1401 Clark Street, Stevens Point, WI
St. Stephen Parish
1853
ST. STEPHEN IS THE PARENT
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF STEVENS POINT.
THE FIRST MASS WAS CELEBRATED
FOR THE CATHOLICS OF STEVENS POINT
IN MAY, 1853 IN A SCHOOL HOUSE
ON CLARK STREET.
During the following years a priest named, Fr. Godfrey attended the spiritual needs of the Catholics of Stevens Point by celebrating Mass at various area homes and later at a rented shop on North Second Street.
In 1856, when Catholics, mainly Irish, became more numerous, funds were collected to purchase a site and construct a church. On November 18 of that year a one acre tract of land at the corner of Clark and Cross Streets was deeded to Archbishop Henni of Milwaukee and construction commenced immediately to erect a church. At that time, Fr. McGee was appointed the first resident pastor and remained for a year. On January 12, 1886, James Pollard and his wife deed two lots on the corner of Clark and Pine Streets. Rev. M Schwebach, having been appointed as pastor about this time, removed the rectory and erected St. Stephen Church, a wood frame building, 39x78 feet, on the site. In 1873, Rev. Louis Cornelius erected the first parochial schoolhouse, which contained four rooms and a residence for the sisters. In 1874, after Fr. Tanguary became pastor, the school was opened and placed in the care of the School Sisters of Notre Dame. In 1902 a new parochial school was built.
On November 6, 1919, a fire completely destroyed the frame church. Preparations for a new church had begun, and the cornerstone for the present building was laid on October 17, 1920 under the leadership of Fr. James Hogan. The general architecture of the church is of English Tudor Goth. The altar is of Italian marble with the relics of SS Cosmas and Damian under the altar. The ceiling of the church represents an inverted boat or ark.
In 1933 a stone school with nine classrooms, library, and gymnasium was completed under the direction of Fr. George Casey. During Msgr. John McGinley's pastorate, in the 1950's, a new stone convent, an addition to the school, and new stained glass windows in the church were completed. During the 1990's under the direction of Fr. Dennis Lynch, a complete renovation of the church and grounds was undertaken, culminating in what we see and use today.
PASTORS
Rev. John J. McGee
1856 - 1857
Rev. Nicholas Stehle
1858 - 1860
Rev. Maurice Hens
1862 – 1863
Rev. Matthias Schwebach
1866 – 1869
Rev. John Gleeson
1869 – 1870
Rev. Ferdinand Tangauy
1873 – 1874
Rev. C. J. Alton
1888 – 1889
Rev. Michael J. O'Brien
1890 – 1893
Rev. James C. Hogan
1919 – 1927
Rev. John R. McGinley
1939 – 1968
Rev. Dennis J. Lynch
1987 – 1999
Rev. John A. Potaczek
2003 – 2011
Rev. Jeffrey W. Hennes
2019 –
Rev. John Stehle
1857 - 1858
Rev. John Polak
1860 - 1862
Rev. L. Lux
1863 – 1864
Rev. William Mahany
1869 – 1870
Rev. L. Cornelius
1871 – 1873
Rev. Nicholas July
1874 – 1887
Rev. Edward P. Lorigan
1889 – 1890
Rev. William J. Rice
1893 – 1919
Rev. George A. Casey
1927 – 1939
Rev. Thomas E. Mullen
1968 – 1987
Rev. Daniel E. Kozlowski
1999 – 2003
Rev. Jerzy Rebacz
2011 – 2019
