About St. Theresa · Eagle, Wisconsin
St. Theresa of Avila Catholic Church is a small, welcoming Catholic parish in the Village of Eagle, Waukesha County, Wisconsin, that has anchored the local community since 1852. A member of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, the parish shares clergy and staff with neighboring St. James in Mukwonago and St. Peter in East Troy, and is currently served by Pastor Fr. Jordan Berghouse and Parochial Vicar Fr. Denny Jacob. Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday at 4:30 PM and Sunday at 8:30 AM, with weekday Masses on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. The parish also maintains two historic cemeteries — the old St. Theresa Cemetery west of the village and the four-acre St. Theresa Oak Cemetery south of town — that are part of its long local legacy.
- Established
- 1852
- Patron
- St. Theresa of Avila (St. Teresa of Jesus), Virgin and Doctor of the Church
- Rector
- Fr. Jordan Berghouse
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
St. Theresa of Avila offers a small-parish feel with the resources of a larger Catholic community: weekend and weekday Masses in English, Saturday reconciliation, and a monthly Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration on the third Thursday. Parishioners can grow in faith through the coordinated K–6 faith formation program, adult formation, a parish music ministry, and the long-running Fall Turkey Dinner that has knit the parish and the Village of Eagle together since 1938. The shared staff with St. James (Mukwonago) and St. Peter (East Troy) means dedicated clergy, a Director of Religious Education, a Director of Music, and a parish secretary are all close at hand for the Eagle congregation.
Mass times at St. Theresa
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday, 3:45–4:15 PM
Adoration times
- 3rd Thursday of the month, 4:30–6:15 PM
Welcome & Parish Identity
St. Theresa of Avila Catholic Church describes itself as 'a pillar of the Eagle community since 1852' and as a family where 'every person is a beloved child of God.' The parish welcomes visitors, returning Catholics, and those searching for a faith home, and it invites participation in its liturgies, prayer groups, faith formation programs, and volunteer activities. In its own words: 'Our church is not just a building; it is a family, a community where we come together to celebrate the love of Christ and support one another on our journeys of faith.'
- Parish mission statement emphasizes worship, learning, growing, and service together
- Welcomes first-time visitors, returning Catholics, and anyone exploring the faith
- Stresses belonging and community over being a building or institution
Parish History
St. Theresa's story begins in 1842 with visits by the missionary Fr. Martin Kundig to scattered Catholic families in the Eagle area. The formal parish was established through Bishop John M. Henni's 1851 purchase of land and the 1852 construction of a small frame church and a one-room log school. The parish grew steadily through the late 19th century — a new church in 1886, a relocated school in 1888 — and continued through the 20th century with the start of the famous Fall Turkey Dinner in 1938, the opening of a new school in 1958, and the school's eventual closure in 1968 in the wake of Vatican II.
- 1842 — Fr. Martin Kundig begins mission visits to the Eagle area
- Christmas Eve 1851 — Bishop John M. Henni purchases one acre from William and Susanna Kline for $1
- 1852 — Small frame church built (26 pews + 4 in gallery) and one-room log school erected near the old cemetery
- 1853–1855 — First recorded baptism and marriage
- 1870 — Rectory built
- 1886 — New St. Theresa Church built
- 1888 — School moved
- 1895 — Plans submitted for a new church
- 1938 — First Fall Turkey Dinner
- 1947 — School reopened in a side room of the church
- 1958 — New St. Theresa School opens
- 1962–1965 — Second Vatican Council
- 1968 — St. Theresa School closes
- 2020 — COVID-19 pandemic affects parish life
- 2021 — Old rectory torn down
- 2022 — New Fellowship Hall dedicated
Cemeteries
The parish maintains two cemeteries that are part of the historical fabric of the Village of Eagle. Early burials took place in the old St. Theresa Cemetery on Highway 59 just west of Eagle; today burials are in the St. Theresa Oak Cemetery, a four-acre site on Highway 67 south of the village. Both cemeteries are referenced on the parish's official website under the 'Welcome' section.
- Old St. Theresa Cemetery — Highway 59, just west of Eagle (early burials)
- St. Theresa Oak Cemetery — Highway 67, south of the village (four acres, present-day burials)
Clergy & Staff
St. Theresa is currently served by two priests — Pastor Fr. Jordan Berghouse and Parochial Vicar Fr. Denny Jacob — and two deacons, Dcn. John Van Zeeland and Dcn. Pete Giersch. Several staff positions are shared with neighboring St. James (Mukwonago) and St. Peter (East Troy), including the Director of Religious Education and faith formation coordinators, reflecting the pastoral grouping of the three parishes.
- Fr. Jordan Berghouse — Pastor
- Fr. Denny Jacob — Parochial Vicar
- Dcn. John Van Zeeland — Deacon
- Dcn. Pete Giersch — Deacon
- Renee Hitt — Shared Adult Formation and Parish Life Coordinator
- Brad Berghouse — Director of Administrative Services
- Tammi Day — STA Director of Music
- Judy Hernke — STA Parish Secretary
- Thaddeus Loduha — Director of Religious Education (shared; 262-363-7615 x120)
- Mary Kravchuk — Faith Formation Coordinator (K–6)
- Ann Paul — Controller
- Kevin — STA Maintenance
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Theresa is coordinated jointly with St. James (Mukwonago), with a shared Director of Religious Education and a dedicated K–6 Faith Formation Coordinator. Adult formation is led by a Shared Adult Formation and Parish Life Coordinator. The parish website lists 'faith formation programs' explicitly among the ways newcomers are invited to engage with parish life, alongside liturgies, prayer groups, and volunteer activities.
- K–6 Faith Formation program (coordinated with St. James)
- Shared Adult Formation and Parish Life Coordination
- Director of Religious Education oversees programming across the parish grouping
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at St. Theresa is supported by a full-time Director of Music (Tammi Day), who serves as the parish's STA Director of Music. The role is referenced on the parish's official clergy and staff page, indicating that sung liturgy is an intentional part of the parish's weekend and weekday Masses.
- STA Director of Music — Tammi Day
- Music ministry supports weekend and weekday Masses
Parish Life & Community
St. Theresa has long been a gathering place for the Village of Eagle. The Fall Turkey Dinner, first held in 1938, remains a hallmark parish event. The new Fellowship Hall, dedicated in 2022, replaced the older facilities (the old rectory was torn down in 2021) and continues the parish's tradition of community-building activities. The Eagle Business Association describes the parish as helping people 'draw closer to Jesus Christ through our worship, religious education, social justice and community-building activities.'
- Fall Turkey Dinner — parish tradition since 1938
- Fellowship Hall dedicated in 2022
- Old rectory torn down in 2021 to make way for updated facilities
- Parish described as 'a pillar of the Eagle community since 1852'
Visiting, Contact & Office Hours
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Theresa of Avila by phone at 262-594-5200 or by email at [email protected]. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM and is closed on Fridays. The parish website provides a directions page for first-time visitors.
- Phone: 262-594-5200
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 8:00 AM–3:30 PM; Friday closed
- Mailing address: 136 West Waukesha Road, Eagle, WI 53119-2026