About St. Anthony · Ely, Minnesota
St. Anthony Catholic Church is a Roman Latin rite parish of the Diocese of Duluth located at 231 East Camp Street in Ely, Minnesota, a small Iron Range town on the edge of the Boundary Waters. The parish was founded in 1888 as a mission affiliated with St. Martin's in Tower, and the present church building was completed in 1958 under the pastorate of Father Mike Mihelčič. Generations of Slovenian, Finnish, Italian and other European Catholic immigrants have shaped the parish, which today is served by Father Charles Friebohle and Deacon Don Klick.
- Established
- 1888
- Patron
- St. Anthony (of Padua, as referenced in local histories of St. Anthony of Padua Parish)
- Rector
- Rev. Charles Friebohle
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth
Why belong here
St. Anthony's is a tight-knit Catholic parish rooted in the Slovenian and other European immigrant Catholic heritage of the Iron Range, where daily and weekly Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Rosary for vocations, and frequent Confession are real parts of parish life. Visitors are welcomed for Mass on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, with weekday Masses Tuesday through Friday and a strong Adoration hour on Thursdays. The parish shares its pastor with St. Pius X in Babbitt, is supported by Deacon Don Klick and a Director of Evangelization and Catechetics, and offers a place where residents and visitors to the Ely/Boundary Waters area can find traditional Catholic worship and a small-town faith community.
Mass times at St. Anthony
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30pm–4:30pm
- Tuesday 4:30pm–4:50pm
- Thursday 7:30am–7:50am
- Friday 7:30am–7:50am
- Saturday 8:30am–8:50am (First Saturdays only, prior to Mass)
- Friday 3:00pm–4:00pm (First Fridays only)
Adoration times
- Thursday 8:30am–8:00pm (Rosary for vocations at 7:00pm)
Parish History
The Catholic congregation in Ely was founded in 1888 as a mission of St. Martin's in Tower. For its first twelve years, a priest traveled from Tower roughly once a month for worship in a lumber office and then a private residence. In 1900 a dedicated church was built on the lot that is now the parish parking lot, and that building served the parish until 1958, when the present church was constructed under the leadership of Father Mike Mihelčič.
- 1888: Catholic congregation founded as an affiliate of St. Martin's, Tower.
- Early worship held in a lumber office and later a residence.
- 1900: Second Catholic church built in Ely on the current parking lot.
- 1958: Current St. Anthony Catholic Church built and dedicated.
- Father Mike Mihelčič led a multi-year fundraising campaign that paid for the 1958 building in full before construction began.
Slovenian Heritage and Monsignor Joseph Buh
Ely was, in the early 20th century, a town in which Slovenian Americans formed a relative majority, and St. Anthony's was the spiritual heart of that community. The parish was served by Slovenian-born missionary priests, including a temporary assignment by Father J.M. Trunk in 1908–1909 and a 21-year pastorate by Monsignor Joseph Buh, who went on to found 57 parishes across northeast Minnesota and serve as the founding Vicar General of the Diocese of Duluth. The diocese has since opened Buh's cause for beatification.
- Monsignor Joseph Buh served as pastor of St. Anthony of Padua, Ely for 21 years.
- Buh founded 57 Catholic parishes across northeast Minnesota.
- Buh was the founding Vicar General of the Diocese of Duluth.
- The Diocese of Duluth has opened Buh's cause for beatification (reported in 2024).
Clergy and Staff
St. Anthony's is currently served by Father Charles Friebohle as pastor, with Deacon Don Klick assisting. The parish also employs a Director of Evangelization and Catechetics (Alisoun Forsmark) and an Administrative Assistant (Elizabeth Thunstrom) who work across the Ely/Babbitt parishes. The parish shares its pastor with St. Pius X in Babbitt.
- Pastor: Rev. Charles Friebohle (effective July 1, 2020).
- Deacon: Don Klick.
- Director of Evangelization and Catechetics: Alisoun Forsmark.
- Administrative Assistant: Elizabeth Thunstrom.
- Paired parish: St. Pius X, Babbitt.
Faith Formation and Evangelization
St. Anthony's runs a parish Faith Formation program for children and adults, supported by a Director of Evangelization and Catechetics. Sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage) is coordinated through the parish office.
- Faith Formation / Religious Education for children.
- Director of Evangelization and Catechetics on staff.
- Sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage.
- RCIA / adult initiation available through the parish.
Diocese of Duluth
St. Anthony is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth, which was erected on October 3, 1889 by Pope Leo XIII. The diocese covers ten counties of northeastern Minnesota (Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine, and St. Louis) and is currently led by Bishop Paul Sirba. The mother church is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth.
- Diocese erected October 3, 1889 by Pope Leo XIII.
- First bishop: James McGolrick.
- Mother church: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, Duluth.
- Current bishop: Paul Sirba (named 2009).
Visiting Ely and the Parish
Ely is the eastern gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and a popular destination for canoeists, hikers, and nature tourists. The parish sits on East Camp Street in downtown Ely, a block north of Sheridan Street and 3rd Avenue East off Highway 169, and is a convenient stop for Catholic visitors to the area. The Ely Tourism Bureau highlights St. Anthony's as one of the town's notable landmarks.
- Parish is located at 231 E Camp St, Ely, near Highway 169.
- Ely is a gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
- Marked as a local landmark in the Ely Tourism Bureau self-guided tour.
- On-site parking available on the lot of the former 1900 church.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. J.M. TrunkJuly 4, 1908 – end of February 1909
Temporary Slovenian priest serving the Ely parish before moving on to other Minnesota assignments.
- Monsignor Joseph Buh21 years (early 20th century)
Slovenian-born missionary priest; later founding Vicar General of the Diocese of Duluth; subject of a diocesan beatification cause.
- Father Mike Mihelčič ('Father Mike')mid-20th century, leading up to 1958
Led the years-long fundraising campaign that put the entire cost of the 1958 church in hand before construction began.
- Rev. William (Bill) Skarichordered 1999; served as pastor of St. Anthony/Ely, St. Pius X/Babbitt and St. Martin's/Tower until 2020
Ordained June 30, 1999 for the Diocese of Duluth; reassigned effective May 28, 2020 to priest sacramental minister at Blessed Sacrament, Hibbing.
- Rev. Charles FriebohleEffective July 1, 2020 – present
Transferred from parochial vicar of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Mary Star of the Sea, Duluth, to pastor of St. Anthony, Ely and St. Pius X, Babbitt.