About St. Michael · Milwaukee, Wisconsin
St. Michael Catholic Church is a vibrant, multicultural parish in the Midtown neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, now linked in a collaborative partnership with St. Rose of Lima Catholic Parish. Founded in 1883 by German immigrants, the parish has become Milwaukee's most multilingual Catholic community — Sunday liturgies are celebrated in English, Hmong, Karen, Karenni, Lao, Burmese, and Spanish, with nine native tongues represented in the pews. Today St. Michael and its sister parish St. Rose of Lima serve as a spiritual home for refugees and immigrant families from Southeast Asia, Latin America, East Africa, and beyond, while maintaining their 19th-century High Victorian German Gothic Revival church and a robust network of outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Wolfe
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. Michael is a place where the universality of the Catholic Church is visible in a single pew. Worship is offered in English, Hmong, Karen, Karenni, Spanish, and Burmese; nine native tongues are represented in the congregation, and seven ethnic prayer groups call this parish home. The parish runs a free ESL/citizenship Literacy Program (serving immigrants and refugees since 2010), a food pantry and clothing center at the St. Rose campus, a carpool ministry for those without transportation, homebound ministry, catechist formation, and a faith formation program that has accompanied generations of newcomers from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Laos, Myanmar, Congo, and beyond. Half of the parishioners are under 35, and the community's energy is unmistakable.
Mass times at St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes prior to every Mass
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:30 PM (Spanish), followed by Mass on the first Wednesday of each month
About St. Michael & St. Rose Catholic Parishes
St. Michael Catholic Church (1445 N 24th Street) and St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church (3005 W Michigan Street) operate as a single collaborative parish community in the heart of Milwaukee. The parish's stated mission is 'to foster a spirituality of welcoming and communion among disciples from all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,' with the vision of 'collaborating with the Archdiocesan efforts to reach out to the communities in the urban areas of the city of Milwaukee.' The community describes itself as having 'a long tradition of welcoming displaced people, refugees, and immigrant families and individuals from across the world.'
Mass & Worship Schedule
Sunday Mass at St. Michael is celebrated at 9:00 AM in English, 10:30 AM in Hmong (1st and 3rd Sundays) or Karenni (2nd Sunday), and 12:00 PM in Karen (1st and 2nd Sundays). Weekday Mass is offered Monday through Friday at 9:00 AM. Confessions are heard 30 minutes before each Mass, and Spanish-language Adoration is held Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM, followed by Mass on the first Wednesday of each month. The sister campus at St. Rose of Lima offers Sunday Mass at 9:00 AM in English and 11:00 AM in Spanish.
- Sunday 9:00 AM — English
- Sunday 10:30 AM — Hmong (1st & 3rd Sundays) / Karenni (2nd Sunday)
- Sunday 12:00 PM — Karen (1st & 2nd Sundays)
- Monday–Friday 9:00 AM — Weekday Mass
- Wednesday 6:30 PM — Spanish Adoration, with First-Wednesday Mass to follow
- Confessions: 30 minutes before each Mass
Parish History
The parish was established in 1883 and the present church, a High Victorian German Gothic Revival landmark on N 24th Street, was completed in 1893. Originally a German-immigrant parish, it became a refuge for Puerto Rican and Cuban families in the 1970s and later for Hmong, Lao, Karen, Burmese, and other Southeast Asian refugees, as well as more recent arrivals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Eritrea.
- 1883 — Parish founded by members drawn from other north-side parishes; first church-school building erected.
- 1884 — School opened under three Sisters of Notre Dame.
- 1887 — Separate school and Notre Dame convent completed.
- 1891 — Architects Schnetzky & Liebert hired to design the present church.
- 1893 — Current limestone Gothic Revival church completed.
- 1923–25 — New school and present rectory built (Brust & Philipp); 1959 school addition by Brust & Brust.
- 1970 — Rev. James Groppi assigned to St. Michael; civil-rights-era priest serves until c. 1976.
- 1980s onward — Wave of Hmong refugees joins; later Karen, Karenni, Burmese, Lao, and other immigrants follow.
- 2010 — ESL Literacy Program launched.
- Today — Partnered with St. Rose of Lima as one collaborative parish community.
Architecture of the Church Building
The 1893 church is built of rusticated limestone in the High Victorian German Gothic Revival style, a cruciform plan dominated by an approximately five-story central tower topped by a steeple and cross. Three entrance portals feature carved capitals of grapes, oak leaves, and acorns; lancet and rose windows line the nave and transepts. The interior retains original compound piers, a groin-vaulted ceiling, stained-glass windows by the Tyrolese Art Glass Company of Innsbruck, and intricately carved wooden furnishings by Erhard Brielmaier.
- Architects: Herman P. Schnetzky & Eugene R. Liebert (1891)
- Style: High Victorian German Gothic Revival, cruciform plan
- Construction: rusticated limestone with cut-stone detailing
- Stained glass: Tyrolese Art Glass Company of Innsbruck, Austria (recently re-leaded)
- Woodwork: reredos, high altar, side altars, and confessional screen by Erhard Brielmaier
- Statuary: ca. 1910 Stations of the Cross around the nave
- Original pipe organ still in the choir loft (no longer used)
- Complex also includes 1885 convent, 1923/1959 school, and 1925 rectory
Multicultural & Multilingual Worship
St. Michael is regularly described as Milwaukee's most multicultural Catholic church. Up to nine native tongues are represented in the congregation and seven ethnic prayer groups — Hmong, Karen, Karenni, Lao, Burmese, Hispanic, and others — call the parish home. Pastor Fr. Rafael Rodriguez typically greets parishioners at the start of Mass in their native language, and readings, songs, and prayers are offered in whichever language the community gathers in.
- Hmong prayer group and Sunday Mass (1st & 3rd Sundays)
- Karen prayer group and Sunday Mass (1st & 2nd Sundays)
- Karenni Sunday Mass (2nd Sunday)
- Spanish-language Adoration Wednesday evenings
- Burmese-language sung parts of the liturgy
- Lao pastoral ministry led by Sister Alice Thepouthay
Clergy & Staff
The parish is pastored by Rev. Rafael Rodriguez, a native of Venezuela who has led the community for several years and is widely quoted in local press about the parish's role as a spiritual home for refugees. The associate pastor is Rev. Chakrit Micaphitak, one of the only Hmong Catholic priests in the United States. Sister Alice Thepouthay serves as faith formation coordinator and Lao pastoral associate, having joined the parish in 1984.
- Rev. Chakrit Micaphitak — Associate Pastor
- Sister Alice Thepouthay — Faith Formation Coordinator / Lao Pastoral Associate
- Deborah Lindberg — Literacy Program Coordinator (414-573-1482, [email protected])
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Michael & St. Rose is run through Sister Alice Thepouthay's office, with catechist volunteers teaching children the Catholic faith in classes meeting a few times a month. Karen, Hmong, and other young people from the parish are actively recruited as catechists and choir members — many are themselves refugees who came through the parish's ministries.
- Catechist volunteers (lead or assist)
- Children's faith formation classes (multiple languages)
- Karen youth group
- Choir participation integrated with faith formation
- Holy Orders discernment resources published on the parish site
Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical roles are open to parishioners across all language communities. Lectors are specifically invited to proclaim in their native language — English, Hmong, Lao, Karen, Karenni, Spanish, or Burmese — so that every part of the Mass can be heard in the voice of those gathered.
- Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
- Altar Server
- Lector / Reader (multi-lingual)
- Usher
- Choir member
- Musician
Community Service & Outreach
Outreach is a major part of parish life. The combined St. Michael & St. Rose campus operates a food pantry, a clothing center, an adult ESL/citizenship Literacy Program, a carpool ministry, and homebound ministry. The food pantry and clothing center are open the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month from 4:00 to 6:00 PM in the basement of the St. Rose parish center, entered through the open garage door in the parking lot behind the church.
- Homebound Minister — brings the Eucharist to the sick and immobile
- Carpool Ministry — provides rides to Mass for those without transportation
- St. Rose Food Pantry — 2nd & 4th Tuesdays, 4:00–6:00 PM
- Clothing Center — open during food-pantry days at St. Rose
- Catechist recruitment — teaching the Catholic faith to children
St. Michael & St. Rose Literacy Program
Founded in 2010 at St. Michael's as an ESL program for Burmese refugees, the Literacy Program is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating out of the St. Rose Parish Center (540 N. 31st Street). Retired volunteers from Catholic parishes around Milwaukee work one-to-one with adult learners once a week. Current students come from Thailand, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The program has helped 57 students become U.S. citizens and many more enter MATC, find better employment, and buy homes.
- Basic English for daily living
- English grammar for reading, writing, speaking
- Family literacy
- Health literacy
- Digital literacy
- Citizenship preparation and referrals
- Partner agencies: Wisconsin Literacy, ACTS Housing, Fr. Gene's Help Center, Hmong American Friendship Association, Milwaukee Consortium for Hmong Health, Community Center for Immigrants, Department of Workforce Development
- Coordinator: Deborah Lindberg, 414-573-1482, [email protected]
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments — Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist (including First Communion), Confession/Reconciliation (30 minutes before every Mass), Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders. Discernment resources for Holy Orders are published on the parish website.
Visit, Contact & Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors can reach the office at (414) 933-3143 or [email protected]. Office hours are Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–2:00 PM. The parish publishes an online bulletin with the latest news and schedules. Volunteer sign-ups are available online for the food pantry, clothing center, literacy tutoring, carpool ministry, catechist roles, and liturgical ministries.
- Phone: (414) 933-3143
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
- Address: 1445 N 24th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53205 (St. Michael); 3005 W Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53208 (St. Rose of Lima)
- Online bulletin available on parish website
- Volunteer sign-up form on the website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James Groppi1970 – c. 1976
Civil-rights activist and priest assigned to St. Michael's in 1970 during the height of Milwaukee's open-housing marches; departed the parish by 1976.
- Rev. Rafael Rodriguezc. 2016 – present
Native of Venezuela; pastored the parish through the period when it became Milwaukee's most multicultural Catholic church, partnering with St. Rose of Lima and incorporating Hmong, Karen, Karenni, Burmese, Lao, and Spanish prayer groups into parish life.