About St. Norbert · Roxbury, Wisconsin
St. Norbert's Catholic Parish is a rural Roman Catholic parish in the Town of Roxbury, in northwestern Dane County, Wisconsin, and is the oldest Catholic parish in Dane County (founded 1845). It belongs to the Diocese of Madison and is one of the parishes of the Mary, Mother of Mercy Pastorate (#8), sharing pastoral care with Divine Mercy Parish (Sauk City/Merrimac). The parish gathers roughly 300 farm-country families for Mass in a striking mid-19th-century limestone church built (1857–1860) by Bavarian and Prussian immigrant settlers and topped by a steeple added in 1893. A Norbertine missionary, Father Adalbert Inama — known as the 'Apostle of the Four Lakes Region' — founded the community in a log-cabin chapel on land donated by Hungarian-born Count Agoston Haraszthy (founder of Sauk City).
- Established
- 1845
- Patron
- St. Norbert of Xanten (Norbert, Bishop and Confessor; founder of the Premonstratensian/Norbertine Order)
- Rector
- Rev. Miguel Galvez, SJS — Parochial Administrator of Mary, Mother of Mercy Pastorate #8
- Diocese
- Diocese of Madison (Catholic Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin)
Why belong here
St. Norbert's is the spiritual home of about 300 farming families in a tight-knit stretch of northwestern Dane County, drawn together around one of the oldest Catholic churches in Wisconsin. The parish offers a full weekly schedule — five daily 8:00 a.m. Masses, two Saturday vigil Masses (4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.), and a Sunday morning Mass — with daily confessions from 7:15 a.m. and additional evening confession hours on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. It shares the Mary, Mother of Mercy Pastorate with Divine Mercy Parish in Sauk City and Merrimac, so Spanish-speaking visitors are warmly welcomed by SJS (Society of the Divine Savior / Salvatorian) priests who serve the pastorate. Visitors step into a 19th-century limestone sanctuary, gaze up at a 1849 Bavarian royal painting, and join a community that has just invested more than a million dollars to preserve this heritage church for the next generation.
Mass times at St. Norbert
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday – Friday: 7:15 – 7:50 AM
- Thursday: 5:00 – 7:00 PM
- Saturday: 3:00 – 3:50 PM
- Saturday: 7:00 – 7:50 PM
- Sunday: 7:00 – 7:50 AM
History & Heritage
St. Norbert's is the oldest Catholic parish in Dane County, tracing its origins to the arrival of the Norbertine missionary Father Adalbert Inama on December 1, 1845. Settled by Bavarian and Prussian immigrants — many drawn to Sauk Prairie by the Hungarian-born Count Agoston Haraszthy — the community built its first log-cabin chapel (St. Norbert House) in early 1846 and, with Inama's help, organized a committee for a permanent church and the support of a resident priest. The cornerstone of the present limestone church was laid by Bishop John M. Henni on September 7, 1857; construction was completed in 1860, and the steeple was added in 1893. The 1849 gift of a large painting from King Louis II of Bavaria still hangs above the altar, and a portrait of Father Inama — buried in the Roxbury Cemetery after his death in 1879 — is displayed in the sanctuary. A 1971 commemorative volume ('The Feast of St. Norbert, June 6, 1971') marks the parish's 125th anniversary.
- Founded December 1, 1845 by Fr. Adalbert Inama, O. Praem.
- Father Inama: 'Apostle of the Four Lakes Region' and first resident Catholic priest in Dane County
- Original log-cabin chapel: 'St. Norbert House,' on Madison Creek (marked by 1971 Dane County Historical Society historical marker)
- Cornerstone laid by Bishop John M. Henni, September 7, 1857; church completed 1860; steeple 1893
- Painting above the altar donated by King Louis II of Bavaria in 1849
Worship Schedule & Sacraments
The parish maintains a traditional full weekly Mass schedule, with daily 8:00 a.m. Mass Monday through Saturday, two Saturday vigil Masses at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and one Sunday morning Mass at 8:00 a.m. Confessions are heard every weekday morning before Mass, on Thursday and Saturday evenings, and before Sunday Mass — one of the most generous confession schedules in the area. The parish is open daily for prayer, and the church's limited Latin usage noted during the 2020 renovation project continues to draw traditional-devotion parishioners.
- Sunday Mass: 8:00 AM (English)
- Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 PM (English) and 8:00 PM (English)
- Weekday Mass: 8:00 AM Monday–Friday (English)
- Confessions: Mon–Fri 7:15–7:50 AM, Thu 5:00–7:00 PM, Sat 3:00–3:50 PM and 7:00–7:50 PM, Sun 7:00–7:50 AM
Leadership & Pastoral Staff
St. Norbert's is currently part of the Mary, Mother of Mercy Pastorate (#8) within the Diocese of Madison and is served by Society of the Divine Savior (Salvatorian / SJS) priests. The Parochial Administrator is Fr. Miguel Galvez, SJS; Fr. James Kotch, SJS is the parochial vicar directly assigned to St. Norbert's. The parish is supported by several additional SJS parochial vicars (Rev. Osvaldo Briones, Rev. Pedro Escribano, Rev. Cristian Valenzuela Arenas) and the priest-in-residence Rev. Faustino Ruiz, SJS. Parish life and office operations are coordinated by parish secretary Juanita Wipperfurth.
- Rev. Miguel Galvez, SJS — Parochial Administrator, Mary, Mother of Mercy Pastorate #8
- Rev. James Kotch, SJS — Parochial Vicar, St. Norbert's ([email protected]; 608-644-6134)
- Parish Secretary: Juanita Wipperfurth ([email protected]; 608-643-3661)
Pastorate 8 — Mary, Mother of Mercy
Since diocesan restructuring, St. Norbert's shares pastoral care with Divine Mercy Parish (St. Aloysius, Sauk City; St. Mary, Health of the Sick, Merrimac) under Pastorate 8, named Mary, Mother of Mercy. St. Norbert's is the rural anchor of the pastorate; Mazomanie is currently administered separately as part of Holy Cross. The SJS priests serving Pastorate 8 carry Spanish-language proficiency, broadening the pastorate's pastoral reach. The shared parish school in Sauk City is St. Aloysius School.
- Roxbury — St. Norbert (this parish)
- Sauk City / Merrimac — Divine Mercy (St. Aloysius + St. Mary, Health of the Sick)
- Mazomanie — currently part of Holy Cross
- Parish school: St. Aloysius School, Sauk City
Faith Formation & Catholic Education
In addition to weekend and daily Mass, St. Norbert's maintains a parish faith-education / religious-education program serving around 100 students, which continued to meet throughout the 2020 exterior renovation. The parish school tradition dates back to 1864, when Father Inama contributed the bulk of the funds to build a school that, from its opening, has been staffed by the Dominican Sisters of Racine — a tradition that continues today.
- Parish faith-education / religious education program (~100 students)
- School tradition since 1864, staffed by Dominican Sisters of Racine since founding
Stewardship & Preservation
In 2020, the community completed a roughly $1.2 million exterior preservation project — repairing limestone, repointing mortar, replacing roofing, and stabilizing the 130-foot-tall spire — carried out by Maas Brothers Construction of Watertown with architectural work by Building Envelope Professionals Group of Oregon, Wisconsin. Parishioners pledged more than $900,000 of the cost even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the community's commitment to preserving Inama's nearly 175-year legacy. Members of the Renovation Committee and Finance Committee (including Mark Maier and Paul Merline) guided the work.
- $1.2 million exterior renovation completed 2020
- Maas Brothers Construction (Watertown) — general contractor
- Building Envelope Professionals Group (Oregon, WI) — architect
- Parishioner pledges: more than $900,000 raised despite COVID-19
Visitor Information
Visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish church sits at 8944 County Road Y, Roxbury (Sauk City mailing address) WI 53583. From Sauk City, travel about 4 miles south of town on Highway 12, turn left onto County Road Y, and continue one mile east to the church. For the most up-to-date schedule, sacraments, or to register, contact the parish office at (608) 643-2449 or e-mail the parish secretary.
- Address: 8944 County Road Y, Sauk City, WI 53583
- Phone: (608) 643-2449
- Email: [email protected] (parish secretary)
- Driving directions: 4 miles south of Sauk City on Hwy 12, left onto County Y, one mile in
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Adalbert (Adelbert) Inama, O. Praem.1845–1879
Norbertine missionary from Wilton, Tyrol, Austria; founder of the parish. First resident Catholic priest in Dane County; rode circuit through Sauk, Iowa, Jefferson, Dodge, Juneau, and Waukesha counties and was called the 'Apostle of the Four Lakes Region.' Died October 16 (or 18), 1879, and is buried in the Roxbury Cemetery. A portrait of him hangs in the sanctuary.