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ROXBURY — What started as just another leak in a beautiful old church quickly became a mission of love for the faithful at St. Norbert Parish in Roxbury.
Recognized as the oldest parish in Dane County, with a continuous history dating to 1846, the current church saw its cornerstone laid in 1856.
The effects of time and a patchwork of repairs done over many decades were taking their toll.
Wind had caused the damage that led to the leak, and an inspection revealed the church needed a new roof.
But St. Norbert’s distress was clearly mounting in the steeple and the stonework, too.
Parish leadership decided the time was now for an expert opinion.
An architectural building envelope assessment uncovered an urgent need not only for a new roof, but also for significant rehabilitation of the spire and the church exterior.
All told, St. Norbert was facing about $1.2 million in repair costs.
Our Family, Our Faith, Our Future campaign
Although they belong to one of the smaller parishes in the Diocese of Madison, the St. Norbert faithful didn’t shy away from the size of their goal and responded to this monumental challenge in inspirational fashion.
Led by Parochial Vicar Fr. Jerry Zhanay, from the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest (SJS), parish leadership launched the Our Family, Our Faith, Our Future capital campaign to raise the necessary funding.
With a determined faith and unfailing attitude reminiscent of the hearty souls who built St. Norbert by hand, parishioners have thus far contributed and pledged more than $900,000 toward the final cost of the rehabilitation.
The response from individuals contacted so far has been strong, but more work still remains.
A direct mail campaign will launch soon.
A foundation of faith
St. Norbert Parish community roots go back to some of the earliest pioneers in Dane County.
The Bavarians and Prussians that settled in this fertile land had strong faith and a spirit of self-sacrifice.
Out of great love for God, and facing untold challenges, they built and established a parish that would become the heart of their community.
Many of these families have descendants that attend St. Norbert to this day.
Any historical and faithful context of St. Norbert would be incomplete without mention of the parish’s founding priest Fr. Adalbert Inama from Austria, who is buried in the church’s cemetery.
Appointed by the first bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Archbishop John Henni, Father Inama was Dane County’s first priest.
He became known as “The Apostle of the Four Lakes Region” as he was the first to hold services and do missionary work across much of south central Wisconsin.
St. Norbert’s external beauty surrounds a classically traditional interior, itself stunning, that has provided a sanctuary of prayer and peace for generations of families called to the embrace of the Catholic Church’s most important sacraments.
This beautiful interior is not without historical significance either, as it is home to what at one time was considered one of the finest paintings in America.
Rising above the altar is a massive oil painting, 10 feet high and six feet wide depicting the Virgin Mary and Child, St. Jerome, St. James, and St. Norbert.
The painting was done by 19th century German master Wilhelm Von Kaulbach in 1848 and was a gift to St. Norbert Parish from King Louis I of Bavaria in 1849.
Guided by faith in uncertain times
Rising above the surrounding countryside, the St. Norbert spire is visible from miles around.
The church itself serves as a source of inspiration, comfort, and stability for the faithful of today as much as it did for the first settlers who arrived in the Roxbury area almost two centuries ago.
The challenges we face now are in many ways becoming much like they were then, with each day often bringing more questions than answers.
While the uncertainty of the future seems to grow by the day, those who have come to know and cherish St. Norbert recognize the importance and strength in this anchor of faith.
You are invited to experience the history and beauty of St. Norbert Church for yourself — and any support you can provide for the Our Family, Our Faith, Our Future campaign would be greatly appreciated.
For more information on St. Norbert Parish and the renovation project or to support the Our Family, Our Faith, Our Future capital campaign, visit https://www.saint-norbert.org
Paul Merline is the vice-chair of the finance council at St. Norbert Parish in Roxbury.