About St. Peter · Slinger, Wisconsin
St. Peter Catholic Congregation is a vibrant parish of more than 1,300 families in the heart of downtown Slinger, Wisconsin, founded in 1856 by German Catholic settlers of the Kettle Moraine. The parish shares its pastor with Resurrection Church in Allenton and runs St. Peter Catholic School, a 3K–5th grade faith-filled academy that has served the community in some form since 1881. Today's parishioners worship at the historic 1893 cream-city brick church on East Washington Street and gather around the Eucharist, the Sacraments, and a wide web of parish ministries.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- Saint Peter (the Apostle, first Pope, namesake chosen because of Rome — where St. Peter is buried — and the 'rock-solid faith' of the early settlers)
- Rector
- Very Reverend Richard J. Stoffel
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. Peter offers the rare combination of a deeply rooted 1856 community and an active, present-day parish family of more than 1,300 households. Members gather for reverent daily and weekend Mass, weekly Thursday Eucharistic Adoration ending in Benediction, and a full sacramental life — including Communion brought to the homebound. With dozens of ministries for every age and interest — Christian Women, Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, Prayer Shawls, Pro-Life, Little Flowers, Boy Scouts, and the Disciple Maker Formation program shared with neighboring parishes — there is a real place for every talent and every season of life.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 11:00 AM
- Thursday 11:00 AM
- Thursday 6:00 PM
- Saturday following the 8:00 AM Mass
Adoration times
- Thursday 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM (Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, ending with Benediction at 7:00 PM)
- St. Peter Church is also open for private prayer: Monday 11:00 AM–3:00 PM, Tuesday 11:00 AM–3:00 PM, Thursday 8:30 AM–7:00 PM
Parish History
St. Peter Parish traces its roots to 1856, when German Catholic settlers of the Kettle Moraine built a small log church on what had been the Engelhardt farm — the present site of the parish. Originally a mission served from St. Lawrence and Immaculate Conception (St. Mary's) in Barton, it grew quickly enough that Fr. Peter Mutz built the first rectory and became the first resident pastor in 1870. A 2-story brick school followed in 1881–82, taught for 110 years by the School Sisters of St. Francis until 1991. The core of the present cream-city brick church was begun in 1892 and dedicated by Archbishop Katzer on May 1, 1893. The village shortened its name from Schleisingerville to Slinger on May 3, 1921, and the parish has grown with the community ever since, now serving more than 1,300 families.
- 1856 – Log church erected on the Engelhardt farm; mission of St. Lawrence / Barton
- 1870 – Fr. Peter Mutz builds first rectory; first resident pastor
- 1881–82 – 2-story brick school built; School Sisters of St. Francis begin teaching
- 1892 – Construction begins on present cream-city brick church (113 × 49 ft, $19,300)
- May 1, 1893 – Archbishop Katzer dedicates the church and confirms 78 parishioners
- 1921 – Village renamed Schleisingerville → Slinger
- 1949 – New school built under Fr. George Jentges on present site
- 1959 – Second floor and sisters' convent (now Clare Hall) added
- 1991 – School Sisters of St. Francis conclude 110 years of teaching at St. Peter
- 1995 – Sixth grade moves to the new Slinger Middle School
- 2002 – Fr. Richard Stoffel becomes pastor
- 2005 – Fr. Stoffel also named pastor of Resurrection, Allenton
- Spring 2019 – School gymnasium renovated
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Peter is led by a shared pastor and associate pastor, a deacon, and a dedicated lay staff who care for formation, music, aging members, finances, and the school. The parish shares its clergy with neighboring Resurrection, Allenton.
- Very Reverend Richard J. Stoffel — Shared Pastor (since 2002)
- Reverend Russell Arnett — Shared Associate Pastor
- Deacon Robert Derks
- Kim Slizewski — Director of Formation
- Sandi Dhein — Child and Family Minister
- Kaylyn Krebs — Formation Secretary
- Andy Smith — Director of Music Liturgies
- Lisa Schmitt — Minister of Aging
- Donna Sternke — Parish Secretary
- Rita Kuhaupt — Bookkeeper
- Brenda Lighthizer — Parish Bookkeeper
- Cheryl Jaeger — School Principal
- Anton Wiesner
Christian Formation & Youth Ministry
The Disciple Maker Formation Program is a collaborative youth-formation effort serving St. Peter Slinger together with Resurrection, Allenton and St. Lawrence, Hartford. Its goal is to excite and enlighten young parishioners and to encourage Christian growth in their surrounding communities.
- Instruction in the Catholic faith
- Sacrament preparation (First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in 2nd grade)
- Frequent, personalized prayer
- Local, regional, and youth ministry events
- Leadership and Justice seminars
- Scouting-based youth groups: Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Little Flowers, Squires of the Immaculate
St. Peter Catholic School (3K–5th Grade)
Catholic education has been part of St. Peter's identity since 1881. Today's St. Peter Catholic School, located at 206 E. Washington St. next to the church, serves more than 80 students from about 50 families across 3K through 5th grade. Religion is woven throughout the curriculum, with weekly all-school Mass on Wednesdays led by Fr. Rick Stoffel and biweekly formal instruction with the pastor for each class.
- Catholic education at St. Peter since 1881
- Current enrollment: 80+ students, 50+ families, grades 3K–5
- Weekly all-school Mass on Wednesdays with Fr. Rick Stoffel
- Biweekly priest-led instruction for grades 3K–5
- Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in 2nd grade
- Curriculum meets Wisconsin Common Core and Archdiocese of Milwaukee standards
- Play-based 3K–5K following Wisconsin Model for Early Learning Standards (WMELS)
- Gymnasium renovated spring 2019; technology infrastructure updated summer 2012
Pastoral Ministries & Outreach to the Homebound
A large group of lay ministers extends the parish's care beyond the church walls — bringing Holy Communion to the sick and homebound, praying the Prayer Line over the phone, decorating the church for the liturgical year, and counting the weekly Offertory.
- Communion for the Homebound — priests, Minister of Aging and extraordinary ministers visit homes, nursing homes, rehab, and hospital
- Prayer Line — phone-based prayer requests for emergencies or illness
- Eucharistic Adoration (Thursdays, ending in Benediction)
- Liturgical Environment Committee — seasonal church decoration
- Money Counters — eight teams of three volunteers
Parish Life & Organizations
St. Peter offers a remarkably wide range of parish organizations for adults, youth, and families — a sign of a parish that sees itself as a community of faith, fellowship, and service. Whether through service (Knights of Columbus, Human Concerns), prayer (Legion of Mary, Prayer Shawls, Women's Prayer Group), or shared interests (Christian Women, Friends of Faith, Harvest House, Sewing Group), there is a real place for every member.
- Adult: Christian Women, Friends of Faith, Harvest House, Human Concerns Committee, Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, The Messengers, Prayer Shawls, Pro-Life Group, Sewing Group, Women's Prayer Group
- Youth: Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Little Flowers, Squires of the Immaculate
Parish Committees & Operations
Parishioners can also serve more directly in the logistical and temporal operations of the parish through a variety of standing committees that maintain the buildings, grounds, cemetery, finances, technology, and outreach efforts.
- Building and Grounds Committee
- Cemetery Board (the parish maintains its own cemetery)
- Stewardship Committee
- Finance Committee
- Technology Committee
- Outreach Committee
Office, Location & Visiting
The parish office is housed inside Clare Hall — the former sisters' convent, now renovated for parish use — at 208 E. Washington St. The parish welcomes visitors and returning Catholics alike, with the message: 'If you've been away, welcome home.'
- Parish office: 208 E. Washington St., Slinger, WI 53086 (inside Clare Hall)
- Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Phone: 262-644-8083; Fax: 262-644-7951
- Church: 200 E. Washington St., Slinger, WI 53086
- School: 206 E. Washington St., Slinger, WI 53086
Belonging to St. Peter
The parish mission statement expresses the community's identity: 'formed by the Holy Spirit, transformed by prayer and the Sacraments, we love Jesus and serve in His name.' Members are invited to contribute their time, talent, and treasure to the spiritual and temporal good of the parish — to foster a just and peaceful society and to be a caring, supportive community for brothers and sisters in Christ who may be hurting spiritually, physically, emotionally, or financially.
- Parish established for over 150 years (since 1856)
- More than 1,300 families served today
- Shared pastorate with Resurrection, Allenton
- Disciple Maker Formation shared with Resurrection and St. Lawrence, Hartford
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Peter Mutz1870–
Built the first rectory and became the first resident pastor of the parish.
- Fr. Deisenriederstarting 1865
Listed in school history as the first resident pastor serving rural families.
- Rev. Paul Geyer
Directed the establishment of the parish's Catholic school.
- Fr. George Jentges1949
Directed the building of the 'new' school on its present location.
- Very Rev. Richard J. Stoffel2002–present
Current pastor; also serves as shared pastor of Resurrection, Allenton since 2005.