For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
- Romans 15:4
Click to learn more about the history of Saint Patrick Parish
The first Catholic pioneers were French fir traders Louis Massey and Peter Bouchea. They arrived in the Hudson area in 1840, and in 1855 Fr. George Keller of St. Paul offered the first recorded Mass. One year later, under the direction of Fr. J.J. McGee, a frame church was built at the corner of Second and St. Croix Streets, on land donated to the church by Massey. This church was dedicated to St. James and was the first church in Hudson to have a bell. The bell was said to weigh 2000 lbs. which was rung morning, noon, and night. Several priests followed, and in 1868, Fr. Adrian Verwyst, established the first parochial school, purchased land for a new church, and for a cemetery. Fr. Martin Connelly arrived in October 1872 and began the construction of a larger church on the corner of Fourth and St. Croix Streets.
In 1874, Bishop Michael Heiss of La Crosse blessed and dedicated the new church under the patronage of Saint Patrick. Fr. Thomas Kelly, who arrived in 1875, built the rectory and organized the Hudson branch of the Catholic Knight Insurance Society. In 1889, Fr. John Barney began the longest pastorate in the parish’s history, 36 years. He completed a new parochial school, which was staffed by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration of La Crosse. In 1905 the Sisters of St. Agnes of Fond du Lac replaced the Franciscan Sisters and served Hudson for over 90 years. The Knights of Columbus Council 1762 was chartered in 1914.
The parish celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 1956 with a celebration of the 50-year anniversary of ordination for its pastor Msgr. John Owens who served from 1934 to 1962. Msgr. Owens oversaw the construction of a new school building in 1953 and mentored the first five associate pastors who served the parish. Since 1949, 29 priests have served the parish as associate pastors.
In the years during and after the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the parish made adjustments to its life of worship and ministry in keeping with new directives for the Universal Church. On August 19, 1963, four religious sisters and one candidate from the Carmel of the Little Flower in Allentown, Pennsylvania came to Hudson at the invitation of Bishop George Hammes to reside in a new monastery on Laurel Ave. Four Sisters continue to reside at the Carmel of the Sacred Heart in Hudson with the support and friendship of the parish and many parishioners.
Fr. Peter Szleszinski arrived in Hudson in June 1986 with the direction of Bishop Raphael Fliss to build a new church to replace the century-old building on Fourth and St. Croix. Under Szleszinski’s leadership, Saint Patrick became the largest parish in the Diocese of Superior. The new church is now located at 1500 Vine Street and was dedicated by Bishop Raphael Fliss on June 9, 1991.Key to the life of the parish in the early years of the new Church were two notable religious sisters. Sister Bernadette Kalscheur served as pastoral minister from 1992 to 2008 and Sister Dalene Kube served as the first liturgist for the parish until she died tragically in 1991 in a car accident.
In the decade of the 2000s, the parish faced great challenges and, unfortunately, saw great upheaval and distress due in large part to the financial, sexual, and criminal actions of members of its clergy. Under the guidance of Bishop Peter Christensen and Fr. John Parr, a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse, the parish began the process of healing and moving forward into a new era. Fr. Parr served the parish from 2005 to 2009 before the pastorate of Fr. Dan Dahlberg who served from 2009 to 2011. In December of 2011, the parish’s current pastor, Fr. John Gerritts arrived to lead the parish after 15 years serving in Rhinelander.
During Fr. Gerritts' tenure as pastor, the parish has experienced great stability and has made a positive impact on the community in Hudson. There have been two capital campaigns, a new altar and ambo in honor of the 100-year anniversary of Knights Council 1762 which were installed in 2016, and the parish has implemented major updates in the areas of technology in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The parish is currently served by its pastor Fr. Gerritts and associate pastor Fr. Dan Tracy. Three deacons serve the parish, Dcns. Howard Cameron, Tom Kroll, and Gregg Miller. The parish staff includes 11 individuals; our school boasts a staff of 36 which serves over 250 students from 3-year-old Preschool through 8thgrade.
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Learn more about Casey's ties to our Parish
We are blessed here at Saint Patrick Parish to have had many holy men and women who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.
Among those includes one individual recognized by the Universal church for his witness of holiness and life of heroic virtue.
Bernard Francis Casey was born on November 25, 1870 in the town of Oak Grove, Wisconsin some 20 miles south of Hudson. The Casey family lived in a log cabin along the shores of the Mississippi River until 1874 before moving inland to a larger home near the Trimbelle River. There, the Caseys remained until 1882 when 12-year-old Bernard – known as “Barney – packed up to move north to a 345-acre farm near the Willow River. It was then that the family began making the trek nine miles into town for Mass at Saint Patrick Parish in Hudson.
Author James Patrick Derum tells of how the Casey family prioritized the Lord’s Day while facing the challenges of transporting a large family into town.
“There was only one wagon, and always a baby too young to make the journey. So one parent and about half the children traveled to church on alternate Sundays. In the narrow, springless wagon it was a slow, jolting ride that in rain, snow or cold could become a hardship. Two hours before the ten o’clock Mass, the Caseys would set out. Those who were to receive Holy Communion would be fasting from midnight. When St. Patrick’s first bell rang out over the hills and valleys, they must be half way to Hudson, or they were certain to be late. And that, with the Caseys, was unthinkable."
For those at home there were Sunday devotions , also. At ten o’clock, just as the holy sacrifice was starting at St. Patrick’s, the home-staying parent would call the children together and read the Mass liturgy of the day. The older children would make the responses.”
Under the tutelage of Father Thomas Kelly, Barney received his First Holy Communion in the spring of 1883 at the age of 12.
In 1888, Barney moved to Appleton, Wisconsin and then up to Superior where he worked as a streetcar operator. His family remained in St. Croix county until March of 1891 when Barney and several of his siblings convinced his parents to move north after several years of low crop yields.
Barney soon began the discernment of a vocation to consecrated life and entered St. Francis de Sales seminary in Milwaukee. After five years of formation, Barney returned to Superior but soon after entered the Capuchin Franciscan order in Detroit. It was there that he took the religious name Solanus and began a life of sacrifice and service which earned him the moniker “The Holy Priest” among believers and non-believers alike in Detroit where he served as the porter, or doorkeeper, of the friary for decades.
Father Solanus Casey died on July 31st, 1956 and was buried in Detroit after thousands visited his body in the days after his death. The Father Solanus Guild was formally established in 1960 to promote his cause for canonization. In 1995, St. Pope John Paul II formally received the report on his life of heroic virtue and bestowed upon him the title of Venerable. On May 4, 2017, after the approval of a miracle attributed to Father Solanus’ intercession, Pope Francis announced that Father Solanus would be beatified and receive the title of Blessed. On November 18, 2017, a Mass of Beatification was held with 70,000+ people – including a bus of parishioners from Saint Patrick Parish – at Ford Field in Detroit.
Here is a document with quotes, resources, and important dates in the life of Blessed Solanus Casey.
Blessed Solanus Casey, pray for us!
Saint Patrick Parish's mission is to joyfully proclaim, share, and celebrate the love and mercy of Jesus Christ through Word, Sacraments, prayer, and ministry.
