About St. Philip · Stone Lake, Wisconsin
St. Philip is a small Catholic mission church located at 5750 Frost Avenue in Stone Lake, Wisconsin, within the Diocese of Superior. It is one of five parishes in the Hayward Area Catholic cluster, which also includes St. Ann in Cable, St. Joseph in Hayward, St. Ignatius in New Post, and St. Francis Solanus Mission & School in Reserve. The mission is served by lead pastor Fr. David Neuschwander and associate pastor Fr. Karunakar Madanu. St. Philip holds Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM and a Thursday Mass at 8:30 AM, and is supported by the central parish office in Hayward.
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- St. Philip (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. David Neuschwander
- Diocese
- Diocese of Superior
Why belong here
St. Philip offers a quiet, small-mission setting in the heart of the Wisconsin Northwoods where Sunday Mass is celebrated at 8:00 AM and confessions are heard before Mass — perfect for families and visitors who want a tight-knit Catholic community. As part of the five-parish Hayward Area Catholic family, St. Philip members share in abundant formation opportunities, including youth ministry, sacramental preparation for baptism, confirmation, first Communion, matrimony, and anointing of the sick, plus the Knights of Columbus Casimir Tyminski Scholarship for post-secondary students. The parish joins its sister churches each year for devotions like the Seven Holy Sites Pilgrimage and shared benediction, so visitors quickly become part of something larger than a single small mission.
Mass times at St. Philip
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:40–8:00 AM (immediately before the 8:00 AM Mass)
St. Philip Catholic Mission — Stone Lake, Wisconsin
St. Philip is a small Catholic mission in the Sawyer County community of Stone Lake, Wisconsin, founded in 1905 and administered as part of the Hayward Area Catholic cluster of five parishes within the Diocese of Superior. The parish shares its leadership and sacramental life with St. Ann in Cable, St. Joseph in Hayward, St. Ignatius in New Post, and St. Francis Solanus Mission & School in Reserve, allowing a small mission to access rich sacramental, formation, and community resources.
Cluster Leadership & Staff
St. Philip is shepherded by the lead pastor of the Hayward Area Catholic cluster, with an associate pastor and a central office team coordinating sacramental preparation, youth ministry, and faith formation across the five parishes. The central parish office is reached at 715-634-2867 or [email protected], and St. Joseph Parish in Hayward serves as the main cluster office.
- Rev. David Neuschwander — Pastor / Lead Pastor (also Vocations Director, Diocese of Superior)
- Rev. Karunakar Madanu — Associate Pastor (international priest from India)
- Laurel Eyer — Director of Youth Formation
- Sr. Felissa Zander — cluster staff (Sacraments page)
- Director of Discipleship — cluster staff
History & Heritage
St. Philip's records date back to 1905 and were historically maintained by the Franciscan Sacred Heart Province. Archival material at Marquette University includes sacramental and financial records, correspondence, parish reports, historical notes, and clippings for Stone Lake's St. Philip Church across the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
- 1905 — earliest recorded parish records (per GCatholic)
- 1905–1907 — Sacramental and financial record book (per Marquette University Franciscan Records)
- Parish reports and correspondence through ~1973
- 1977 — News release regarding transfer of parish to the Diocese of Superior
- August 2022 — St. Philip joins the unified Hayward Area Catholic cluster
The Hayward Area Catholic Cluster
In August 2022, the Diocese of Superior consolidated its Hayward-area and Reserve-area parishes into a single Hayward Area Catholic cluster. Fr. David Neuschwander became pastor of all five parishes, with Fr. Karunakar Madanu serving as associate pastor. The cluster shares sacramental, formation, and outreach resources.
- St. Ann — Cable
- St. Joseph — Hayward (cluster office)
- St. Ignatius — New Post
- St. Francis Solanus Mission & School — Reserve (Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation)
- St. Philip — Stone Lake
Sacraments
All seven sacraments are available to parishioners through the cluster's central office and sacramental team. Preparation programs are offered for children and adults, and the staff is ready to accommodate those who are not the 'typical age' or who are not yet Catholic.
- Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion
- Anointing of the Sick
- Confession (Reconciliation) — Sundays 7:40–8:00 AM at St. Philip
- Matrimony (Marriage) preparation
- Holy Orders — vocation discernment with Fr. David
- Annulment / Declaration of Nullity information through the central office
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Religious education and youth ministry are organized at the cluster level, serving children and teens from all five parishes including St. Philip. The Director of Youth Formation, Laurel Eyer, coordinates sacramental preparation classes and youth activities throughout the Hayward Area Catholic community.
- Youth Formation (cluster-wide, Director: Laurel Eyer)
- Sacramental prep for First Communion, Confirmation
- RCIA / adult faith formation through central office
- Family-centered preparation tailored to each family
Knights of Columbus & Scholarship
St. Philip parishioners are part of the broader Catholic community served by Knights of Columbus Council #6587. Each year, the council awards the Casimir Tyminski Scholarship to post-secondary students from any of the Hayward Area Catholic parishes.
- Knights of Columbus Council #6587 (serves all five Hayward Area parishes)
- Casimir Tyminski Scholarship — for high school graduates pursuing trade school, community college, or four-year university
- Contact: Mark Mantey (805-455-3920) or Caleb Franson (715-919-0880)
- Applications due by July 12; forms available at parish offices and haywardcatholic.org/kc6587
Cluster Devotions & Pilgrimage
St. Philip shares in the spiritual life of the broader Hayward Area Catholic cluster, including an annual Lenten pilgrimage inspired by Fr. Karun Madanu. The inaugural Seven Holy Sites Pilgrimage (April 11, 2024) took parishioners by bus through all five parishes plus Our Lady of the Lake Chapel for prayer, history, and reflection.
- Seven Holy Sites Pilgrimage — annual cluster-wide Lenten devotion
- Confession, benediction, and Stations of the Cross offered during pilgrimage
- Adoration Chapel at St. Joseph — open daily 8:00 AM–4:00 PM (with code access outside those hours)
Visiting St. Philip
Travelers and seasonal visitors in the Northwoods are warmly welcomed at St. Philip. The mission is easy to find just off Wisconsin State Highway 70, and the cluster's central office staff can answer questions about weddings, baptisms, funerals, or general visitation.
- Address: 5750 Frost Ave., Stone Lake, WI 54876
- Phone: 715-865-3669
- Email: [email protected]
- Web: haywardcatholic.org/stphilip
- Mailing: PO Box 877, Hayward, WI 54843
- Directions: From WI Hwy 70, turn onto 4th St. South; drive 1/2 mile and turn on Frost Ave. — church is on the right.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. David Neuschwander2022–present
Became lead pastor of the expanded Hayward Area Catholic cluster in August 2022, adding Stone Lake, Reserve, Cable and New Post to his pastoral assignment. Also serves as Vocations Director for the Diocese of Superior.
- Rev. Greg Hopefluntil 2022
Former pastor of the 'Reserve Cluster' (which included St. Philip); retired in 2022, prompting the consolidation of clusters.