About Ss. Joachim and Anne (St. Mary Church) · Shakopee, Minnesota
Ss. Joachim and Anne is a Roman Catholic parish in Shakopee, Minnesota, in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, made up of three historic church campuses: St. Mark (completed 1868), St. Mary (built 1865), and St. Mary of the Purification/Marystown (founded 1855). The three parishes merged in 2012 under the Archdiocesan Strategic Plan, with St. Mary serving as the receiving parish. The parish operates Shakopee Area Catholic School (SACS), a pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school, and offers a robust schedule of Masses in English and Spanish, daily Eucharistic Adoration at the St. Mary Chapel, and parish-based Faith Formation for children and adults.
- Established
- 2012 (as merged parish; Marystown 1855, St. Mary 1865, St. Mark 1868)
- Patron
- Saints Joachim and Anne (parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Reverend Michael Becker
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
Ss. Joachim and Anne offers something rare in one parish: three living historic worship sites, daily 8:00 AM Mass Monday–Saturday, four Sunday English Masses plus a Spanish Mass, and daily Eucharistic Adoration in the dedicated St. Mary Chapel. Families have a parish-connected Catholic school (SACS) running pre-K through 8th grade, a Wednesday-evening Family Formation program (K–6) with a two-year Confirmation sequence starting in 7th grade, and adult faith formation including Catholicism 101, all in a community where the parish is small enough to know your name but old enough to share in 160+ years of Minnesota Catholic heritage.
Mass times at Ss. Joachim and Anne (St. Mary Church)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 8:30 AM — St. Mary
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM — St. Mark
- Sunday 8:30 AM (8:30–8:50 AM) — Marystown
- Sunday 11:45 AM (English / Spanish) — St. Mark
Adoration times
- Monday 4:00 AM – 11:59 PM — St. Mary Chapel
- Tuesday 12:00 AM – 10:00 PM — St. Mary Chapel
- Wednesday 4:00 AM – 11:00 PM — St. Mary Chapel
- Thursday 4:00 AM – 11:00 PM — St. Mary Chapel
- Friday 8:30 AM – 10:00 PM — St. Mary Chapel
Parish Identity & Three Historic Campuses
Ss. Joachim and Anne is the 2012 successor parish to three of Shakopee's oldest Catholic communities, now operating as three active worship campuses: St. Mark (350 Atwood St S), St. Mary (535 Lewis St S), and St. Mary of the Purification / Marystown (15850 Marystown Rd). The parish takes its patronal name from the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose feast is July 26. All three campuses continue to host liturgies — St. Mark for the main English and Spanish Sunday schedule and daily Masses, St. Mary for weekday and Sunday morning Masses plus the Adoration Chapel, and Marystown for a Sunday 9:00 AM Mass in a country church setting.
- St. Mark campus — 350 Atwood St S, Shakopee, MN 55379
- St. Mary campus — 535 Lewis St S, Shakopee, MN 55379
- Marystown (St. Mary of the Purification) — 15850 Marystown Rd, Shakopee, MN 55379
- Parish Office / SACS Chapel — 2700 17th Ave E, Shakopee, MN 55379-4443
History of the Three Founding Parishes
St. Mary of the Purification (Marystown) was founded in 1855 by Benedictine Father George Keller with 30 families and has been destroyed by fire and rebuilt three times; the present stone church was completed in 1882 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. St. Mary's parish was built in 1865 by Irish and French Catholic families and survives as an intimate church now used for weekday Mass and Adoration. St. Mark Church was completed in 1868 in German Gothic style and was lovingly restored after a major 2005 fire.
- 1855 — Marystown founded by Fr. George Keller, OSB, with 30 families
- 1865 — St. Mary built by Irish and French Catholic families
- 1868 — St. Mark completed in German Gothic style
- 1882 — Marystown stone church completed (spire 1883)
- 1980 — Marystown listed on the National Register of Historic Places (Apr 17, 1980)
- 1991 — Marystown stained glass renovated and Parish Center dedicated
- 2005 — Major fire at St. Mark; church later restored and renovated
- 2012 — Three parishes merged under the Archdiocesan Strategic Plan to form Ss. Joachim and Anne
Shakopee Area Catholic School (SACS)
Shakopee Area Catholic School is the parish's pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade Catholic school, formed in 1970 by consolidating the three Shakopee parish schools and reopened in a new building in 2003. SACS officially became the parish school of Ss. Joachim and Anne in 2013. The school mission emphasizes nurturing body, mind, and spirit, making Jesus Christ known and loved, and developing responsible leaders through innovative academics, personalized learning (each student receives a Personal Growth Plan), and community outreach.
- 5-day half-day preschool plus 3- and 4-year-old programs with summer option
- Daily integration of Catholic faith and values
- Partnership with Groves Academy's Believe and Read program (K–3)
- Personalized Growth Plan (PGP) for each student
- STEM, fine arts, physical education, and high-potential classes
- Pre-K through Grade 8; nearly 100 staff members
Faith Formation (Religious Education)
SJA's Faith Formation program uses a Family Formation model that puts parents at the center of passing on the Catholic faith through monthly meetings and at-home lessons for children in grades K–6. Classes meet Wednesday evenings September through April at the Shakopee Area Catholic School building. Confirmation is a two-year program beginning in 7th grade. The program is staffed by Director of Catechesis & Evangelization Cathy Wideman (bilingual English/Spanish) and Faith Formation Coordinator Ellie Groothausen. Tuition is $150 first child / $50 each additional (until August 13, 2026), with teacher/childcare volunteers receiving $100 discounts and other volunteers $75 discounts; financial assistance is available.
- Family Formation for grades K–6 (monthly meetings + at-home lessons)
- Two-year Confirmation prep starting in 7th grade
- Adult Faith Formation including Catholicism 101
- Vacation Bible School (VBS)
- Volunteer corps: teachers, childcare helpers, hall monitors, hospitality helpers, substitutes
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Reverend Michael Becker, with Parochial Vicar Reverend Frankie Floeder. The diaconate is served by Deacon Joel Neisen and Deacon Michael Daly. Faith Formation is led by Director of Catechesis & Evangelization Cathy Wideman and Faith Formation Coordinator Ellie Groothausen, with Joan Fering in Faith Formation administration and Diana Tyree as SACS Confirmation Coordinator. Office hours are Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–4:00 PM at the parish office located inside the SACS building.
- Rev. Michael Becker — Pastor
- Rev. Frankie Floeder — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Joel Neisen
- Deacon Michael Daly
- Cathy Wideman — Director of Catechesis & Evangelization (Habla Inglés y Español)
- Ellie Groothausen — Faith Formation Coordinator (Grades K–Confirmation)
- Joan Fering — Faith Formation Administrative Assistant
- Diana Tyree — SACS Confirmation Coordinator
Sacraments & Sacramental Emergencies
Beyond the regular Mass and confession schedule, the parish supports Reconciliation, Confirmation (two-year program beginning 7th grade), the Anointing of the Sick and other sacraments through the parish office, and an after-hours Sacramental Emergency line for situations such as Anointing of the Sick or funerals. The Archdiocese also lists Eucharistic Adoration (non-perpetual) as a formal service of the parish.
- After-hours Sacramental Emergencies: (952) 445-1319, press pound (#)
- Confirmation (two-year, beginning 7th grade)
- Eucharistic Adoration (non-perpetual) at St. Mary Chapel
Community Life & JACS JAM Festival
The parish's signature annual gathering is JACS JAM, held on the Marystown church grounds each August on the weekend of the third Sunday. The festival brings the three campuses together on the historic 30-acre Marystown grounds — the same site that once housed a mission, school, nuns' house, and rectory — for food, music, and community celebration.
- JACS JAM — annual parish festival at Marystown
- Held weekend of the third Sunday in August
- Set on the historic 30-acre Marystown grounds
Visit, Contact & Practical Information
The parish office is open Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–4:00 PM and is closed on New Year's Day, President's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Sacramental Emergencies outside office hours are handled via the main line (952) 445-1319 plus the pound key. Visitors can join in person at any of three campuses or watch the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass from St. Mark via livestream.
- Parish phone: (952) 445-1319
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Fax: (952) 445-0511
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4 PM
- Livestreamed Sunday Mass: 10:00 AM from St. Mark