About St. Casimir · Winona, Minnesota
St. Casimir Parish was a historic Roman Catholic parish on the west side of Winona, Minnesota, founded in 1905 by Polish-American families who had previously belonged to St. Stanislaus Kostka. Located at 624 West Broadway, the parish served the Polish-heritage community on Winona's west end for nearly 120 years. As of July 1, 2025, the parish merged with the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Parish in Winona as part of a Diocese of Winona-Rochester consolidation prompted by declining Mass attendance and a shortage of priests. St. Casimir's website (www.cascwinona.org) and telephone (507-452-4770) now serve the merged Cathedral of the Sacred Heart & St. Casimir Parish community.
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- Saint Casimir
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Why belong here
St. Casimir served Winona's Polish-American west end as a close-knit faith community for nearly 120 years, celebrating its annual Forty Hour Devotion on the Feast of Saint Casimir (March 4) and offering Mass in the tradition of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. Following the July 1, 2025 merger with the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Parish, former parishioners and new visitors are welcomed into the combined Cathedral of the Sacred Heart & St. Casimir Parish community, which offers daily and Sunday Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, lifelong faith formation, youth ministry, music and liturgy programs, and many opportunities for service and fellowship at 360 Main Street and 624 W. Broadway in Winona.
History of St. Casimir Parish
St. Casimir Parish was founded on Christmas Day 1905 by Polish-American families from the west end of Winona who had previously belonged to St. Stanislaus Kostka. After meetings at Albert Wieczorek's woodworking shop and a delegation to Bishop Joseph B. Cotter, the parish was established at the corner of West Broadway and Ewing Street — the first Catholic parish west of Center Street in Winona. A combined church-and-school was built in 1905 under the direction of founding pastor Rev. James W. J. Pacholski, who also remained pastor of St. Stanislaus. Monsignor Pacholski returned annually to lead the Forty Hour Devotion on the Feast of Saint Casimir (March 4).
- Parish opened Christmas Day 1905
- Successor to St. Stanislaus Kostka's west-end Polish families
- First Catholic parish founded west of Center Street in Winona
- Site: corner of West Broadway and Ewing Street
Founding of the Parish
In early 1905, west-end Polish parishioners of St. Stanislaus Kostka organized about seventy prospective members in meetings at Albert Wieczorek's woodworking shop at 514 West Fourth Street. Three delegates — Albert Wieczorek, Frank Jaszewski, and Frank Zabrocki — called on Bishop Cotter in March 1905 to request approval. Bishop Cotter endorsed the plan and selected the site farthest south on the sunny side of the street, at West Broadway and Ewing Street. He then conferred with their pastor, Rev. James W. J. Pacholski, whose now-famous 'kettle of soup' remark from the pulpit galvanized the community rather than discouraging them.
- Three delegates: Albert Wieczorek, Frank Jaszewski, Frank Zabrocki
- Met with Bishop Joseph B. Cotter in March 1905
- Organizing meetings at 514 West Fourth Street (Wieczorek woodworking shop)
- Founding pastor: Rev. James W. J. Pacholski
Building the Church and School
John Newman Jr. purchased four lots with two houses at West Broadway and Ewing in March 1905 and resold them to the parish in May for $50 less than he paid. The cornerstone was laid in July 1905, and Father Pacholski celebrated the first Mass in the completed combined church-and-school on Christmas Day 1905. A seven-man building committee oversaw construction: Michael Drazkowski Sr., Frank Kustelski, Paul Losinski, John Newman Jr., Ignatius Szuminski, Peter Szuminski, and Albert Wieczorek. To ease the financial burden, Father Pacholski transferred west-end contributions from the new St. Stanislaus school project to the St. Casimir project.
- Cornerstone laid July 1905
- First Mass: Christmas Day 1905
- Seven-member building committee
- Combined church and school building
Annual Forty Hour Devotion on the Feast of Saint Casimir
Every year after the parish's founding, when health and circumstances permitted, Monsignor Pacholski returned to St. Casimir to lead the annual Forty Hour Devotion held on the Feast of Saint Casimir (March 4). The devotion became one of the parish's most treasured traditions.
- Feast of Saint Casimir: March 4
- Forty Hour Devotion
- Traditionally led by Monsignor Pacholski
2025 Merger with the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
In May 2024, the Diocese of Winona-Rochester announced that St. Casimir Parish would close and merge with the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Parish in Winona, effective July 1, 2025. Vicar General Will Thompson cited declining Mass attendance — about a 48% drop in Winona over 15 years — and a shortage of priests as the primary reasons. At the time of the announcement, weekly Mass attendance at St. Casimir was approximately 90 people. The parish's website (www.cascwinona.org) and phone number (507-452-4770) were carried forward by the merged community, now known as the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart & St. Casimir Parish. The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 360 Main Street, remains the 'mother church' of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
- Merger effective July 1, 2025
- Partner parish: Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 360 Main St., Winona
- St. Casimir's address (624 W. Broadway) retained in merged name
- Website and phone continued: www.cascwinona.org / (507) 452-4770
- Diocese cited declining attendance and priest shortage
Contact and Location
St. Casimir Parish was located at 624 West Broadway in Winona, Minnesota. The parish shared its phone number, (507) 452-4770, with the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Following the 2025 merger, the parish office is open at 360 Main Street (the Cathedral address) from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday (closed for Mass at 12:10 p.m. on Tuesdays), and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday and Friday. The office is closed Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.
- Address: 624 W. Broadway, Winona, MN 55987
- Phone: (507) 452-4770
- Website: www.cascwinona.org
- Diocese: Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James W. J. Pacholski1905– (later elevated to Right Reverend Monsignor Pacholski)
Founding pastor; also served as pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka. Oversaw construction of the combined church-and-school, led the first Mass on Christmas Day 1905, and returned annually to lead the Forty Hour Devotion on the Feast of Saint Casimir (March 4).