About Church of St Bridget of Minneapolis · Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Church of St. Bridget of Minneapolis is a Roman Catholic parish serving the Northside neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, within the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Founded in 1915 and currently served by the Redemptorist Fathers (CSsR), the parish is known in its community as "The Little Church that Does" and describes its mission with the words "We choose to be the presence of Christ on the Northside." In 2012 it absorbed the nearby parish of St. Austin, and in December 2025 it welcomed a further merger with Our Lady of Victory, Minneapolis. It has a strong reputation for ecumenical and interfaith peace work, including helping to birth the Twin Cities "Come Together" movement in 2016.
- Established
- 1915
- Patron
- St. Bridget of Kildare (Brigid of Ireland)
- Rector
- Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Bridget bills itself as "The Little Church that Does" — a small, family-sized Catholic community on Minneapolis's Northside where, in the words of its pastor, "everyone has a voice" and decisions are made together with the parish council, finance council and trustees. It offers weekday and Sunday Mass in English, Eucharistic adoration on Tuesday mornings, a Thursday novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, weekly prayers for vocations, active youth and parish-council ministries, and a well-documented history of ecumenical and interfaith outreach, including the Come Together peace movement. The parish describes itself as a "Pope Francis parish" that treasures both Catholic tradition and a modern Gospel call to serve those on the margins of the Northside.
Mass times at Church of St Bridget of Minneapolis
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 3:15 PM (Standard Time, Nov–Mar)
- Saturdays at 3:45 PM (Daylight Saving Time, Mar–Nov)
Adoration times
- Tuesdays, 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM, following 8:00 AM Mass (September through May)
About the Parish
St. Bridget of Minneapolis is a small, mission-driven Catholic parish on Minneapolis's Northside, founded in 1915 and currently served by the Redemptorist Fathers. The parish is known locally as "The Little Church that Does," and its tagline — "We choose to be the presence of Christ on the Northside" — captures both its community life and its commitment to those on the margins. The community is English-speaking and is recognized as a "Pope Francis parish" for the way it pairs Catholic tradition with outreach, ecumenical cooperation, and social-justice work.
- Founded May 1915 by Fr. James Donahoe
- Present church dedicated by Archbishop Binz, 1963
- Served by the Redemptorists (CSsR)
- Nickname: "The Little Church that Does"
Parish History
The parish was built almost literally by hand in 1915 by its founding pastor, Fr. James Donahoe, who carried lumber across the Mississippi River to construct the first church. Over the next fifteen years he added a parish house (1918), a school (1922) and a convent (1930). As north Minneapolis's Catholic population grew, the neighboring parish of St. Austin was established in 1937, less than a mile away. The present St. Bridget church was dedicated in 1963 by Archbishop Binz. In 2012, after years of demographic change, St. Austin was merged into St. Bridget; in December 2025 a further merger brought Our Lady of Victory, Minneapolis, into the same parish community.
- 1915 – Parish established; first church built
- 1918 – Parish house built
- 1922 – School built
- 1930 – Convent built
- 1937 – Nearby St. Austin parish established
- 1963 – Present church dedicated by Archbishop Binz
- 2012 – St. Austin merged into St. Bridget
- December 2025 – Our Lady of Victory merged into St. Bridget
Founding Pastor: Fr. James Donahoe
The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis describes Fr. James Donahoe as the driving force behind St. Bridget's founding in 1915. Renowned for his kindness, charity and industriousness, he raised the funds for the new parish and even hauled lumber personally from the lumber yards across the Mississippi River. He oversaw the original church (1915), parish house (1918), school (1922) and convent (1930).
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by Redemptorist Fr. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR, who has served as Parochial Administrator since 2019. He works closely with fellow Redemptorist Fr. Paul Jarvis, CSsR, a long-time pastor and co-founder of the Come Together movement. The parish is also served by Deacon Rich Heineman, and the lay staff has historically included a Parish Director of Worship, a Pastoral Minister, a Parish Youth Minister, a Parish Life Administrator, and Parish Trustees.
- Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR – Parochial Administrator (since 2019)
- Rev. Paul Jarvis, CSsR – priest in residence, long-serving pastor
- Deacon Rich Heineman
- Parish Director of Worship (historically Heather Johnson)
- Pastoral Minister (historically Sr. Gert Brixius)
- Parish Youth Minister (historically Alex Schindler)
- Parish Council, Finance Council, and Parish Trustees
Pastor: Fr. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR
In his 2023 welcome letter, Fr. Marcel Emeka Okwara describes himself as a Redemptorist, "born and ordained in Nigeria" on June 30, 2007, and sent to the United States the same year. He served as Associate Pastor at Holy Names of Jesus & Mary in Memphis (2007–2011), Pastor of St. Gerard Majella in Baton Rouge (2011–2015), and Associate Pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption in Whittier, California (2015–2019), before being assigned in 2019 to St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center and as Parochial Administrator of St. Bridget, Minneapolis. He quotes St. Augustine of Hippo on his style of ministry: "For my parishioners, I am a priest, the parochial administrator, but with them, I am a Christian."
Come Together Ecumenical Peace Movement
In September 2016, after the killings of two children on the Northside and the shooting of Philando Castile in nearby Falcon Heights, St. Bridget's then-pastor Fr. Paul Jarvis, parishioner Bonnie Steele, Deacon Rich Heineman, and Pastor Paul Slack of New Creation Church launched Come Together, a monthly gathering of ecumenical prayer, music and reflection followed by neighborhood peace walks. By 2017 it included St. Bridget's, Zion Baptist, New Creation, Sanctuary Covenant, Church of the Ascension, Lutheran Social Services, Diamond Lake Lutheran, Macedonia Baptist, St. Peter AME, and the faculty of Luther Seminary. On March 16, 2017, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota honored the founders with its "Movement of Hope" award.
- Founded September 2016 at St. Bridget's
- Monthly ecumenical prayer + Peace Walks
- 2017 Lutheran Social Service "Movement of Hope" award
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Beyond its sacramental life, St. Bridget's runs the lay ministries, councils and organizations typical of a small Catholic parish. The parish bulletin schedules Altar Servers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Sacristans and Ushers/Greeters each weekend, and the parish supports the Knights of Columbus (with an annual Knights Mass), the Council of Catholic Women, a youth ministry, faith formation, a worship team, pastoral care, and a social-justice/community-outreach ministry.
- Parish Council & Finance Council
- Knights of Columbus (4th degree)
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW)
- Youth Ministry
- Faith Formation
- Worship / Liturgy team
- Pastoral Care
- Social Justice & Community Outreach
- Altar Servers, Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Sacristans, Ushers/Greeters
Visit, Contact & Office Information
St. Bridget's parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM, and can be reached by phone at (612) 529-7779 or by email at [email protected]. The mailing address is 3811 Emerson Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55412. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis also lists the parish fax line and a Google Maps link on its directory page.
- Address: 3811 Emerson Avenue N, Minneapolis, MN 55412
- Phone: (612) 529-7779
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu, 7:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James Donahoe1915–
Founding pastor; organized and raised funds for the parish, reportedly carrying lumber across the Mississippi River from the lumber yards. Oversaw construction of the first church (1915), parish house (1918), school (1922), and convent (1930).
- Fr. Paul Jarvis, CSsRat least through 2017–2018; co-laboring with Fr. Okwara by 2023
Redemptorist; long-serving pastor; co-founder in 2016 of the Come Together ecumenical peace movement with parishioners and Northside clergy; 4th degree Knight of Columbus, inducted into the Knights' statewide Hall of Fame.
- Rev. Marcel E. Okwara, CSsR2019–present
Redemptorist, born and ordained in Nigeria (2007); came to St. Bridget in 2019 as Associate Pastor of nearby St. Alphonsus, Brooklyn Center, and Parochial Administrator of St. Bridget.