Father Mersberger and the Shrine of Our Lady of the Green Scapular collection

Jerome Mersberger was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin on October 8, 1917 to parents Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Mersberger. He completed his elementary education at St. Peter Claver and Holy Name Schools. Mersberger graduated from St. Lawrence High School and Preparatory Seminary in Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin. He studied theology at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and received a Bachelor of Arts from the Seminary of St. Francis de Sales in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1940.

After being ordained in 1942, he served as associate pastor of St. Edward parish in Racine, and St. Bernard in Madison, Wisconsin. In 1950, he was appointed as the first pastor of the newly established Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) parish in Monona, Wisconsin. Father Mersberger served at IHM for 18 years, resigning in 1968. Upon his resignation, he was reassigned to St. Mary's Church in Palmyra, Wisconsin.

He served as pastor at St. Mary's until 1976 when he began to devote all his efforts to directing the Green Scapular Crusade, which encompassed a shrine-museum and the Green Scapular Travel Club. He directed the shrine and travel club until 1996, leading many pilgrimages and travel expeditions around the world. He passed away in Stoughton, Wisconsin, on December 2, 1998.

In 1950, Bishop William P. O'Connor established the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) parish in Monona, Wisconsin to serve a growing number of Catholics in the area. In December 1950 a statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was donated by a Madison family to the IHM parish. The statue was already well known for its blessing at Fatima and its personal benediction by Pope Pius XII.

In 1955 the Bishop gave the first pastor, Father Jerome Mersberger, a quantity of Green Scapulars saying that they might be helpful in strengthening the people's love of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and encouraged Father Mersberger to promote devotion to the Green Scapular. Interest developed rapidly, and the church began to attract pilgrims. In 1961, construction was completed on the World Shrine of Our Lady of the Green Scapular. When Father Mersberger resigned from IHM in 1968, he was reassigned to St. Mary's in Palmyra, Wisconsin, and gained approval to move the statue and shrine to Palmyra.

From the Shrine of Our Lady of the Green Scapular, the Green Scapular Crusade was established and encompassed the shrine, a small museum, and the Green Scapular Travel Club. Father Mersberger ran the shrine and travel club until 1996, 2 years before his death in 1998. His long-time housekeeper Marianne Zeier oversaw the shrine until her death, circa 2000.