St. Joseph’s Parish, Madison, WI

 Reconstructing the history of St. Joseph’s parish has been like opening the box of a jigsaw puzzle with half the pieces gone and pieces of other puzzles intermingled.  The following account has been compiled using the documents and accounts available at the time of its writing.

A Beginning

 The Italian immigrants who populated Madison’s Greenbush (the triangular plat bounded by West Washington Avenue, Park Street, and Regent Street) in the early twentieth century hailed mainly from Sicily, with a few families from Lombardy.  In the Bush, as it was nicknamed, Italians, blacks, and Russian Jews formed a close community that is still remembered fondly for its vitality, tolerance, and mutual support.  However, the neighborhood was built on marshy wasteland and polluted with refuse, and was also notorious for violence (particularly among rival bootleggers during Prohibition).

 Although throughout its existence the Bush was isolated from the rest of the city by socioeconomic and cultural barriers and prejudice, there were some citizens concerned for the welfare of those living there.  Around the time of the founding of St. Joseph’s parish, several civic minded Madisonians decided to take up the cause of the Bush.  On the Catholic side of things, it was decided that, although providing for temporal needs was laudable, “people need the gospel brought to them by one of their own.”  Various Italian priests had visited briefly, but there was no permanent church or pastor for the community.  Therefore, a project was spearheaded by the Madison Catholic Woman’s Club’s Committee of Italian Welfare, assisted by the University Welfare Workers and the Reverend Harry C. Hengell (chaplain to the University Catholic Center), to set up a church with a pastor to serve the needs of the city’s Catholic Italians.  Mary F. Connor (first president of the Madison Catholic Woman’s Club), and Mrs. Adelaide Adams (the chair of the Committee of Italian Welfare), with the assistance of countless others, raised the money to purchase land, build the church, and pay the pastor’s room, board, and salary.

 As the Diocese of Madison was not established until 1946, St. Joseph’s originally was organized under the auspices of the Milwaukee Archdiocese.  The Most Reverend Sebastian Gebhard Messmer, Archbishop of Milwaukee, appointed the Reverend Angelo Simeoni to organize a parish to serve the Italians of Madison.  Born in Verona, Italy, Fr. Simeoni was a member of the Stigmatine Order, founded to support Italian immigrants.  Although many of Madison’s other Catholic parishes were composed largely of single ethnic groups in their early years, St. Joseph’s was the only one organized with the express intent to serve a particular group exclusively.  It was founded as an Italian National Church, which meant that its parishioners were defined by nationality rather than by physical boundaries.

 On May 14, 1916, the cornerstone was laid for the frame building of St. Joseph’s Church at 20 South Park Street.  The Sisters of St. Mary of Providence built an orphanage nearby, which was not supported by the parish.

 In 1921, St. Joseph’s traded pastors with Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii in Kenosha when the Reverend Pietro (Peter) Perardi became the second pastor of St. Joseph’s.  At that time, the Kenosha parish had factions within it that were particularly strong-willed.  He and his former congregation had antagonized each other so thoroughly that in 1921, he had to take refuge in a neighboring parish to escape an angry mob of his own parishioners.  They refused to allow him back, so Archbishop Messmer reluctantly arranged for Fr. Simeoni and Fr. Perardi to switch parishes.

 Having headed the remodeling of his church in Kenosha, Fr. Perardi soon embarked on a similar project at St. Joseph’s.  In order to make room for a school, the church was moved across Desmond Court (now Bowen Court) to 14 South Park Street and placed on a brick foundation and first floor in 1924 (a year or so later, it was clad in red brown brick veneer).  The men of the parish donated their labor after work to lay brick for the rectory.  The school was built on the church’s old foundation (enlarged a bit).  The school began with the lower grades and added grades as classes progressed through eighth grade.  The black-habited Sisters of St. Mary of Providence also staffed the school (in later years the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross would take over).  Each of the four classrooms had two grades and one sister.  Like most Catholic schools of the time, discipline was strict, but there were opportunities for fun to be had, as well.  One of the memorable events was the annual picnic at the Fish Hatchery.

 The building and remodeling projects had sunk the congregation deeply into debt, and the orphanage across the street was facing foreclosure.  Archbishop Messmer prevailed upon his close friend, Abbot Bernard H. Pennings of St. Norbert’s Abbey in West De Pere, to take the situation in hand.  Officially titled the Canons Regular of Premontre, Abbot Pennings’ order is known also as the Premonstratensian Fathers, the White Canons or White Fathers (because of their all-white habits), and, most commonly, the Norbertines (as the order was founded by St. Norbert).  In late 1928, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee decided to turn St. Joseph’s and the orphanage over to the Norbertines, and on June 4, 1929, the parish was officially transferred. 

At first, the Reverend Leo L. Rummel was the administrator and would remain involved with St. Joseph’s in various capacities for many years.  The Reverend Julius Neault was appointed pastor a few months later, and was by all accounts a generous and likeable man, beloved of his parishioners.  If there is one thing clear in the history of the parish, it is that St. Joseph’s owes an enormous debt of gratitude to the Norbertines, without whose financial and spiritual assistance the parish would have long since closed.

 The years of the Depression were particularly hard on the parish, and the Norbertines expressed serious doubts that they would be able to maintain it.  Fr. Neault and the other Norbertines in Madison lent what assistance they could by contributing their salaries and other funds (nearly $30,000 in the first nine years).  Many bazaars, picnics, keno parties, and fund drives were held to raise money.  In 1935, unable to cover even the interest on nearly $50,000 of debt or pay the sisters’ salaries, the parish appealed to the lay Catholics of the community, particularly the Madison Council of the Knights of Columbus and the Madison Catholic Woman’s Club, both of which generously contributed enough to keep the parish and school running.  By 1937, however, the bank threatened foreclosure, and it was only with the transfer of the debts to the Norbertines that this was prevented.  These debts eventually were forgiven by the order.

 Despite the persistent financial woes, parish life was bright.  St. Joseph’s was one of the centers of the Italians’ social lives.  Feasts were celebrated in all the richness of the Catholic tradition.  The parish’s feast day, March 19, was the occasion of the biggest celebration of all.  A statue of St. Joseph would be carried on a litter and processed through the streets to be set up in Brittingham Park for two days of feasting and revelry.

 Fr. Neault died on January 18, 1956 and was succeeded as pastor by the Reverend Gabriel Hinkes.  A brief mention should be made of the many other priests involved with St. Joseph’s parish up until that time.  Throughout the history of the parish, many priests studying at UW-Madison stayed at St. Joseph’s rectory.  The Reverend Edmund Kinate briefly assisted there, and Reverend Martin Frigo was assistant to both Fr. Neault and Fr. Hinkes.

Old Church, New Church

 In the mid-fifties, the city of Madison finally took an interest in the Greenbush.  A program of urban renewal was devised that would demolish most of the Bush community in the name of progress.  In the spring of 1957, Fr. Hinkes was notified by the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Madison that the buildings of St. Joseph’s were slated for removal in the course of the Triangle Renewal Project.  Already devastated by the impending loss of their homes and neighborhood, the Italians of the Bush protested the loss of their church, but to no avail.  Having determined that an Italian National Church was no longer needed, Bishop William O’Connor designated the new church a regular territorial parish.  However, Fr. Hinkes petitioned the bishop for permission for members of the old parish who were “Italian or of Italian extraction” to be able to choose to retain membership in the new location if the pastors of their own territorial parishes did not object.  Some parishioners did stay with the parish, but many were embittered by the process by which the new church was established and so became members of St. James or St. Raphael’s or stopped going to church altogether.

 When Fr. Hinkes received the boundaries of the new church, effective August 1, 1958, he took responsibility for these people, as well.  Just as the Italians of the old church were opposed to having their church moved away, so, too, were the 190 families in the new church’s territory resistant to being reassigned to a new parish.  Many continued to attend and support the church to which they previously had belonged.

 In 1958, after the boundaries had been set and before the new church was built, Fr. Hinkes requested and received permission to use the Blessed Martin de Porres House’s facilities (the St. Jerome Chapel for small liturgies and the Hall for larger ones).  The new parishioners could not attend the old St. Joseph’s church because it was not within their boundaries, but Bl. Martin House was.  This arrangement, called “St. Joseph’s Mission,” lasted until the new church celebrated its first Mass on Passion Sunday, March 19, 1961.

 Bishop O’Connor required the new church to be at least two miles from any other existing parish, which nixed plans to move to land nearer the Bush (which would have been too close to St. James).  Finally, the Claude V. Bryant farm on the West Beltline was purchased for $65,000 on June 26, 1958 by the Lake Corporation (a Norbertine-run “religious and educational trust foundation”).  A multi-stage project was planned to construct a parish complex: church, school, rectory, convent, and offices.  First to be built was the temporary church, which was intended to be converted into the school’s gymnasium when the permanent church was built.  Ground was broken on April 3, 1960, and on September 10, 1961, Bishop O’Connor dedicated and blessed this new “all-purpose” building. 

While Fr. Hinkes devoted his attention to the new parish, the Reverend Michael Kain took over the administration of the Park Street location.  The last Mass at the old church was celebrated on July 28, 1963, and later that year the buildings were bulldozed.

 Although in January 16, 1967, the bishop returned to bless the two classrooms of a new addition (now the Activity Rooms where parish functions are held), the planned school never came to fruition.  The new parish was nearly as financially troubled as the old, and the “temporary church” became permanent.  Following in the footsteps of the other Norbertines before him, Fr. Hinkes did not draw his full salary and performed janitorial, secretarial, and other tasks without compensation.  He retired to St. Norbert’s Abbey in 1978.

 After a brief interim period in which the Reverends Joseph Regan and then Peter Renard led the parish, the Reverend Bernard Brunette came to St. Joseph’s in August of 1979.  His motto was “Fear not, trust God.”  Through his friendship with Fr. William DeBock, then pastor of St. James, Fr. Brunette arranged for St. Joseph’s to pay the difference between in and out of parish tuition to encourage children of the parish to attend St. James.

 Under Fr. Brunette, the church was remodeled to its current state, including the painting of the star on the ceiling, the installation of real stained glass windows, and the purchase of a new organ.   Another project of his was the construction of the distinctive, free-standing bell tower so that St. Joseph’s would be more visible from the Beltline (the building’s original bell tower having been dismantled years previous because of the damage it did to the roof).  Ecumenically-minded, he mobilized an evangelization team that canvassed the parish’s territory to invite non-practicing Catholics to return to their faith and non-Catholics to investigate the Church.  Fr. Brunette had many assistants throughout his years in the parish, including the Reverends Fred Grubb, Edward Sdano, Rene Petit, Reppen, and Joseph Coopmans.  Last of all was Father Guy Blair, a priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus order fluent in sign language, who in 1994 began St. Joseph’s Deaf Ministry.  When he was reassigned in 1998, Pat Dyreson took over the ministry, but interest waned with the absence of a priest who could sign, and in 2004, Carole Kinney became the volunteer contact.  After being transferred to a parish in Green Bay, Fr. Guy now celebrates a signed Mass at St. Joseph’s once every other month, attended by over fifty people from around the diocese.

Changes, Again

 The Premonstratensian Fathers knew that they would soon no longer be capable of providing a priest to serve St. Joseph’s.  They intended to hand the parish back to the diocese when Fr. Brunette retired.  Unfortunately, his health did not hold out, and he had to return to St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere much sooner than anticipated in September of 2000 after 21 years of service to St. Joseph’s.  During that last year, Masses were often celebrated and the Sacraments administered by various retired Norbertines.

 In October of 2000, the Reverend John R. Dowd became the first diocesan pastor of St. Joseph’s since Fr. Perardi.  As Bishop William H. Bullock recounted at the Mass of Fr. John’s installation, he had hoped to spend his remaining active years as pastor of Our Lady of the Lake in Green Lake, but his deep sense of obedience and duty led him to accept this new assignment.  A very humble, gentle, and quiet man, Fr. John was shy and reticent in front of large groups.  Yet one-on-one he inspired, guided, and nurtured his parishioners with aplomb.  As he wrote in a poem, “Simple parish priest is who I am / No one else do I wish to be”.

 In 2002, the Reverend George Fox, a retired diocesan priest, realized that there were many Latinos who had come to Madison but did not attend Mass in Spanish at Holy Redeemer.  He inquired around and found that many were unable to participate because of their work schedules.  Fr. John and he decided that a Sunday evening Spanish Mass at St. Joseph’s would be ideal to provide for their spiritual welfare, so in September of 2002, St. Joseph’s celebrated its first Mass in Spanish.

 After just over two years of service to the parish, Fr. John died at the age of 67 of a heart attack between the Sunday morning Masses on December 1, 2002.  The day after Fr. John’s death, Bishop Bullock appointed Monsignor Kenneth J. Fiedler (of Our Lady Queen of Peace) as temporary administrator of St. Joseph’s.  Once again, a rotation of retired priests—this time diocesan—ministered to the spiritual needs of the parish.  On June 11, 2003, St. Joseph’s was linked with Our Lady Queen of Peace, with Msgr. Ken as pastor of both parishes, assisted by Fr. Todd Van Natta and Fr. Brian Wilk as Parochial Vicars.  Fr. Todd moved into the St. Joseph’s rectory, and all three priests took turns celebrating the Masses.  As the attendance for the Mass in Spanish grew, Fr. Fox’s health declined, and the Reverend Michael (“Mick”) Moon gradually assumed responsibility for the Latino community.

 Life at St. Joseph’s was starting to settle down again into a routine of sorts when the announcement came that the parish would no longer be linked with Queen of Peace, but would instead be linked with St. James, which officially occurred on June 15, 2005.  St. James’ pastor, Monsignor Tom Baxter, became St. Joseph’s, as well.  In 2006, Fr. Manuel Méndez replaced Fr. Moon in ministering to St. Joseph’s Latino community, offering not only Mass but retreats and spiritual direction, as well.  The Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrations have grown immensely in popularity.

           The people of St. Joseph’s parish, which had been founded only a few blocks from St. James and whose history occasionally slanted across the same path, now face the future united with the  parishioners of St. James.  Let us go forth.