About St. Anthony of Padua · Minneapolis, Minnesota
St. Anthony of Padua Chapel is a small Roman Catholic chapel located on the Albert J. Hofstede Campus of Catholic Eldercare at 817 Main Street NE in Northeast Minneapolis. It is historically the oldest Catholic parish in Minneapolis — its mission was founded in 1849 by Fr. Augustin Ravoux and is nicknamed 'The Mother Church of the Lakes.' Since July 1, 2013 the church building has been owned and stewarded by Catholic Eldercare, while remaining in pastoral union with Holy Cross Parish (the merged, multi-campus parish also comprising St. Clement and St. Hedwig) under the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The chapel serves Catholic Eldercare residents, staff, families and NE Minneapolis neighbors, and is home to the beloved Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and the St. Anthony of Padua Garden.
- Established
- 1849
- Patron
- St. Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Fr. Spencer Howe (Pastor of Holy Cross Parish, which includes St. Anthony of Padua Chapel)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Anthony of Padua Chapel offers a quiet, historic place to worship and pray in the heart of Northeast Minneapolis, with daily Mass and a weekend schedule that makes it easy to fit prayer into a busy week. As the spiritual center of the Catholic Eldercare campus, it warmly welcomes elders, families and neighbors — and the beloved Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help draws visitors at all hours. Being historically the first Catholic parish in Minneapolis, it carries more than 175 years of continuous Catholic heritage and remains tied into the broader life of Holy Cross Parish, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and the Northeast Minneapolis arts community.
Mass times at St. Anthony of Padua
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Anthony of Padua Chapel
St. Anthony of Padua Chapel is the historic Catholic worship space at the heart of Catholic Eldercare's Albert J. Hofstede Campus in Northeast Minneapolis. It is recognized as the oldest Catholic parish in Minneapolis and remains a working chapel serving elders, families, staff and the surrounding neighborhood. The chapel is part of the wider life of Holy Cross Parish in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
- First Catholic parish in Minneapolis (founded 1849)
- Stewarded by Catholic Eldercare since 2013
- Pastoral union with Holy Cross Parish
History of the Parish
The mission was started by Fr. Augustin Ravoux in 1849 at St. Anthony Falls and the first church was completed in 1851. A larger stone church was built under Fr. Felix Tissot in 1868 and given two brick towers in 1898. After WWII, Fr. Francis Lang led a major renovation (1947–1948) that added the New Bedford stone façade, modern oak altars and the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Fr. John Brown updated the sanctuary in 1964–1966 to reflect Vatican II. In 1983 Catholic Eldercare opened its senior complex next door on parish-leased land arranged by Fr. William Hough, and in 2013 Catholic Eldercare purchased the church building outright.
- 1849 — Fr. Augustin Ravoux founds the mission church at St. Anthony Falls
- 1851 — First church completed; Diocese of St. Paul created
- 1868 — Fr. Felix Tissot completes the larger stone church
- 1898 — Two brick towers added to the facade
- 1947–1948 — Fr. Francis Lang's renovation; Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help dedicated
- 1964–1966 — Fr. John Brown remodels the sanctuary (Vatican II)
- 1983 — Catholic Eldercare opens its senior complex
- 2013 — Catholic Eldercare purchases the church building
Clergy and Pastoral Care
The chapel is served by a dedicated Priest Chaplain and Pastoral Care Chaplain who minister to Catholic Eldercare residents, families and staff. The chapel is also part of Holy Cross Parish, whose pastor (Fr. Spencer Howe) and parochial vicars (Fr. John Rumpza and Fr. Miroslaw Szynal) extend pastoral care to the broader parish community that includes this chapel.
- Rev. John Brandeis — Priest Chaplain
- Jack Stanek — Pastoral Care Chaplain
- Fr. Spencer Howe — Pastor, Holy Cross Parish
- Fr. John Rumpza — Parochial Vicar, Holy Cross
- Fr. Miroslaw Szynal — Parochial Vicar for Polonia, Holy Cross
Mass and Worship Schedule
St. Anthony of Padua Chapel celebrates daily Mass Monday through Friday at 11:30 AM, with weekend Masses on Saturday at 5:30 PM and Sunday at 9:00 AM. The chapel serves as the spiritual centerpiece of the Catholic Eldercare campus and the wider Northeast Minneapolis neighborhood.
- Monday–Friday — 11:30 AM
- Saturday — 5:30 PM
- Sunday — 9:00 AM
Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
The Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was dedicated in 1947 during Fr. Francis Lang's renovation and remains one of the chapel's most cherished devotions. It was lovingly re-dedicated after renovation in 2019. Visitors come to pray at the shrine at all hours of the day, making it a quiet spiritual anchor on the Catholic Eldercare campus.
- Originally dedicated 1947
- Re-dedicated 2019
- Open for prayer at all hours
The Green and St. Anthony of Padua Garden
Outside the chapel, Catholic Eldercare has built two garden spaces that connect worship and daily life. The Green, dedicated in 2018, is a garden-pathed common beside the chapel. In 2022 Fr. John Bauer blessed the new St. Anthony of Padua Garden along with the re-dedicated Our Lady of Perpetual Help shrine, creating a serene outdoor setting for residents, families and visitors.
- The Green — dedicated 2018
- St. Anthony of Padua Garden — blessed by Fr. John Bauer, 2022
Catholic Eldercare and Pastoral Care
Catholic Eldercare purchased the St. Anthony of Padua church building on July 1, 2013 to ensure the historic chapel would remain at the center of community life on its Albert J. Hofstede Campus. The pastoral care team ministers to elders and families through daily Mass, the sacraments, devotions and one-on-one spiritual support during life transitions.
- Trained pastoral care staff support residents and families
- Chapel serves as the spiritual cornerstone of the Albert J. Hofstede Campus
- Anointing and sacramental care available on campus
Visiting the Chapel
St. Anthony of Padua Chapel welcomes visitors for daily Mass, the weekend schedule, and private prayer at the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. It sits in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District along the Mississippi, easily combined with a visit to nearby Holy Cross, St. Clement or St. Hedwig — the other worship sites of Holy Cross Parish.
- Address: 817 Main Street NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
- Phone: 612-379-1370
- Email: [email protected]
- Located in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Augustin Ravoux1849–
Founded the original mission church at St. Anthony Falls in 1849, completing the first church in 1851.
- Fr. Felix Tissotby 1868
Led the construction of the larger stone church that still serves as the chapel today.
- Fr. Francis Lang1947–1948
Oversaw the major post-WWII renovation: new oak altars, New Bedford stone façade, and dedication of the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
- Fr. John Brown1964–1966
Remodeled the sanctuary to implement the changes of Vatican II.
- Fr. William Hough1974–1991
Pastor who arranged the leasing of the parish school land to Catholic Eldercare for its senior care complex.