About St. Casimir · Saint Paul, Minnesota
Church of Saint Casimir is a historic Catholic parish in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood of Saint Paul, Minnesota, founded in 1892 by Polish-American immigrants and served continuously since 1916 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI). The present red-brick Beaux-Arts church was designed by Polish-American architect Victor Cordella and blessed by Archbishop John Ireland on November 27, 1904; it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1983. While treasuring its Polish roots, the parish today welcomes a diverse congregation that includes a sizable Karen community, offering Mass in both English and Karen. It is clustered with neighboring St. Patrick and belongs to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
- Established
- 1892
- Patron
- St. Casimir (Casimir Jagiellon), Prince of Poland and Lithuania
- Rector
- Rev. Cyprian Czop, O.M.I.
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Casimir is one of Saint Paul's oldest Polish-heritage parishes, gathered around a National Register-listed Beaux-Arts church whose twin towers are a landmark of the Payne-Phalen neighborhood. Worshippers can attend a quiet daily Mass in English, a Saturday Vigil alternating with St. Patrick, Sunday Mass in both English and Karen, and Thursday morning Adoration. As a long-standing OMI mission parish that today embraces a diverse community — including a sizable Karen population alongside descendants of the founding Polish families — it offers newcomers a small, welcoming place to pray, receive the sacraments, and become part of a continuing East Side Catholic story.
Mass times at St. Casimir
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment (contact the Parish Office)
Adoration times
- Thursday 8:00–9:00 AM (following 7:30 AM Mass)
About St. Casimir Parish
Church of Saint Casimir is a Catholic parish in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood of Saint Paul, Minnesota, founded in 1892 by Polish-American immigrants. The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and has been served continuously since 1916 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. While treasuring its Polish heritage, the parish today welcomes a multicultural community that includes a sizable Karen community, with a Karen-language Sunday Mass each week.
History of the Parish
Saint Casimir was founded in 1892 to serve Polish Catholic immigrants on Saint Paul's East Side, after the community organized the St. Casimir Prince society in 1888. The first building combined a school (opened September 1893) and an upper-floor church, blessed November 27, 1892. The present Romanesque/Beaux-Arts church was designed by Polish-American architect Victor Cordella; its cornerstone was laid in September 1904 and Archbishop John Ireland blessed it on November 27, 1904. Polish-language Masses continued until about World War II, and the Felician Sisters taught in the parish school from 1908 until 1987. In 1992 the school merged with St. Patrick and Sacred Heart to form Trinity Catholic School, which closed in 2009.
- 1888: Polish immigrants form the St. Casimir Prince society
- 1892: Parish established; combined school-and-church building blessed November 27, 1892
- 1893: School opens on ground floor with 50 pupils
- 1901: Convent built
- 1904: Present church blessed by Archbishop John Ireland on November 27
- 1908–1987: Felician Sisters teach in St. Casimir School
- 1916: First Oblate of Mary Immaculate pastor assigned (Fr. Andrew Stojar)
- 1924: New school building constructed
- 1926: Onion domes on bell towers replaced with egg-shaped tops
- 1956: Interior remodeled
- 1992: School merges with St. Patrick and Sacred Heart to form Trinity Catholic School
- 2009: Trinity Catholic School closes
Architecture & Historic Designation
The Church of St. Casimir was designed in 1904 by Polish-American architect Victor Cordella in the Beaux-Arts style. Constructed of red pressed brick on a limestone foundation, it features twin corner bell towers — originally topped with onion domes, replaced with egg-shaped tops in 1926 — and Tuscan columns framing a raised central portico. The interior was remodeled in 1956. The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on March 31, 1983 (NRHP #83000939) for its significance to Minnesota's early Polish immigrant community and its atypically sophisticated Beaux-Arts design for a Saint Paul church.
- Architect: Victor Cordella (1872–1937)
- Style: Beaux-Arts, red pressed brick on limestone
- NRHP listed: March 31, 1983 (reference No. 83000939)
- Bell towers originally with onion domes; egg-shaped tops since 1926
Mass & Service Schedule
St. Casimir offers daily Mass in English on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 AM, a Saturday Vigil at 4:00 PM alternating with neighboring St. Patrick, and a 9:00 AM Saturday morning Mass. Sunday Masses are at 9:00 AM in English and 11:00 AM in Karen. Eucharistic Adoration follows the Thursday morning Mass from 8:00 to 9:00 AM. Reconciliation is available by appointment.
- Sunday 9:00 AM (English)
- Sunday 11:00 AM (Karen)
- Tuesday 7:30 AM
- Thursday 7:30 AM, followed by Adoration 8:00–9:00 AM
- Saturday 9:00 AM
- Saturday 4:00 PM (alternating with St. Patrick)
- Reconciliation: by appointment
Sacraments
Parishioners can prepare for the sacraments through the parish office. Baptisms require attendance at a Baptism preparation program; couples planning a wedding should contact the office at least six months in advance. Confessions are heard by appointment, and Eucharistic Adoration is offered Thursday mornings after the 7:30 AM Mass.
- Baptism — preparation program required
- Marriage — contact office at least 6 months in advance
- Reconciliation — by appointment
- Eucharistic Adoration — Thursday 8:00–9:00 AM
Clergy, Staff & Oblate Heritage
The parish is pastored by Rev. Cyprian Czop, O.M.I., assigned by the OMI U.S. Provincial to serve the clustered parishes of St. Casimir and St. Patrick. He is supported by parish staff including Director of Music Marilyn Litschke, Business Administrator Christina Klein, and Maintenance Engineer Suzanne Aschitt. The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) have served St. Casimir continuously since 1916 — over a century of Oblate missionary presence — beginning with Father Andrew Stojar and continuing through pastors such as Fr. Joseph Ferraioli and the current pastor.
- Pastor: Rev. Cyprian Czop, O.M.I.
- Director of Music: Marilyn Litschke
- Business Administrator: Christina Klein
- Maintenance Engineer: Suzanne Aschitt
- OMI presence at St. Casimir since 1916
Community & Heritage
While founded by Polish immigrants in 1892, St. Casimir today embraces a multicultural community that still treasures its Polish roots. The parish now includes a sizable Karen community from Southeast Asia, reflected in a Sunday Karen-language Mass at 11:00 AM. The church's National Register listing recognizes its enduring importance to Saint Paul's Polish Catholic heritage, and the parish remains an East Side gathering place for immigrant communities seeking a spiritual home.
- Polish-heritage community
- Karen community with Karen-language Sunday Mass
- Recognized for immigrant-community significance (NRHP, 1983)
Visit, Office & Accessibility
St. Casimir is located at 934 Geranium Avenue East in Saint Paul's Payne-Phalen neighborhood, on the East Side near the corner of Forest and Jessamine. Parish Office hours are Monday 11:00 AM–4:00 PM; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10:00 AM–4:00 PM; and Friday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM. The parish has been working to make its facility handicap accessible.
- Address: 934 Geranium Avenue East, Saint Paul, MN 55106
- Phone: (651) 888-8050
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon 11–4; Tue–Thu 10–4; Fri 9–4
- Handicap accessibility improvements underway
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Andrew Stojar, O.M.I.1916–
First Oblate of Mary Immaculate pastor, arriving in 1916 after the parish had been without a pastor; set the precedent of continuous Oblate leadership that continues today.
- Rev. Joseph Maslowski, O.M.I.
Long-serving Oblate pastor remembered on the parish's history page; died of a heart attack while playing baseball with local children.
- Rev. Joseph Ferraioli, O.M.I.through c. 2011
Pastored the parish through the archdiocesan planning process that clustered St. Casimir with St. Patrick under a single Oblate pastor.
- Rev. Robert (Bob) Morin, O.M.I.
Served alongside Fr. Ferraioli during the 2011 clustering discussions.
- Rev. Harry Winter, O.M.I.
Resident at the rectory and assisted with Masses and other responsibilities during the transition period.
- Rev. Cyprian Czop, O.M.I.current
Current pastor, assigned by the OMI U.S. Provincial to serve the clustered parishes of St. Casimir and St. Patrick in Saint Paul.