About St. Patrick's Oratory - Institute of Christ the King · Green Bay, Wisconsin
St. Patrick's Oratory is a Traditional Latin Mass apostolate in Green Bay, Wisconsin, served by priests of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay. Located in the historic 1893 St. Patrick's Catholic Church at 211 N. Maple Avenue on the city's near west side, the Oratory offers daily and Sunday Mass entirely in the Extraordinary Form (Traditional Latin Mass), along with weekly Eucharistic Adoration, a full confession schedule, and a flourishing community of families and young people. The Oratory is currently under the spiritual care of Rev. Canon Antoine Boucheron, Rector, and it is the home parish of over thirty altar servers, a young choir, and numerous parish societies dedicated to traditional Catholic devotion.
- Established
- 1998
- Patron
- Saint Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Canon Antoine Boucheron
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay
Why belong here
St. Patrick's Oratory is a thriving community of families, young adults, and children committed to the Traditional Latin Mass and the full sacramental life of the Catholic Church. Parishioners benefit from a full daily Mass schedule, weekly confession every day of the week, twice-weekly Eucharistic Adoration, and a deep bench of parish societies — the Legion of Mary, the Confraternity of Christian Mothers, the St. Joseph's Men's Group, the St. Theresa Women's Group, the Sursum Corda Young Adult Group, the Friends of St. Patrick's Oratory, and a St. Jerome Book Club — alongside robust catechism classes for children. With over thirty altar servers, a young choir, regular family picnics, and the reverent atmosphere of the 1893 Gothic Revival church, the Oratory is a place where Catholic Tradition is not merely preserved but actively lived and handed on to the next generation.
Mass times at St. Patrick's Oratory - Institute of Christ the King
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 9:30 a.m. – 9:55 a.m.
- Monday: 7:05 a.m. – 7:35 a.m.
- Tuesday: 5:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
- Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m.
- Thursday: 7:30 a.m. – 7:55 a.m.
- Friday: 5:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
- Saturday: 8:30 a.m. – 8:55 a.m.
- Also upon appointment — call the Rectory (920) 437-9660
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 3:00 PM – 5:45 PM (per the official schedule; the bulletin has listed this as 4:00 PM – 5:45 PM at times)
About St. Patrick's Oratory
St. Patrick's Oratory is a Traditional Latin Mass apostolate served by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest within the Diocese of Green Bay. It is one of the Institute's apostolates in the United States and the home of a thriving community of families, young adults, and children on Green Bay's near west side. The Oratory offers daily Mass, the full sacraments, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, altar-server formation, children's catechism, and the reception of converts.
- Located at the historic 1893 St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 211 N. Maple Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54303
- Part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay
- Served by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
- Motto: In Corde Ecclesiae — 'in the Heart of the Church'
History of the Apostolate
The Green Bay apostolate traces its roots to the early 1970s, when lay Catholics began driving across Wisconsin to find priests still celebrating the Traditional Latin Mass. By 1998, the Diocese of Green Bay had formally invited the Institute of Christ the King to take pastoral charge, with Fr. Gregory Mikula overseeing the work. Successive Institute rectors — Canon Andreas Hellmann, Canon Jean-Marie Moreau, Canon Denis Buchholz, and Canon Antoine Boucheron — built up the community, and in 2005 Bishop David Zubik elevated the chapel to a full oratory. In 2014 Bishop David Ricken relocated the apostolate to the 1893 St. Patrick's Catholic Church and renamed it St. Patrick's Oratory to mark the move as permanent.
- Early 1970s: lay faithful drive to Peshtigo, De Pere, Milwaukee, and Wrightstown for the Traditional Latin Mass
- 1998: Diocese of Green Bay invites the Institute of Christ the King to take charge; Fr. Gregory Mikula oversees the apostolate
- 2000: Canon Andreas Hellmann, newly ordained, arrives and builds up the community
- 2004: Canon Jean-Marie Moreau arrives from the Institute's mission in Gabon and becomes rector
- May 2005: Bishop David Zubik elevates the apostolate from chapel to oratory
- 2008–2009: Canon Denis Buchholz serves as rector
- 2014 (second term): Canon Hellmann returns as rector until September 28, 2014
- July 2014: Bishop David Ricken provides the new home at St. Patrick's Catholic Church on the near west side
- October 2014: Bishop Ricken formally adjusts the name to St. Patrick's Oratory
- 2014–spring 2016: Canon Buchholz serves a third term as rector before being sent to the Sisters Adorers in Switzerland
- Spring 2016: Canon Antoine Boucheron appointed as the present rector
History of St. Patrick's Church
The building the Oratory calls home has its own deep roots. Founded by nineteenth-century Irish Catholic immigrants to Green Bay's west side — separate from the French Catholics of St. John's parish — the parish built a wood-frame church in 1865. The current brick Early Gothic Revival church was constructed in 1893 under the leadership of Rev. Michael O'Brien and designed by architect C. C. Buck. An adjoining Georgian Revival rectory (the Parish House at 211 N. Maple Avenue) followed in 1921, designed by Foeller, Schober, and Stephenson. St. Patrick's grade school operated for seventy years before closing in the early 1970s. Today the Oratory continues the parish's long Catholic life under the traditional rite.
- 1865: original wood-frame church built by Irish immigrant parishioners on Green Bay's west side
- 1893: current brick Early Gothic Revival church designed by architect C. C. Buck, under Rev. Michael O'Brien
- 1921: Georgian Revival rectory built next door at 211 N. Maple Avenue
- 1982 onward: under Fr. John O'Brien, buildings upgraded, parking lot paved, ramp entrance added, central A/C, new steeple
- 1999 onward: Msgr. Brian Coleman oversees restoration of all 14 stained-glass windows
- Early 1970s: St. Patrick's grade school closes after 70 years
Architecture & Building
St. Patrick's Catholic Church is an Early Gothic Revival brick church with a polygonal apse on the west end of the nave, a rectilinear flat-roof addition across the rear, typical polychrome brickwork, and an excellent corbelled brick frieze under the main eaves and gable ends. The interior retains its wood pews, high vaulted ceiling, marble flooring at the altar, and fourteen stained-glass windows with pictorial scenes. The adjacent Parish House is a brick Georgian Revival rectory of architectural significance under Wisconsin Historical Society Criterion C.
- Architect: C. C. Buck (church, 1893)
- Architects: Foeller, Schober, and Stephenson (rectory, 1921)
- Style: Early Gothic Revival (church); Georgian Revival (rectory)
- Notable interior features: wood pews, high vaulted ceiling, marble altar floor, 14 stained-glass windows
- Exterior features: polychrome brickwork, corbelled brick frieze, polygonal apse
- Basement: O'Brien Hall — gathering space and kitchen, used for parish events including bingo nights
Clergy & Staff
The Oratory is led by Rev. Canon Antoine Boucheron, Rector, and supported by parish secretary Mary Roehrig. The Oratory is a clergy apostolate of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, whose members celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass and offer the full sacramental life of the Church.
- Rev. Canon Antoine Boucheron — Rector
- Mary Roehrig — Secretary ([email protected])
- Monsignor Gilles Wach — Prior General of the Institute, who makes an annual visit to the Oratory
Parish Societies & Ministries
Parish life at St. Patrick's Oratory is sustained by a rich network of societies and groups, ranging from traditional Catholic associations like the Legion of Mary and Confraternity of Christian Mothers to men and women's groups, book clubs, and young-adult and young-married-couple communities.
- Legion of Mary
- Confraternity of Christian Mothers
- St. Joseph's Men's Group
- St. Theresa Women's Group
- Sursum Corda — Young Adult Group
- Young Married Couple's Group
- St. Jerome Book Club
- Company of the Immaculate
- Friends of St. Patrick's Oratory
Faith Formation & Altar Servers
Children's catechism classes are held on Tuesday afternoons with a full Holy Hour, Mass, and class schedule. The Oratory also has a strong altar-server program with over thirty altar boys serving regularly, and a young adult choir that sings the High Mass on Sundays.
- Children's Catechism: Tuesdays — 4:00 p.m. Holy Hour, 5:00 p.m. Mass, 6:00 p.m. class
- Registration required (form available on the Oratory website)
- Over thirty altar servers
- Young adult choir for the 10:00 AM Sunday High Mass
Becoming a Registered Member
Parishioners are encouraged to register formally with the Oratory. A registration form is available on the official website and may be mailed to the rectory, handed directly to Canon Boucheron, placed in the collection basket in a sealed envelope marked 'registration form,' or scanned and emailed to the parish secretary.
- Mail to: Rev. Canon Antoine Boucheron, 211 N. Maple Ave., Green Bay, WI 54303
- Hand-deliver to Canon Boucheron
- Place in the collection basket in a sealed envelope marked 'registration form'
- Email scanned copy to [email protected]
Contact & Practical Information
The Oratory's church and rectory are located together on North Maple Avenue, with phone and email contact information available for appointments, registration, and sacramental scheduling.
- Address: 211 N. Maple Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54303
- Phone: (920) 437-9660
- Fax: (920) 437-5154
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://institute-christ-king.org/greenbay-home/
- Handicapped-accessible ramp entrance available
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Gregory Mikulaby 1998
In charge of the apostolate when the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest took it over at the invitation of the Diocese of Green Bay.
- Canon Andreas Hellmann2000–early 2000s
Newly ordained upon arrival in 2000; served a large group of faithful. Returned for a second term as rector until September 28, 2014.
- Canon Jean-Marie Moreauarrived 2004
Became rector of the Traditional Latin Mass Apostolate; arrived in Green Bay after thirteen years on the Institute's mission in Gabon.
- Canon Denis Buchholz2008–2009
Served as rector; returned for a third stint from 2014 until spring 2016, when he was appointed to the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus in Switzerland.
- Canon Andreas Hellmann (second term)until September 28, 2014
Returned as rector; subsequently assigned to the Institute's apostolates in Bavaria.
- Canon Denis Buchholz (third term)2014–spring 2016
Returned once more as rector after the move to St. Patrick's Church.
- Rev. Canon Antoine Boucheronspring 2016–present
Current rector, appointed in spring 2016 to continue serving the faithful of St. Patrick's Oratory.