
Succeeded Fr. Magott.
- Fr. Gregory Michaud2011–2016
Parochial Administrator; rejuvenated parish councils and committees during his five years.
- Fr. Jeffrey Hennes2016–2019
Parochial Administrator from June 30, 2016; appointed Pastor July 1, 2017; departed July 1, 2019 for St. Stephen & St. Joseph, Stevens Point.
- Fr. Thomas Nirappel (MSFS)2019–2024
Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales priest; Parochial Administrator from July 2, 2019; Pastor from August 18, 2020; oversaw completion of handicap-access project in 2020; departed April 4, 2024 when his visa expired.
- Fr. John Potaczek2024 (interim)
Dean of the Stevens Point Deanery; served as temporary Parochial Administrator until the new pastor arrived.
- Rev. Francis X. Dias2024–present
Welcomed July 1, 2024 as Pastor of St. Mary-Torun and St. Adalbert.