About St. Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Church · Richfield, Minnesota
St. Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is an Eastern-rite Catholic parish serving the Syro-Malabar faithful (Catholic Christians from Kerala, India) of Minnesota. Founded in November 2009 as a mission parish by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago, it grew out of a Syro-Malabar community that began meeting in the Twin Cities in the early 1960s and formally organizing in 1994. The community celebrated Holy Qurbana (Mass) for years at St. Richard's Catholic Church in Richfield before acquiring the former Church of St. Vincent de Paul in St. Paul in 2024; Bishop Mar Joy Alappatt rededicated the new church and elevated the mission to full parish status on July 27, 2024. The parish is named for St. Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception, the first canonized saint of the Syro-Malabar Church, and gathers for Malayalam and English Qurbana, Adoration, confession, and a wide range of family, youth, and cultural ministries.
- Established
- 2009
- Patron
- St. Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Robin Chacko
- Diocese
- St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago (Syro-Malabar Catholic); territorially within the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Alphonsa is a young, mission-driven parish that has grown from a small monthly gathering in 1994 into a full parish with its own dedicated church building in St. Paul — celebrated and dedicated by Bishop Mar Joy Alappatt in July 2024. Worshippers experience the full beauty of the Syro-Malabar tradition, with Malayalam and English Qurbana on Sundays, daily Adoration, and monthly confession. The parish surrounds its liturgies with an unusually rich ecosystem of ministries — Faith Formation, Holy Childhood, CML/LFML, Youth, Family Apostolate, Fathers Forum, Women's Forum, Cultural Academy, St. Vincent de Paul, choir, and altar servers — that walk with families and children from kindergarten through adulthood.
Mass times at St. Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday, 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM (First and Third Saturdays of the month), per the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis listing
Adoration times
- Friday (First Friday of the month), 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM (per Archdiocese listing)
- Sunday, 10:15 AM (before Mass)
- Saturday, 8:00 AM (before Mass)
- Friday, 6:30 PM (before Mass)
Our History
The Syro-Malabar Catholic presence in Minnesota goes back to the early 1960s, when families from Kerala settled in the Twin Cities. Bishop Antony Padiyara's 1963 visit — later the first Major Archbishop and Cardinal of the Syro-Malabar Church — connected the community to local clergy and opened the door for priests and religious sisters to serve. The first Syro-Malabar priest, Fr. Thomas Chathaparampil, arrived in 1969 as an associate pastor; religious sisters from the Franciscan Clarist Congregation began serving at St. Therese in Deephaven in 1970. The formal Minnesota Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission was established in July 1994 by Rev. Fr. Xavier Thelakkatt at St. Richard's Catholic Church in Richfield, where it continued to meet for nearly three decades.
- 1963: Bishop Antony Padiyara visits Minnesota
- 1969: Fr. Thomas Chathaparampil — first Kerala priest in Minnesota — arrives
- 1970: Franciscan Clarist sisters (Sr. Jancy Nedumkallel and Sr. Tresa Margret) begin ministry at St. Therese, Deephaven
- July 1990: Death of Fr. Zacharias Elapunkal ('Fr. Zac')
- July 1994: Syro-Malabar Mission of Minnesota formally established at St. Richard's, Richfield
- 1996: Bishop Mar Gregory Karotemprel, CMI, appoints Fr. Xavier Thelakkatt chaplain
- 1997–2000: Visits from Cardinal Padiyara, Cardinal Vithayathil, Bishops Moolakkat and Vadakel
- July 2001: St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago erected under Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath
- 2002: Fr. Joseph Arackal V.C. becomes mission director
- November 2009: Mission renamed 'St. Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Minnesota' under Bishop Angadiath
- 2010: Fr. George Thoomkuzhy launches faith formation for children
- 2012: Cardinal Mar George Alencherry visits the community
- 2014: Fr. Antony Skaria CFIC appointed mission director
- 2017: Church Acquisition Committee formed; galas, pledges, Christmas carols raise funds
- 2019–2022: COVID-19 pandemic limits community activity
- May 29, 2024: Purchase agreement signed for the former Church of St. Vincent de Paul
- June 2024: Syro-Malabar community acquires the church building
- July 27, 2024: Bishop Mar Joy Alappatt rededicates the church and elevates mission to parish status; Fr. Antony Skaria named first Vicar
- September 2024: Rev. Fr. Robin Chacko succeeds Fr. Skaria as Vicar
Our Historic Church Building
In 2024, after more than two decades of meeting at St. Richard's Catholic Church in Richfield and then at other borrowed spaces, the community permanently acquired a church of its own: the former Church of St. Vincent de Paul at 651 Virginia Street in St. Paul. The purchase agreement was signed May 29, 2024, with the assistance of Archbishop Bernard Hebda and Rev. Fr. John Ubel of the Cathedral of St. Paul. After renovations, Bishop Mar Joy Alappatt rededicated the space on July 27, 2024 — the same day the mission was elevated to parish status — and the parish has committed to preserving the building's architectural heritage as a sacred landmark for future generations of Syro-Malabar Catholics in Minnesota.
Clergy & Administration
The parish is led by Vicar Rev. Fr. Robin Chacko, who succeeded founding Vicar Rev. Fr. Antony Skaria CFIC in September 2024. The Parish Council works with the Vicar in shepherding the life of the community.
- Rev. Fr. Robin Chacko — Vicar (current)
- Rev. Fr. Antony Skaria CFIC — First Vicar, July–September 2024
- Parish Council (listed on Administration page)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation has been central to the parish since 2010, when Fr. George Thoomkuzhy launched children's catechesis with the help of the Franciscan Clarist sisters. Today the Faith Formation Ministry walks parishioners of all ages through catechesis, sacramental preparation, and Bible study.
- Faith Formation Ministry — catechesis, sacramental preparation, Bible studies for all ages
- Holy Childhood Association (HCA) — for children in Kindergarten through 3rd grade before Solemn Holy Communion
- CML / LFML — Cherupuspam Mission League and Little Flower Mission League for older children
Parish Ministries & Organizations
St. Alphonsa describes its ministries as expressions of 'the transformative power of faith, community, and service.' Together they form a complete ecosystem for Syro-Malabar family life in Minnesota — from cradle to adulthood, from liturgy to charity, and from worship to cultural identity.
- Faith Formation
- Holy Childhood
- LFML / CML
- Youth Ministry
- Family Apostolate Ministry
- Fathers Forum
- Women's Forum
- Cultural Academy (Malayalam language and Syro-Malabar heritage)
- St. Vincent de Paul Society
- Church Choir
- Altar Servers
- Safe Environment
Family Apostolate
The Family Apostolate Ministry supports Syro-Malabar families through events, workshops, and spiritual guidance, helping to strengthen family bonds and promote a Christ-centered home life rooted in the Eastern Catholic tradition.
Fathers Forum & Women's Forum
The Fathers Forum provides a platform for fathers to strengthen their faith, share experiences, and grow in their spiritual and familial roles, while the Women's Forum gathers the women of the parish for fellowship, service, and formation in the Syro-Malabar tradition.
Youth Ministry
The Youth Ministry offers a supportive and engaging environment where young members can grow in faith, develop leadership skills, and form meaningful connections through service projects and activities.
Cultural Academy
The Cultural Academy preserves and teaches the Malayalam language and Syro-Malabar cultural heritage — traditional dance, customs, and identity — passing them to the next generation alongside the parish's faith formation programs.
Outreach & Charity
The St. Vincent de Paul Society, one of the parish's ministries, channels the community's charitable outreach to those in need, expressing the love and teachings of Christ through service to the less fortunate in Minnesota.
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or email, and follow news, events, and community life on the parish Facebook page.
- Address: 651 Virginia St, St Paul, MN 55103
- Phone: (612) 547-6111
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stalphonsamn.org/home.html
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stalphonsamn/
Diocese & Communion
St. Alphonsa is part of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago, an Eastern Catholic ( sui iuris ) diocese in full communion with Rome headed (historically) by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath. The parish sits geographically within the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, which cooperated in the 2024 acquisition and rededication of the church building.
- St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
- Eastern Catholic (Syro-Malabar) tradition, in full communion with Rome
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. Xavier Thelakkatt1994–c.2002
Founded the Syro-Malabar Catholic Mission of Minnesota at St. Richard's Catholic Church in Richfield in July 1994; appointed chaplain by Bishop Mar Gregory Karotemprel in 1996.
- Rev. Fr. Joseph Arackal V.C.2002–c.2010
Became mission director in 2002; renamed the mission 'St. Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Minnesota' in 2009 and began weekly Holy Masses.
- Rev. Fr. George Thoomkuzhy2010–c.2014
Mission Director; initiated faith formation classes for children with support from the Franciscan Clarist sisters and began fundraising for a permanent church building.
- Rev. Fr. Antony Skaria CFIC2014–present (as first Vicar from July 2024)
Mission Director from 2014; in 2017 formed the Church Acquisition Committee and led fundraising galas, monthly pledges, and Christmas carols. Appointed the parish's first Vicar at its July 27, 2024 rededication.
- Rev. Fr. Robin ChackoSeptember 2024–present
Current Vicar; succeeded Fr. Antony Skaria to continue growing the parish as a 'loving and vibrant' community.