Honor the Past...Plan for the Future​

The Congregation of St. John the Baptist in Waunakee was established in 1874 with the blessing of the Most Reverend John Martin Henni, Archbishop of Milwaukee. Reverend W. G. Miller supervised St. John the Baptist, which was a mission of his parish, St. Mary of the Lake in Westport. At the time, the congregation was composed of nineteen German Catholic families from the Westport and Ashton/Springfield Corners areas* and Mass was celebrated twice a month in Waunakee. These founding families treasured their faith and sacrificed greatly in order to build a Catholic school for their children’s education. Money was scarce, but the parishioners purchased a site and erected a one-room frame building which served as a church and school. 

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In 1875, a separate school was built and staffed by lay teachers. Father Miller remained pastor until September, 1880. He was succeeded by Reverend Francis X. Etschmann, also pastor of St. Mary of the Lake. Father Etschmann was in poor health, and found that shepherding both congregations was too great a task for him. He resigned in the summer of 1881 and was succeeded by the newly ordained Reverend Matthew M. Gerend... Read More