About Blessed Sacrament · Saint Paul, Minnesota
The Church of the Blessed Sacrament is a Roman Catholic parish on the East Side of Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the Hazel Park neighborhood, belonging to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The parish traces its roots to 1916, and today it ministers to a diverse, family-friendly, Christ-centered community from its campus at 2119 Stillwater Avenue East. Under the pastoral leadership of Father Biju Mathew, Blessed Sacrament is known for its perpetual adoration chapel, a multi-generational faith formation program built around Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a monthly Spanish Mass, and a wide array of liturgical and service ministries where, as the parish says, parishioners are 'known by name.'
- Established
- 1916
- Patron
- Blessed Sacrament
- Rector
- Father Gregory Abbott
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
Blessed Sacrament offers the full rhythm of Catholic parish life in an intimate East Side community: daily and weekend Mass, weekday adoration with confession and rosary before the noon Mass, an active OCIA process, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for children, and a perpetual adoration chapel that draws committed adorers from across the area. The parish welcomes newcomers into three clear paths—liturgical ministry (lector, choir, altar server, hospitality), faith formation (Sunday morning classes for families, youth group, Confirmation prep), and service (Knights of Columbus, Women's Club, Men's Club, pastoral visits to the homebound, and outreach to local missions like Philomena House and Merrick Community Center). With its monthly Spanish Mass, its legacy of more than a century, and its pastor who also serves as a hospital chaplain, the parish makes it easy to find a place to belong.
Mass times at Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:00–3:45 PM
- Tuesdays 11:30–11:55 AM (before noon Mass)
- Wednesdays 11:30–11:55 AM (before noon Mass)
- Thursdays 11:30–11:55 AM (before noon Mass)
- Fridays 11:30–11:55 AM (before noon Mass)
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Mondays 1:00 PM – 11:00 PM (St. Thomas the Apostle Adoration Chapel)
- Tuesdays 7:00 AM – 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM – 11:00 PM (tabernacle closed during Holy Mass)
- Wednesdays 6:00 AM – 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM – 11:00 PM (tabernacle closed during Holy Mass)
- Thursdays 6:00 AM – 11:30 AM
- Fridays 1:00 PM – 11:00 PM
- Saturdays 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Noon)
- Sundays: Chapel closed
- Visitors must obtain an entry code from the parish office (Joy, 651-738-0677) during office hours (Tue–Fri 8:30 AM–3:30 PM)
Parish History
Blessed Sacrament was founded in 1916 on Saint Paul's East Side by Father W. W. Finley, who built the original church in 1917 and led the parish for thirty years. A parish school staffed by religious sisters opened in 1918 and remained a fixture of East Side Catholic life until 2004. In 1954, Father Tom Robertson founded St. Thomas the Apostle in the Beaver Lake neighborhood to meet post-war growth. The two parishes merged in 2011; in 2015 the LaCrosse Avenue site was sold, the parish consolidated onto the St. Thomas the Apostle campus, and the name Blessed Sacrament was retained.
- 1916: Parish founded under Fr. W. W. Finley
- 1917: Original church built
- 1918: Parish school opens (staffed by religious sisters)
- 1954: St. Thomas the Apostle parish founded by Fr. Tom Robertson
- 2000: Adoration Chapel dedicated
- 2004: Parish school closes after 86 years
- 2011: Blessed Sacrament and St. Thomas the Apostle parishes merged
- 2015: Parish consolidated onto the St. Thomas the Apostle campus at 2119 Stillwater Ave E
- 2019: Adoration Chapel renovated and renamed St. Thomas the Apostle Adoration Chapel
Mass and Worship Schedule
Blessed Sacrament offers weekend Masses on Saturday at 4:00 PM and on Sunday at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM, plus a daily noon Mass Tuesday through Friday. Before each weekday Mass, the parish gathers at 11:30 AM for Eucharistic adoration, the rosary, and the sacrament of confession. The parish also celebrates a monthly Mass in Spanish, with a dedicated choir and musicians organized by the Faith Formation Director.
- Saturday Vigil: 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM
- Tuesday–Friday: 12:00 PM (Noon) Mass
- Pre-Mass devotions Tue–Fri: Adoration, Confession, and Rosary at 11:30 AM
- Monthly Spanish Mass
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Blessed Sacrament's Faith Formation program, directed by Martha Gonzalez, serves children from kindergarten through twelfth grade and their families, with the goal of helping parents reclaim Sunday mornings for God. Classes meet Sundays from 9:45 to 10:45 AM during the school year, and the program uses the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) method for ages 3 through 12. Older students prepare for Confirmation and gather as Blessed Youth, while adults can grow through OCIA, the Friday Prayer Group, devotions, retreats, and small-group faith sharing.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — Levels I, II, and III for ages 3–12; Level III continues through 6th grade
- Sunday morning Faith Formation classes, 9:45–10:45 AM, during the school year
- First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation for grades 8–12; classes Sundays 12:00–1:30 PM, Sept.–May; kick-off NET retreat in fall; Confirmation celebrated at the Cathedral in spring
- Blessed Youth group for teens
- Adult faith formation: OCIA, retreats, Catholic devotions (Holy Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic Processions)
- Parish Evangelization Cells System (PECS) — small-group faith sharing
OCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) is the formation process for adults who wish to become Catholic, for baptized Christians seeking full communion, and for Catholics who have missed sacraments beyond baptism. Classes meet on Sundays and are offered in both English and Spanish. Candidates are fully initiated into the Church at the Easter Vigil Mass. Inquiries go through the parish office at 651-738-0677.
- Open to unbaptized adults, baptized Christians, and Catholics needing First Communion or Confirmation
- Classes meet Sundays
- Offered in English and Spanish
- Initiation at the Easter Vigil
Parish Staff
Blessed Sacrament is served by a small but devoted staff led by Father Biju Mathew, with support from the administrative, faith formation, pastoral, and music offices. Joy Hoffman, who grew up in St. Thomas the Apostle and has worked in the parish for more than twenty years, serves as both Administrative Coordinator and Business Administrator. Martha Gonzalez has coordinated Faith Formation and the parish's Safe Environment program since 2021.
- Joy Hoffman — Administrative Coordinator / Business Administrator / Safe Environment Coordinator (651-738-0677 ext. 10; [email protected])
- Martha Gonzalez — Faith Formation Director / Safe Environment Coordinator (651-738-0677 ext. 18)
- Gerry Sowada — Pastoral Ministry (651-738-0677 ext. 12)
- Jan Meulemans — Music Director
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve the Church's worship in many ways, with a particular need at the Saturday 4:00 PM Mass. Liturgical ministries are organized through the Liturgy Committee and coordinated with the parish's Mass schedule.
- Lectors
- Altar Servers
- Cantors and Choir Members
- Children's Choir
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Hospitality and Ushers
- Sacristan
- Liturgy Committee
Catechesis and Evangelization
In addition to its school-year Faith Formation program, the parish runs a multi-generational program called Acorns to Oaks and a small-group faith-sharing system called PECS (Parish Evangelization Cells System). The Evangelization, Communications, and Stewardship committees help parishioners grow as missionary disciples.
- Acorns to Oaks (multi-generational Faith Formation)
- E Team — Evangelization Committee
- C Team — Communications Committee
- Stewardship Committee
- Faith Formation Catechist and Assistant Catechist
- Youth Ministry (Blessed Youth)
- Divine Mercy Cenacle
Service Groups and Outreach
Blessed Sacrament has a strong culture of service, with fraternal, social, and outreach organizations that bring parishioners together and send them out to their neighbors in need. Pastoral Ministry visits the sick, hospitalized, elderly, and homebound; the Marthas serve at funeral liturgies; and ongoing collection drives support missions serving women, children, and families in the Twin Cities and abroad.
- Men's Club
- Women's Club
- Knights of Columbus
- Marthas (Funeral Servers)
- Homebound Ministry
- Pastoral Ministry
- Pray for the Pastor
- Seven Sisters Apostolate
- Donut Sunday servers
- Philomena House
- Options for Women
- Venezuelan Mission
- Merrick Community Center
- CFIC Children's Mission
- Operations 23:0
- Ongoing collection drives
Parish Life and Community Events
Beyond Mass and ministry, Blessed Sacrament nurtures community through regular social events for parishioners of all ages — from donuts after Sunday Mass to a summer Fun Fest, a spring Rummage Sale, and a monthly luncheon for the 55 Club. The parish uses Flocknote to share weekly updates with parishioners.
- Donut Sunday (Sundays 9:30–10:45 AM)
- 55 Club Luncheon (third Tuesday at Noon)
- Rummage Sale (spring)
- Fun Fest (each year in August)
- Eucharistic Procession on Corpus Christi
- Annual Marian procession in December
- Friday Prayer Group (weekly)
- Parish bulletin and Flocknote email updates
Sacraments
Blessed Sacrament prepares parishioners for the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, First Communion), offers the sacrament of Reconciliation weekly, and welcomes adults into full communion through the OCIA process. Baptism coordination is handled by Kathy Ebert; faith formation classes prepare children for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation.
- Baptism — Coordinator Kathy Ebert, 651-247-5185
- First Reconciliation
- First Holy Communion (prepared through CGS)
- Confirmation — grades 8–12
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Sat 3:00–3:45 PM, Tue–Fri 11:30–11:55 AM, and by appointment
- OCIA for adults — English and Spanish
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father W. W. Finley1916–1946
Founded the parish in 1916 and built the original church in 1917; led the parish for thirty years.
- Father Tom Robertson1954–
Founded St. Thomas the Apostle parish on the East Side in 1954 to serve the growing Beaver Lake neighborhood.
- Father Biju Mathew2017–present
Ordained September 5, 1998, in India; joined the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis in 2017; current pastor and hospital chaplain.