Old St. Mary's Catholic Church

Old Saint Mary Parish and the City of Milwaukee, both established in 1846, are the same age. This pioneer parish stands as living testimony of the faith of Milwaukee’s early German Catholic immigrants. Through personal sacrifice and financial help from Bavarian mission societies, they gave life to their hopes and dreams for their own church. Of the many societies that then flourished, the most important was the Saint Anne Women’s Society (Sanct Anna Frauenverein), founded on October 6, 1844. This group of women were the prime movers in the establishment of this church. The society is still active today. The first Pastor was Father Michael Heiss, who later became the second Archbishop of Milwaukee.