About Ss. Peter and Paul · Mankato, Minnesota
Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church is a historic Catholic parish in downtown Mankato, Minnesota, located at 105 N. 5th St. within the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. Founded in 1854 to serve German Catholic settlers of the region, the parish was placed in the care of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1874 and remained a Jesuit parish for 134 years until 2008. Since 2008–09 it has been staffed by the Priests and Religious of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE), an Argentine-born missionary congregation, and today the parish is also home to IVE's Saint José Sánchez del Río High School Seminary. Ss. Peter and Paul remains a vibrant downtown parish offering daily and Sunday Mass in both English and Spanish, perpetual weekday Adoration, full Faith Formation for children and youth, and a long tradition of Catholic education through its sponsorship of Loyola Catholic School.
- Established
- 1854
- Patron
- Saints Peter and Paul (the Apostles)
- Rector
- Father Alex Salazar, IVE
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Why belong here
Ss. Peter and Paul is the historic downtown Mankato parish whose worship has continued in some form since 1854, anchored today by three IVE priests and daily Mass. Parishioners can attend Mass in English and Spanish, spend time with the Blessed Sacrament in nearly day-long weekday Adoration (roughly 7:45 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday), and join a full Faith Formation program from preschool through Confirmation. The parish continues the strong Catholic-school tradition of the Mankato area by supporting Loyola Catholic School, and is closely associated with the IVE's Saint José Sánchez del Río Minor Seminary located nearby — a witness to the parish's enduring vocation to form young Catholics in the faith.
Mass times at Ss. Peter and Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm (before Vigil Mass)
- Saturdays 9:00 am – 10:00 am
- Weekdays 7:45 am – 8:00 am (Monday – Friday)
Adoration times
- Weekdays 7:45 am – 7:00 pm (Monday – Friday)
About Ss. Peter and Paul
Ss. Peter and Paul is a Catholic parish of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester serving Mankato, Minnesota, and the surrounding region. The parish church is located at 105 N. 5th St. in the heart of downtown Mankato. Since 2008 the parish has been staffed by the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE), the Argentine-born missionary religious family, and the parish continues its dual mission of English- and Spanish-speaking pastoral care, Catholic education, and formation of young people through the affiliated IVE Saint José Sánchez del Río High School Seminary. The parish is also home to the Sunday celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) at Loyola High Chapel.
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester parish
- Staffed by the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE)
- 105 N. 5th St., Mankato, MN 56001
- Phone (507) 388-2995
History
The parish was founded in 1854 to serve the German Catholic pioneers of south-central Minnesota — barely a generation after Minnesota was organized as a territory. In 1874 Bishop John Ireland's request brought the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) of the Buffalo Mission to Mankato; Fathers and Brothers staffed the parish for the next 134 years, while also building the region's first Catholic schools. The current church was dedicated by Coadjutor Bishop John Ireland on October 1, 1886. After declining numbers forced the Jesuits to withdraw in 2008, Bishop Bernard Harrington transferred the parish to the Institute of the Incarnate Word, which continues the Jesuit tradition of vigorous liturgical life, devotion to Mary, and formation of youth.
- 1854 — Parish founded for German Catholic settlers
- 1874 — Jesuits of the Buffalo Mission assume pastoral care
- October 1, 1886 — Church dedicated by Coadjutor Bishop John Ireland
- 1910–11 — Loyola Club parish house built
- March 24, 1927 — Pioneer college building destroyed by fire
- June 2008 — Farewell Mass for the Jesuits, celebrated by Bishop Bernard Harrington
- 2008 — Parish transferred to the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE)
Clergy & Staff
According to the Diocese of Winona-Rochester directory and the parish website, Ss. Peter and Paul is currently served by three priests of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, with additional religious and lay staff supporting Faith Formation and parish operations.
- Father Alex Salazar, IVE — Pastor
- Father Javier Ibarra, IVE — Parochial Vicar
- Father Jaime Abundiz, IVE — Parochial Vicar
- Sr. Refugio — Director of Faith Formation
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Under Director of Faith Formation Sr. Refugio, the parish runs a comprehensive formation program for children and youth from Preschool through Confirmation, framed by the conviction that 'the Christian family is the first place of education' (CCC 2685). Weekly sessions are held Wednesday evenings in the Fitzgerald building.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Ages 4–Kindergarten)
- Grades 1–6 weekly catechesis, Wednesdays 6:00–7:30 pm, Fitzgerald building
- Don Gnocchi special-needs program, Wednesday evenings
- Confirmation preparation — see 'Youth Ministry' tab
- Adult faith-formation sessions
Youth Ministry & Confirmation
The Youth Ministry program at Ss. Peter and Paul centers on preparing young people for the Sacrament of Confirmation and following Christ in daily life. Programs draw on the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults and emphasize three pillars — Learn, Pray, Act — and the parish runs regular events such as 'Heroic Night with Parish Youth Group' and First Communion retreats.
- Adolescent Catechesis and Confirmation curriculum
- Prayer to the Holy Spirit and Prayer for Charity in Truth
- Discernment of the Holy Spirit resources (en español available)
- Parish Youth Group nights (e.g., 'Heroic Night'
- First Holy Communion preparation
Catholic Education: Loyola Catholic School
Catholic schooling in Mankato traces directly to Ss. Peter and Paul: the parish school, begun in 1865 with the arrival of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, was the first Catholic school in the area. Loyola High School was founded in 1918, and over time the parish schools consolidated into what is today Loyola Catholic School, an early-childhood-through-grade-12 system accredited by MNSAA. Loyola is supported by the parishes of Holy Rosary, St. John the Baptist, Ss. Peter and Paul, St. Joseph the Worker, and All Saints of Madison Lake.
- Parish school founded 1865 (School Sisters of Notre Dame)
- Loyola High School founded 1918
- Mankato Area Catholic Schools (MACS) formed 1990; renamed Loyola Catholic School 2006
- Campus Ministry: school Masses, retreats (TEC), Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, Christian service
- Accredited by MNSAA (Minnesota Nonpublic School Accrediting Association)
IVE Connection: Saint José Sánchez del Río Seminary
Since assuming the parish in 2008, the Institute of the Incarnate Word has made Mankato a North American hub for its formation work. The IVE's Saint José Sánchez del Río High School Seminary (512 E Mulberry St., Mankato) houses minor seminarians who assist at Ss. Peter and Paul — most notably during the Holy Week Triduum, when the seminary celebrated its liturgies in-house for the first time and during which Father Alex Salazar, Father Javier Ibarra, and Deacon Jaime have presided. The parish regularly hosts IVE parish missions, with seminarians and SSVM postulants running rosary processions, door-to-door visits, and youth oratories.
- Saint José Sánchez del Río High School Seminary at 512 E Mulberry St.
- IVE popular missions (2016 mission led by Fr. Brian Dinkel, IVE)
- Minor seminarians assist with parish liturgies, especially Holy Week
- Parish rosary processions through the streets of Mankato during missions
Sacraments
Information about each of the seven Catholic Sacraments — Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony — is accessible through the parish website's 'Sacraments' section. The parish especially highlights Confirmation preparation (a multi-year program), First Holy Communion, Marriage preparation, and Reconciliation with its published confession times.
- Baptism — preparation required; contact parish office
- First Holy Communion — preparation class for children
- Confirmation — multi-year preparation program
- Marriage — contact the parish for wedding preparation
- Anointing of the Sick — by request, including home and nursing-home visits
- Confession — see published schedule
- Traditional Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form) on Sundays at Loyola High Chapel
Bulletin, Calendar & News
The parish maintains a current online bulletin archive (weekly bulletins going back several years) and a parish calendar. These are the best sources for current event announcements, holy-day schedules, and any changes to Mass or confession times.
- Weekly parish bulletin (color PDF) available online
- Online parish calendar
- Special-occasion announcements (Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul, First Communion, Confirmations, parish mission events)
Visit & Contact
Visitors and parishioners can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person at the downtown church. The parish is also active on Facebook for announcements and event photos.
- Address: 105 N. 5th St., Mankato, MN 56001
- Phone: (507) 388-2995
- Email: [email protected]
- Faith Formation: [email protected]
- Facebook: facebook.com/ssppmankato
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Jesuit superiors (Society of Jesus, Buffalo Mission / Wisconsin Province)1874–2008
First superior was Father Schnitzler, who opened the Jesuit residence and built the original college building; parish served by the Society of Jesus for 134 years until 2008.
- Father Mariano Varela, IVEapprox. 2016 (referenced as pastor)
Presided at the opening Mass of the June 2016 parish mission conducted by IVE missionaries.
- Father Alex Salazar, IVEcurrent pastor (per diocese directory)
Listed by the Diocese of Winona-Rochester as the present pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul; mentioned presiding at Holy Week liturgies at the parish.