Saint Andrew Catholic Church
At Divine Mercy Parish the transcendent beauty, goodness, and truth of God is experienced in Holy Mass. We are a community in which reverent worship, the elevation of minds and hearts to God, and the Divine Mercy that flows from Christ’s Sacred Heart is at the center.
Our Parish Mission
The mission of Divine Mercy Parish is to become more faithful and fruitful disciples ourselves, and to invite others to the joy of knowing and following Jesus Christ.
Our Vision
We believe that every person has four core spiritual needs: to encounter Jesus, to have accompaniment on their spiritual journey, to find community in the Body of Christ, and to live out the mission of the Church. By following our Parish Mission, to meet Christ, follow Christ, and bear Christ, we aim to fill the four spiritual needs in every person within our community.
The History of St. Andrew
A major consideration in deciding to bring a Catholic Church to Verona in 1917 had to do with meeting the spiritual needs of patients at the Dane County Hospital, located on the eastern edge of town. Father Andrew Mason gathered about 26 Catholic families from the area to form the foundation of the new St. Andrew Parish. Within a year, the small but faithful congregation built a church at 133 North Main Street. Father James Nellen was the first resident pastor. The parish worshiped in that building until 1964 when a new church was constructed a block to the north. Several pastors served the faithful during those years. Among them were Father Joseph Webber, Father John Risch, Father Anthony Hermann, Father Lawrence Keppler, and Father Joseph Brechtl.
Father Thomas Massion and Father Eugene Bauhs guided the parish during the 1970’s. For the next twenty years, Monsignor Delbert Schmelzer shepherded the parish until his retirement in 2001. Father John Stillmank was then appointed as pastor in 2001. Father Dave Timmerman served as pastor from 2003 to 2009.