OUR PARISH HISTORY

The original church design was in the form of a Quonset hut with a curved roof raised on its four walls. The first Mass was said “in the open air” because the windows, doors and other niceties were not yet constructed or completed.

Archbishop Moses Kiley appointed Fr. Joseph Swierczynski, to organize the first new parish in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee planned after WWII.   Considering the war, the new parish was named Our Lady Queen of Peace.  On November 13, 1947, Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish became a legal entity.

October 1948 saw the birth of the Confraternity of Catholic Women and in the summer of 1949 OLQP presented its first festival.  The construction of the school began in 1954 and in September 1955 the school officially opened.  Enrollment was 280 and was taught by the School Sisters of St. Francis.

A new rectory and school expansion took place from 1955 thru 1965.  The 1960’s was a decade of the OLQP Fish Fry later replaced by Bingo in the early 1970’s.

    In May, 1987, Archbishop Weakland gave the parish permission to begin planning for a new church.  The plans were approved in September of 1987 and construction began.  The new church was dedicated on November 17, 1988.  In September, 1989, the old church was converted into a gym and extended care facility.

Since November,1948 tremendous growth and change has taken place within the community.  Our Lady Queen of Peace has become a vibrant and diverse urban Catholic parish rooted in Christ’s gospel and Catholic tradition.

The Pastors of OLQP

                                              

 Rev. Joseph Swierczynski                              Rev. Thaddeus Dolata

 November, 1948-September, 1965                  September, 1965 – October, 1966

                                           

Msgr. Alphonsus Popek                                  Rev. Gilbert Arciszewski

November, 1966 – December, 1986             March, 1987 – June, 2000
                                      
 Rev. Gregory M. Spitz                               Very Rev. Mark Payne
 June, 2002 – June, 2016                           June, 2016 – June, 2017
 
Very Rev. Javier Bustos
Current Pastor