About Cathedral of the Holy Trinity · New Ulm, Minnesota
The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is a Roman Catholic cathedral in New Ulm, Minnesota, and the mother church (seat) of the Diocese of New Ulm, established by Pope Pius XII on November 18, 1957. The current brick, Neo-Baroque church was built 1890–1893 by New Ulm's German Catholic community and lavishly decorated through 1903 by artist Alexander Schwendinger and his assistants. Since 2005 it has been part of the Holy Cross Area Faith Community, sharing priests and staff with St. Mary (New Ulm), St. John the Baptist (Searles), and St. George (West Newton Township), and serving roughly 6,400 registered Catholic households.
- Established
- 1858
- Patron
- Holy Trinity (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
- Rector
- Rev. Mark Steffl, JCL (Pastor of the Holy Cross Area Faith Community; also Vicar General, Moderator of the Curia, and Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of New Ulm)
- Diocese
- Diocese of New Ulm
Why belong here
The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is the spiritual heart of New Ulm — a city founded by German Catholic immigrants in 1854 — and serves as the cathedra, or seat, of the Bishop of New Ulm. Worshippers experience the full rhythms of Catholic life here: daily and Sunday Mass in English, weekly Confession, First Friday devotions, and an Adoration chapel shared with the neighboring parishes of the Holy Cross Area Faith Community. The parish combines a historic, ornate German-Baroque sanctuary with an active lay life — the Knights of Columbus, Council of Catholic Women, Christian Mothers, Catholic Order of Foresters, and Catholic United Financial all meet in and around the cathedral grounds, and Leifeld Hall hosts parish gatherings, faith formation, and community meals. For anyone visiting, the cathedral is open daily for prayer and sightseeing, and its clock-tower silhouette is one of New Ulm's most recognizable landmarks.
Mass times at Cathedral of the Holy Trinity
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:00 AM – 7:40 AM (Cathedral)
- Saturday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Cathedral)
- Saturday: 4:00 PM – 4:40 PM (Cathedral)
- 1st Friday: 6:30 AM (Cathedral)
Adoration times
- The Adoration Chapel is located at the Church of St. Mary (part of the same Holy Cross Area Faith Community); current weekly schedule is published on the AFC's Parish Life / Adoration Times page.
Cathedral of the Holy Trinity — Overview
The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is a Roman Catholic cathedral located at 605 N. State Street in New Ulm, Minnesota. It is the mother church (cathedra) of the Diocese of New Ulm, which was erected on November 18, 1957 by Pope Pius XII from territory taken from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The cathedral parish today operates as part of the Holy Cross Area Faith Community alongside St. Mary (New Ulm), St. John the Baptist (Searles), and St. George (West Newton Township), with a combined registered Catholic population of about 6,400 households. The Diocese of New Ulm is led by Bishop Chad W. Zielinski (installed 2022), and the cathedral itself is currently pastored by Rev. Mark Steffl, JCL, who also serves as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the diocese.
- Type: Roman Catholic cathedral and parish
- Diocese: New Ulm (established November 18, 1957)
- Address: 605 N. State Street, New Ulm, MN 56073
- Phone: (507) 354-4158
- Website: www.holycrossafc.org
- Style: Neo-Baroque, brick exterior
- Construction: cornerstone May 4, 1890; steeple 1893; interior completed 1903
History of Holy Trinity Parish
Holy Trinity Parish traces its origins to the fall of 1856, when the Jesuit missionary Father Franz X. Weninger, S.J. began ministering to Catholics at the Anton Kraus (now Pfaender) farm south of New Ulm. By February 1858, the local Catholic community was large enough to begin building a small wooden church at the north end of town, but the unfinished structure was pulled down by the town's defenders during the U.S.–Dakota War of 1862 so it could not be used as a barricade. After the war, local resident Michael Lauterbach gave Bishop Thomas L. Grace of St. Paul two lots in Block 111, Brown County, and on September 1, 1866 Bishop Grace laid the cornerstone for a second, brick Holy Trinity Church. Father Alexander Berghold was assigned as the first resident Catholic pastor of New Ulm in December 1868, and the completed 36-by-97-foot church — the first Catholic church in Minnesota with a chime of bells — was dedicated on September 11, 1870. (During construction, Mass was celebrated in the Baptist Carl Brewery across from the former St. Mary's School.) Father Berghold served 23 years at Holy Trinity, traveling to Europe in 1888 and returning to lead the push for the present, much larger church.
- 1856 — First Catholic mission at the Anton Kraus farm (Father Franz X. Weninger, S.J.)
- February 6, 1858 — First (wooden) Holy Trinity Church begun; destroyed during the 1862 U.S.–Dakota War
- September 1, 1866 — Cornerstone of the second (brick) church laid
- December 1868 — Father Alexander Berghold assigned as first resident Catholic pastor of New Ulm
- September 11, 1870 — Second church dedicated by Bishop Thomas Grace
- July 15, 1881 — Tornado destroys the second church; steeple blown off, bells found in the street
- 1888 — Fundraising completed for the present (third) church
The Present Cathedral: Building the Third Church (1890–1903)
The cornerstone for the present Cathedral of the Holy Trinity was laid on May 4, 1890, the bell/clock tower (steeple) was completed in 1893, and the elaborate interior — painted in heavy, dark colors accented with gold leaf in a German Baroque idiom — was finished in 1903. The original decorative program was carried out by the German-born artist Alexander Schwendinger, assisted by Christ Heller and Anton Gag (the latter being the father of the New Ulm-born artist Walter Gag). The sanctuary apse features a large painted image of the Holy Trinity surrounded by the Twelve Apostles, with the surrounding walls and ceilings covered in scenes from the life of Christ and images of saints and angels. A 1916 Brown County history lists the pastors to that date as Revs. Berghold (21 years), A. Plut (2 years), John Schroeder (6 years), B. Sandmeyer (11 years), and the then-current Robert Schlinkert.
- Cornerstone: May 4, 1890
- Steeple/clock tower: completed 1893
- Interior decoration: completed 1903
- Lead artist: Alexander Schwendinger (with Christ Heller and Anton Gag)
- Sanctuary apse painting: Holy Trinity and the Twelve Apostles
Becoming the Cathedral of the Diocese of New Ulm
On November 18, 1957, Pope Pius XII erected the Diocese of New Ulm, taking territory from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul, and named Holy Trinity Church in New Ulm as the new diocese's cathedral church. Bishop Alphonse James Schladweiler was ordained and consecrated as the first Bishop of New Ulm inside Holy Trinity on January 30, 1958. He was followed by Bishops Raymond A. Lucker (installed February 19, 1976), John D. Nienstedt (installed August 6, 2001), John M. LeVoir (installed September 15, 2008), and the current fifth bishop, Chad W. Zielinski (installed September 28, 2022). In 1965 the diocesan rectory on the cathedral grounds was enlarged with a new library, offices, and an apartment, and in 1987 a major renovation added a new north entrance with an elevator and accessible restrooms and converted the lower level into the Leifeld Community Hall, named for a former pastor, Msgr. Antony Leifeld. In 2017 Bishop LeVoir blessed a new pipe organ that replaced the long-serving Vogelpohl & Spaeth instrument, and in late 2021 the copper statue of St. Paul that had stood on the roof for over a century was lifted down for restoration.
- November 18, 1957 — Diocese of New Ulm erected; Holy Trinity named cathedral
- January 30, 1958 — Bishop Alphonse Schladweiler ordained first bishop
- 1976 — Bishop Raymond A. Lucker installed
- 2001 — Bishop John D. Nienstedt installed
- 2008 — Bishop John M. LeVoir installed
- 2022 — Bishop Chad W. Zielinski installed (fifth and current bishop)
- 1965 — Rectory enlarged (library, offices, apartment)
- 1987 — Cathedral renovated; lower level becomes Leifeld Hall
- 2017 — New pipe organ blessed by Bishop LeVoir
- 2021 — St. Paul statue removed from roof for restoration
Holy Cross Area Faith Community (2005–present)
In 2005 the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity was grouped with four neighboring parishes to form the Holy Cross Area Faith Community: the Cathedral, St. Mary in New Ulm, St. John the Baptist in Searles, St. George in West Newton Township, and St. Gregory the Great in Lafayette. In 2015 the diocese assigned a single pastor — Msgr. Douglas L. Grams — to all five AFC parishes, and shared priests and staff now serve about 6,400 registered Catholic households across the AFC. In 2021 St. Gregory the Great Parish in Lafayette closed, leaving the AFC at its current four parishes. The current pastor of the AFC is Rev. Mark Steffl, JCL, who also serves as Vicar General, Moderator of the Curia, and Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of New Ulm. The AFC shares Mass schedules, faith formation, and sacramental preparation, and the Adoration Chapel is located at the Church of St. Mary in New Ulm.
- Formed: 2005
- AFC parishes: Cathedral of the Holy Trinity; St. Mary, New Ulm; St. John the Baptist, Searles; St. George, West Newton Township (formerly also St. Gregory the Great, Lafayette — closed 2021)
- Pastors: Msgr. Douglas L. Grams (2015–c. 2024); Rev. Mark Steffl, JCL (current)
- Shared staff and faith-formation programs across ~6,400 households
- Adoration Chapel: located at the Church of St. Mary, New Ulm
Architecture, Art, and Interior
The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is a brick Neo-Baroque (German Baroque Revival) building whose tall clock-and-bell tower is one of New Ulm's most recognizable landmarks. Inside, the German Baroque influence is unmistakable: heavy, dark colors accented with gold leaf cover the walls and ceilings, with painted images of saints, angels, and scenes from the life of Christ surrounding worshippers on every side. The apse behind the altar features a large painting of the Holy Trinity with the Twelve Apostles. The decorative program was originally executed by Alexander Schwendinger, assisted by Christ Heller and Anton Gag (father of the New Ulm artist Walter Gag), and was carefully cleaned and restored — not repainted — in 1940. In 1987 a new north entrance with elevator and accessible restrooms was built, and the lower level was converted into the Leifeld Community Hall. A new pipe organ, replacing an instrument built by the New Ulm firm of Vogelpohl & Spaeth, was blessed by Bishop LeVoir on August 13, 2017.
- Style: Neo-Baroque / German Baroque Revival
- Materials: red brick exterior; painted plaster interior with gold-leaf accents
- Sanctuary apse: painting of the Holy Trinity with the Twelve Apostles
- Wall paintings: saints, angels, and scenes from the life of Christ by Schwendinger, Heller, and Gag
- Terrazzo floor: laid 1940
- North entrance, elevator, accessible restrooms: added 1987
- Lower level: Leifeld Community Hall (named for Msgr. Antony Leifeld)
- Pipe organ: new instrument blessed August 13, 2017
- St. Paul statue: copper, on the roof for over a century; removed for restoration in 2021
Parish Organizations and Ministries
The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity hosts several long-standing parish organizations. The Knights of Columbus council supports parish and community life; the Council of Catholic Women (CCW) supports, empowers, and educates Catholic women in spirituality, leadership, and service; the Christian Mothers chapter aims to support the spiritual, social, and economic growth of women in the parish (meeting on the 1st Tuesday at 6:00 PM in Leifeld Hall, no meetings in January, February, July, or August); and members participate in the Catholic Order of Foresters and Catholic United Financial. Liturgical ministries, music, faith formation, youth ministry, and sacramental preparation are run jointly across the Holy Cross AFC parishes.
- Knights of Columbus (Cathedral council)
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW)
- Christian Mothers — meets 1st Tuesday, 6:00 PM in Leifeld Hall
- Catholic Order of Foresters
- Catholic United Financial
- Joint AFC faith formation, youth ministry, and sacramental preparation
Clergy and Staff
The current pastor of the Holy Cross AFC — which includes the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity — is Rev. Mark Steffl, JCL, who also serves as Vicar General, Moderator of the Curia, and Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of New Ulm. He is assisted by Rev. Tanner Thooft (Parochial Vicar of the Holy Cross AFC and Assistant Vocations Director for the diocese), Msgr. Eugene Lozinski (Senior Associate), and the deacons and lay staff of the four-parish AFC. The Bishop whose cathedra resides in the cathedral is Most Rev. Chad W. Zielinski, fifth Bishop of New Ulm, installed September 28, 2022.
- Pastor: Rev. Mark Steffl, JCL
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Tanner Thooft
- Senior Associate: Msgr. Eugene Lozinski
- Diocesan Bishop: Most Rev. Chad W. Zielinski
- Parish office: 605 N. State St., New Ulm, MN 56073 — (507) 354-4158 — [email protected]
Visiting New Ulm and the Cathedral
New Ulm is a small Minnesota city on the Minnesota and Cottonwood rivers, founded in 1854 by German immigrants and still famous for its German heritage — including the annual Oktoberfest, the Hermann Heights monument, and Schell's Brewery. The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity stands at 605 N. State Street and is open daily from approximately 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM for visitors and quiet prayer. The interior is the main draw: the German-Baroque painted sanctuary, the apse painting of the Holy Trinity and the Twelve Apostles, the terrazzo floor laid in 1940, the 2017 pipe organ, and the bell/clock tower that dominates the north-side skyline. Leifeld Hall in the lower level hosts parish and community events and is named for a former pastor, Msgr. Antony Leifeld.
- Visiting hours: daily, 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- On-site parking; accessible north entrance with elevator
- Adjacent to the New Ulm Area Catholic Schools middle-school building
- Landmarks nearby: downtown New Ulm, Hermann Heights monument, August Schell Brewing Company
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Franz X. Weninger, S.J.From 1856 (missionary, not resident pastor)
Jesuit missionary who first preached Catholicism at the Anton Kraus farm near New Ulm in fall 1856.
- Rev. Alexander Berghold1868/1869 – c. 1889 (23 years)
First resident Catholic pastor of New Ulm; oversaw completion of the second Holy Trinity Church (1870), its destruction by the 1881 tornado, and fundraising for the present (third) church.
- Rev. A. PlutAfter Berghold; about 2 years
Per 1916 Brown County history.
- Rev. John SchroederAfter Plut; about 6 years
Per 1916 Brown County history.
- Rev. B. SandmeyerAfter Schroeder; about 11 years
Per 1916 Brown County history.
- Rev. Robert SchlinkertBy 1916 (incumbent at time of 1916 history)
Listed as the then-current pastor in the 1916 Brown County history.
- Msgr. Antony Leifeld20th century
Former pastor of Holy Trinity Cathedral; honored by the naming of the lower-level Leifeld Community Hall (renovated 1987).
- Msgr. John RichterRector 2002 – retired July 26, 2017
Also superintendent of New Ulm Area Catholic Schools 2002–2015; became Senior Associate 2015–2017. Estimated he celebrated about 30,000 Masses over 53 years of priesthood.
- Msgr. Douglas L. GramsAppointed Rector July 1, 2015; reassigned c. 2024
Ordained June 13, 1987; served as Diocesan Administrator 2007–2008 and again 2020–2022; later moved to pastor of Apostles Peter and Paul AFC in St. Peter/Nicollet.
- Rev. Mark Steffl, JCLFrom c. 2024
Current pastor of Holy Cross AFC parishes; concurrently Vicar General, Moderator of the Curia, and Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of New Ulm.