About Holy Family · Grand Forks, North Dakota
Holy Family Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 1018 18th Avenue South in Grand Forks, North Dakota, in the Diocese of Fargo. Founded in 1960 to serve the growing south end of Grand Forks during the expansion of the University of North Dakota and Grand Forks Air Force Base, it was the third Catholic parish established in the city and grew from 388 founding families into the parish it is today. The parish shares the Holy Family–St. Mary's Catholic School with neighboring St. Mary's Parish through the All Saints Catholic Schools Network, and offers daily and weekend Masses, a Faith Formation religious education program, sacramental preparation, and a range of liturgical and outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1960
- Patron
- The Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph)
- Rector
- Father Bill Gerlach
- Diocese
- Diocese of Fargo
Why belong here
Holy Family is a mid-century-founded parish rooted in the south side of Grand Forks with a real sense of family and continuity — founded by 388 families in 1960 and still serving multiple generations today. The parish offers daily and weekend Mass, Saturday confessions in the Divine Mercy Chapel, a robust Faith Formation program on Wednesday evenings for children in sacramental prep, and the parish's own Holy Family–St. Mary's Catholic School (part of the All Saints Catholic Schools Network). With active music, outreach, and parish school ministries — and a small, named staff parishioners get to know — it's a place where you can plug in, raise children in the faith, and be known.
Mass times at Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 11:00 AM – Noon
- Saturday 4:00 – 4:45 PM
- By appointment (call 701-746-1454); held in the Divine Mercy Chapel
About Holy Family Parish
Holy Family Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Fargo located on the south side of Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was founded in 1960 as the third Catholic parish in the city, and today is served by a pastor and parochial vicar alongside a small named staff of faith-formation, music, outreach, and administrative ministers. The parish gathers for daily and weekend Mass, prepares children and adults for the sacraments, and partners with neighboring St. Mary's Parish to run the Holy Family–St. Mary's Catholic School.
- Parish of the Diocese of Fargo
- Founded 1960 (third Catholic parish in Grand Forks)
- Located at 1018 18th Ave S, Grand Forks, ND 58201
History of Holy Family
Holy Family Parish traces its origins to the late 1950s, when the growth of the University of North Dakota and the construction of Grand Forks Air Force Base swelled the city's Catholic population and strained St. Mary's Parish. In March 1960, Auxiliary Bishop Leo Dworschak announced a new parish for the south side of Grand Forks, and founding pastor Reverend John Axtman, together with a lay steering committee, planned and built the school, gymnasium-as-temporary-church, and eventually the church building. Parishioners chose the name 'Holy Family' in a plebiscite on April 10, 1960, and the parish officially began on July 1, 1960 with 388 founding families.
- March 18, 1960: Bishop Dworschak announces new south-side parish
- April 10, 1960: Plebiscite selects the name 'Holy Family'
- May 2, 1960: Name announced publicly
- July 1, 1960: Parish officially begins
- July 3, 1960: First Masses in Viking Elementary gymnasium
- July 21, 1960: Daily Mass begins in temporary rectory at 910 Campbell Drive
- March 23, 1961: Groundbreaking for school
- October 14, 1961: First baptism in the new church (Mark Ernest Kieffer)
- October 15, 1961: First Masses in the temporary church
- December 2, 1961: First wedding in the new church (James Uhlir & Angeline Valinski)
Founding Leaders
Reverend John Axtman was the founding pastor. A steering committee of 19 laymen was appointed by Monsignor David Boyle of St. Mary's to help plan the parish, and Bernard McDermott and Thomas P. McElroy Jr. were chosen as the first lay directors on July 7, 1960.
- Founding Pastor: Reverend John Axtman
- Steering committee members: Don Bohlman, Larry Brown, James Coleman, Thomas Dooher, Edward Gillig, Arthur Gustafson, Jack V. Lynch, Bernard McDermott, John A. McDonald, Thomas P. McElroy Jr., Walter J. Mikkelson, Leo Mondry, Jerome O'Halloran, John O'Keefe, George Phelps Sr., H. G. Ruemmele, James Ryan, Dale Youngern
- First lay directors: Bernard McDermott and Thomas P. McElroy Jr.
- Architect: William Harrie of DeRemer, Harrie & Kennedy, Grand Forks
Sacraments
The parish prepares children and adults for the sacraments of initiation through Faith Formation and the parish school. In the Diocese of Fargo, First Eucharist and Confirmation are usually celebrated in 3rd grade, with Reconciliation typically in 2nd grade. Older students who need to catch up are accommodated, and sacramental preparation includes periodic meetings or retreats, parent-child conversations, and a final meeting with the priest.
- Reconciliation – typically 2nd grade
- First Eucharist – typically 3rd grade
- Confirmation – typically 3rd grade
- Baptism – contact the parish office
- Marriage – contact the parish office
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Holy Family's Faith Formation program is the parish's religious education offering for children whose primary education happens outside HFSM school. Classes run weekly on Wednesday evenings from September through mid-May. The parish describes Faith Formation as 'more than a subject to be taught — it is an invitation to a way of life,' and welcomes registrations for sacramental prep tracks (Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation) as well as for general religious education. The director of religious education is Allison Comstock.
- Wednesday evening classes, September through mid-May
- Sacrament prep tracks: Reconciliation (2nd), Eucharist (3rd), Confirmation (4th)
- Catch-up registration available for older students
- Director of Religious Education: Allison Comstock ([email protected])
Holy Family–St. Mary's Catholic School (HFSM)
Holy Family shares a parish school with neighboring St. Mary's Parish: Holy Family–St. Mary's Catholic School (HFSM), part of the All Saints Catholic Schools Network that also includes St. Michael's Catholic School and the future St. Carlo Acutis Middle School. HFSM is a small school that emphasizes individualized learning, faith-based education, and close family–school relationships, with weekly student-led school Mass attended by parents and parishioners.
- All Saints Catholic Schools Network (Preschool through 6th Grade)
- Weekly student-led school Mass with visiting priests from Holy Family and St. Mary's
- Education in Virtue program (Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance)
- Fully accredited by Cognia
- 1:1 devices for educational technology
- Daily faith formation and morning prayer
Music & Liturgy
Music ministry at Holy Family is coordinated by Cheryl Hahn, Music Ministry Coordinator and Choir Director, who leads the parish choir that supports weekend and daily liturgy. The parish also livestreams daily and Sunday Masses through its Mass Recording ministry, run by volunteers Loren Nowacki and Betty McDonald.
- Choir Director / Music Ministry Coordinator: Cheryl Hahn
- Parish choir supports daily and Sunday liturgy
- Daily and Sunday Masses livestreamed online
- Livestream volunteers: Loren Nowacki and Betty McDonald
Outreach
Parish outreach is coordinated by Outreach Coordinator Mary Jane Hennemann. The parish encourages parishioners to get involved in serving the broader Grand Forks community through its outreach efforts and the wider network of parish ministries.
- Outreach Coordinator: Mary Jane Hennemann
Parish Staff
Holy Family is served by a small, named staff of clergy and lay ministers who parishioners get to know by name. The pastor is Father Bill Gerlach and the parochial vicar is Father K. Yesu Varaprakasam.
- Pastor: Father Bill Gerlach
- Parochial Vicar: Father K. Yesu Varaprakasam ([email protected])
- Director of Religious Education: Allison Comstock
- Music Ministry Coordinator / Choir Director: Cheryl Hahn
- Outreach Coordinator: Mary Jane Hennemann
- Business Manager: Elizabeth Dahlgren
- Parish Secretary: Theresa Gosselin
Parish Office
The parish office follows the HFSM School on closing during severe weather — if school is cancelled, the office is also closed. Online giving and registration forms are available through the parish website.
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Phone: 701-746-1454
- Bulletin email: [email protected]
- Address: 1018 18th Ave S, Grand Forks, ND 58201
- Online giving available via the parish website
Becoming a Parishioner
Newcomers can register as parishioners by completing the registration form (linked from the website) and returning it by mail to the parish office, by email, by dropping it off at the office, or by placing it in the collection basket.
- Registration form available at holyfamilygf.org
- Return options: mail, email ([email protected]), drop-off, or collection basket
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend John Axtman1960–founding pastor
Named founding pastor by Auxiliary Bishop Leo Dworschak in 1960; led the parish from the temporary rectory at 910 Campbell Drive and oversaw construction of the school, gymnasium-as-temporary-church, and the eventual church building.