Diversity is
a major theme at All Saints. Rising from merger of several ethnic north side
Milwaukee parishes, All Saints is a wonderful “melting pot” of faith traditions
and ethnic roots. This melting pot boils over and runs throughout the liturgy,
artistic expressions, and community service of the parish.
Resting near the
center of the worship space, the altar brings together the congregation from all sides of the church.
Special VIP
Offerings:
- Exclusive presentation by All Saints’
internationally-known gospel choir at 11:30 a.m.
- Multi-cultural displays featuring the parish's
African-American, European, Caribbean, and African heritages.
- Learn about the Knights of Peter Claver and the
Ladies Auxiliary, the parish’s food pantry, and other initiatives.
- Tours include the immersion baptismal font,
prayer alcove, balcony, chapel, and more!
The baptismal font
makes a remarkable impression upon entering the main church.
Location:
4051 N. 25th Street, Milwaukee, WI – All Saints calls Milwaukee’s
north side home, just off Capitol Avenue. The church building that houses All Saints is the former St. Agnes Catholic Church, indicative of the former ethnic German population of this part of the city. Today, the African-American
community anchors the area and provides enthusiastic leadership for much of the
All Saints Parish community. Rufus King High School and an old industrial
railroad corridor are among the larger landmarks in the area.
The former namesake
of the All Saints Catholic Church building, St. Agnes, still holds watch from the balcony years after the closure of her original parish.
Fun All
Saints’ Facts:
- The parish’s namesake, All Saints, helps tell the genesis of this community. Over the last couple decades, many of
Milwaukee’s north side parishes have combined to help form All Saints, which
Bobby Tanzilo’s OnMilwaukee.com article on
All Saints describes in detail [1].
- The first Catholic Church near All Saints was
built for the old St. Agnes Parish near 25th Street and Capitol
Avenue in 1926 [2].
- Weekend Mass and All Saints Gospel Choir performances are recorded and available for sale and streaming [3].
- Weekend Mass and All Saints Gospel Choir performances are recorded and available for sale and streaming [3].
Statue of the Holy
Family from a prayer alcove.
Why is this
Parish a VIP?
1. Social Activities: You likely have heard of the Knights of Columbus,
but did you know that there is an active fraternal organization for
African-American Catholics which is active in the heart of Milwaukee? The
Knights of Peter Claver were founded in 1909 in Mobile, Alabama to originally
offer a fraternal home for men of color. Membership has expanded to allow women
and youth into this organization which is active in several social initiatives,
including through its membership at All Saints. The Parish also hosts a hot
meal program each Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for the surrounding community,
complemented further by a food pantry that is open on Fridays.
2. Gospel Choir:
I don’t fancy myself a music critic, but I think anyone can recognize the
talent and enthusiasm of the All Saints Gospel Choir! The choir will give a
special presentation at 11:30 a.m. during the VIP event on November 5th,
and will have CDs available for a good will offering. Give them a listen!
This nave fills
weekly with the enthusiasm of both the amazing All Saints Gospel Choir and the parish
family at All Saints.
3. Religious
Devotions: Admittedly, I am underscoring the diversity of this parish which
includes folks of many nationalities and economic backgrounds in part to keep
this article concise and to encourage to you go and learn more at VIP! However,
similar to many of Milwaukee’s old Polish and German neighborhood churches, All
Saints does a terrific job of recognizing saints of African heritage. Our Lady
of Africa is represented through a beautiful statue in a prayer alcove just to
the side of the sanctuary.
Detail, Our Lady of
Africa Statue.
In a
separate prayer alcove, near the Our Lady of Africa statue, statuary and information on
more saints are available for education and prayerful reflection. Two saints
featured in the alcove, Saints Charles Lwanga and Martin de Porres, each
reflect the great sacrifices that come with serving God and the communities
that they served with Catholic faith and practice. The All Saints VIP tour on
Saturday will feature more detail on these statues and the artwork throughout
the church.
Left: St. Charles
Lwanga
Right: St. Martin de Porres
4. The
Church Building: Like fellow VIP parish, St. Bernard’s in Wauwatosa, the church
at All Saints is a modern building, erected in the 1960s. Its nave and
worship space is well-designed for a more charismatic form of Catholic worship
than what Catholics may often see. A few highlights that will be featured in the
VIP tour include the immersion pool used for baptisms, the additional chapel
used for worship, and the balcony.
Our Lady of Grace,
featured on the south wall of the church.
All Saints
Catholic Church
Weekend Mass
Times
Sundays: 8
a.m., 10:30 a.m.
Special
thanks for Cecilia Smith-Robertson, Roosevelt, All Saints Parish, and Amy Grau
for setting up my visit to All Saints and for bringing this article
to life!
Additional
Sources:
The All Saints Parish website and my conversations with folks at the parish were great sources of information throughout the article-writing process.
The All Saints Parish website and my conversations with folks at the parish were great sources of information throughout the article-writing process.
[2] Gurda, John. Milwaukee: City of Neighborhoods, 258.
It is very rare to see a congregation that is diverse as your church is. My wife and I would probably love to attend one day. We appreciate the variety of people from different backgrounds in our lives and would love to see this reflected in our religious life. Keep doing what you are doing and welcoming parishoners of all backgrounds to your church.
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