The History of St. Anthony Parish

While pastor at St. Patrick Parish, Stiles, Fr. Charles Hoogsteel made frequent visits to the territory around Oconto Falls from 1885 to 1889. By 1896, Oconto Falls was ready for its own church and Fr. Charles Vanier helped establish St. Anthony Parish on Jan. 1, 1896. It was incorporated on Dec. 11, 1896 with 60 families of Irish, German, French, Dutch, Belgium and Swiss descent.

The first church was a brick veneer building costing $3,500 and was dedicated by Bishop Sebastian Messmer on Dec. 27, 1896. Priests from Stiles attended the parish twice a month. The first resident pastor was Fr. Julius Looze, appointed in October 1904. In December, Fr. John Loerke was stationed at Oconto Falls to assist Fr. Looze with all the missions under their care: Gillett, Suring, Mountain, Townsend, Blackwell, Wabeno, Soperton, Laona, Newald and Long Lake.

In 1905, Fr. Looze bought property behind the church from Hugh Henry Sr. as a future site for a school. Seven years before, Bishop Joseph Fox had granted the parish permission to begin fundraising for a school.

The first school was built in 1913 for $7,693. A new school, built in 1934, was staffed by the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, Manitowoc. The convent for eight sisters was on the second floor of this new eight-room school built for $260,000 and dedicated on Sept. 29, 1958. The structure also included a large parish hall and kitchen in the basement.

Plans for a new school were made in 1957; construction began a year later. The school opened in fall 1958 and was dedicated on Sept. 29, 1958 by Bishop Stanislaus Bona. The school, which had been for grades 1 through 8, dropped 7th and 8th grades in 1968. In 1972 due to declining enrollment, the Board of Education voted to close the school, but the Parish Council polled parishioners and the Board of Education eventually reversed the decision and kept the school open

The Franciscan sisters left in 1987, the same year kindergarten class was added. Grade six was dropped in 1995 and K4 was added in 2007. Today the school has students in Pre-school through 5th grade.

On Feb. 21, 2012, the school received major damage from an arson fire. The school year was completed by having students attend classes held at the nearby Grace Lutheran Church. The following 2012-2013 school year, students met in a portable building set up on the vacant Jefferson School site. It was affectionately known as “St. Anthony West.” The school was rebuilt and opened in the fall of 2013 in time to celebrate its centennial.

Meanwhile, the parish built a new church in 1986. It was dedicated by Bishop Adam Maida on Feb. 16. In 2000 the parish was linked with St. Patrick, Stiles. In 2010 the parish was linked with St. Patrick Parish and Holy Trinity Parish, Oconto, with one priest serving all three. In 2020 and today, the parish is linked with St. Patrick, Stiles and currently served by Pastor, Walter Stumpf.