About Ss. Peter and Paul · Braham, Minnesota
Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Braham, Minnesota, founded in July 1984 and one of the youngest parishes in the Diocese of St. Cloud. Located at 1050 Southview Avenue, it has served the Braham community for nearly four decades as part of the Isanti Area Catholic Community (IACC), a cluster that also includes Christ the King in Cambridge and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Isanti. Today the parish shares its pastor with the other IACC parishes and offers Sunday Mass at 10:30 AM, Thursday Mass at 8:30 AM, Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays, and weekly Reconciliation.
- Established
- 1984
- Patron
- Saints Peter and Paul (Apostles)
- Rector
- Fr. Peter VanderWeyst
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Cloud
Why belong here
Sts. Peter and Paul offers a small-town Catholic community where nearly every parishioner knows each other by name, with Sunday Mass, a Thursday morning weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and weekly Reconciliation. It is deeply woven into the life of Braham through its Fall Festival (third Saturday in September), Knights of Columbus Lenten fish fries every Friday, the Salad Supper, blood drives, the Braham Food Shelf, and ongoing support for New Pathways homeless shelter in Cambridge. Belonging here means sharing forty years of faith, fellowship, and service with a parish that has repeatedly rallied to keep its doors open.
Mass times at Ss. Peter and Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 11:30 AM (following 10:30 AM Mass)
- Thursday 9:00 AM (following 8:30 AM Mass)
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (following the 8:30 AM Mass)
History of Sts. Peter and Paul
Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church was founded in July 1984 by Bishop George Speltz, with Father Nicholas Zimmer as its first pastor. The early parish met at Braham High School while a mobile home was used as the rectory on five acres west of the elementary school. The first trustees—Fran Nordeen and Kenneth Ethan—along with Kenneth Shockman led the effort to create the parish. A women's group formed in 1985, and a building committee was established in May 1985. A twelve-acre parcel was purchased in 1986, groundbreaking was April 13, 1986, the first Mass in the unfinished building was December 21, 1986, and Bishop Jerome Hanus, OSB, dedicated the completed church on June 19, 1988, with a total project cost of $690,000.
- Founded: July 1984
- Founding pastor: Fr. Nicholas Zimmer
- Bishop who established the parish: George Speltz
- Bishop who dedicated the church: Jerome Hanus, OSB (June 19, 1988)
- Joined the Isanti Area Catholic Community: 2013 (with Christ the King, Cambridge)
Isanti Area Catholic Community (IACC)
Sts. Peter & Paul is one of three parishes in the Isanti Area Catholic Community, a collaborative cluster within the Diocese of St. Cloud. The IACC began in 2013 when Christ the King in Cambridge and Sts. Peter and Paul in Braham came together under a single priest, Father Donald Wagner; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Isanti joined in 2014. The cluster pools resources, staff, and ministries to sustain pastoral and spiritual life across all three parishes.
- Christ the King — 305 Fern Street N, Cambridge, MN 55008 — 763-689-1221
- St. Elizabeth Ann Seton — 207 Whiskey Road NW, Isanti, MN 55040 — 763-444-4035
- Sts. Peter & Paul — 1050 Southview Ave, Braham, MN 55005 — 320-396-3105
Clergy and Staff
The Isanti Area Catholic Community is led by one pastor, Fr. Peter VanderWeyst, with three deacons and a team of lay staff coordinating faith formation, music, administration, and facilities across the three parishes. Sts. Peter and Paul's local contact is its office manager, Cheryl Fike, and its music coordinator, Joni Nelson.
- Pastor — Fr. Peter VanderWeyst (320-287-2926)
- Deacon Gene Kramer (Retired Deacon, 320-266-7515)
- Deacon Vincent Charles (612-810-3070)
- Deacon Peter Tran (320-436-1584)
- Office Manager (SSPP) — Cheryl Fike (320-396-3105)
- Music at SSPP — Joni Nelson (320-396-3105)
- Faith Formation Coordinator — Tami Moore (763-689-1221, option 6)
- Discipleship Ministry Coordinator — Marie Melland (763-689-1221, option 7)
- Administrator — Mike Sullivan (763-689-1221, option 5)
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the sacraments through the IACC's faith formation and discipleship programs. Baptism classes for the cluster are coordinated by Deacon Vince and Karen Charles.
- Baptism class — Deacon Vince & Karen Charles, 612-810-3070
- Reconciliation — see weekly schedule
- Marriage — contact the parish office (320-396-3105)
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
Faith Formation and Discipleship
Religious education at the parish dates to fall 1984, when classes were held in both the Braham high school and elementary school buildings. Today Family Faith Formation for the entire Isanti Area Catholic Community is coordinated by Tami Moore, and Discipleship Ministry is coordinated by Marie Melland. The parish continues the tradition of small groups and a prayer chain begun by the original 1985 women's group.
- Family Faith Formation Coordinator — Tami Moore ([email protected])
- Discipleship Ministry Coordinator — Marie Melland ([email protected])
Parish Life and Community Outreach
Sts. Peter and Paul is closely identified with the wider Braham community. The parish hosts an annual Fall Festival on the third Saturday in September, a Salad Supper on the second Wednesday in July, and the well-known Knights of Columbus Friday-night fish fries every week during Lent. Parishioners support the Braham Food Shelf, New Pathways homeless shelter in Cambridge, senior dining programs, the Braham Girl Scouts' annual coat collection and Christmas tree lighting, regular blood drives, and the Bingo tent during Pie Day.
- Fall Festival — third Saturday in September
- Salad Supper — second Wednesday in July
- Lenten Fish Fry Dinners — every Friday during Lent (Knights of Columbus)
- Braham Food Shelf
- New Pathways homeless shelter, Cambridge
- Senior dining
- Braham Girl Scouts coat collection & Christmas tree lighting
- Blood drives
- Bingo tent at Pie Day
Music and Liturgy
Music at Sts. Peter and Paul is led by music coordinator Joni Nelson. The parish shares broader liturgical music resources with the rest of the Isanti Area Catholic Community, whose Music Coordinator for Christ the King and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is Kay Freund.
- Music (SSPP) — Joni Nelson, 320-396-3105
- Music Coordinator (CTK & SEAS) — Kay Freund, 763-444-4035
Visiting and Contact
The parish office is reachable by mail at P.O. Box 483, Braham, MN 55005, by phone at (320) 396-3105, or by email through the Isanti Area Catholic Community at [email protected] (or [email protected] for office manager Cheryl Fike). The parish website is part of the cluster site at isantiacc.org.
- Address — 1050 Southview Ave, P.O. Box 483, Braham, MN 55005
- Phone — (320) 396-3105
- Email — [email protected] / [email protected]
- Website — https://www.isantiacc.org/
Recent Canonical History (2026 'All Things New')
In January 2026, during the parish's 40th anniversary year, the Diocese of St. Cloud announced under its 'All Things New' restructuring initiative that Sts. Peter and Paul would be merged with neighboring parishes. Parishioners, including historian Jessica Anlauf, presented petitions showing that the parish was established in 1984 without intention of having a proper resident pastor. In response, Bishop Patrick Neary issued an emendation to the merger decree, allowing Sts. Peter and Paul to continue operating.
- Closure announcement — Sunday, January 4, 2026
- Diocese initiative — 'All Things New'
- Outcome — Bishop Patrick Neary emended the merger decree; parish remains open
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Nicholas Zimmer1984–
Founding pastor appointed by Bishop George Speltz; lived in a mobile-home rectory on five acres west of the elementary school while Sunday Masses were held at Braham High School. Oversaw construction and dedication of the church building (groundbreaking April 13, 1986; dedication June 19, 1988).
- Fr. Donald Wagner2013
First priest assigned to serve both Christ the King (Cambridge) and Sts. Peter & Paul (Braham) under the early Area Catholic Community model that became the IACC.
- Fr. Peter VanderWeystpresent
Current pastor of the Isanti Area Catholic Community, which includes Sts. Peter and Paul.