MINERAL POINT — On August 6, a crowd of about 50 people gathered at St. Paul’s Mission Church, an 1842 limestone structure, in Mineral Point.
A special guest joined those who gathered — Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison.
The Mass was celebrated for the 93rd birthday of Lucille May, a long-time member of Ss. Mary and Paul Parish in Mineral Point and caretaker of the mission church with her daughter, Marcia May Wagner.
Getting the church ready
Marcia has been busy in the last few months sprucing up the mission church.
This included installing new gutters and downspouts with Bill Fischer, drywall and plaster repair with Chris Federman, interior paint touch-up, and a good cleaning and scrubbing with middle schoolers on a Love Begins Here mission trip at Ss. Mary and Paul Parish.
Excitement was in the air on the day of the Mass.
An attendee and parishioner remarked that she “had to keep from crying tears of joy” as she participated in the Mass with Bishop Hying.
Fr. Michael Tarigopula, parochial administrator of Ss. Mary and Paul, concelebrated the Mass.
Joe Gevelinger was the lector and server. Music was provided by members of Ss. Mary and Paul Adult Choir and Caleb Mitchell, parish liturgist and music director.
After Mass, Bishop Hying took part in a birthday lunch for Lucille May at the Ss. Mary and Paul rectory.
The history of St. Paul’s Mission Church in Mineral Point
Mineral Point lies in the midst of the Driftless Area of the State of Wisconsin.
The reported first settlement of this area was in 1827, when two cabins were erected, one by a Baptist preacher and one by a German immigrant.
In 1829, Cornish miners began to arrive in Mineral Point, looking to make a profit from mining the rich deposits of lead and zinc in the hills.
In 1835, Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli was the first Catholic priest to come to Mineral Point.
He was a Dominican missionary from Milan, Italy, sent to the territory that is now part of Wisconsin.
He celebrated the first Mass in a log cabin in the booming mining town.
After his first visit, Father Mazzuchelli continued to come to Mineral Point once a month to celebrate Mass in Catholic homes.
Many people from the town came to him to ask him to baptize their children and anoint the sick.
The early immigrants to Mineral Point did not have the opportunity to receive the sacraments regularly, so many Catholics eagerly awaited Father Mazzuchelli’s visits.
Mineral Point was officially started as a mission in 1839 by Father Mazzuchelli.
Eventually, after a few years, Father Mazzuchelli left for northern Illinois to help the Catholic population there.
In 1841, Father Mazzuchelli was succeeded by Fr. James Causse, OP, who picked up on Father Mazzuchelli’s monthly visits.
He was the priest stationed at St. Thomas Parish in Potosi.
Mineral Point served as one of the mission parishes of St. Thomas.
In 1842, four lots were given from parishioners to build the first church.
A handsome limestone church was built by the end of that year and was dedicated to St. Paul.
The new parish was mostly of Irish heritage. Parishioners who lived in the countryside would often travel two or three days each week just to attend Mass and celebrate the sacraments.
In 1842, the Milwaukee Diocese was formed with Bishop John Henni named the first bishop.
St. Paul’s was put into the Milwaukee diocese.
On December 7, 1845, Bishop Henni made the long journey to Mineral Point to consecrate St. Paul Church.
Bishop Henni then named Fr. Victor Jonneault as the first resident pastor of St. Paul.
Father Jonneault bought two lots next to the church to build a rectory. He also built a small brick school building on the church property, which was one of the first Catholic schools in Wisconsin.
Caleb Mitchell is the music and liturgy director at Ss. Mary and Paul Parish in Mineral Point.