MANITOWOC, Wis. (WFRV) – About 2.5 months after it was officially announced that it would close, St. Boniface Catholic Church is providing final viewings of the historic structure.
The closure was officially confirmed in July 2025, after an appeal to the Apostolic Signatura, often known as the Supreme Court of the Catholic Church, affirmed a 2023 decision by Bishop David Ricken to close the church.
The 140-year-old building has not held mass in over a decade, and for years, its closure was discussed.
Reverend Douglas LeCaptain, the Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, said that officials are working on giving away some of the items to other places of worship.
“My general rule is that sacred items need to go to sacred places, other churches or chapels,” Reverend LeCaptain said. “Other items, we want to give around to other churches if they’d like them.”
Reverend LeCaptain said leftover items not picked up by churches could be available to the general public. Once items are sold or removed, the church will then reportedly be taken down.
