About St. Rose of Lima · Cuba City, Wisconsin
St. Rose of Lima is a Roman Catholic parish in Cuba City, Wisconsin, belonging to the Diocese of Madison. Founded in the late 1840s/early 1850s by the Italian Dominican missionary Father Samuel Mazzuchelli, the parish was originally known as St. Rose of the Prairie and is one of the oldest Catholic communities in the tri-state Driftless region. Today the parish shares a pastorate with neighboring St. Patrick's in Benton and is served through Pastorate #2 of the Diocese of Madison. The current church, built in 1967–1968, sits at 519 West Roosevelt Street and continues the mission Mazzuchelli began more than 170 years ago, alongside St. Rose School (PreK–8).
- Established
- 1849-1851
- Patron
- St. Rose of Lima
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Gregory Ihm (Parochial Administrator, Pastorate #2)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Madison
Why belong here
St. Rose of Lima welcomes parishioners into a community with roots stretching back more than 170 years to Father Mazzuchelli's pioneer mission, and today offers weekend Mass at St. Rose in Cuba City as well as at partner parish St. Patrick's in Benton, weekly confession, weekday adoration, and a parish school serving PreK through 8th grade. Active faith formation runs from Children's Liturgy of the Word for ages 3 through 1st grade, through confirmation preparation and youth ministry, and men's and women's fellowship groups such as That Man is You meet across the pastorate. The parish is also a place where stewardship is lived out — from SCRIP gift-card fundraising for the school, to volunteers serving the restored Father Samuel Mazzuchelli House, to a cemetery that has been part of the community since the parish's founding.
Mass times at St. Rose of Lima
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 pm at St. Rose
- 1st Tuesday after 8:30 am Mass at St. Patrick's, Benton
Adoration times
- Wednesday 9:00–10:00 am (per parish listings)
- Thursday 7:00–8:00 pm (per parish listings)
History of St. Rose of Lima
The parish was founded around 1849–1851 by Father Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP, the Italian Dominican missionary who built more than 20 churches in the tri-state area. Originally called St. Rose of the Prairie, it was first established at the St. Rose Cemetery site just north of Cuba City. The first church was a small 30-by-20-foot brick or stone structure costing about $900 with a cornerstone dated 1851; that cornerstone is preserved in the present church. After the first church was torn down in 1859, a wooden frame church was built on the cemetery grounds in 1861 and served the parish until 1895, when a new brick church was built on Madison Street in Cuba City by a founding congregation of about 45 Irish and 20 German families.
- c. 1849–1851 — Parish founded by Father Samuel Mazzuchelli as St. Rose of the Prairie
- 1851 — First brick/stone church built; cornerstone dated 1851
- 1859 — First church torn down
- 1861 — Wooden frame church built on cemetery grounds
- 1895 — New brick church built on Madison Street in Cuba City
- 1908 — Rev. S. J. Vaughan appointed first resident pastor
- 1916 — First St. Rose School built under Father Maguire
- April 2, 1967 — New church site blessed and dedicated
- June 9, 1968 — Bishop Cletus O'Donnell celebrated the first Mass in the present church
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Rose spans the youngest children through high school, with programming coordinated by Karrie Steinhart. Children's Liturgy of the Word welcomes ages 3 through 1st grade during Mass, while Grades 1–8 religious education classes meet on Wednesday evenings at St. Rose School and a separate confirmation track prepares juniors each year.
- Children's Liturgy of the Word — ages 3 through 1st grade, during Mass
- Grades 1–8 Religious Education — Wednesdays, 6:00–7:15 pm at St. Rose School
- Confirmation preparation — juniors, Wednesday evenings at St. Rose School
- Freshman & Sophomore faith formation
- Coordinator: Karrie Steinhart (608-778-3577, [email protected])
St. Rose Catholic School
St. Rose School has served Cuba City since 1916, when it was built of cement block north of the church during Father Maguire's pastorate and staffed by Dominican sisters. Today the parish school educates about 133 students in PreK through 8th grade with a 12-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio, and remains a center of parish life — students attend weekly school Masses on Friday mornings and the broader parish supports the school through the SCRIP gift-card fundraising program.
- Grades served: PreK–8
- Enrollment: about 133 students
- Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
- Principal: Mary Schneider (608-744-2120)
- Secretary: Martha Kreger
- Maintenance: David Busch
- Address: 218 N Jackson, Cuba City, WI 53807
- Founded in 1916 under Father Maguire; first faculty of Dominican sisters
Youth Ministry
Youth Ministry at St. Rose, coordinated by Karrie Steinhart, accompanies young parishioners from the early high-school years through the reception of the sacrament of Confirmation, with regular Wednesday evening gatherings and formation appropriate to each grade level.
- Coordinator: Karrie Steinhart (608-778-3577)
- Junior-year Confirmation classes
- Freshman parent meetings and freshman table leaders
- Wednesday evening formation sessions at St. Rose School
Parish Ministries & Fellowship
Beyond the sanctuary and the school, the parish supports a wide range of ministries that strengthen community life and put faith into action — from men's fellowship to cemetery care and stewardship of Mazzuchelli's historic homestead.
- That Man is You (TMIY) — Saturday mornings, 6:30 am at Immaculate Conception Parish Center, Kieler (contact Kevin Wiederholt, 608-744-2598)
- SCRIP gift-card fundraising
- St. Rose Cemetery — committee chair Ken Tranel (608-744-2840)
- Father Samuel Mazzuchelli House docents — April through October Sunday afternoons (contact Joan McCauley, 608-759-6552)
- St. Patrick's cemetery committee — Gary Schulte (608-744-2313)
- Collection of hymnal memorial donations
Sacraments
The parish office coordinates preparation and celebration of the sacraments. Families seeking baptism or marriage are invited to contact the parish office, and the parish's religious education program walks children and teens through First Communion and Confirmation.
- Baptism — contact the parish office at (608) 744-2010
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Reconciliation — Saturday 4:30 pm; 1st Tuesday after 8:30 am Mass at St. Patrick's, Benton
- First Communion & Confirmation — through parish Religious Education
Cemetery
The St. Rose Cemetery — located north of Cuba City — is the historic heart of the original parish site, where the Mazzuchelli-era church once stood and where Michael Faherty is recorded as the first burial. Today the parish continues to care for this ground through a dedicated cemetery committee.
- Original parish site — north of Cuba City
- First recorded burial: Michael Faherty
- Cemetery committee chair: Ken Tranel (608-744-2840)
- Site of the original 1851 Mazzuchelli church
Father Samuel Mazzuchelli House
The newly renovated Father Samuel Mazzuchelli house is a parish heritage site linked to the founder of St. Rose of Lima. Volunteers staff the historic house for two-hour shifts on Sunday afternoons from April through October, sharing Mazzuchelli's story with visitors.
- Open Sunday afternoons, April through October
- Volunteer docents needed for 2-hour shifts
- Contact Joan McCauley at 608-759-6552 to volunteer
- Commemorates the founder of St. Rose of the Prairie
Pastorate #2 — Diocese of Madison
In 2023 the Diocese of Madison reorganized parishes into pastorates. St. Rose of Lima, Cuba City, is part of Pastorate #2, which includes St. Patrick (Benton), Holy Ghost (Dickeyville), St. Francis de Sales (Hazel Green), Immaculate Conception (Kieler), St. Mary (Platteville), and St. Joseph (Sinsinawa). Rev. Fr. Gregory Ihm serves as parochial administrator, with Rev. Fr. Peter Auer and Rev. Fr. Bernard Rott as parochial vicars. Rev. Fr. David J. Flanagan, the former pastor of St. Rose of Lima and St. Patrick's, Benton, was named Pastor Emeritus.
- Parochial Administrator: Rev. Fr. Gregory Ihm
- Parochial Vicars: Rev. Fr. Peter Auer and Rev. Fr. Bernard Rott
- Pastor Emeritus: Rev. Fr. David J. Flanagan
- Partner parishes: St. Patrick (Benton), Holy Ghost (Dickeyville), St. Francis de Sales (Hazel Green), Immaculate Conception (Kieler), St. Mary (Platteville), St. Joseph (Sinsinawa)
Parish Staff & Contacts
Day-to-day parish life is supported by a small staff and committed lay leaders, with the parish office open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to noon.
- Parish Office: (608) 744-2010 — Monday–Friday 8:00 am to noon
- Pastorate Administrator: Rev. Fr. Gregory Ihm
- Deacon Bill Bussan: (608) 568-3355
- Administrative Assistant (St. Rose): Sharon Steines, 8:00 am–12:00 pm
- Religious Education / Youth Ministry: Karrie Steinhart (608-778-3577)
- School Principal: Mary Schneider (608-744-2120)
- Email: [email protected]
Visit & Contact
St. Rose of Lima is located at 519 West Roosevelt Street in Cuba City, Wisconsin. Visitors are warmly invited to join weekend Mass, with confession available Saturday afternoon before the vigil Mass and adoration offered mid-week.
- Address: 519 West Roosevelt Street, Cuba City, WI 53807
- Phone: (608) 744-2010
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://strosecubacity.weconnect.com/
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am to noon
- Weekend Mass: Saturday 5:00 pm and Sunday 10:30 am at St. Rose
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Samuel Mazzuchelli, OPc. 1849–1864
Italian Dominican missionary who founded the parish as St. Rose of the Prairie; built the first 1851 church; not a resident pastor.
- Rev. J. C. Bergenserved through 1895 church era
Pastor of St. Patrick's, Benton; served St. Rose as a mission church; his name appeared in the rose window of the 1895 brick church.
- Rev. S. J. Vaughan1908–
First resident pastor of St. Rose.
- Father Maguirec. 1916
Built the first St. Rose School in 1916.
- Rev. Fr. David J. Flanaganuntil 2023
Pastor of St. Rose of Lima and St. Patrick's, Benton; reassigned in 2023 diocesan reorganization; now Pastor Emeritus.