About St. Ann · Wadena, Minnesota
St. Ann is a Catholic parish in Wadena, Minnesota, founded in 1895 amid the growing line of railroad towns between St. Cloud and Fargo. Today the parish serves about 650 families at the crossroads of U.S. Highways 10 and 71, and its church is one of the few consecrated churches in the Diocese of St. Cloud. St. Ann is part of Mary, Mother of the Church Area Catholic Community (ACC), a grouping of parishes across central Minnesota that share clergy and staff. The parish is led by Pastor Father Aaron Kuhn and offers Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Reconciliation, youth ministry, young adult nights, faith formation, and a long-running annual Springfest fundraiser.
- Established
- 1895
- Patron
- St. Ann (Saint Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Father Aaron Kuhn
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Cloud
Why belong here
St. Ann is a 650-family Catholic community in central Minnesota that has gathered around its consecrated church for more than 130 years. Worship is supported by weekly Eucharistic Adoration and Reconciliation, and the parish invests deeply in the next generation — through faith formation, a Youth Ministry building on the former school site, Steubenville and NCYC trips, and a monthly Young Adult night led personally by Father Kuhn with praise-and-worship music followed by fellowship and snacks. Outreach is hands-on and creative: Father Kuhn's 'Father's Garage' project built a replica 1965 Shelby Cobra from a kit to raffle off for seminarian and religious-vocation support, drawing together parishioners, families, and neighbors across the community.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:30–6:45 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday 5:30–6:45 PM
- First Friday of each month — Eucharistic Adoration with praise and worship music led by Father Aaron Kuhn for young adults (ages 18–39)
Parish Story & Heritage
Founded in 1895 in the railroad boom between St. Cloud and Fargo, St. Ann Parish grew alongside the town of Wadena. Its first church burned in 1895 and was rebuilt, with a school added in 1902–03 staffed by the Benedictine Sisters. The parish's consecrated church — one of only a few in the Diocese of St. Cloud — is anchored by a 118-foot steeple topped with a gold-leaf cross visible for miles. St. Ann's School educated generations of Wadena children for 107 years before closing in 2010, and the newer school addition now houses the parish Youth Ministry.
- Founded 1895 alongside the St. Cloud–Fargo railroad line
- First church burned 1895; rebuilt the same year
- St. Ann's School opened January 1903 with 75–80 pupils and the Benedictine Sisters from St. Joseph, MN
- School additions built in 1916 (under Rev. Francis Lenger) and 1955
- School closed June 2, 2010, after 107 years; east addition now used for Youth Ministry
- Steeple struck by lightning July 3, 1979, about 20 feet from the top
Worship, Mass, and Sacraments
St. Ann offers Sunday Mass at 10:00 AM and weekday Mass Tuesday through Friday at 8:30 AM. The parish provides weekly Reconciliation alongside Eucharistic Adoration on Thursday evenings, and welcomes the sacraments of Baptism (with preparation), First Communion (with a weekend retreat), Confirmation (ACC-wide), and Marriage (couples are asked to contact the pastor at least six months ahead).
- Sunday Mass — 10:00 AM
- Weekday Mass — Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday at 8:30 AM
- Reconciliation & Adoration — Thursday 5:30–6:45 PM
- Baptism Preparation — contact parish office
- Marriage Preparation — contact pastor ≥ 6 months in advance
Clergy & Staff
St. Ann is pastored by Father Aaron Kuhn and shares clergy and staff with sister parishes through Mary, Mother of the Church Area Catholic Community. Father Kuhn grew up across central Minnesota (Alexandria, Northeast Minneapolis, White Bear Lake, Little Falls, Cambridge), attended seminary in 1999, and was ordained in 2007; after three years at St. Mary's Cathedral, St. Augustine Parish and Christ Church Newman Center in St. Cloud, he earned a licentiate in canon law at The Catholic University of America and was assigned as pastor of St. Ann (Wadena) and St. John the Baptist (Bluffton) in 2013.
- Pastor: Father Aaron Kuhn
- Parochial Vicar: Father Gabriel Walz
- Deacon Bob Shaffer
- Deacon John Wolak
- Deacon Randy Altstadt — ACC Business Administrator
- Barb Piecek — St. Ann's Business Office Manager
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Ann spans childhood through young adulthood. The parish hosts Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) Level 1 training in the St. Ann Church Basement Atrium — a Montessori-based approach for children ages 3–6. Older students prepare for First Communion (with a weekend retreat) and Confirmation through ACC-wide programming, including a Rite of Calling in early June and Confirmation in mid-October.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) Level 1 — ages 3–6, Basement Atrium
- First Communion Retreat weekend
- Confirmation preparation (ACC-wide) with Rite of Calling and October Confirmation
- Director of Discipleship for St. Ann: Bonnie Witthuhn ([email protected])
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
St. Ann operates a robust youth ministry out of the repurposed east-side school addition and sends young people to the Steubenville Youth Conference in Ohio and the National Catholic Youth Conference. Once a month, on the first Friday, Father Aaron Kuhn leads an evening for young adults (ages 18–39) that opens with an hour of Eucharistic Adoration — half praise-and-worship with guitar-led music, half silent prayer — followed by fellowship, snacks, and conversation at the parish house.
- Youth Ministry building (former school east addition)
- Steubenville Youth Conference trips
- National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC)
- Monthly Young Adult Nights — first Friday, led by Father Kuhn
- Victoria Bulcher — youth and young adult ministry coordinator ([email protected], 320-360-5193)
Parish Life, Outreach & Fundraisers
Beyond Mass and formation, St. Ann is known for its community-building outreach. Springfest, the parish's signature fundraiser, has run annually since the early 2000s (with a 2020 pandemic pause) and underwrites youth trips, the Good Samaritan Fund, and parish operations. Father Kuhn's 'Father's Garage' project — a build of a replica 1965 Shelby Cobra MK4 Roadster kit with hundreds of hours of volunteer labor — will be raffled to support seminarians and women discerning religious vocations. Tuesday Christian counseling is offered on site through The Center for Family Counseling.
- Springfest — annual parish fundraiser since early 2000s
- Good Samaritan Fund
- V8s for Vocations — Father Kuhn's 1965 Shelby Cobra kit-car build/raffle
- Catholic United Financial (in parish life since the 1890s)
- Christian Counseling — Tuesdays with Paula Johnson, MS, MA, LMFT
Mary, Mother of the Church Area Catholic Community
St. Ann is part of Mary, Mother of the Church ACC, a cluster of parishes across central Minnesota that share clergy, a business administrator, and Directors of Discipleship. The community website (marysacc.org) coordinates Mass times, faith formation, and sacramental preparation across the member parishes.
- St. Ann, Wadena (this parish)
- St. John the Baptist, Bluffton
- St. Frederick, Verndale
- St. Hubert, Bluegrass
- St. Joseph, Bertha
- Sacred Heart, Staples
- St. Michael, Motley
- Assumption of Our Lady, Menahga
Visit, Contact & Location
St. Ann is located at 514 1st Street SE in Wadena, Minnesota — at the crossroads of U.S. Highways 10 and 71 in the Diocese of St. Cloud. The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM (Saturday by appointment), and can be reached at (218) 631-1593 or [email protected]. Mailing and physical address: 514 1st Street SE, Wadena, MN 56482.
- Address: 514 1st Street SE, Wadena, MN 56482
- Phone: (218) 631-1593
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–4:00 PM; Saturday by appointment
- Diocese: St. Cloud
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Don Wagner
Parish priest at the time of the 2010 school closing announcement; served as spokesman for the final decision after consulting with trustees, school administrators, and Bishop John Kinney of St. Cloud.
- Rev. Richard McGuire
Referenced in coverage of St. Ann's school history.
- Rev. Francis Lenger1916
Planned a substantial building addition to St. Ann's School to handle expanding enrollment.
- Father Aaron Kuhn2013–present
Assigned as pastor of the parishes of St. Ann in Wadena and St. John the Baptist in Bluffton in 2013, after earning a licentiate in canon law from The Catholic University of America. Previously served three years as parochial vicar at St. Mary's Cathedral, St. Augustine Parish and Christ Church Newman Center in St. Cloud; ordained in 2007.