Saint Francis de Sales Seminary is a

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...

for the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee The Archdiocese of Milwaukee ( la, Archidiœcesis Milvauchiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States. It encompasses the City of Milwaukee, a ...

, located in the

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...

suburb of

St. Francis, Wisconsin St. Francis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,161 at the 2020 census. History St. Francis Seminary was established in what is now the city in 1845. The Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi established t ...

. Its main building, called Henni Hall, is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...

Dedication

The seminary was dedicated to

Francis de Sales Francis de Sales (french: François de Sales; it, Francesco di Sales; 21 August 156728 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach t ...

, seventeenth-century

Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

and saint of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

History

The seminary was founded in 1845 in the home of Archbishop

John Henni John Martin Henni (June 15, 1805 – September 7, 1881) was a Swiss-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the first Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1843 until his death in 1881. Biography Early life ...

, two years after the Archdiocese was established in Milwaukee. It is one of the original Roman Catholic seminaries in the United States and the oldest in continuous existence. It was founded to meet the demand for German-speaking priests in the Wisconsin Territory. Henni Hall was dedicated on January 29, 1856 after a new location was chosen for the seminary along the south shore of Lake Township. The building was 4.5 stories tall, Italianate-styled, with a U-shaped floor plan. The gingerbread ornamentation was added at a later date. It was expanded in 1868 and again in 1875, and later renovated in 1989. Christ King Chapel within Henni Hall was consecrated in June 1861 by Archbishop Henni. Archbishop

Michael Heiss Michael Heiss (April 12, 1818 – March 26, 1890) was a German-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the first bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse in Wisconsin (1868–1880) and the second archbishop of the Archdiocese of Mi ...

and Fr.

Joseph Salzmann Joseph Salzmann (August 17, 1819 – January 17, 1874), one of the best-known Roman Catholic pioneer priests in the Northwest Territory of the United States, was the Austrian founder of several Catholic educational institutions, including the promi ...

, the first two rectors, are buried beneath the chapel. The seminary's Salzmann Library was erected in 1908 and now contains more than 89,000 volumes. The Miller Gymnasium, a gift from the estate of Ernest G. Miller, was dedicated in 1927. Over the past 170 years, Saint Francis de Sales Seminary has graduated over 4,000 priests and over 400 deacons and lay ministers. Until 1941, it had included a

minor seminary A minor seminary or high school seminary is a secondary day or boarding school created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming Catholic priests. They are generally Catholic institutions, and ...

component, but in that year those students were merged with the students at Pio Nino High School to form the new St. Francis de Sales Preparatory Seminary. Since 2006, the seminary once again focuses solely on priestly formation. Church land accounts for a significant portion of the City of St. Francis. On the grounds of Saint Francis de Sales Seminary is a large undeveloped area known as the '' Seminary Woods'' which hosts a small cemetery and grotto honoring

Our Lady of Lourdes Our Lady of Lourdes (french: Notre-Dame de Lourdes) is a title of the Virgin Mary. She is venerated under this title by the Roman Catholic church due to her apparitions that occurred in Lourdes, France. The first apparition of 11 February 1858, ...

. Archbishop Frederick Xavier Katzer is also buried here. Forty-nine tall maple trees line the long road that leads up to Saint Francis de Sales Seminary. Planted by

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

n immigrant Siegfried Wegerbauer in the 1930s, their canopy now forms cathedral arches shading the path.Cathedral of maple boughs is an immigrant's legacy
''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,'' August 9, 2005.

Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto

The Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto was built by

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

born

Paul Dobberstein Paul Matthias Dobberstein (September 21, 1872 – July 24, 1954) was a German American priest and architect. Dobberstein was born in Rosenfeld, Germany to Francis "Frank" Dobberstein and Julia Froehlich. Father Dobberstein was educated at ...

while training at the seminary in 1894. During his studies he contracted double pneumonia and promised the Blessed Virgin Mary he would build a grotto in her honor, once he recovered. This monument can be found in Saint Francis de Sales Seminary's wooded area. It is free for anyone to view. Standing a mere ten feet tall, this grotto was Dobberstein's first attempt at grotto building. He used the knowledge and skills gained during its construction to build other grottos in

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

and

Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...

, including the massive

Grotto of the Redemption The Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption is a religious shrine in West Bend, Iowa, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City. A conglomeration of nine grottos depicting scenes in the life of Jesus, it contains a large collection of minerals ...

found in

West Bend, Iowa West Bend is a city in Kossuth and Palo Alto (originally) counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 791 at the time of the 2020 census. History West Bend got its start in the early 1880s, following the construction of the Burlingt ...

. It is believed to have inspired Mathias Wernerus (who also attended Saint Francis de Sales Seminary) to build the

Dickeyville Grotto The Dickeyville Grotto is a series of grottos and shrines in Dickeyville, Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 151 and U.S. Highway 61. Most of the site's concrete structures are covered in she ...

Dickeyville, Wisconsin Dickeyville is a village in Grant County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,061 at the 2010 census. The Dickeyville Grotto is located in the heart of the village. History Dickeyville was not formally platted. The village was named ...

in 1930 and started the grotto building movement in America.

Notable alumni

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– Wisconsin legislator and civil rights activist *

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– Bishop of the

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– Blessed priest *

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– Bishop of the

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– Bishop of the

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– Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the

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– Bishop of the

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– Civil rights leader,

* Francis J. Haas – Bishop of the

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* Jeffrey Haines – Auxiliary Bishop of the

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–

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **'' Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **'' Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, ...

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– Bishop of the

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– Bishop of the

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– Bishop of the

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– Bishop of the

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* Bernard B. Kroenke – Wisconsin legislator *

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– Bishop of the

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– Bishop of the

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– Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne *

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– Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas *

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–

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– Bishop of the

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* Joseph Perry – Auxiliary Bishop of

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– Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay *

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– Bishop of the

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– Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee. *

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– Bishop of the

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– Wisconsin legislator *

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– Auxiliary Bishop of the

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– Bishop of the

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– Bishop of the

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– Bishop of the

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* Paul Ssemogerere - Bishop of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Kasana-Luweero Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

, in Uganda

Notes

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Francis Seminary Buildings and structures in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Educational institutions established in 1845 Education in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Grottoes Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Wisconsin Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic Church in Wisconsin Catholic seminaries in the United States Seminaries and theological colleges in Wisconsin Catholic universities and colleges in Wisconsin Tourist attractions in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin National Register of Historic Places in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin 1845 establishments in Wisconsin Territory