The Diocese of La Crosse’s mother parish rediscovers its mission to gather, serve and invite
Story by Sydney Marx
During the 1980s and 90s, St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral in La Crosse was in its heyday. With over 750 families and a vibrant parish mission of providing local children a Catholic education, St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral was well immersed in local life. However, it slowly began to grow silent, losing its mission and losing its parishioners. When Monsignor Richard Gilles arrived in 2020, the parish yearned for renewal.
Clarifying the Mission
A physical revival of the cathedral took place through a diocesan-wide effort called “Christ Our Cornerstone,” which, through the generosity of many, resulted in a $6.1 million renovation. This renovation addressed a deteriorating exterior and multiple interior problems. Physical renovations aside, Monsignor Gilles recognized that what his parish needed most was a clear mission: to reach out to the surrounding downtown La Crosse community and to nurture those already within the parish. To accomplish this, he needed assistance—and that’s where Kevin Decker came in.
“Kevin has the ability to recognize what needs to be done and take initiative,” Monsignor Gilles shared. He knew that he wanted someone who could immerse himself in the life of the parish and go where priests and religious cannot. In response to this, Kevin said, “I am what the cathedral needs me to be. Sometimes that’s flipping pancakes, sometimes it’s hosting a Christmas party at my house.”
Kevin has extensive experience in outreach ministry, having served as a Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) missionary at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for two years. There, he worked to bring college students to Christ through the local Roncalli Newman community. Now, at the cathedral, he has taken on the work Monsignor Gilles entrusted to him, helping support the development and establishment of a revitalized, multi-layered outreach program and vibrant parish life.
Rebuilding Community from the Inside Out
As the cathedral’s first parish lay associate, Kevin started his position with a blank canvas. His first step was to deep dive into parish life and become familiar with the cathedral’s history, inner workings and its parishioners. There were already a few programs already in place, such as a men’s club that helped host pancake breakfasts and establish connections with the local homeless population to provide gas cards and money for meals. However, the men’s club had dwindled to just three members, and Kevin learned that the monetary gifting system would benefit from more checks and balances. He decided that his first focus should be helping to enliven the men’s club.
To begin rebuilding the men’s community, Kevin implemented “Whiskey and Wisdom” nights, where men could gather for conversation and community. However, he soon realized that something with more direction was needed. This insight led to the formation of The Men of St. Joseph. The group usually meets on Monday nights for conversation, reflection and Vespers (evening prayer). The men have the collective goals of being better men for God, their spouses (or future spouses) and children (or future children).
The revitalized men’s community has also borne fruit outside of its Monday evening meetings. For example, the “breakfast crew” stems from The Men of St. Joseph, putting on four pancake breakfasts a year with restaurant-worthy variety and quality. From egg bake to strawberry shortcake pancakes, the breakfast crew has brought their best to the table. In addition to breakfast events, the cathedral parish also hosts a steak fry night and an Italian night. Together, these meals help fundraise for programs and organizations such as the Warming Center, Alliance Women’s Clinic, tickets to Steubenville Conferences, kids’ camps and the parish’s own needs.
The men are not the only ones making a positive difference within the cathedral—women’s programs have also been part of the renewal process. For example, Kevin’s wife, Elizabeth, leads a women’s gathering of 15 to 20 participants. In addition, the cathedral has a Parish Council of Catholic Women (PCCW) and a Walking with Women Through Scripture program. Walking with Women follows the model of Chiara Lubich (foundress of the Focolare movement), who brought women together to pray with Scripture during World War II. Meeting for about an hour and a half every other week, participants read Scripture, pray together and engage in various exercises.
Meeting the Needs at the Front Door
Along with rebuilding the parish men’s and women’s programs, Kevin focused on its Front Door Ministries—an outreach to the homeless. The program has been around since the 1990s and began by making sandwiches for those who came to the Cathedral’s doorstep. Over time, it evolved into distributing gas cards, bus tokens and providing monetary assistance with rent and utilities.
However, Kevin discovered that the money was not always being used for its intended purpose.
The cathedral parish began using a referral system to better provide proper support in helping the homeless recover and rebuild. This new system has seen enormous success. Indeed, since 2022, 11 people have been lifted off the streets and, with parish support, begun the difficult work of recovery from addiction.
Front Door Ministries and The Men of St. Joseph are among several parish outreach efforts. The parish also contributes to the local Catholic Charities Warming House by providing volunteers to prepare and cook meals on Mondays. “We are in this neighborhood for a reason,” said Kevin. He has made the Cathedral’s work with the homeless a priority in its outreach efforts.
Going Where the People Are
Getting involved in local civic life has also become a priority for the parish. Monsignor Gilles explained that the era of Christendom, when the people came to the Church, is over. The Catholic Church is in a new apostolic era, meaning the Church must go to the people as the apostles and early missionaries did to spread God’s word. “We have to go where the people are and evangelize,” said Kevin, while Monsignor Gilles added, “We have something to bring to the table.”
Indeed, the cathedral parish is bringing something good to the table in downtown La Crosse. Recently, they joined Downtown Mainstreet Incorporated (DMI), a group of businesses dedicated to maintaining and growing downtown La Crosse’s vibrancy of downtown and help keep homeless individuals off the streets. The parish also participated in La Crosse Historic Days for the first time last fall and then anchored the La Crosse Holiday Kickoff on Nov. 14. Both events provided the parish with an opportunity to connect directly with the local community.
The efforts underway at St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral, led by Monsignor Gilles and supported by Kevin and many others, have begun to bear fruit. Locals are noticing the vibrancy of the parish as they drive past the majestic St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral on their way to eat or shop downtown. During La Crosse Historic Days, parish volunteers staffing the cathedral parish’s booth heard frequent comments about the large number of people seen leaving the church after various events, as well as about the radio ads that have been airing. The parish has also strengthened its online presence, hiring a social media director to help steward how the Cathedral presents itself digitally. Together, these efforts reflect a broader outreach initiative—meeting people where they are in an age shaped by social media and the internet.
A Parish Rooted in Beauty and Belonging
After significant effort and investment, signs of renewal are clearly emerging. Reflecting on the parish’s outreach efforts, Monsignor Gilles said, “We’re not settling for minimalism. We want to be reaching out, going forth.” That approach has shaped the work underway in the parish, with Monsignor Gilles and Kevin helping to guide and support those efforts. When they first arrived, both were apprehensive, but the following years proved to be deeply rewarding as the parish continued its work of renewal. St. Joseph the Workman Cathedral has historically attracted the faithful with its vastness, grandeur and music, which remind people of God’s greatness as they worship. Yet, what keeps them in the parish is the warmth of the parish community, a warmth now blossoming again and shining into the surrounding community.