About St. Benedict · Yankton, South Dakota
St. Benedict Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Yankton, South Dakota, part of the Diocese of Sioux Falls. The parish was established in 1993 according to GCatholic records, and currently serves as one of the two Yankton parishes within the St. Martin of Tours Pastorate, a multi-parish grouping that also includes Sacred Heart in Yankton and parishes in Tyndall, Springfield, Scotland, and Idylwilde. The parish sits at 1500 Saint Benedict Drive and is led by Pastor Fr. Tom Anderson together with parochial vicars and permanent deacons serving the Yankton-area Catholic community.
- Established
- 1993
- Patron
- St. Benedict (of Nursia)
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas (Tom) Anderson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux Falls
Why belong here
St. Benedict offers Yankton Catholics a vibrant north-side parish home with two Sunday Masses (9:00 and 11:00 AM) and a Saturday evening Mass (5:30 PM), plus daily Mass several mornings a week and Eucharistic Adoration on Tuesday mornings. The parish is part of the St. Martin of Tours Pastorate, giving parishioners access to a wide network of Catholic life across Yankton and Bon Homme counties, including the shared Sacred Heart School, faith formation, RCIA, and the broader diocesan 'Set Ablaze' pastoral vision. With multiple priests and deacons assigned and a strong tradition of devotions like confession before most Masses, St. Benedict is well-suited for families, young adults, and longtime Catholics looking for a parish with regular liturgical life and sacramental access.
Mass times at St. Benedict
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 6:00 PM
- Tuesday 8:00 AM
- Thursday 8:00 AM
- Saturday 4:15 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday 7:30 AM - 11:00 AM (Exposition)
Parish Identity and History
St. Benedict Catholic Church was established in 1993 as a new Catholic parish serving the north side of Yankton and surrounding areas in Yankton County, South Dakota. While a relatively young parish, it exists within a much older Catholic tradition: the city of Yankton was the early base of Bishop Martin Marty, OSB, the 'Apostle of the Sioux,' and Benedictine sisters from Switzerland settled nearby beginning in the 1880s, eventually founding Mount Marty University. St. Benedict operates in close cooperation with its sister parish, Sacred Heart, the older Yankton parish founded in 1871.
- Founded: 1993 (per GCatholic)
- Diocese: Sioux Falls
- Patron: St. Benedict
- Location: 1500 St. Benedict Drive, Yankton, SD 57078
Leadership and Clergy
St. Benedict is served by a pastoral team including the pastor of the St. Martin of Tours Pastorate and multiple parochial vicars and deacons. Fr. Tom Anderson serves as Pastor and was the public face of the pastorate's 2024 reorganization, announcing weekend Mass reductions under Bishop Donald DeGrood's 'Set Ablaze' initiative.
- Pastor: Rev. Thomas (Tom) Anderson
- Parochial Vicars: Rev. Thi Pham, SCJ; Rev. Robert Lacey; Rev. Darin Schmidt
- Deacons: Deacon Ronald Kachena; Deacon Jack Dahlseid
St. Martin of Tours Pastorate
St. Benedict is one of eight parishes in the St. Martin of Tours Pastorate, which includes Sacred Heart in Yankton and parishes in Tyndall, Springfield, Scotland, and Idylwilde, as well as mission churches in Tabor and Lesterville. The pastorate was reorganized under Bishop Donald DeGrood's 'Set Ablaze' initiative to address fewer priests and changing demographics, with weekend Masses across the grouping reduced from 13 to 10 effective July 1, 2024. While mission churches without weekend Masses remain parishes (with parish and finance councils, altar societies, and ongoing sacramental life like funerals, baptisms, religious education, rosary, Stations of the Cross, and Divine Mercy devotions), St. Benedict and Sacred Heart continue as the two Yankton parishes with full weekend Mass schedules.
- Eight parishes total in the pastorate
- Two Yankton parishes: St. Benedict and Sacred Heart
- Pastor's shared office: [email protected]
- Shared website: stmartintours.org
Sacred Heart School
St. Benedict shares a strong educational mission with sister parish Sacred Heart through Sacred Heart School. In 2002, the school expanded with new PK-4 classrooms built as an addition onto the St. Benedict Church building, creating a 'St. Benedict Campus' for the younger grades. In 2011, a separate 5th-8th grade building was constructed at the Sacred Heart parish site, replacing most of the 1922 two-story brick school that had stood at 5th and Capital since that year. The school traces its origins to the Sisters of Mercy of the Sacred Heart Convent opening Yankton's first parochial school on March 25, 1881.
- PK-4th grade campus at St. Benedict
- 5th-8th grade campus at Sacred Heart parish
- Origins: 1881 parochial school opened by Sisters of Mercy
Sacraments and Devotions
St. Benedict celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments as part of the St. Martin of Tours Pastorate, including Baptisms, Marriages, Anointing of the Sick, and Funeral Masses. Confession is offered four days a week, and Tuesday mornings feature Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for Eucharistic Adoration. Mission churches in the pastorate continue offering rosary, Stations of the Cross, and Divine Mercy devotions even where weekend Masses have been discontinued.
- Reconciliation: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Eucharistic Adoration: Tuesday 7:30-11:00 AM
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing, and Funeral Masses by arrangement
Faith Formation and Community Life
As part of the St. Martin of Tours Pastorate, St. Benedict parishioners have access to shared faith formation programs including religious education for school-age children, RCIA for adults preparing to enter the Church, and various parish groups. The pastorate maintains a Parish Council, Finance Council, and Altar Society, giving parishioners structured ways to participate in parish governance and service.
- Religious Education
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Parish Council
- Finance Council
- Altar Society
Visit and Contact
St. Benedict is located at 1500 Saint Benedict Drive in Yankton, South Dakota, with weekday parish office hours handled through the shared St. Martin of Tours Pastorate office. Visitors and parishioners can reach the parish office at (605) 664-6214 or by email at [email protected]. The pastorate's shared website at stmartintours.org contains the most current information about Mass times and parish events.
- Address: 1500 Saint Benedict Drive, Yankton, SD 57078-6305
- Phone: (605) 664-6214
- Email: [email protected]
- Pastorate website: stmartintours.org