About St. Wenceslaus · Eastman, Wisconsin
St. Wenceslaus Catholic Parish is a small rural Catholic parish in the village of Eastman, Wisconsin, in Crawford County, administered as a partner parish with Sacred Heart of Jesus in nearby Wauzeka under the Diocese of La Crosse (Prairie du Chien Deanery). The parish traces its roots to a Catholic mission first established in 1847 by a priest traveling from La Crosse, and the present stone church has stood on its site south of the village since 1918. Today it serves a multi-generational farming community with weekend and weekday Mass, First Friday Adoration and Benediction, Saturday confessions, and a calendar of potlucks, CCD religious education, and fundraiser breakfasts.
- Established
- 1884
- Patron
- St. Wenceslaus (Duke of Bohemia, martyr)
- Rector
- Rev. Chinnappan Pelavendran (Fr. Chin / Father Chinna)
- Diocese
- Diocese of La Crosse (Prairie du Chien Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Wenceslaus offers a close-knit rural Catholic community with the full rhythm of traditional parish life: Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Mass, weekday Mass on Mondays and Fridays, a robust Saturday confession schedule, and First Friday Adoration with Benediction. As a partner parish with Sacred Heart of Jesus in Wauzeka, it shares pastoral resources, CCD religious education, and parish events such as potluck dinners, pancake breakfasts, and outreach fundraisers (including Feed My Starving Children). It is a place where longtime farming families and newcomers are greeted by name, and where the faith is lived across generations.
Mass times at St. Wenceslaus
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (St. Wenceslaus)
Adoration times
- First Friday: 8:30 AM with Benediction at 4:00 PM (St. Wenceslaus)
History of St. Wenceslaus Parish
Catholic life in Eastman began in 1847 when a priest from La Crosse established a mission, later directed by Father Lucien Galtier of St. Gabriel's in Prairie du Chien and then served from St. John Nepomucene Bohemian Church. By 1856 ten Catholic families lived in the area, and Mass was being offered in private homes. In 1873, Frank Honslik and John Rohlik donated four acres south of the village, and after a decade of construction the first church welcomed worshippers on June 15, 1884. The parish endured two devastating fires — a lightning strike in July 1906 and a second blaze on Christmas Day 1917 — and rose from each one. The present stone church was finished in 1918, reusing the original stone walls, and a parish hall was added in 1961.
- 1847 – Mission established by a priest from La Crosse
- 1856 – Ten Catholic families in Eastman; Mass said in private homes
- 1873 – Frank Honslik & John Rohlik donate 4 acres south of the village
- June 15, 1884 – First Mass in the newly built church
- 1898 – First rectory built; Rev. George Kiefner becomes first resident priest
- July 1906 – Lightning fire guts the church; congregation rebuilds
- 1916 – Rectory burns; rebuilt 1917
- December 25, 1917 – Second fire destroys the church, leaving only stone walls
- May 1918 – Present church constructed on original stone walls
- December 25, 1918 – Mass resumes in the new church
- April 23, 1961 – Grand Opening of St. Wenceslaus Parish New Hall
Devotions
In addition to the Mass and the sacraments, the parish keeps a daily rhythm of Marian prayer before weekend liturgies.
- Saturday Rosary – 3:40 PM at St. Wenceslaus
- Sunday Rosary – 9:40 AM at St. Wenceslaus (7:40 AM at Sacred Heart of Jesus)
Parish Life & Ministries
As a small rural parish in partnership with Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Wenceslaus keeps an active calendar of faith formation, fellowship, and outreach. CCD religious education is shared between the two parishes, and parish life is built around meals together — potluck dinners for the pastor, pancake breakfast fundraisers (one recent breakfast supported Father's hometown school / St. Mary's), and outreach fundraisers such as Feed My Starving Children. Sacred Heart scholarship support and First Friday Adoration and Benediction round out the calendar.
- CCD (religious education) — shared with Sacred Heart of Jesus, Wauzeka
- Parish potluck dinners honoring the pastor
- Pancake breakfast fundraisers (e.g., supporting St. Mary's School)
- Feed My Starving Children outreach fundraiser
- Sacred Heart scholarship program
- First Friday Adoration and Benediction
- Parish hall gatherings (Parish New Hall, opened April 23, 1961)
Visiting & Contact
St. Wenceslaus welcomes newcomers, visitors, and long-time parishioners alike. The pastor, Fr. Chinnappan Pelavendran ('Fr. Chin'), can be reached through the parish office. The church building itself is open for prayer from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
- Address: 57975 Baer Ct, PO Box 109, Eastman, WI 54626-0109
- Phone: (608) 874-4151
- Parish Office Hours (Eastman): Friday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Shared Parish Office Hours (both parishes): Tuesday–Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM by appointment
- Church building open: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Pastor: Rev. Chinnappan Pelavendran ('Fr. Chin')
About the Building & Architecture
The present St. Wenceslaus church was constructed beginning in May 1918, immediately after a fire on Christmas Day 1917 destroyed the upper portion of the 1884 church. Because the original stone walls survived the blaze, the builders incorporated them directly into the new structure, so the present building is in essence a reconstructed version of the 1884 original. A separate Parish New Hall was added and dedicated on April 23, 1961, providing space for CCD, parish meals, and community gatherings.
- Present church constructed 1918, reusing the original 1884 stone walls
- Parish hall (New Hall) added 1961
- Located south of the village of Eastman on land donated in 1873
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Lucien Galtierafter 1847
Pastor of St. Gabriel's, Prairie du Chien; directed the Eastman mission for several years after its founding in 1847.
- Rev. George Kiefnerfrom 1898
First resident priest of St. Wenceslaus; moved into the first rectory built that year.
- Father Brommenschenkelmoved in December 17, 1917
Resident pastor who moved into the rebuilt rectory; in office during the Christmas Day 1917 fire that destroyed the church.
- Rev. Chinnappan Pelavendranpresent
Current pastor of St. Wenceslaus and partner parish Sacred Heart of Jesus, Wauzeka; installed by Bishop Battersby (Diocese of La Crosse).