About St. Bernard · Thief River Falls, Minnesota
St. Bernard's Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in downtown Thief River Falls, Minnesota, in the Diocese of Crookston, with its mission statement being 'Go Make Disciples.' The parish is led by Father Craig Vasek and serves Catholics in Thief River Falls and the surrounding missions of St. Ann in Goodridge and St. Clement in Grygla. It runs St. Bernard's Catholic School next door on Knight Avenue (grades Preschool through 8th grade in 2026-27) and maintains an active sacramental life including daily Mass, a robust Eucharistic Adoration schedule, OCIA formation, an Alpha program, and a St. Vincent de Paul conference.
- Established
- 1896
- Patron
- St. Bernard of Clairvaux
- Rector
- Rev. Craig Vasek
- Diocese
- Diocese of Crookston
Why belong here
St. Bernard's welcomes all who are curious about Jesus or ready to go deeper, and the parish is organized around its mission to 'Go Make Disciples.' Parishioners can worship at a Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass with daily Masses Tuesday through Friday, pray before the Blessed Sacrament in the Adoration Chapel several days a week, grow in faith through OCIA, Alpha, and the Catholic school, and serve neighbors in need through the local St. Vincent de Paul conference and outreach to the sick, homebound, and Northland Community & Technical College students.
Mass times at St. Bernard
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 8:00 – 8:50 AM
- Tuesday: 4:45 – 5:05 PM (some sources show 4:45 – 5:10 PM)
- Wednesday: 11:45 AM – 12:05 PM
- Thursday: 11:45 AM – 12:05 PM
- Friday: 11:45 AM – 12:05 PM
- Saturday: 4:00 – 4:50 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 8:30 AM – 10:00 PM
- Thursday: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Friday: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Friday: 7:00 PM – 12:00 AM (First Friday continues until 8:00 AM Saturday)
- Saturday: 12:00 AM – 8:00 AM (First Friday into First Saturday Adoration)
Welcome and Mission
St. Bernard's Catholic Church greets visitors with the message: 'Our parish is founded on the mission of Jesus Christ: to go to the nations and make disciples.' The parish explicitly welcomes everyone — from those just beginning to explore who Jesus is to longtime believers ready to go deep with the Lord. After Mass, newcomers are invited to stop by the Welcome Hub in the church to learn more about connecting with parish life.
- Mission: 'Go Make Disciples'
- Welcome Hub after Mass for newcomers
- A Message from the Pastor featured on the home page
Parish History
Founded in 1896, the same year Thief River Falls itself was incorporated, St. Bernard's has served the Catholics of Pennington County for more than 125 years. The parish built its current church at 105 Knight Ave N in 1948 and expanded the worship space in 1988. A more recent multi-phase capital campaign added a ground-level entrance, an Adoration Chapel, additional restrooms, and consolidated parish and school offices.
- Parish established in 1896
- Church built at current site in 1948
- Worship space expanded in 1988
- Capital campaign Phase I built new entrance, Adoration Chapel, restrooms, offices
- Phase II planned to add a multi-purpose fellowship space with kitchen and classrooms
School of St. Bernard's (Centennial 1925–2025)
St. Bernard's Catholic School has educated students since 1925 under the patronage of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. The very first schoolhouse was a former elementary school purchased in 1922, cut into two halves, and dragged across the frozen Red Lake River — the second half famously broke through the ice overnight and had to be jacked up so the ice could refreeze beneath it. A new school building replaced that recycled structure in 1949, and the school is celebrating its 100-year Centennial in August 2025 with a new logo, a new mascot — the Bee — and a community-wide block party.
- Open since 1925; Centennial in 2025
- Patron: St. Bernard of Clairvaux
- Grades Preschool through 8th grade (full middle school begins 2026-27)
- Motto: 'Go Make a Difference!'
- Mascot: the Bee (introduced 2025)
- Enrollment ~137 students
- 1:1 technology, low student-to-teacher ratio
- Families of all faiths welcomed; tuition assistance available
- Contact: [email protected]
Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation
Beyond the parish school, St. Bernard's offers year-round OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for adults seeking Baptism, full communion, or Confirmation, as well as adult Catholics who want to deepen their faith. Sessions are held in person when possible and on Zoom when necessary, beginning with an individual inquiry meeting.
- OCIA contact: Carolyn Holecek, (218) 681-4191 (home) or (218) 686-0811 (cell)
- Year-round weekly sessions starting in September
- Open to inquirers, candidates for full communion, and Catholics seeking Confirmation
Alpha Program
St. Bernard's runs the Alpha course — an eleven-week, low-barrier introduction to the Christian faith featuring shared meals, a short talk, and small-group discussion. The parish describes Alpha as ideal for anyone unsure what they believe; there are no prerequisites. Over 29 million people worldwide have completed Alpha.
- Spring 2026 Alpha begins Monday, February 9 at 6:00 PM in the Parish Hall
- Eleven sessions on Monday evenings plus a Saturday Holy Spirit Retreat
- Topics include 'Is there more to life than this?', 'Who is Jesus?', 'Why and how do I pray?', 'How can I resist evil?', and 'What next?'
Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul Conference
St. Bernard's hosts a local conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a worldwide Catholic lay organization of roughly 800,000 members in 150 countries. The Thief River Falls conference provides person-to-person service to the needy and suffering, and welcomes new members and helpers.
- Catholic lay service organization
- Person-to-person assistance to those in need
- Contact: Dave at 218-416-1963
- SVdP brochure available on the parish website
Outreach to the Wider Community
St. Bernard's mission statement calls parishioners to be models of Christian stewardship, hand on the faith through catechesis, serve the poor with generous hearts, reach out to the sick and homebound, participate actively in the Eucharistic liturgy, and welcome all who come. The parish identifies itself as the closest Catholic presence for students, faculty, and staff at Northland Community & Technical College in Thief River Falls.
- Outreach to the sick, lonely, and homebound
- Newman-style ministry to Northland Community & Technical College (218-681-3571)
- Friday Lenten Fish Fries (community and fundraiser)
- Lenten and Advent devotions, Rosary Walks, and Feast Day celebrations
Feast Day and Centennial Celebrations
Each year the parish marks the Feast of St. Bernard (August 20) with a Rosary Walk, a Feast Day Mass with the Back-to-School Blessing of all students, a parish dinner, and evening family activities on the playground. In 2025 the school combined this celebration with its Centennial, adding a new logo and mascot unveiling, a Great Ping Pong Ball Drop, a Heritage Hunt, school tours, a Color Run, and an Annual Block Party at Floyd B. Olson Park.
- Feast Day Mass and Back-to-School Blessing
- Rosary Walk beginning in the parking lot
- Parish dinner and playground activities
- Outdoor family film night ('The Princess Bride' for the Centennial)
Visit, Contact, and Office Hours
The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday from 1:00 to 5:00 PM and closed Saturday through Monday. The church is in downtown Thief River Falls, one block north of Lincoln High School, and shares its block with St. Bernard's Catholic School at 117 Knight Ave N (school phone 218-681-1539).
- Parish address: 105 Knight Ave N, Thief River Falls, MN 56701
- Parish phone: (218) 681-3571
- School address: 117 Knight Ave N, Thief River Falls, MN 56701
- School phone: (218) 681-1539
- Office hours: Tue–Fri 1:00–5:00 PM (closed Sat–Mon)