About Saint Mary Parish · Clear Lake, South Dakota
St. Mary Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish serving Clear Lake, the county seat of Deuel County in northeastern South Dakota. It is one of seven parishes of the Holy Family Pastorate within the Diocese of Sioux Falls and offers Sunday Mass at 9:00 a.m. as well as several weekday Masses. In 2021 the Diocese merged neighboring St. Peter Parish in Gary into St. Mary, enlarging the parish family of Deuel County.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Rector
- Reverend Thomas Hartman
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux Falls
Why belong here
St. Mary offers the faithful of Clear Lake and Deuel County a welcoming, accessible Catholic home with daily and Sunday Mass, regular confessions before daily Masses and on Sunday mornings, and the fellowship of a tight-knit rural parish family. As the parish church for all of Deuel County, it combines traditional devotions and the sacraments with the pastoral reach of the wider Holy Family Pastorate, which links St. Mary to neighboring parishes including St. Lawrence in Milbank and Annunciation in Revillo.
Mass times at Saint Mary Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sundays 8:00–8:45 am at St. Mary, Clear Lake
- Before daily Masses at St. Mary, Clear Lake (Tuesday–Friday)
- By appointment — call one of the priests
About St. Mary Parish, Clear Lake
St. Mary Parish is the Catholic parish serving the Clear Lake community and all of Deuel County in northeastern South Dakota. Located at 408 3rd St. W in Clear Lake, the parish is part of the Diocese of Sioux Falls and of the Holy Family Pastorate, a cluster of seven area parishes that share clergy and pastoral resources. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 9:00 a.m., and weekday Masses are offered Tuesday through Friday. The parish office is reached at 605-874-2080 or [email protected].
- Parish church: 408 3rd St. W, Clear Lake, SD 57226
- Mailing address: PO Box 589, Clear Lake, SD 57226-0589
- Phone: 605-874-2080 — Fax: 605-874-1333
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese: Sioux Falls
- Pastorate: Holy Family
History of St. Mary Parish
St. Mary's was founded in 1907 as a Catholic parish for the small railroad-and-farming town of Clear Lake, the county seat of Deuel County. The parish has faithfully served local families for more than a century. In 2021, under Bishop Donald E. DeGrood, the Diocese of Sioux Falls merged nearby St. Peter Parish of Gary, SD into St. Mary Parish, uniting all Catholics of Deuel County under one parish family at the Clear Lake church. Two years later, in December 2023, after a discernment process and the unanimous recommendation of the diocesan Presbyteral Council, the former St. Peter Church in Gary was formally relegated to profane but not sordid use. The proceeds from any future sale are directed to support St. Mary's ministries and cemetery care.
- Founded: 1907
- 2021 merger with St. Peter Parish, Gary, SD (extinctive union)
- December 2023: St. Peter Church, Gary decreed relegated to profane but not sordid use
- Current worship home: 275-seat church in Clear Lake
Leadership & Clergy
St. Mary Parish is currently served by Reverend Thomas Hartman as Pastor and Reverend John Helmueller as Parochial Vicar (Associate). Both priests serve across the Holy Family Pastorate; Fr. Hartman resides in the rectory at St. Mary's, Clear Lake. The parish office can be reached at 605-874-2080, and the priests may also be contacted to schedule confessions or other sacraments outside the published times.
- Reverend Thomas Hartman — Pastor (in residence at St. Mary's)
- Reverend John Helmueller — Parochial Vicar / Associate
- Reverend Brian Eckrich — former pastor, who led the 2021 merger and the 2023 discernment regarding St. Peter Church
Holy Family Pastorate
St. Mary is one of seven parishes grouped into the Holy Family Pastorate of the Diocese of Sioux Falls. The pastorate allows neighboring parishes — including St. Lawrence (Milbank), Annunciation (Revillo), and St. Charles (Big Stone City) — to share priests, faith-formation resources, and pastoral planning across the rural region. Worshippers are invited to attend Mass at any of the linked parishes when traveling.
- St. Charles, Big Stone City
- St. Mary, Clear Lake
- St. Lawrence, Milbank
- Annunciation, Revillo
- Shared clergy: Fr. Tom Hartman (Pastor) and Fr. John Helmueller (Associate)
Sacraments & Devotions
Beyond Mass and Confession, St. Mary Parish prepares the faithful for and celebrates the other sacraments of the Church — Baptism, Confirmation, First Holy Communion, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick — by arrangement through the parish office. Seasonal devotions such as Eucharistic Adoration and Stations of the Cross are offered in addition to the regular schedule; consult the bulletin for current times.
- Baptism — by arrangement with the parish office
- Marriage — preparation and scheduling through the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by arrangement or in emergency
- Eucharistic Adoration — seasonally
- Stations of the Cross — seasonally
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Mary Parish in Clear Lake. The parish office is open during the week and can be reached by phone, fax, or email. The church is located one block west of the central business district of Clear Lake, the county seat of Deuel County.
- Address: 408 3rd St. W, Clear Lake, SD 57226
- Mailing: PO Box 589, Clear Lake, SD 57226-0589
- Phone: 605-874-2080
- Fax: 605-874-1333
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: sfcatholic.org/parishes/st-mary-clear-lake/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend Brian Eckrichthrough 2023
Led the parish through the 2021 merger with St. Peter, Gary and the December 2023 diocesan decree relegating St. Peter Church to profane use.
- Reverend Thomas Hartmancurrent
Current pastor; resides in residence at St. Mary's, Clear Lake.