About St. Casimir · Wells, Minnesota
St. Casimir Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Wells, Minnesota, part of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and a member of the OLMC-STC-STJB Tri-Parish Catholic Faith Community along with Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Easton and St. John the Baptist in Minnesota Lake. Founded by Polish-American pioneers in 1880, the parish has worshipped in three successive church buildings and, for more than a century, operated St. Casimir Catholic School (1915–2025). Today it offers daily and Sunday Mass, overnight Eucharistic Adoration, a year-round evening Rosary, RCIA, marriage and baptism preparation, and faith-formation programs rooted in its rural southern-Minnesota community.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- St. Casimir (Casimir of Poland/Lithuania)
- Rector
- Fr. Pratap Reddy Salibindla, OFM (currently on administrative leave per Bishop Barron; Fr. Kurt Farrell, pastor of St. Theodore's in Albert Lea, is serving as parochial administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Why belong here
St. Casimir offers a deeply rooted, multigenerational Catholic community in rural southern Minnesota, with two Sunday Masses, daily weekday Mass, year-round evening Rosary, and overnight Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday into Thursday. As part of a tri-parish cluster with Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Easton) and St. John the Baptist (Minnesota Lake), the parish shares faith formation, sacramental preparation (Baptism, Marriage, RCIA, Christian Burials), and a school legacy spanning 110 years—making it a welcoming, family-oriented place to belong.
Mass times at St. Casimir
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Reconciliation: check the Tri-Parish bulletin for times and place
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration: Wednesday 9:00 p.m. through Thursday (overnight) at St. Casimir (per tri-parish bulletin: Wednesday 9:00 pm to Thursday 9:00 am)
Parish History
St. Casimir Catholic Church was founded in 1880 by the first Catholic settlers of the Wells, Minnesota area. The parish has worshipped in three successive church buildings—a 26x60-foot frame church begun in 1881, a much larger 63x100-foot church dedicated Thanksgiving Day 1900, and the present church dedicated May 10, 1953. The parish website summarizes it best: 'The seed that was planted by the faith of a few pioneers in 1880 has become a tree—the present progressive parish of Saint Casimir, Wells.'
- 1880: Parish founded by Polish-American pioneers
- 1881: First church construction begins with permission of Bishop John Ireland of St. Paul
- 1900: Second church dedicated on Thanksgiving Day (63x100 ft)
- 1915: St. Casimir School constructed
- 1923: Pipe organ donated to the parish
- 1924: Parish house built (still in use as pastor's residence and offices)
- August 17, 1946: Destructive tornado damages the church while Fr. Leon Hazinski hears confessions
- 1950: Old church razed on July 5
- May 24, 1951: Bishop Edward Fitzgerald lays the cornerstone of the new church
- March 19, 1952: First Mass celebrated in the new church basement
- May 10, 1953: Present church dedicated (capacity ~650 plus choir gallery)
- Early 1990s: South entrance adapted for handicap accessibility under Fr. Eugene Stenzel
- 2012–2013: Baptistery restoration under Fr. Thomas Niehaus
- 2014–2016: New garage and concrete approach; new bell-tower striker installed
Mass and Sacraments Schedule
St. Casimir is one of three parishes in the OLMC-STC-STJB tri-parish community, sharing weekend Mass coverage with Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Easton and St. John the Baptist in Minnesota Lake. The parish offers daily weekday Mass, two Sunday Masses, overnight Eucharistic Adoration, a year-round evening Rosary, and sacramental preparation for Baptism, Marriage, RCIA, and Christian Burials.
- Sunday Mass: 8:00 am and 10:00 am (Wells)
- Weekday Mass: 8:30 am Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (Wells)
- Eucharistic Adoration: Wednesday 9:00 pm through Thursday (overnight) at St. Casimir
- Daily Rosary: 7:30 pm every evening of the year at St. Casimir
- Rosary 1/2 hour before Mass at Wells: Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays
- Reconciliation: see the Tri-Parish bulletin for times and place
- Baptism: contact the parish office a month in advance; Baptism Mentoring Sessions required
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Casimir is served as part of a tri-parish staff. Fr. Pratap Reddy Salibindla, OFM, is listed as Pastor of the cluster on the Diocese of Winona-Rochester directory and the parish website; in early 2026 Bishop Barron placed him on administrative leave and Fr. Kurt Farrell, pastor of St. Theodore's in Albert Lea, was appointed parochial administrator.
- Fr. Pratap Reddy Salibindla, OFM — Pastor (currently on administrative leave); cell 507-226-4536
- Fr. Kurt Farrell — Parochial Administrator; cell 507-373-0603; [email protected]
- Deacon Gene Paul — 507-854-3676
- Ilda Reyerson — Administrative Assistant, Wells office
- Rod Kollman — Bookkeeper
- Lisa Bute — Faith Formation Coordinator (St. Casimir)
- Bruce Roberts — Maintenance
Faith Formation and School
Religious education at St. Casimir is coordinated by Lisa Bute (and Kristen Dulas per the 2026 tri-parish bulletin) and is part of the OLMC-STC-STJB tri-parish faith-formation program. RCIA/OCIA is available for adults seeking to become Catholic. St. Casimir Catholic School served children from Preschool through Grade 6 from 1915 until its closure at the end of the 2024–2025 school year—a 110-year legacy that produced 1,629 graduates since 1919.
- Faith Formation Coordinator (STC): Lisa Bute
- RCIA / OCIA: contact the Tri-Parish office
- St. Casimir School: opened 1915; taught by the Sisters of the Order of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio (1929–1956), then the School Sisters of Notre Dame; 1962 classroom addition adjacent to the old gym; closed after 2024–2025 school year
- School phone: 507-553-5822; school website: www.stcasimirsschool.net
Tri-Parish Faith Community
St. Casimir is clustered with Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Easton and St. John the Baptist in Minnesota Lake to form the OLMC-STC-STJB Tri-Parish Catholic Faith Community, a rural southern-Minnesota cluster within the Diocese of Winona-Rochester that shares clergy, faith formation, bulletins, and weekend Mass coverage.
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel — 27 Main Street, Easton, MN 56025; Sunday Mass 10:00 am; office 507-787-2303
- St. John the Baptist — 100 Park Street N, Minnesota Lake, MN 56068; Saturday Vigil 4:00 pm; office 507-462-3636
- St. Casimir — 320 2nd Ave SW, Wells, MN 56097; Sunday Mass 8:00 am; office 507-553-5391
- Shared tri-parish website: olmcstcstjb.org
- Combined tri-parish bulletin lists weekly Mass intentions, parish news, and First Communion weekend (e.g., April 12, 2026)
Sacraments and Devotions
Beyond Sunday and weekday Mass, St. Casimir maintains a robust devotional life that has characterized the parish for more than a century. Overnight Eucharistic Adoration runs from Wednesday night into Thursday morning, and the parish prays the Rosary every evening of the year at 7:30 pm—open to anyone in the community.
- Eucharistic Adoration: Wednesday 9:00 pm – Thursday morning (overnight)
- Daily Rosary: 7:30 pm every night at St. Casimir
- Baptism preparation with required Baptism Mentoring Sessions
- Marriage: at least six months with a priest, one year out from the parish office
- Christian Burials: contact Tom Schindler at 553-3062 for the St. Casimir cemetery
- Reconciliation: per the Tri-Parish bulletin
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Jozef Cieminski1907–c.1910
Recalled by the Diocese of Winona in 1907 from St. John Cantius to become pastor of St. Casimir's in Wells.
- Fr. Leon Hazinskithrough 1952
Was hearing confessions in the church during the August 17, 1946 tornado; celebrated the first Mass in the new church basement on March 19, 1952 before his reassignment.
- Fr. Peter S. Fafinski1952–
Appointed pastor in August 1952; oversaw completion of the new church, which was dedicated May 10, 1953.
- Fr. Eugene Stenzelearly 1990s
Directed the adaptation of the south entrance for handicap accessibility.
- Fr. Thomas Niehaus2012–
Began the restoration of the baptistery in the summer of 2012, completed in fall 2013.
- Fr. Pratap Reddy Salibindla, OFM
Listed as current Pastor by the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and the tri-parish website; placed on administrative leave in 2026 by Bishop Barron pending review of special collections for the Franciscan Missions.