The history of the Diocese of Superior dates back to the 17th century. Our Journey Through Faith offers a glimpse into the historic events that played a role in the growth of Catholicism in Northern Wisconsin.
Our Journey through Faith: A History of the Diocese of Superior,
View the summary from the last Parish self-assessment questionnaire conducted in 2012.
Read the 98-page Executive Report 2013 (PDF)
The original parishes serving the Catawba and Kennan areas were St. Michael in Kennan and Sacred Heart in Catawba. St. Michael was legally incorporated on February 6, 1901, and was the first parish in southwestern Price County. Originally attached as a mission to the church in Tony from 1902 to 1908,
St. Michael was part of the La Crosse Diocese until 1905, when the Superior Diocese was formed. In 1908 St. Michael Parish was attached to Sacred Heart of Catawba as a mission.
In 1907, with the help of Fr. Joseph Scheel, the 18 families in Catawba began the process of forming a parish in Catawba. In the spring of 1908 the rectory was built and a small hours north of the rectory was remodeled into the first church.
As the need for a larger church became apparent, construction was started in 1917 and completed in 1918. This church served the community’s needs until the Kennan and Catawba parishes merged in 1970.
St. Paul the Apostle Church was built in 1969 and was dedicated on August 23, 1970. With the merging of Sacred Heart and St. Michael, a new name was given to the church. In early 1987, construction was completed on a new rectory attached to the church. A priest continued in residence until the fall of 2001 when the parish became part of a cluster with Phillips and Prentice.
REFERENCE: Our Journey through Faith: A History of the Diocese of Superior,
by Sam Lucero, 2005.