About St. Boniface · Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota
St. Boniface Catholic Church is a small, historic parish in the small lake-country city of Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota, about 30 miles west of Minneapolis. Founded in 1858 — the same year Minnesota became a state — the parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and is served by Father Peter Hughes, with Deacon Patrick assisting. The white-frame 1881 church with its tall steeple on the hill is a well-known landmark for the surrounding area. The parish community worships in English, offers Faith Formation for children through grade 12, and sustains an unusually wide range of lay ministries — choirs, lectors, greeters, Knights of Columbus, Council of Catholic Women, a rosary group, and First Friday Adoration.
- Established
- 1858
- Patron
- St. Boniface (patron of Germany; the city of Saint Bonifacius is named for him)
- Rector
- Father Peter Hughes
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Boniface offers a tight-knit, small-town Catholic community with deep local roots — founded the same year Minnesota became a state, in 1858. Parishioners grow in faith through daily and weekend Mass, weekday Eucharistic Adoration, First Friday Adoration, and a robust Reconciliation schedule. There is a real place for everyone: Faith Formation runs from preschool through 12th grade with sacramental preparation, and the parish sustains choirs, lectors, altar servers, greeters, ushers, a Council of Catholic Women, the Knights of Columbus, a Rosary Prayer Group, and outreach ministries that visit the home-bound. With Father Peter Hughes as pastor and Deacon Patrick assisting, it is the kind of parish where the pastor knows the people and volunteers do most of the building.
Mass times at St. Boniface
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 6:00 PM
- Wednesday: 7:30 AM
- Saturday: 3:00 PM
Adoration times
- Tuesday: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
- First Friday of each month: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Closing & Benediction at 5:00 PM)
Parish History
St. Boniface was born in 1858 with the first Mass celebrated in a small log chapel by Fr. Benedict Heindl, the same year Minnesota became a state. In 1859 the first church was built on land given to the parish; in 1878 the Franciscan Fathers began construction of the present church, which was completed in 1881. The steeple of the white frame church on the hill is a landmark for the whole local area. The original church was converted into a two-room schoolhouse, which burned in 1884, prompting a new school. In 1889 two side wings were added to the church; Benedictine Sisters came in 1897 to support the school. A convent house and rectory were built in 1908; Father James Livingston broke ground for a fellowship hall and renovation of the church interior in 2000, and the rectory was renovated in 2004. In 2023 the rectory basement was completely remodeled by many volunteers under Fr. Peter Hughes to create more meeting spaces.
- 1858 — First Mass by Fr. Benedict Heindl in a log chapel
- 1859 — First church built on donated land
- 1878–1881 — Present church built by the Franciscan Fathers
- 1884 — Schoolhouse fire; new school built
- 1889 — Two side wings added to church
- 1897 — Benedictine Sisters arrive to support the school
- 1908 — Convent house and rectory built
- 1971 — Parish school closes (lack of sisters and funds)
- 2000 — Fr. James Livingston breaks ground for fellowship hall and interior renovation
- 2004 — Rectory renovated
- 2023 — Rectory basement remodeled under Fr. Peter Hughes
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Boniface Faith Formation offers programs for preschool through 12th grade, including sacramental preparation for Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation. Classes meet on Wednesdays. The mission of the program is to collaborate with parents — recognized as the first teachers of the faith — to proclaim the teachings of the Catholic Church. Director of Discipleship and Evangelization Laura Janas (ext. 25, [email protected]) leads the program, with Paula Bodine as Faith Formation Administrative Assistant. Father Peter Hughes serves as pastor of the program.
- Programs for Preschool through 12th grade
- Sacramental preparation: Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, Confirmation
- Classes meet on Wednesdays
- Director of Discipleship and Evangelization: Laura Janas ([email protected], 952-446-1054 ext. 25)
- Faith Formation Administrative Assistant: Paula Bodine ([email protected])
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the formal process of education and catechesis that welcomes adult non-Catholics into full communion with the Catholic Church. Sessions help seekers learn, ask questions, share faith stories, and develop a relationship with Jesus Christ within the local parish community.
Music & Liturgy Ministries
The parish music program welcomes both youth and adult singers and instrumentalists. The Main Choir, Funeral Choir, Cantors and Instrumentalists rehearse as requested by Music Director Kathy Mahoney. Those who cannot commit to the main choir are still invited to sing at funerals. Liturgical roles also include Altar Servers, Lectors, Greeters, Ushers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and Sacristans — all open to youth and adults with training provided.
- Main Choir, Funeral Choir, Cantors and Instrumentalists — youth and adult; Director: Kathy Mahoney
- Altar Servers — youth and adult; training provided
- Lectors — youth and adult
- Greeters — youth and adult
- Ushers — youth and adult
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Sacristans
Prayer & Devotional Life
Beyond Mass and the regular Reconciliation and Adoration schedule, the parish sustains a Rosary Prayer Group and the Prayer & Play group for moms and caregivers (every other Wednesday at 9:30 AM). Pastoral Ministry volunteers visit parishioners who are home-bound or in medical care centers, praying with them and bringing Holy Communion.
- Rosary Prayer Group
- Prayer & Play (moms/caregivers, every other Wednesday at 9:30 AM)
- Pastoral Ministry to home-bound and medical care centers
- First Friday Adoration with Closing & Benediction
Parish Organizations & Community Life
Lay organizations are central to life at St. Boniface. The Council of Catholic Women promotes spirituality, leadership, and service among the women of the parish through activities including the Barren Tree, Mardi Gras pancake supper, Easter egg hunt, nursing-home birthday party, spiritually adopting a seminarian, and Rosaries for Babies — plus fundraising for First Communicants, Vacation Bible School, and Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets. The Knights of Columbus (Council 12029), with Father Peter Hughes as Chaplain, operates in five program areas: church, family, youth, community, and council.
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW)
- Knights of Columbus Council 12029 (Chaplain: Father Peter Hughes)
- Bereavement Ministry
- Parish Life / Parish Welcoming
- Groundskeeping and Lawn Mowing
- Altar Society
- Family Promise
Sacraments
The parish prepares parishioners for the sacraments of Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage. Baptism is prepared through a quarterly class; Marriage requires contacting the pastor well in advance. Pastoral care of the sick and home-bound is provided by the Pastoral Ministry team.
- Baptism Preparation (quarterly class)
- First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage (contact the pastor)
- Pastoral care of the sick and home-bound
Staff & Contact
Father Peter Hughes serves as pastor and Deacon Patrick assists. Parish Office Coordinator is Tanya Golka ([email protected]). Laura Janas is Director of Discipleship and Evangelization (Faith Formation & Youth Ministry); Paula Bodine is Faith Formation Administrative Assistant; Kathy Mahoney is Music Director. Parish office hours are Tuesday 12:00 Noon – 6:00 PM and Wednesday through Friday 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM.
- Pastor: Father Peter Hughes ([email protected], ext. 22)
- Deacon Patrick
- Parish Office Coordinator: Tanya Golka ([email protected])
- Director of Discipleship and Evangelization: Laura Janas ([email protected], ext. 25)
- Faith Formation Administrative Assistant: Paula Bodine ([email protected])
- Music Director: Kathy Mahoney
Building & Grounds
The parish campus centers on the 1881 white-frame church with its landmark steeple on the hill. Over the decades the campus has grown to include a fellowship hall (built 2000 under Fr. James Livingston), a renovated rectory (2004), and newly finished basement meeting spaces created in 2023 through volunteer labor under Fr. Peter Hughes. A Groundskeeping and Lawn Mowing team cares for the property across the summer months.
Get Involved
St. Boniface lists a wide-open invitation to serve. Training is provided for most liturgical roles, and the parish explicitly welcomes both youth and adult volunteers — including those who cannot commit to weekly schedules. Contact the parish office or the ministry coordinator listed on the Ministry Schedule page to learn more.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Benedict Heindl1858
Celebrated the first Mass in the small log chapel the year the parish was born and Minnesota became a state.
- Fr. Joseph-Quoc Thien Vuonguntil June 2019
Was pastor of St. Boniface (and St. Mary of Czestochowa, Delano); transferred June 6, 2019 to St. Gerard Majella, Brooklyn Park as parochial vicar and Vietnamese community chaplain.
- Fr. Peter HughesJune 6, 2019 – present
First appointed parochial administrator on June 6, 2019 (previously in residence at Our Lady of the Lake, Mound). Assigned pastor on June 24, 2021; in 2021 also given pastorate of Immaculate Conception, Watertown. Oversaw the 2023 rectory basement remodel.