Pastor Fr. Mark Payne shares with about 175 people attending a parish “town hall” meeting Sept. 21 that the Milwaukee parishes of St. Bernadette, St. Catherine of Alexandria and Our Lady of Good Hope will merge next year. (Photo by Kristen Kubisiak)
After a yearslong process marked by countless hours of prayer, meetings and discernment, three northwest Milwaukee parishes announced Sept. 21 that they will merge.
Fr. Mark Payne, newly appointed pastor of the three — St. Bernadette, St. Catherine of Alexandria and Our Lady of Good Hope — shared the news at a parish town hall meeting attended by about 175 people from the three parishes.
“We’re no longer three separate parishes because we will be one entity, one family in faith,” he told those gathered. “Together we’re stronger, more vibrant, more effective in our mission.”
Fr. Payne noted that parish mergers are not new. Many parishes built in the 1950s and ’60s, during a time of rapid Catholic population growth, are being consolidated. Back then, churches were filled to capacity. Today, shifting demographics, fewer active parishioners, financial pressures and changing community needs have prompted a reevaluation.
Effective July 1, 2026, the three parishes will be merged into a single new corporate entity. While each church building will remain open for the time being, the newly merged parish will operate under a new name, with single pastoral and finance councils, unified leadership and a shared mission. Masses will continue to be offered at all of the locations until that location is sold or leased.
Among the most significant elements of the announcement was the decision to designate St. Bernadette Parish as the central worship site for the new parish community. After thorough review and consultation, parish leaders concluded that St. Bernadette offers the best environment for worship, fellowship and growth.
“The process to reach this decision didn’t happen overnight — rather, it is the fruit of the dedication and vision of many who came before me,” Fr. Payne said. “I am grateful to everyone who has given their time, their voices and their hearts to this process.”
Among those who participated in the process were former Pastor Fr. Greg Greiten, who, together with pastoral councils and a strategic planning committee, guided parishioners through a collaborative journey that started five years ago between St. Bernadette and Our Lady of Good Hope. St. Catherine of Alexandria entered the collaboration two years later. The three parishes identified themselves in this working collaboration as Northwest Milwaukee Catholic Parishes.
In June, two more parishes were added to the collaboration — Blessed Savior and St. Margaret Mary — but these parishes are not part of the current merger and are beginning their own strategic planning process, Fr. Payne said.
Part of the team’s due diligence prior to seeking Fr. Payne’s recommendation for a central worship site included facility assessments conducted by an independent consulting firm and a thorough analysis of parish finances. Although parish finances are an important consideration, Fr. Payne noted they are not the priority.
“We have to realize we come together for God first,” he said. “That’s our focus, our mission; and then to serve the community — one another — through that mission as disciples in Christ.”
The decision to designate St. Bernadette as the central worship site was guided by several key factors: accessibility; worship space acoustics and design flexibility; adjacent facilities that provide easy access between the church, hall and school; and ample parking to accommodate larger gatherings. Decisions regarding the use of the other parish buildings will be guided by a merger committee.
Fr. Payne acknowledged the sense of loss and grief that parishioners of St. Catherine and Our Lady of Good Hope might feel upon learning their parishes were not chosen as the central worship site and offered pastoral care to support them through the change.
“If right now you feel really sad and disappointed, I get that,” he said.
One person who is no stranger to change is John Buckley, a longtime parishioner of St. Catherine. Buckley spent much of his life helping organizations navigate transitions, and he served on the strategic planning committee for the parishes.
“I always tell people, don’t think of change as moving away from a crisis. Think of it as moving toward an opportunity,” he said. “That’s what we have here.”
While acknowledging his personal connection to St. Catherine, Buckley emphasized the importance of looking at the merger with clarity and purpose. “My heart is with St. Catherine, but dispassionately and logically, I understand exactly where we need to go — and I hope others do, too.”
He encouraged fellow parishioners to experience the new central site firsthand. “For those from St. Catherine who haven’t yet visited or attended a service at St. Bernadette, I urge you to go. It’s a remarkable facility, and as Father said, it is clearly the best of the three for the direction we want to take as a united parish.”
The next step for the merger will be creation of a committee to guide the process, ensuring careful planning, open communication and a prayerful focus on the spiritual and practical needs of the communities, Fr. Payne said. “Our combined gifts and talents will serve God and the community more powerfully.”
