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St. Joan of Arc parish enjoys a long and rich history dating back to August 23, 1923 when Archbishop Messmer brought the parish into existence with the blessing and laying of the church cornerstone. The name St. Joan of Arc was chosen as she was the most recently named saint of the church, canonized in 1920. The land was purchased for the church for $1,450 from Mr. Schruedenbzch through the efforts of James McGill. Brust and Phillips were hired as architects. The pastor, Monsignor Traudt, determined the style of architecture for the new church, a Spanish mission stucco design.
Click here to view the History of Parish Pastors.
Other historical dates of the parish include:
June 15, 1924: The first recorded Baptism: Charles Lawrence Casper, son of Bernardus Casper and Juliana Crinon.
June 17, 1928: First confirmation class of 48 confirmands: Archbishop S. G. Messmer, minister of the sacrament.
March 1, 1939: Holy Name Society formed: Joseph Neisen, President; Anthony Bell, Secretary; Joseph Stingle, Treasurer.
1939: Christian Mother-Alter Society formed: Mer. H. Bernhardt, President; Mrs. Frank Klier, Secretary; Ruth Bell, Treasurer.
January 4, 1943: The rectory was purchased from Clarence Hidahl. Fr. Whelan was the first resident.
1947: Three acres of land was purchased for a parish cemetery on Brown Street (two miles North of the parish). Claude Vanderboom was the first parishioner buried in the cemetery in 1948.
October 5, 1954: Blessing of the St. Joan of Arc School cornerstone.
September 1955: St. Joan of Arc School opened with less than 100 pupils, six grades in four classrooms. Sister M. Lucas, O.S.F., Principal.
June 19, 1969: Parish School Board voted to suspend operations of the day school due to insufficient enrollment, loss of teaching sisters and lack of financial support.
September, 1969: Parish opens a school of region with weekly instructions for 400 students.
August, 1978: St. Joan of Arc School re-opens.
December 21, 1997: St. Joan of Arc church in Okauchee is closed.
December 24, 1997: First mass in the new church building of 600 seats on Nashotah Road is celebrated with standing room only. Many of the religious and artistic items from the original church were incorporated in the new church building including the stained glass windows in the Day chapel and the alter tabernacle in the Eucharistic chapel.
August 25, 2002: The new Religious Education Center is dedicated by Bishop Richard Sklba.
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