St. Patrick

History of St. Patrick Parish

St. Patrick was the first Catholic congregation founded in Janesville, organized in 1846–1847 by a traveling priest, Father Morrisey, with early Masses in the home of James Tarny. The Irish-Catholic faithful of the Fourth Ward built their first church on Cherry Street in 1847, replaced it in 1848, and after outgrowing both, erected the present Romanesque Revival cream-brick church in 1864 — an edifice that has stood witness to Lincoln's 1864 re-election and the end of the Civil War. As Janesville grew, the parish added a convent and school to its complex, and became the mother church of Rock County Catholicism; subsequent Janesville parishes (Nativity of Mary in 1876, and later St. John Vianney and St. William) were founded out of St. Patrick's overflow.

185-Year Heritage & the Old Fourth Ward Historic District

St. Patrick's 1864 building is a contributing structure within the Old Fourth Ward Historic District, listed on the State Register of Historic Places on February 7, 1990 and on the National Register on May 30, 1990. The cream-brick Romanesque Revival façade, arched windows and large entryways reference European medieval churches of the 11th and 12th centuries. J.P. Cullen, founder of the Janesville-based construction firm that handled the 2021 steeple removal, has documented family roots at the parish — George P. and Anna Lee Cullen were married at St. Patrick on November 5, 1865, just months after the building was completed.

Clergy & Pastorate Leadership

St. Patrick today is served through the St. Jane Frances de Chantal Pastorate, a unified Catholic community in Janesville formed in August 2023 under the direction of Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison. Fr. Chad Droessler was installed as pastor on September 21, 2023 at St. John Vianney Church, with parochial vicars Fr. Vincent Racanelli and Fr. Christopher Gernetzke. The pastorate also includes Fr. Tom Marr (Priest in Residence) and brings together four parishes (St. Patrick, Nativity of Mary, St. John Vianney, St. William) and three Catholic schools (St. Mary, St. John Vianney, St. William). During the 2021–2023 'Past & Future' Capital Campaign and steeple restoration, Fr. Drew Olson served as pastor of St. Patrick before his reassignment to Madison.

• Rev. Chad Droessler — Pastor (installed Sept. 21, 2023)
• Rev. Vincent Racanelli — Parochial Vicar
• Rev. Christopher Gernetzke — Parochial Vicar
• Rev. Tom Marr — Priest in Residence
• Rev. Drew Olson — pastor during 2021 steeple removal and capital campaign (departed mid-2023)

Sacraments & Faith Formation

St. Patrick offers the full range of Catholic sacraments. Adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or First Eucharist (or full communion with the Catholic Church) are welcomed through the parish's bilingual RCIA program: the English Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and the Spanish-language RICA ('Rito de Iniciación Cristiana de Adultos'). Children and youth faith formation, marriage preparation, baptism scheduling, and anointing of the sick are arranged through the parish office. The parish also hosts the seven-week Catholic evangelization program 'The Search' in English and 'La Búsqueda' in Spanish, with registration forms in the back of church and at the Parish Center.

• RCIA (English) and RICA (Spanish) for adult initiation
• Infant baptism by appointment
• First Eucharist and Confirmation preparation through Faith Formation
• Marriage preparation — contact parish office
• Anointing of the Sick — contact parish office
• Bilingual 'The Search / La Búsqueda' evangelization series

Bilingual & Latino Ministry

The parish identifies bilingual service to Janesville's Latino Catholic community as a core part of its mission. A Sunday Spanish-language Mass has been part of the schedule for years, complemented by RICA, 'La Búsqueda', a Spanish hour during Thursday evening Adoration (6:00–7:30 PM), and a 5:00 PM Thursday confession slot offered in Spanish. As part of the post-renovation sanctuary, a large picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe now holds a prominent place in the church, reflecting this commitment. The weekend Mass is listed in the pastorate schedule as 'San Patricio | Español'.

• Sunday 10:00 AM Mass in Spanish
• Thursday 6:00–7:30 PM Spanish Adoration hour
• Thursday 5:00 PM Confessions in Spanish
• RICA (Spanish adult initiation)
• 'La Búsqueda' seven-week Spanish adult faith program
• Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe featured prominently in the renovated sanctuary

The 'Past & Future' Capital Campaign

In 2021 a structural engineer recommended removing the 132-foot steeple — which had tilted southeast in high winds a decade earlier and been damaged by squirrels, bats, and pigeons. A local Janesville construction firm built a steel cradle and used a 400-ton crane to lower the bell separately and lift the steeple into the church courtyard while the parish worked to raise restoration funds. With the backing of the Diocese of Madison, St. Patrick launched the 'Past & Future' Capital Campaign, ultimately expanding the project to a $2.5 million goal covering not just the steeple but also foundation work, masonry tuck-pointing, ceiling and trim restoration, refinished pews, new floors, new bathrooms, an accessibility ramp, and a new entryway. The restored steeple returned to the tower in October 2023, and the parish moved back into its sanctuary after roughly five months of celebrating Mass across the street in its former school.

• Spire removed 2021 for safety
• Capital Campaign launched with Diocese of Madison backing
• Fundraising goal raised to $2.5 million in January 2023 due to inflation
• Steeple reinstalled October 2023
• Other 2022–2023 work: foundation, masonry, painting, floors, bathrooms, ramp, entryway

Corpus Christi Procession

Each year the Catholic churches of Janesville hold an outdoor Corpus Christi procession modeled on Italian pilgrimages. The route begins at the Nativity of Mary Church with prayer and Eucharistic Adoration, then proceeds through downtown city streets with the Blessed Sacrament to St. Patrick, where the procession ends with a rosary and a blessing. The parish then hosts a community 'tailgate' in the church parking lot — open to all — as a chance to see the renovated interior and to gather across the four Janesville Catholic parishes.

• Begins at Nativity of Mary
• Eucharistic procession through downtown Janesville
• Ends at St. Patrick with rosary and blessing
• Open community tailgate in the church parking lot afterward