About Ss. Peter and Paul · Loretto, Minnesota
Church of Saints Peter & Paul is a Catholic parish in Loretto, Minnesota, in western Hennepin County, founded by the area's first German and Dutch Catholic settlers. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and, since 2012, has been clustered with St. Thomas the Apostle in Corcoran, sharing a pastor and staff. Today it serves approximately 280 households and remains a small, close-knit community of founding-family descendants and newer arrivals.
- Established
- 1867
- Patron
- Saints Peter and Paul (the Apostles)
- Rector
- Fr. Glen Jenson
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
Ss. Peter & Paul is a small, close-knit but welcoming parish where descendants of the original German and Dutch settlers sit alongside newer families, and lay leadership is shared by newcomers and long-timers alike. The parish offers Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in its Our Lady of Loretto Chapel, religious formation for children, youth ministry, a volunteer choir, lay liturgical ministries, and outreach through Helping Hands — all supported by a clustered partnership with St. Thomas the Apostle in Corcoran.
Mass times at Ss. Peter and Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 7:15 AM – 7:45 AM
- Tuesday 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
- Wednesday 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM
- Wednesday 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
- Wednesday evening at St. Thomas, Corcoran 6:15 PM – 7:00 PM
- Thursday 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in Our Lady of Loretto Adoration Chapel (in the old convent on the Ss. Peter & Paul campus)
Parish History
German and Dutch Catholic settlers began arriving in the Loretto area in 1857 and were visited by priests from St. Paul offering Mass in log homes from as early as 1856. After the Civil War they resolved to build their own church, and in 1867 a 16 x 28 foot log church was raised on the Feltes property in Medina, on what is now the old section of the Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery. Three early priests — Fr. P. Eberhart Gahr, OSB; Fr. P. Magnus M. Mayr, OSB; and Fr. Peter Maly — are buried there.
- 1867 — Log church built on the Feltes property in Medina
- 1876 — Larger frame church (30 x 35 feet) built on same site; bell preserved
- 1903 — Current brick church built in Loretto on land donated by the Becker family; dedicated 1906
- 1922 — Small brick school added (three classrooms, School Sisters of Notre Dame)
- 1929 — Convent completed for the teaching sisters
- 1960 — School addition for 176 students
- 1996 — Parish Center with gymnasium replaces the older section of the school
Who We Are
The Church of Saints Peter & Paul is a Catholic parish founded by the first settlers of the Loretto area, located in western Hennepin County within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The parish is a blend of descendants of those first settlers, families who arrived about 50 years ago, and new families — a small, close-knit but welcoming community in which lay leadership roles are held by newcomers and longtime members alike.
- Approximately 280 households
- Clustered since 2012 with St. Thomas the Apostle, Corcoran
Leadership & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Glen Jenson with a staff that includes a deacon, parish life coordinator, director of religious education, director of youth ministry, music coordinator/organist, volunteer choir director, parish business administrator, office administrator, office assistant, and director of maintenance. Fr. Sebastien Bakatu assists on weekends.
- Pastor: Fr. Glen Jenson
- Weekend Assistant: Fr. Sebastien Bakatu
- Deacon: Tom Utecht
- Office Administrator: Sherry Elsen
- Director of Youth Ministry / Safe Environment: TJ Slamkowski
- Parish Life Coordinator: Joyce Rathburn
- Music Coordinator/Organist: Carrie Ferdinandt
- Volunteer Choir Director: Greg Elsen
- Parish Business Administrator: Todd Ziesmer
- Office Assistant: Lynn Scholtes
- Director of Religious Education: Claire Lenz
- Director of Maintenance: Gary Zitzloff
- Trustees: Brad Jacobs, Lee Schlosser
- Parish Council Chair: Bill Mauer
Mass & Worship
Weekend Masses are celebrated Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Weekday Masses are offered Tuesday (summer only), Wednesday and Thursday mornings. The Archdiocese lists all Masses in English. The parish publishes its schedule on its Worship page and shares the Wednesday-evening 6:15 PM confession time with St. Thomas the Apostle, where Eucharistic Adoration accompanies confessions.
- Saturday Vigil — 4:00 PM
- Sunday — 9:00 AM
- Tuesday — 8:00 AM (summer months only)
- Wednesday — 8:30 AM
- Thursday — 8:30 AM
Devotions
In addition to daily Mass and perpetual adoration, the parish supports several traditional Marian and devotional practices, often shared with the clustered parish of St. Thomas the Apostle.
- First Friday Devotion at St. Thomas the Apostle following 8:30 AM Mass
- First Saturday Devotion (Five First Saturdays) — reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Blessed Mother's Rosary for Our Children
- Intercessory Prayer / Intercession Book
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Religious Education for parish children is directed by Claire Lenz (Religious Formation phone line 763-496-5144). Youth Ministry is directed by TJ Slamkowski, who also serves as Safe Environment Coordinator. The parish publishes bulletins and a calendar of religious-education events.
- Director of Religious Education: Claire Lenz
- Director of Youth Ministry: TJ Slamkowski
- Religious Formation & Youth Ministry phone: (763) 496-5144
Lay Ministries & Outreach
Lay liturgical roles (lectors, servers, Eucharistic ministers, etc.) are scheduled using the Scheduler Pro online system with quarterly planning and substitute support. Synod Small Groups support adult faith formation, and the parish operates Helping Hands Outreach as its charitable arm.
- Lay Ministries — scheduled via Scheduler Pro
- Helping Hands Outreach — Margie Ritter
- Synod Small Groups — Cheryl Kliszcz
- Our Lady of Loretto Adoration Chapel coordination — Joanne Schumacher & Diane Oberg
Music Ministry
Music at Ss. Peter & Paul is led by Music Coordinator/Organist Carrie Ferdinandt, supported by Volunteer Choir Director Greg Elsen and the volunteer parish choir.
- Music Coordinator/Organist: Carrie Ferdinandt
- Volunteer Choir Director: Greg Elsen
Visiting & Contact
The parish office is located at 150 Railway St E in Loretto, with mailing address P.O. Box 96, Loretto, MN 55357. Office hours, formation contacts and event information are posted on the parish website at sspap.org.
- Main Phone: (763) 479-0535
- Religious Formation / Youth Ministry: (763) 496-5144
- Address: 150 Railway St E, P.O. Box 96, Loretto, MN 55357
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Jerry Rohrerarrived 1994
Led the parish through major school building project (replaced 1922 school with Parish Center).