About Mary of the Visitation (Becker site) · Becker, Minnesota
Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Saint Cloud serving the communities of Becker and Big Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota. Formed in May 2012 by merging the parishes of Immaculate Conception in Becker and Our Lady of the Lake in Big Lake, it operates weekend Masses that rotate between the two locations and is pastored by Fr. Mike Kellogg. The parish's stated mission is to be a Catholic community bound together by the Word of God, sacramental worship, and the call to service, with the motto 'See Christ in others, be Christ for others.'
- Established
- 2012 (merged); Becker parish organized 1919; Big Lake parish founded 1958
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of her Visitation to Elizabeth
- Rector
- Fr. Mike Kellogg
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saint Cloud
Why belong here
Mary of the Visitation is a vibrant merged parish that anchors Catholic life across Becker and Big Lake with rotating weekend Masses at both locations, daily Masses, Adoration in Becker, and a full sacramental schedule including Reconciliation. It runs a robust Faith Formation program called Revive for families, a dedicated Youth & Young Adult Ministry with Vacation Bible School and Confirmation prep, plus women's Bible study, men's group, Knights of Columbus service projects, and a Lenten 'Make Lent Great!' all-parish works-of-mercy event. With its motto 'See Christ in others, be Christ for others,' it offers concrete ways to put faith into action through fellowship, service to the poor and homeless, and care for the bereaved.
Mass times at Mary of the Visitation (Becker site)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 9:00am at St. Marcus (Clear Lake)
- Saturday 3:45–4:15pm at Mary of the Visitation (in the location of that weekend's Mass)
- By appointment — contact Father Mike
Adoration times
- Adoration in Becker (per the parish calendar; 5:00am Adoration/Becker)
Welcome and Parish Identity
Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church welcomes visitors with a clear mission statement: 'Through the proclamation of the Word of God and embraced by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we seek to be welcoming, to grow spiritually, to see Christ's presence in others, and to offer our care and service to all.' The parish's mission is to be a Catholic community bound together by the Word of God, sacramental worship, and the call to service, embodied in its motto: 'See Christ in others, be Christ for others.' Worship currently centers on the Becker site, with the Big Lake location no longer used for Masses following the diocese's 'All Things New' initiative.
- Mission: a Catholic community bound by Word, sacrament, and service
- Motto: 'See Christ in others, be Christ for others'
- Mailing address: PO Box 100, Big Lake, MN 55309
- Phone: 763-447-3339
- Email: [email protected]
History of the Parish
Mary of the Visitation was formed in May 2012 from the merger of Immaculate Conception in Becker and Our Lady of the Lake in Big Lake. The Becker parish traces back to 1859 when Benedictine monks from St. John's Abbey first visited 'Pleasant Valley,' and was formally organized in October 1919 as St. Joseph's, renamed Immaculate Conception in 1924. The Big Lake parish was founded in 1958 by 47 Catholic families. Bishop John F. Kinney's 2008 Diocesan Planning Council recommendation set the stage for the 2012 merger under first pastor Fr. Eugene Doyle, succeeded in 2016 by Fr. Mike Kellogg.
- 1859 — Benedictine monks from St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, begin mission visits to Becker
- 1889 — Becker listed as a mission of Little Falls when Diocese of St. Cloud forms
- 1906 — Regular Mass begins at Becker in the Odd Fellows Hall
- October 1919 — Becker parish organized as St. Joseph's by Father Joseph Trobec
- 1924 — Renamed Immaculate Conception; incorporated under that name
- 1942 — Church addition built
- 1950–51 — Church relocated again when Highway 10 was widened
- 1958 — Our Lady of the Lake founded in Big Lake by 47 Catholic families
- 1987–88 — Present Becker church built on Sherburne Avenue; old 1919 church dismantled June 1988
- May 2012 — Merger into Mary of the Visitation under Fr. Eugene Doyle
- 2016 — Fr. Mike Kellogg becomes second pastor
Immaculate Conception — Becker
The Becker community grew from 17 original families to over 500 by 2002. It was served by mission priests from the St. Cloud area until 1981, when a parish house was built on land purchased in 1976. The 1988 church on Sherburne Avenue incorporated furnishings from the original 1919 Hancock Street church. By 2003 a planning committee was developing long-term goals, installing AV systems in 2005 and commissioning a master plan in 2008.
- First church purchased from a Lutheran congregation, moved to Highway 10 in July 1920
- Father Michael Kremer (1940–44) volunteered to be pastor while remaining chancellor and chaplain of the Poor Clare Sisters
- Ground broken June 7, 1987 (Pentecost Sunday, start of a Marian Year)
- Palm Sunday, March 27, 1988 — procession from old Hancock Street church to new Sherburne Avenue church
Our Lady of the Lake — Big Lake
Our Lady of the Lake began in the 1950s as the Big Lake community grew. Forty-seven Catholic families made a leap of faith and purchased land, founding the parish in 1958 and dedicating the new church on November 23, 1958, with about 80 families present. The community grew to roughly 750 registered families. Through the Diocese of St. Cloud's 'All Things New' initiative, the Big Lake location no longer holds Masses or houses the Blessed Sacrament; a parish team is reviewing all options for the property.
- 1955 — Land purchased
- 1958 — Parish founded and church dedicated November 23
- Pastors included Frs. Joseph Linn, John Kroll, Leo Revering, Ray Ringwelski, Richard Wey, Nic Dressen, Ralph Zimmerman, and Eugene Doyle
- Currently no Masses celebrated at Big Lake site
Pastor and Staff
Mary of the Visitation is led by Pastor Fr. Mike Kellogg, who has served since 2016. He succeeded founding pastor Fr. Eugene Doyle (2012–2016). The parish team also includes a Director of Faith Formation (Katy Lentz is mentioned in diocesan coverage of parish events), Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry Margaret Manese, Director of Liturgy & Music Kevin Sharpe, Director of Liturgy & Music (separate listing) Emily Adelman, Finance lead Gretchen Roe, Communications Coordinator Amber Wilfahrt, Parish Life Coordinator Alexzia DeChene, and Housekeeping lead Teresa Riebel.
- Fr. Mike Kellogg — Pastor (2016–present)
- Margaret Manese — Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry ([email protected])
- Katy Lentz — Director of Faith Formation (per diocesan coverage)
- Emily Adelman — Director of Liturgy & Music
- Kevin Sharpe — Director of Liturgy & Music
- Gretchen Roe — Finance
- Amber Wilfahrt — Communications Coordinator
- Alexzia DeChene — Parish Life Coordinator
- Teresa Riebel — Housekeeping
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
The parish's Faith Formation program, called Revive, is described as 'a dynamic, collaborative project that brings together adults and youth in a shared mission — to create a vibrant space that celebrates growth, community, and transformation.' It consists of worship, age-appropriate activities, and small-group discussion. Registration for the 2026–2027 year is open, with pricing increasing July 1. Youth Ministry serves grades 6 through 12, with a GroupMe chat for students and parents, Vacation Bible School July 27–31 in Becker (9–11:30am), and Confirmation preparation beginning in Fall 2025 for Confirmation in Fall 2026.
- Revive — family faith formation program
- Vacation Bible School — July 27–31, 9–11:30am, Becker
- Confirmation Learning Center — September 20, 2026 (Becker) 3–4:30pm
- Confirmation Rehearsal — October 4, 2026, 4pm (Becker)
- Confirmation Day — October 11, 2026, 2pm (Becker)
- GroupMe chat for 6–12 graders and parents
- Contact: [email protected]
Parish Life, Outreach, and Service
Parish life at Mary of the Visitation includes small groups, fellowship, and service. The Knights of Columbus host a Lenten breakfast, and the parish organizes an annual all-parish 'Make Lent Great!' works-of-mercy day — at one recent event about 150 parishioners made 300 sandwiches for the hungry, 143 Easter cards for nursing-home residents, 95 blessing bags for those experiencing homelessness, 39 fleece blankets, and other items. The parish also has AA meetings in the Becker Parish Hall and active women's and men's fellowship groups.
- Women's Bible Study — Mondays 7:00pm, Becker Youth House
- Men's Group — 7:30pm, Becker Parish Hall
- AA — 8:00pm, Becker Parish Hall
- Knights of Columbus — Lenten breakfast and service projects
- 'Make Lent Great!' all-parish service day (works of mercy)
Facilities, Calendar, and Visiting
The parish calendar (published on the website) lists weekly events including daily Mass, Adoration, Women's Bible Study, Men's Group, AA, and Reconciliation. Visitors are encouraged to call the parish office ahead of time. The Becker worship site sits at 12100 Sherburne Avenue, and the parish maintains a livestream link and a link to the Diocesan TV Mass for those unable to attend in person.
- Becker worship site: 12100 Sherburne Avenue
- Livestream link on parish website
- Diocesan TV Mass link on parish website
- Daily Mass Readings link on parish website
- 'Please call ahead' notice on homepage
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Michael Kremer1940–1944
Chancellor of the Diocese of St. Cloud; volunteered to become Becker pastor while continuing as chaplain of the Poor Clare Sisters in Sauk Rapids.
- Fr. Ted Ziolkowski1944–1968
Mission Priest; guided the 1950–51 relocation of the church when Highway 10 was widened and oversaw the 1951–52 renovation.
- Fr. Allan Speiser1968–1970
Mission Priest.
- Fr. Paul Hemmelgarn1970–1972
Mission Priest.
- Fr. Gregory Lieser1972–1973
Mission Priest.
- Fr. Joseph Wiersgalla1973–1974
Mission Priest.
- Fr. Kenneth Riedermann1974–1978
Mission Priest.
- Fr. Richard Sinner1978–1979
Mission Priest.
- Fr. Ralph Zimmerman1979–1989
First resident pastor of Immaculate Conception, Becker (ended the 'mission' era that began in 1981).
- Fr. Mark Ostendorf1989–1999
Led the parish through construction of the present 1988 church building.
- Fr. Marv Enneking1999–2001
- Fr. Eberhard Schefers2001–2009
- Fr. Eugene Doyle2009–2016
First pastor of the merged Mary of the Visitation (2012–2016); also previously served Our Lady of the Lake, Big Lake (2005–2012).
- Fr. Mike Kellogg2016–present
Second pastor of Mary of the Visitation.