About St. Joseph's Oratory in Green Bay (Now St. Patrick's Oratory)

In the early 1970s, during the transition of the Catholic Church from the Traditional Latin Mass celebrated for over 1400 years to the Pauline or better known as the Novus Ordo Missae, a group of lay faithful with the expressed desire to preserve the traditional Mass, did what was necessary to locate and attend any church that continued with this tradition. Families traveled from all over Wisconsin to Peshtigo, De Pere, Milwaukee, and then Wrightstown seeking out and following priests that continued to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.

By 1998, Fr. Gregory Mikula was in charge of the apostolate, which by then was in the care of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, invited here by the Diocese of Green Bay. Canon Andreas Hellmann, a newly ordained priest at the time, arrived in 2000 and served a large group of faithful. Canon Jean-Marie Moreau later became the rector of the Traditional Latin Mass Apostolate, having arrived in 2004 after thirteen years of work in the Institute's mission in Gabon. Canon Denis Buchholz served as rector from 2008-2009. Canon Buchholz was followed by Canon Andreas Hellmann, who returned to Green Bay and served until September 28, 2014. Canon Hellmann then served the Institute's apostolates in Bavaria, and Canon Denis Buchholz served the Oratory in Green Bay as its rector once again until the spring of 2016, when he was appointed to care pastorally for the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus in Switzerland. Canon Antoine Boucheron was appointed to continue to serve the faithful here at St. Patrick's Oratory.

In May 2005, His Excellency Bishop David Zubik elevated the status of the Green Bay apostolate from "Chapel" to "Oratory." The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest was thereby granted the perpetual privilege of keeping registers for all sacraments, including marriages.

In July of 2014, His Excellency Bishop David Ricken graciously provided a new location to accommodate the growing number of faithful at St. Patrick's Church on Green Bay's near west side.

In October 2014, Bishop Ricken granted an adjustment, changing the name to St. Patrick's Oratory, in recognition of the new location at St. Patrick's Church in Green Bay to be a permanent home.

The Oratory in Green Bay includes the offering of daily and Sunday Mass, the administration of the Sacraments, the formation of altar servers, catechism and the preparation for the sacraments, and the reception of converts into the Catholic Church. The frequenting of the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion, the ever-increasing attendance at Mass, and the devotion to Our Lady shows that the faithful truly are where they belong as Catholics: In Corde Ecclesiae -- "in the Heart of the Church."

The great numbers of youth show the attractiveness of the traditional Latin Mass that is celebrated by the Institute of Christ the King. A young choir, over thirty altar boys, picnics for families, and many other activities demonstrate the importance of Catholic Tradition for the future.

If you are interested in becoming a registered member of St. Patrick's Oratory, please click on this link to access the Official Registration Form. Then please print and complete the form. We ask that you either mail the completed form to Rev. Canon Antoine Boucheron, 211 N. Maple Ave., Green Bay, WI 54303, hand it directly to Canon Boucheron, or put it in a sealed envelope marked "registration form" and place it in the collection basket, or scan and email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

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