About St. Sebastian · Isaar, Wisconsin
St. Sebastian Catholic Church is a small rural parish in the unincorporated community of Isaar, in the Town of Seymour, Outagamie County, Wisconsin (mailing address: N9269 Isaar Road, Seymour, WI 54165), about ten miles from Green Bay. Founded in 1893 by Bavarian immigrant families who had settled the area in the late 1860s under the Homestead Act, the parish belongs to the Diocese of Green Bay and today is served by a Norbertine pastor, Father Sengole (Arockia) Dass, O.Praem, with Deacon Richard Matuszak. The current brick church was built after a December 1929 fire destroyed the original wooden structure, and the parish is best known locally for its annual Porky and Pancake Supper (held from the early 1950s until 2002) and its deep Bavarian-Catholic roots.
- Established
- 1893
- Patron
- St. Sebastian (named in honor of Bishop Sebastian Gebhard Messmer's patron saint)
- Rector
- Father Sengole (Arockia) Dass, O.Praem.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Green Bay
Why belong here
St. Sebastian's is a small, traditional rural parish with deep Bavarian-Catholic roots, where most parishioners still know each other by name and where the same families have worshipped for over 130 years. Visitors and members value the Sunday 8 a.m. Mass, the simple historic brick church, the parish cemetery on the grounds, an active religious-education program serving more than forty children from twenty-plus families, and the steady presence of a deacon alongside a Norbertine pastor. For anyone in the Seymour–Green Bay countryside seeking an intimate, family-sized Catholic community rooted in faith and local heritage, St. Sebastian's offers exactly that.
Mass times at St. Sebastian
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- No regularly scheduled confessions (Diocese of Green Bay listing); available by appointment
History & Heritage
St. Sebastian's was founded in 1893 by German-Bavarian settlers who had homesteaded the area in the late 1860s under the Homestead Act. The parish was named in honor of Bishop Sebastian Gebhard Messmer's patron saint, and the original wooden church was built that year on John Kroner's land for about $100. After the 1929 fire destroyed the wooden building, the brick church now standing was built by the Eisenreich Construction Company of Isaar. A 1916 rectory made St. Sebastian's an independent parish, and a parish cemetery was laid out just north of the church about 1918.
- Original 1893 wooden church built by settlers
- Patronage of Bishop Sebastian Gebhard Messmer
- Rectory constructed in 1916
- Parish cemetery established c. 1918
- December 1929 fire destroyed wooden church
- Current brick church built by Eisenreich Construction Company of Isaar
Mass & Sacraments
Sunday Mass is celebrated at 8:00 a.m., and a weekly weekday Mass is offered Friday at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday is a Communion Service at 9:00 a.m. The Diocese of Green Bay lists St. Sebastian as having no regularly scheduled confessions; the sacrament is available by appointment through the parish office.
- Sunday Mass — 8:00 a.m. (English)
- Wednesday — 9:00 a.m. Communion Service (not a Mass)
- Friday Mass — 8:15 a.m. (English)
- Reconciliation — by appointment (no scheduled times)
- Funeral Masses and parish prayer services as scheduled
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education classes meet following the 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass and serve kindergarten through Confirmation-preparation students. The program is coordinated by Jessica Melchert and staffed by seven catechists, reaching approximately 42 students from 21 families. Confirmation classes are held jointly for students and their parents, and sacramental preparation includes Reconciliation and First Communion.
- Religious Education Coordinator: Jessica Melchert
- Seven parish catechists
- Kindergarten through Confirmation preparation
- 42 students from 21 families enrolled
- Confirmation class attended by students and parents
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Father Sengole (Arockia) Dass, O.Praem., a Norbertine priest serving as pastor, with Deacon Richard (Rich) Matuszak assisting in liturgical and pastoral ministry. Laurie Paholke serves as Parish Secretary and Jessica Melchert as Religious Education Coordinator. The parish also relies on elected parish council members, trustees, and a building committee.
- Father Sengole (Arockia) Dass, O.Praem. — Pastor
- Deacon Richard Matuszak
- Laurie Paholke — Parish Secretary
- Jessica Melchert — RE Coordinator
- Parish Council, Trustees, Building Committee
Community Life & Traditions
St. Sebastian's is the spiritual heart of the small Bavarian-heritage hamlet of Isaar. The parish once hosted an annual church picnic with baseball and games, and from the early 1950s until 2002 ran the locally famous 'Porky and Pancake Supper' — a potato-pancake fundraiser that supported the parish youth organization. The 2002 event marked both the 50th anniversary and the final supper; declining volunteer turnout, common to small rural parishes, brought the tradition to a close.
- Bavarian-Catholic heritage of the Isaar community
- Annual church picnic with baseball and games
- 'Porky and Pancake Supper' fundraiser, 1950s–2002
- Founding families: Kroner, Hackl, Ebert, Liebhabers, Krause, Wirth, Schmidt, Brugger, Hartl, Noll
Parish Cemetery
A parish cemetery was established on land just north of the church about two years after the 1916 rectory was built (c. 1918). It remains an active part of parish life, with burials still arranged through the parish office.
- Cemetery established c. 1918
- Located on parish grounds north of the church
- Used for parishioner burials
Visiting & Office Information
The parish office is open limited weekday hours and serves the surrounding Seymour-area farming community. Visitors are welcome at Sunday Mass and on weekdays. The historic brick church (c. 1930), the 1916 rectory, and the cemetery can all be seen together on the parish grounds along Isaar Road.
- Office: Monday 9:00 a.m.–Noon
- Tuesday Closed
- Wednesday 8:30 a.m.–Noon
- Thursday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Friday Closed
- Phone: 920-833-2558
- Address: N9269 Isaar Road, Seymour, WI 54165
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Leo Ottserved before 1957 (until c. 1965)
Ordained May 30, 1941; graduate of Holy Trinity (Jericho), Salvatorian Seminary (St. Nazianz), and St. John's Seminary (Collegeville, MN). Served at St. Vincent's, Oshkosh until Sept 1948, then at Guardian Angels Home/Oneida, and as pastor of St. Sebastian's at Isaar. Transferred to become pastor of St. Margaret Mary's, Neenah in 1965.
- Father Brian Belongiaat least 2018
Officiated the June 15, 2018 funeral Mass of lifelong parishioner Theodore Van De Yacht Jr. with Deacon Rich Matuszak.
- Father Sengole (Arockia) Dass, O.Praem.current (at least 2022–present)
Norbertine priest; pastor of St. Sebastian, Isaar, with Deacon Richard Matuszak; listed as current pastor on the parish website.