About St. Patrick · Erin, Wisconsin
St. Patrick is a historic country Catholic parish in Erin Prairie, Wisconsin, one of the oldest parishes in western Wisconsin with church records dating back to 1857. Founded by Irish Catholic immigrants who fled the potato famine and settled the fertile St. Croix County prairie in the early 1850s, St. Patrick is today a mission church of the ICSP Catholic Communities, sharing pastoral leadership and a rotating Mass schedule with Immaculate Conception Parish in nearby New Richmond. The parish sits on land donated in 1860 by John Meath on the very site where the present church stands, and it continues to serve descendants of the original Irish pioneer families along with a wider rural Catholic community in the Diocese of Superior.
- Established
- 1857
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Father John C. Anderson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Superior
Why belong here
St. Patrick offers a deeply rooted, centuries-old Catholic community where the descendants of the original Irish pioneer families still worship on the very land donated by John Meath in 1860. As a mission of the ICSP Catholic Communities, it shares a rich roster of ministries — from Catholic Formation for children, youth and adults, to a full worship and spiritual life program including altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, adult choir, cantors, rosary before liturgy, Seven Sisters and Fasting Brothers Apostolates, plus Knights of Columbus and outreach like Prayer Blanket Ministry and funeral dinners. The parish also supports the parish-wide St. Mary School. For Catholics in western St. Croix County looking for a country parish with real heritage, active liturgy, Eucharistic Adoration and Confession, and warm fellowship, St. Patrick is a clear and welcoming home.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM at Immaculate Conception Church, New Richmond
- 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM weekly (at Immaculate Conception)
Adoration times
- Third Thursdays: Eucharistic Adoration 9:00 AM Thursday through 9:00 AM Friday at St. Patrick Church
- First Fridays: Eucharistic Adoration 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM at Immaculate Conception Church
History of St. Patrick Parish, Erin Prairie
St. Patrick Parish has roots reaching back to 1857, when Father J.J. McGee, stationed in Hudson, celebrated the first recorded Mass in Erin Prairie. The parish grew out of approximately 20 Irish Catholic families who settled the Town of Erin Prairie (officially organized in 1853) after fleeing the potato famine. Through log and frame churches, the hardship of long walks to Mass, and transitions across dioceses and parish structures, the community has continued worship on the same two-acre site donated by John Meath in 1860. A detailed parish historical timeline on the ICSP Catholic Communities website walks through every chapter from the pioneers to the present mission status.
- 1857 – Father J.J. McGee celebrates first recorded Mass in Erin Prairie; a log church is begun but never finished.
- 1858–1862 – Father Napoleon Mignault, stationed in Hudson, serves Erin Prairie with monthly home Masses.
- Spring 1860 – John Meath donates two acres; a frame church is built on the site of the present church.
- Summer 1862 – Father Mignault leaves Hudson; Erin Prairie served occasionally by Father Coffee of Hastings, MN.
- 1862–1864 – Fathers Nicholas and James Stehle of Hudson resume care of the parish.
- February 1864 – Father John Conroy becomes first resident priest; his territory later yields the parishes of Erin Prairie, New Richmond, Cylon, Stanton, Wilson and Hammond.
- January 1905 – Father Patrick A. Walsh becomes permanent pastor; same year St. Patrick is transferred into the newly created Diocese of Superior.
- October 1978 – St. Patrick becomes a mission of Immaculate Conception in New Richmond under Father Daniel Dahlberg.
- June 1984 – Father Charles Murphy and Father James Tobolski assigned; remodeling and landscaping projects at St. Patrick.
- June 1988 – Father Dennis Mullen arrives; responsibility for St. Patrick shifts to Immaculate Conception in Hammond.
- July 1, 1999 – St. Patrick again becomes a mission of Immaculate Conception in New Richmond under Father Allan Bradley.
- Present – Father John C. Anderson pastors the ICSP Catholic Communities serving both parishes.
St. Patrick's Cemetery
St. Patrick's Cemetery on County Road G in Erin Prairie carries its own lengthy history predating the parish records: the earliest burial recorded by existing marker stones was in 1849, eight years before the first recorded Mass. The cemetery remains in active use on the same grounds as the church and is a tangible link to the pioneer generation that founded the parish.
- Location: 1880 County Road G, New Richmond, WI 54017 (Erin Prairie)
- Earliest documented burial: 1849
- Burials documented through 1999 and continuing
- Landscaping improved under Father Dennis Mullen's tenure
Clergy and Staff
The ICSP Catholic Communities are pastored by Father John C. Anderson, supported by two deacons and a full Catholic Formation, business office and communications staff. The team serves both Immaculate Conception and St. Patrick parishes from the shared parish office.
- Father John C. Anderson — Pastor (Office & Rectory: 715-246-4652, [email protected])
- Deacon Mike Germain
- Deacon Mel Riel
- Arlene Tenner — Interim Director of Catholic Formation (Ext. 228, [email protected])
- Karen LaBossiere — High School Formation & Youth Discipleship Coordinator (Ext. 247)
- Kristin Dittman — Children's 3y–5th Grade Formation Coordinator (Ext. 260)
- Trevor Swanson — Middle School Formation Coordinator (Ext. 233)
- Jessica Jackson — Business and Development Manager (Ext. 225)
- Jenifer Frank — Finance Manager (Ext. 224)
- Rita Riley — Parish Secretary (Ext. 221, [email protected])
- Sharon Casey — Office Assistant (Ext. 222)
- Amy Link — Accounting Assistant (Ext. 232)
- Chris Sobottka — Buildings & Grounds
- Julia Lammert — Communications & Graphic Design Specialist
- Rob Lammert — Webmaster & Process Coordinator
Parish Ministries
The ICSP Catholic Communities publish a Ministry Booklet that organizes the parish's lay apostolates into Parish Ministries, Catholic Formation, Worship & Spiritual Life, and Social & Outreach. From the Knights of Columbus and OCIA to the Adult Choir, Seven Sisters Apostolate, Prayer Blanket Ministry and Sunday Social, the ministries span governance, faith formation, liturgy, fellowship, charity and service.
- Parish Ministries: Council of Ministries, Finance Council, Stewardship, Evangelization, Knights of Columbus
- Catholic Formation: Catholic Formation Committee, Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry, Baptism Team, OCIA (RCIA), Formation Dinner Committee, Respect Life, Reignite Men's Group, In Christ Women's Group, Marriage In Christ
- Worship & Spiritual Life: Ministry Pro, Adult Choir, Cantors, Musicians, Greeters, Ushers, Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Readers, Sacristan, Pre-Liturgy Rosary, First Friday Communion Calls, Lay Presiders, Liturgical Decoration/Environment, Seven Sisters, Fasting Brothers, Projector/Slides, Audio/Video, Wedding Coordinator
- Social & Outreach: Sunday Social, Funeral Dinners, Prayer Blanket Ministry, I.C. Prayer Line, Card Ministry
- Office Volunteers: Information Center, Money Counting, Receptionist
Catholic Formation & Religious Education
Catholic Formation at the ICSP Catholic Communities serves children from age 3 through high school and offers adult formation through OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults). A dedicated team coordinates formation at every level, supported by parent dinners and a Formation Committee, and works alongside the parish school.
- Children's Ministry (3 years – 5th Grade) — Kristin Dittman
- Middle School Formation — Trevor Swanson
- High School Formation & Youth Discipleship — Karen LaBossiere
- Adult initiation: Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA)
- Baptism Team ministry for families preparing children and adults
- Catholic Formation Dinner Committee supports family engagement
- Formation Director: Arlene Tenner (Interim)
St. Mary School
St. Patrick parishioners support St. Mary School, the parish school of the ICSP Catholic Communities, which educates students in the Catholic tradition and serves as a focal point for faith formation and community life across the cluster.
- St. Mary School
- Contact: 715-246-2469, [email protected]
Worship and Spiritual Life
Liturgical and devotional life at St. Patrick is supported by a deep bench of lay ministers and several distinctive prayer apostolates. In addition to standard liturgical roles (Eucharistic Ministers, Readers, Altar Servers, Greeters, Ushers, Sacristans), the parish supports a Pre-Liturgy Rosary before Sunday Mass, the Seven Sisters Apostolate and Fasting Brothers Apostolate for prayer, First Friday Communion Calls to the homebound, and rotating Eucharistic Adoration between St. Patrick and Immaculate Conception.
- Pre-Liturgy Rosary Sundays 10:25–10:45 AM at St. Patrick
- Children's Liturgy of the Word during 11:00 AM Sunday Mass
- Seven Sisters Apostolate and Fasting Brothers Apostolate
- First Friday Communion Calls to the sick
- Eucharistic Adoration: third Thursdays overnight at St. Patrick; first Fridays at Immaculate Conception
- Liturgical Decoration/Environment and Audio/Video teams
Outreach and Fellowship
Beyond the sanctuary, the parish reaches outward through funeral dinners, prayer blankets and a card ministry for those in need, and inward through Sunday Socials and small groups such as the Reignite Men's Group, In Christ Women's Group and Marriage In Christ. The Knights of Columbus council is active in the parish, and the I.C. Prayer Line keeps parishioners connected in times of need.
- Sunday Social fellowship
- Funeral Dinners
- Prayer Blanket Ministry
- I.C. Prayer Line
- Card Ministry
- Knights of Columbus
- Reignite Men's Group
- In Christ Women's Group
- Marriage In Christ
Visit, Contact and Getting Involved
Visitors are warmly welcomed to join the ICSP Catholic Communities at either St. Patrick in Erin Prairie or Immaculate Conception in New Richmond. The shared parish office takes calls and emails for both parishes, and the Ministry Booklet lists every way to get involved — from joining a liturgical ministry to volunteering in the office or serving on the Formation Dinner Committee.
- Parish Office phone: (715) 246-4652
- Email: [email protected]
- St. Patrick location: 1880 County Road G, New Richmond, WI 54017
- Website: https://icspcatholic.com/st-patricks/
- See the 2025 IC Ministry Booklet on the ICSP website for a full list of opportunities to serve
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father J.J. McGee1857
Stationed in Hudson; celebrated the first recorded Mass in Erin Prairie; the log church begun under his care was never completed.
- Father Napoleon Mignault1858–1862
Second Catholic pastor at Hudson; served Erin Prairie with monthly Masses in parishioners' homes.
- Father Nicholas Stehle1862–1864
One of the Stehle brothers stationed in Hudson; resumed care of Erin Prairie after Father Mignault's departure.
- Father James Stehle1862–1864
Brother of Father Nicholas Stehle; assisted in serving Erin Prairie from Hudson.
- Father John Conroyfrom February 1864
First resident priest of the parish; his territory eventually formed the parishes of Erin Prairie, New Richmond, Cylon, Stanton, Wilson and Hammond.
- Father Patrick A. Walshfrom January 1905
Appointed permanent pastor; same year St. Patrick was transferred into the newly created Diocese of Superior.
- Father Daniel Dahlbergfrom October 1978
Pastored Immaculate Conception in New Richmond as St. Patrick became a mission; assisted by Father Brian DuBois, Deacon Jerry Harris and later Deacon David Lusson.
- Father Charles Murphyfrom June 1984
Served alongside Father James Tobolski (later Father Martin Gibbons); led remodeling and landscaping projects at St. Patrick.
- Father Dennis Mullenfrom June 1988
Shifted responsibility for St. Patrick to Immaculate Conception in Hammond; fostered joint events, improved cemetery landscaping, removed parish house, guided RENEW program.
- Father Allan Bradleyfrom July 1, 1999
St. Patrick again became a mission of Immaculate Conception in New Richmond; assisted by Father Leonard Fraher and Deacon Hugh Mayer.
- Father John C. Anderson
Current pastor of the ICSP Catholic Communities, serving both St. Patrick and Immaculate Conception.