Sts. Peter & Paul's Mission and Heritage

Parish Mission​
​We, the family of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, are a Catholic Community guided by the Holy Trinity.  We will provide lasting opportunities for:

• The faithful worship of God
• A quality Catholic education
• Responsible stewardship
• Fellowship and Outreach​

Sts. Peter & Paul History

• The people of Haubstadt originally attended St. James Church and School. The importance of Catholic education in our community was evident from the very beginning.
• In 1866, due to overcrowding at St. James, the first Sts. Peter & Paul school was built (11 years before the church and the organization of our parish).  It was a one-story frame structure, 25 x 50 ft.  Children attended school at Sts. Peter & Paul, but when they neared 12 years of age, preparations began for their First Holy Communion. Children walked every morning to Sts. James School for religious instructions, then returned to Sts. Peter & Paul in the afternoon for regular classes.
• On July 12, 1877, the parish received its first resident priest, Rev. George Widerin.
• On August 5, 1877, construction of the first church began followed by the first rectory.  During the period of construction of the church, the school was used for Mass every Sunday morning.  On Saturday mornings, the school children would assist in thoroughly cleaning the school & setting up a small altar.  The school desks served as pews.
• On September 21, 1877, the first cemetery lots were sold.
• In 1879, nuns began teaching at Sts. Peter & Paul.
• In 1904, a brick school was built with 2 large classrooms on the first floor with a large hall upstairs and living quarters for the nuns.  The upper room was later converted to more classrooms.
• In 1920, the stained glass windows were installed in the church. 
• In 1940, a convent was built for the nuns.
• On May 16, 1941, a severe storm struck the church destroying the bell tower and damaging the building.  The church remained in use until 1949. Due to the war, a new church was unable to be built because all available materials were needed for the war.
• On December 24, 1950 at midnight, the first Mass in the new church was celebrated. 
• In 1952, the first unit of our current school was completed. It included 5 classrooms, bathrooms, office and furnace room.
• In 1959, the new rectory was built.
• In 1964, the second unit of our current school was built.  It included 5 classrooms, cafeteria, first-aid room and a multi-purpose room in the basement.
• In 2009, the Family Life Center and new education center were built.
• In 2012, the parish offices were moved to their current location and renovations to the school were complete.
• In 2017, the convent/parish center was demolished and construction on a new parish center begun.
• In 2018, construction of a new parish building was completed. The Parish Center has 7 multi-purpose rooms used for Religious Ed, meetings, OCIA, scripture study, choir practice, and so much more! Large storage rooms in the basement are used for auction supplies, church decorations and VBS.