About Holy Spirit · Mitchell, South Dakota
Holy Spirit Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located at 1401 W. Cedar Avenue in Mitchell, South Dakota, in the Diocese of Sioux Falls. Founded in 1962 and first worshipping on June 29, 1963, it was created to serve the growing Catholic population on the western side of Mitchell, uniting more than four hundred families from that area. Today Holy Spirit worships alongside its sister parish, Holy Family Catholic Church, as part of the unified Mitchell Catholic Parishes, sharing clergy and staff from the Pro Ecclesia Sancta community and offering Mass seven days a week along with daily Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation for all ages, and an active social outreach ministry.
- Established
- 1962
- Patron
- The Holy Spirit (third Person of the Holy Trinity)
- Rector
- Rev. John Short (Pastor; listed on the parish staff page as Acting Pastor / priest in solidum of the pastorate)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux Falls
Why belong here
Holy Spirit Catholic Church offers a full, active liturgical and devotional life: three Sunday Masses, daily weekday Masses, daily and weekly Eucharistic Adoration in its chapel, and regular Reconciliation on Saturday afternoons and before Sunday Masses. The parish is a hub for faith formation across all ages — K-6 family faith formation, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in a dedicated atrium, Semper Youth Group for junior high and high school, Semper College for college-aged Catholics, and an adult 'School of Faith' on Wednesday evenings. Add in its music ministry, social-concerns outreach (Meals on Wheels, Mitchell Food Pantry, homebound Communion), a strong men's group, and its partnership with Holy Family in the unified Mitchell Catholic Parishes, and newcomers find a community ready to pray with them, walk with them, and put faith into action.
Mass times at Holy Spirit
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:00 – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 30 minutes before each Mass (8:30–8:50 AM before the 9:00 AM Mass; 10:30–10:50 AM before the 11:00 AM Mass)
- By appointment (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Chapel)
- Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Chapel)
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 8:55 PM (Chapel)
- Friday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Chapel)
Parish Identity & History
Holy Spirit Catholic Church is one of two parishes in Mitchell, South Dakota, alongside Holy Family Catholic Church, forming the unified Mitchell Catholic Parishes in the Diocese of Sioux Falls. Founded in 1962 by Rev. Thomas J. McPhillips to serve the growing Catholic population on Mitchell's west side, the parish first worshipped on June 29, 1963 in a funeral parlor chapel before moving into the second floor of City Hall and beginning construction of a rectory. The contemporary-design church at 1401 W. Cedar Ave. was dedicated by Bishop Lambert Hoch on Pentecost Sunday, 1977. The parish's full pastor succession — from founding pastor McPhillips, through Joyce, Swietochowski, Schneider, and current pastor Fr. John Short (since July 6, 2016) — is preserved on the parish website.
- Founded 1962; first Mass June 29, 1963
- Pastorate: Mitchell Catholic Parishes (with Holy Family)
- Diocese of Sioux Falls
- Address: 1401 W. Cedar Ave., Mitchell, SD 57301
Clergy, Staff & Pastoral Leadership
Pastoral leadership at Holy Spirit is now exercised as a priest-in-solidum team within the unified Mitchell Catholic Parishes, supported by a Deacon, the Pro Ecclesia Sancta brothers, and an administrative staff. Day-to-day parish operations, finances, sacraments, communications, music, and facilities are handled by named staff listed on the parish website.
- Pastor: Rev. John Short (priest in solidum)
- Co-Pastor: Rev. Yamato Icochea (priest in solidum & moderator, serving Our Lady of Victory Pastorate)
- Associate Pastor: Rev. Juan Carlos Villavicienco
- Deacon: Dr. Joseph Graves (assigned to Holy Family)
- Pro Ecclesia Sancta brothers: Br. Esteban Camere, Br. Bryan Esquivias, Br. John Vogel, Br. Howie, Br. Jack, Br. Xavier, Br. Will; Aspirant John
- Discipleship & Evangelization Director: Christine Lemmer (605-996-3842)
- Business Manager: John Heemstra (ext. 9); Finance Manager: Tim Goldammer (ext. 5); Sacrament Manager: Nicole Fuhhrer (ext. 2); Office Manager: Craig Haiar; Music Director; Facilities Manager Andy Deinert; Custodian Pat Oleson; Communications Director Stephanie Van Zee (ext. 7); Communications Intern Emma Johnson
- Pastoral Council, Finance Council, Buildings & Grounds, and Calvary Cemetery Board — all staffed by named parishioners
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Discipleship & Evangelization Office, based at Holy Spirit, coordinates formation for every age: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for the youngest, K-6 family faith formation on Wednesday evenings, a Grades 7-12 program run by the Pro Ecclesia Sancta brothers, the Semper Youth Group, and Semper College for college-aged Catholics.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — Level I Atrium (ages 3–6) at Holy Spirit; Levels II and III in discernment
- K-6 Family Faith Formation — Wednesday evenings, Holy Spirit campus
- Grades 7-12 Faith Formation — overseen by Pro Ecclesia Sancta brothers
- Semper Youth Group (junior high & high school) — with retreats
- Semper College — Tuesday evenings, 7:00–8:30 PM, Nazareth Room at Holy Family
- Adult 'School of Faith' with Fr. Cesar — Wed 6:00–7:15 PM, Holy Spirit Gathering Space (free childcare in the St. John Paul II gym)
Sacraments
Information for the seven sacraments is published across the parish website, with clear pathways for both children and adults. Preparation typically happens through the Faith Formation office, with adults entering via OCIA.
- OCIA / RCIA for adults (and older youth) seeking Baptism, Eucharist, and/or Confirmation
- Baptism — preparation required; contact parish office
- First Reconciliation and First Communion — typically in 2nd grade, after Baptism
- Confirmation — youth preparation through Faith Formation office
- Marriage — preparation and scheduling through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment through the parish office
Liturgical & Music Ministries
Parishioners serve Mass in a wide variety of liturgical roles, and the music program welcomes choir members, cantors, and instrumentalists across both Mitchell parishes.
- Sacristan, Usher, Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Altar Server, Greeter/Gift Bearer
- Music Ministry — choir, cantors, instrumentalists (contact the parish office)
- Pro Ecclesia Sancta brothers serve as Masters of Ceremonies
- Livestream Mass / Events team
Groups & Outreach
Mitchell Catholic Parishes maintain a robust outreach ministry to the homebound, the hungry, and those on the margins of the community, alongside formation groups for adults and men.
- Meals on Wheels — Holy Spirit route coordinated by Deb Barondeau (605-292-2000)
- Holy Communion to the Homebound — coordinated through Fr. Yamato
- Mitchell Food Pantry
- Social Concerns — Love Feast, new-baby baskets, homebound visits
- That Man is You! Men's Group — Thu 6:00–7:30 AM at Holy Spirit (Ryan Mueller 605-660-4375; Dean Uher 605-630-3577; Vince Boddicker 605-770-9913)
- Eucharistic Adoration volunteers
- Living Stations of the Cross
Facilities, School & Cemetery
The Holy Spirit campus at 1401 W. Cedar Ave. includes the contemporary church (dedicated 1977), the adjoining parish school that today houses St. John Paul II School, a dedicated adoration chapel, a parish hall, and a rectory. A Calvary Cemetery Board cares for the parish cemetery.
- Contemporary church (dedicated Pentecost 1977, ~570 seats)
- Adoration chapel (extended Adoration Tue–Fri)
- Parish hall and rectory added under Fr. Swietochowski
- St. John Paul II School — uses the Holy Spirit gym for faith-formation childcare
- Calvary Cemetery Board
- Mitchell Catholic Foundation
Getting Involved & Contact
Whether you want to attend Mass, sign up for formation, volunteer with outreach, or just ask a question, the parish is reachable through one shared phone line and email, with most ministries coordinated through the Discipleship & Evangelization Office.
- Phone: 605-996-3639
- Email: [email protected]
- Discipleship & Evangelization Office (at Holy Spirit): 605-996-3842, [email protected]
- Website: mitchellcatholic.org (formerly holyspiritmitchell.org)
- Mass livestream available through the parish website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Thomas J. McPhillips1962 – August 1968
Founding pastor; returned to Mitchell from Holy Family to start the second parish; celebrated first Mass on June 29, 1963 in a funeral parlor chapel.
- Rev. James M. JoyceAugust 1968 – (succeeded by next listed pastor)
Second pastor; oversaw planning and construction of the new church building, dedicated by Bishop Lambert Hoch on Pentecost Sunday, 1977.
- Rev. Andrew SwietochowskiJuly 2001 – July 2010
Built new adoration chapel, parish hall, and rectory, all adjoined to the existing facility; transferred to White Lake and Kimball.
- Rev. Michael SchneiderAugust 3, 2010 – July 6, 2016
Transferred to Huron in July 2016.
- Rev. John ShortJuly 6, 2016 – present
Current pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Church, now serving within the unified Mitchell Catholic Parishes.