St. Joseph Parish - La Crosse, WI

09/06/2026

Jesus reminds us today that Christian community is about choosing love in the midst of conflict.
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When someone hurts us, Christ calls us first toward the person, not away from them.
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Reconciliation takes courage and humility and sometimes more than one attempt.

09/06/2026

📸 A Look Back at the Class of 1949

A photograph like this is more than just a picture—it captures a moment in time and the young people who were part of our parish and school many years ago.

Here is the Class of 1949, along with the names that help us put faces to the history we are preserving.

Back row, left to right:
Reiny Kammel, Lauren Klos, Paul Servais, Kenneth Hanson, Eugene Bahr, Valentine Hilby, Jerome Rybarczyk

Middle row, left to right:
Donald Clements, Myra (Becker) Klos, Irene (Urbanek) Schmidt, Betty Bahr, Lois (Hess) Mollendorf, Barbara (Rybarczyk) Tantillo, Rose (Schneuriger) Blanchar, David Lawrence

Front row, left to right:
Elaine (Meier) Salisbury, Ruth (Muenzenberger) Mashak, Bernadine (Servais) Munzinger, Father Pinion, Elaine (Wuensch) Bina, Phyllis (Strittmater) Kenyon, Carol (Roesler) Cade

So many stories are represented in this one photograph. We are thankful to have these pieces of our past to share as we celebrate the history and people who have been part of our church and school community.

09/05/2026

Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Teresa of Calcutta, a modern-day saint who was a powerful witness to seeing Christ in the poorest and most forgotten.
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Mother Teresa was known to do small things with great love. She served the sick, the dying and the marginalized with extraordinary tenderness because she believed that in each person, she was serving Jesus Himself.
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Her example challenges us to look more closely at the people God places in front of us each day and ask: How can I love Christ in this person?
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St. Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us!

09/04/2026

MASS OF HOPE AND HEALING
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The Diocese of La Crosse invites all who have experienced the loss of a child through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, abortion, stillbirth or infant death to gather for a special Mass of Hope and Healing celebrated the Most Reverend Bishop Gerard W. Battersby.
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📅 Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026
🕡 6:30 p.m.
📍 Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman
530 Main Street, La Crosse
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A candle ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m., prior to Mass.
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Please arrive early to receive a votive candle in remembrance of each child. The candles will be carried forward and entrusted to a priest for placement in the sanctuary.
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All are welcome. Refreshments will be served following Mass.
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Please share this invitation with anyone who may find comfort, prayer and healing in this special evening.
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For more information, contact Amy Mulhern at [email protected].

09/02/2026

125 Years of History & Memories

We’ve had many people ask if the history video from our 125th anniversary celebration would be available to watch online. We’re happy to share it with you!

Putting this together was a special way to look back at the generations of people who have been part of our church and the many memories made here over the years.

We hope you enjoy this look back through our history.

🎥 Watch here: https://youtu.be/17WYJV1DNcQ

For the best picture quality, make sure the video is playing in 1080p. If it doesn't automatically, tap the ⚙️ and select 1080p.

Celebrating 125 years of our church building!Built in 1901, our c...

09/02/2026

There is a beautiful detail in today’s Gospel: “He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.” Jesus encountered each person individually.
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The same Jesus encounters us today. He knows our struggles, our wounds, our fears and the things we carry. And just as the people brought their loved ones to Him, we too can bring before Jesus those in our lives who need His healing, mercy and peace.
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Jesus, our Divine Physician, we place ourselves and those we love into Your healing hands.

09/01/2026

September is traditionally dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, inviting us to contemplate the seven profound sorrows Mary endured throughout the life, passion and death of her Son.
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As we reflect upon her sorrows, may Mary teach us to remain close to Jesus in our own suffering and to trust Him always.
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Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!

08/30/2026

“Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.”
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In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus makes it clear that following Him will not always be easy. Peter wants a path that avoids suffering, but Jesus shows His disciples that the way to new life leads through the Cross.
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We all have crosses we would rather not carry. Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t ask us to carry them alone. When we surrender our lives to Christ, even our struggles and sacrifices can become a path that leads us closer to Him.
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This week, let's ask for the grace to take up our cross and follow wherever Jesus leads.

08/28/2026

The History Room Will Be Open!

We’ll have the History Room in the school open after both Masses for the next two weekends for anyone who would like to spend a little more time looking around.

If you didn’t get a chance to see everything during our 125th anniversary celebration, or if you’d simply like to come back and take another look, we invite you to stop in and enjoy the many photographs, stories, and treasures from St. Joseph’s past.

There’s still plenty to see!

08/28/2026

The response to our recent post reminded us how much history is woven into the story of St. Joseph’s Church. So, from time to time, we’ll continue sharing some of those special glimpses into the past.

From the Archives: St. Joseph’s Golden Jubilee — 1907

More than a century ago, St. Joseph’s Parish celebrated a very special milestone—its Golden Jubilee, marking 50 years of parish life from 1857 to 1907.

This beautiful souvenir booklet gives us a glimpse of St. Joseph’s as it looked in 1907, including the church, the interior of the church, the school, the convent, and the parsonage. It also features Rev. Michael Haas, Pastor, who served St. Joseph’s from 1905 to 1909.

What a wonderful reminder of the generations of faith, families, and community that have been part of St. Joseph’s story.

Swipe through these treasured photographs from the 1907 Golden Jubilee and take a look back at St. Joseph’s as it was 119 years ago.

These historic images offer a glimpse into the places and people that helped shape our parish. We hope they inspire you to reflect on St. Joseph’s rich history and the many generations who have carried its story forward.