About St. Matthew · Shullsburg, Wisconsin
St. Matthew Catholic Church is a Roman-Latin Rite parish in the small southwestern Wisconsin town of Shullsburg, in Lafayette County. Founded in 1835 by the Dominican pioneer Father Samuel Mazzuchelli, it is one of the oldest Catholic communities in the state and now belongs to the Diocese of Madison. As of June 27, 2026, St. Matthew has been united into the new merged St. Isidore the Farmer Parish alongside St. Philomena (Belmont), St. Joseph (Gratiot), St. John the Apostle (South Wayne), and the former Our Lady of Fatima churches. The parish serves the town with weekend and weekday Masses, regular confession, Saturday Eucharistic Adoration, a youth ministry, and an annual Fall Festival that has been a community tradition for decades.
- Established
- 1835
- Patron
- St. Matthew the Apostle
- Rector
- Fr. William Vernon (Pastor of St. Isidore the Farmer Pastorate, effective June 27, 2026); previously served by Fr. James R. Lins as resident priest
- Diocese
- Diocese of Madison
Why belong here
St. Matthew offers a small-town Catholic community with deep roots — nearly 190 years of continuous worship on the same four-acre grounds in Shullsburg. The parish sustains a rich sacramental life: five Masses a week, confession five days, and weekly Saturday Eucharistic Adoration. A lively Youth Ministry welcomes 7th–12th graders, and the annual Fall Festival with bingo, hay rides, face-painting, and s'mores is a longstanding parish tradition that brings generations together.
Mass times at St. Matthew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:30 AM – 7:50 AM
- Tuesday: 7:45 AM – 8:05 AM
- Wednesday: 7:45 AM – 8:05 AM
- Friday: 7:45 AM – 8:05 AM
- Saturday: 7:45 AM – 8:05 AM
- Also heard 30 minutes before each Mass
Adoration times
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM
History & Heritage
St. Matthew is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in southwestern Wisconsin, dating to 1835. Founded by the Dominican pioneer Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, the community worshipped in cabins for six years before its first frame church was built in 1841. The present stone church, begun in 1853 under Bishop Mathias Loras of Dubuque and completed in 1861, still stands at the heart of the four-acre grounds donated by John Ryan and John Roberts. The parish's history is preserved in a 2010 historical marker in Shullsburg.
- Founded Aug. 27, 1835 (baptism of Henrica Murphy)
- First Mass in original church: Aug. 1, 1841
- Cornerstone of current stone church: June 19, 1853
- First Mass in present church: St. Patrick's Day, 1861
- 1841 church converted to school, 1866, staffed by Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters through 1895
- Historical marker erected 2010
Parish Life & Worship Schedule
St. Matthew maintains an unusually full sacramental schedule for a small-town parish: weekday Masses, a Saturday vigil and Sunday Mass, confession five days a week, and a weekly Saturday Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration. Confessions are also heard 30 minutes before each Mass.
- Weekend Mass: Saturday 4:30 PM; Sunday 8:00 AM
- Weekday Masses: Mon–Fri mornings, Tuesday evening
- Confession: Sun, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat
- Adoration: Saturday 9:00–9:45 AM
The Pastorate Merger (2026)
On June 27, 2026 Bishop Donald Hying of Madison decreed the creation of the new St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, uniting St. Matthew in Shullsburg with St. Philomena (Belmont), St. Joseph (Gratiot), St. John the Apostle (South Wayne) and the former Our Lady of Fatima parish churches. Fr. William Vernon was installed as pastor, with Fr. Michael Chika and Fr. Milot Frederique, SMM as parochial vicars. Fr. Frederique assists with Hispanic ministry throughout the pastorate.
- Effective date: June 27, 2026
- Pastor: Fr. William Vernon
- Parochial Vicars: Fr. Michael Chika; Fr. Milot Frederique, SMM
- Hispanic ministry: Fr. Milot Frederique, SMM
Youth Ministry & Faith Formation
St. Matthew's Youth Ministry welcomes 7th–12th grade students, formed with the support of Fr. Bosco and parish volunteers around three pillars: social activities, fundraising, and service-learning — with the goal of forming young people in Catholic faith and morals. The youth group is a visible presence at parish events such as the Fall Festival, where they run the face-painting booth.
- Open to 7th–12th graders
- Three pillars: social, fundraising, service-learning
- Annual face-painting at the Fall Festival
Sacraments
Beyond daily and Sunday Mass, the parish celebrates Reconciliation five days a week and offers Saturday Eucharistic Adoration. The parish continues the sacramental life established at its founding in 1835 — the baptism of Henrica Murphy on August 27 of that year is recorded as its first sacrament.
- Reconciliation: Sun, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat (7:30–8:05 AM range)
- Eucharistic Adoration: Saturdays 9:00–9:45 AM
- Anointing of the Sick available on request
Annual Fall Festival
A long-running parish tradition, the annual St. Matthew Fall Festival opens with Mass and continues with bingo, hay rides, face-painting (run by the Youth Ministry), s'mores, and more. It is a highlight of parish and town life in Shullsburg each fall.
- Begins with Mass
- Bingo, hay rides, face-painting, s'mores
- Volunteer-run with Youth Ministry participation
Parish Grounds & Setting
The four-acre church property, donated by John Ryan and John Roberts, is bounded by Peace, Charity, Truth and Judgement Streets — a moral geography unique to the town. Surrounding streets carry the names Faith, Hope, Friendship, Mercy, Goodness, and Happy, reflecting the founders' vision of virtues to live by. The cemetery lies just west of the original 1841 church site on Pious and Wisdom Street.
- Four acres bounded by Peace, Charity, Truth, Judgement Streets
- Adjacent streets named: Faith, Hope, Friendship, Mercy, Goodness, Happy
- Cemetery east of the original 1841 church site
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Matthew by phone, email, or in person at the parish office on Judgement Street. The official parish website is shullsburgcatholic.com.
- Address: 344 N. Judgement Street, Shullsburg, WI 53586
- Phone: (608) 965-4518
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: shullsburgcatholic.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, O.P.1835–c.1841
Dominican founder; celebrated first baptism (Henrica Murphy, Aug. 27, 1835) and built the first church in 1841.
- Bishop Mathias Loras (Diocese of Dubuque)1853
Laid the cornerstone of the present stone church on June 19, 1853.