St. Arnold

About St. Arnold's Catholic Church

St. Arnold's Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic mission parish serving the small rural community of Milnor in Sargent County, southeastern North Dakota. The parish falls within the Diocese of Fargo and shares pastoral leadership with St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in nearby Wyndmere. The mission's identity is rooted in the early-twentieth-century settlement of the Milnor area, when the first church was built in the summer of 1906 and Father M. J. Simon became its first pastor on November 1, 1906.

History

The first St. Arnold's church was built in the summer of 1906 and the new parish was formally established under Father M. J. Simon on November 1, 1906. The building was remodeled in 1955 to accommodate a growing congregation. By the early 1980s the original structure had become inadequate: the old church was moved in 1983 and a new church building was constructed on the site in 1984. That 1984 building remains the parish's present worship space.

• 1906 — Original church built in the summer of 1906
• November 1, 1906 — Father M. J. Simon becomes first pastor
• 1955 — First church remodeled
• 1983 — Old church moved
• 1984 — New church built on the same site

Worship Schedule

St. Arnold's offers a single Sunday Mass with a seasonal time shift. The parish's published worship schedule, hosted on the City of Milnor's website, lists Sunday Mass at 10:30 a.m. from October through March, and at 8:30 a.m. from April through September. All Masses are celebrated in English.

• Sunday Mass — 10:30 a.m. (October–March)
• Sunday Mass — 8:30 a.m. (April–September)

Clergy and Pastoral Leadership

Since June 26, 2024, St. Arnold's Milnor has been served by Rev. Terry E. Dodge, who was appointed by the Diocese of Fargo to a six-year term as pastor of the cluster formed by St. John the Baptist, Wyndmere and St. Arnold, Milnor. Previously, Rev. Thomas Feltman served as pastor of both parishes from 2015 until 2017, when he was placed on administrative leave by the diocese after concerns were reported regarding his interaction with youth; Rev. Andrew Jasinski was then named temporary administrator of the two parishes. The parish's first pastor, Father M. J. Simon, took office on November 1, 1906.

• Rev. Terry E. Dodge — Pastor (June 26, 2024–present)
• Rev. Andrew Jasinski — Temporary administrator (2017)
• Rev. Thomas Feltman — Pastor (2015–2017)
• Father M. J. Simon — First pastor (from November 1, 1906)

Parish Groups and Organizations

The mission is supported by two traditional lay groups that are part of the parish's published organization list on the City of Milnor website: the Saint Isidore Council of the Knights of Columbus and the Christian Mothers. These groups are typical of long-standing rural Catholic parishes in North Dakota and serve both the spiritual and social life of the community.

• Saint Isidore Council of Knights of Columbus
• Christian Mothers

Faith Formation

The parish maintains a Faith Formation program for its members. The City of Milnor's website invites prospective families and visitors to contact the church office for the current Faith Formation schedule, alongside the Mass schedule.

• Faith Formation — schedule available by contacting the parish office

Diocese and Pastoral Cluster

St. Arnold's is part of the Diocese of Fargo, whose current ordinary is Bishop John Thomas Folda. As part of the diocese's 2024 reorganization of parish clusters, St. Arnold's Milnor was paired with St. John the Baptist in Wyndmere under a single pastor — Rev. Terry E. Dodge — for a six-year term beginning June 26, 2024. The Diocese of Fargo lists St. Arnold's as a parish (Type: Mission) in its Parish Finder.

• Diocese of Fargo
• Bishop: John Thomas Folda
• Cluster partner: St. John the Baptist, Wyndmere
• Cluster pastor: Rev. Terry E. Dodge

Visiting and Contact

Visitors and prospective parishioners are welcomed by the City of Milnor website, which provides the parish's phone number and invites calls about Mass and Faith Formation schedules. The parish is located in Milnor, ND 58060, in Sargent County. The published contact number is (701) 427-9288.

• Phone: (701) 427-9288
• Mailing city: Milnor, ND 58060
• Email: not publicly listed