Parish history

In the spring of 1875 permission was granted by the Green Bay Diocese to build a church in the
eastern suburbs of Green Bay for the accommodation of the many Belgian and German families
living in that part of the city. The cornerstone of a 40 by 80-foot brick church was laid on Sunday,
May 8, 1975. The Rev. Father Takken, pastor of St. John’s, preached the sermon.

The new church was dedicated by Rev. Father De Louw, pastor of St. Willebrord’s on Sunday,
April 9. A regular pastor for the church was not found and the church was left to itself and those
who had built it to get along the best they could under the circumstances.

During 1876, Mass was said in the new church less than a dozen times and towards the end of
December, the building was closed for good. A misunderstanding between authorities of the
church and members of the congregation brought about this condition. This condition lasted for
sixteen years, during all of which time the church remained in disuse and the people were without
a priest.

All Saint’s Day, November 1, 1892, the church was reopened to a congregation of fully one
hundred and fifty families. Then the new parish was formed, its limits drawn and the spiritual needs
of the people attended to by the Rev. L.A. Ricklin until July 15, 1893, when the Rev. M.T.
Anderegg was appointed the first resident pastor.

Soon after his arrival in Green Bay it was decided to build a parish house, which was completed
before the end of the year. The congregation grew steadily larger and the church was too small for
the proper accommodation of all. In the year 1894 an addition of 38 by 56-feet was built. This
amply accommodated the congregation, which then numbered two hundred sixty families.

In 1901, the foundation was laid for a parochial school. The building was completed within a year.
It accommodated both pupils and teachers for it was in the school that the good Dominican Sisters
had their living quarters.

In 1910 it became imperative to make more room for the faithful worshippers. A new church, which
still stands today, was erected.


In 1925 a six-room addition was added to the school. At the same time, the new priest house was
built to give living quarters for two assistant priests. The parish was crowded and to relieve the
crowded situation the new parish of St. Philip the Apostle was organized. New limits were assigned
to the parish and the congregation lost 180 families.
The Right Rev. Martin T. Anderegg died on July 22, 1942, almost a jubiliarian. On August 20,
1942, the Rev. A.L. Buytaert succeeded him.

At the annual meeting in 1944 a parish budget was set for beginning a building fund for the new
school and gymnasium. Father Buytaert had begun the first studies and planning for the new
school in April of 1948, but he died an untimely death on July 20, 1948.

Msgr. Peter J. Skell became pastor on September 7, 1948. He immediately continued working and
studying on the plans for the new school.

The new school was dedicated in April 1952. The three-story convent (current Baird Home) was
built only six years later in 1958 and the gymnasium and cafeteria complex completed shortly
thereafter in 1966. In June 1968, Msgr. Skell asked for a transfer to the little parish of St. Patrick’s
in Askeaton. After two years and three months there, he retired to a small home next to St. Joseph
Church in Green Bay where he lived until his death on April 2, 1974. His funeral Mass and dinner
was held at SS Peter and Paul Church on April 5, 1974.

Father Earl J. Schuh succeeded Msgr. Peter J. Skell in June 1968.

In 1974, the church was completely renovated according to Vatican II suggestions. The Kimball
Organ was also remodeled and expanded that year. In 1993, Father Schuh retired.  He died on
December 27, 2005. His funeral Mass and dinner were held at SS Peter and Paul Church on
December 30, 2005 with Bishop David A. Zubik as celebrant and several priests from the Green
Bay and surrounding area as concelebrants.

In 1993, Msgr. Roy M. Klister became our fifth pastor. During that period an elevator was  installed
and the lower church was remodeled and became the Fr. Schuh Social Hall and a smaller lower
church chapel was made. Also, after much prayer and prompting from several members of the
parish, the idea of a  Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel was made, to provide the faithful with
24 hours of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at our Parish. Before the chapel could be
dedicated,  Msgr. Klister was assigned Rector and Pastor of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral. n 1999,
Rev. Thomas J. Farrell became our sixth pastor.

Fr. Farrell  had many ideas for his new parish. The Church underwent a major interior renovation
and roof repair. This was completed in 2002. After completion of the renovation, it came to his
attention that the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel was full to capacity. Therefore, plans
were made to make a larger chapel at the front entrance of the church. This was completed in
2005.

Fr. Farrell was asked by Bishop Zubik to transfer to a parish in the Appleton area, and Msgr. Roy
M. Klister was asked to be pastor of SS Peter and Paul and St. Francis Cathedral Parishes. He
gladly accepted and was appointed our seventh pastor in 2005.

In 2006, a donation was given to the parish for the new fencing and monument signage
surrounding the parish grounds.