About St. Edward · Austin, Minnesota
St. Edward is a Roman Catholic parish in Austin, Minnesota, established in 1960 to serve the west side of the city. It is one of two parishes jointly administered with the historic St. Augustine parish, sharing a pastor, parochial vicar, and parish staff. Today the parish belongs to the Diocese of Winona–Rochester and offers Sunday Mass, weekday Masses, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Eucharistic adoration in Our Lady's Chapel, faith formation for children and youth, and a range of lay ministries. The parish takes its name in honor of Msgr. Edward Devlin, the priest who served Austin for many years and built the original St. Augustine church in the 1890s.
- Established
- 1960
- Patron
- St. Edward (named in honor of Msgr. Edward Devlin)
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew Beerman
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona–Rochester
Why belong here
St. Edward offers a tight-knit Catholic community on Austin's west side, with Sunday Mass at 8:30 am and a Saturday vigil option at St. Augustine. Families can enroll children in Wednesday-evening Faith Formation classes (grades 1–6) and a youth-group track (grades 7–10) that includes sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation, including the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium. Lay parishioners can serve as lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, cantors, musicians, altar servers, catechists, homebound communion ministers, or nursing-home visitors, and the parish shares an active adoration chapel, monthly Cor Jesu Holy Hour, and a track of well-organized discipleship opportunities with its partner parish St. Augustine.
Mass times at St. Edward
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 3:30 pm (before the 4:30 pm vigil Mass, at St. Augustine)
- 1/2 hour before Mass at either St. Augustine or St. Edward
- By appointment — contact the parish office
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration at Our Lady's Chapel at St. Augustine — sign up for a regular hour of prayer through the parish office (507-437-4537)
Parish History
St. Edward was established by decree of Pope John XXIII on February 3, 1960 as the parish for Austin's growing west side, and grew almost overnight from 332 charter families into a community with its own school, chapel, and (by 1962) dedicated church building. The parish's earliest worship took place in imaginative borrowed spaces: the Sterling Theater, a chapel set up in the basement of the Sterling State Bank, and a still-unfinished school chapel, with a small child's play organ standing in for a real pipe instrument. The parish honors its origin by continuing to mark key dates — the first Mass (July 17, 1960), the groundbreaking (June 10, 1962), and the raising of the 'Merille' fleche (October 20, 1962) — as part of its identity.
- Founded February 3, 1960 by decree of Pope John XXIII
- Named in honor of Msgr. Edward Devlin, longtime Austin priest
- First pastor: Fr. Dan Corcoran, arrived July 13, 1960
- 332 charter families
- First Sunday Mass: July 17, 1960 at the Sterling Theater
- First baptism: Daniel Hermes, July 17, 1960
- Church groundbreaking: June 10, 1962; fleche raised October 20, 1962
Parish Staff
The parishes of St. Augustine and St. Edward share a single pastoral team under Fr. Andrew Beerman as pastor, supported by a parochial vicar, an administrative assistant, bookkeeper, director of faith formation, and two maintenance staff. The current pastors of the linked parishes were appointed by Bishop Robert Barron effective July 1, 2023.
- Fr. Andrew Beerman — Pastor
- Fr. Thien Nguyen — Parochial Vicar
- Mary Hoffmann — Administrative Assistant
- Rod Kollman — Bookkeeper
- Jacinta Nguyen — Director of Faith Formation
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd coordinator
- James Hebrink — Maintenance
- Vu Lee — Maintenance
- Steve King — Trustee
- Sheri Willrodt — Trustee
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith Formation classes meet on Wednesday evenings during the school year, beginning each year with a Family Holy Hour open to all enrolled families. The program is structured to meet students where they are: a more traditional classroom experience for grades 1–6 (excluding second-graders preparing for sacraments) and a youth-group format with small-group catechesis, prayer, and games for grades 7–10. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation/First Communion is offered for second-graders and up; Confirmation preparation is offered in tenth grade and above. The parish also operates a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium.
- Grades 1–6: traditional faith formation class structure (Wed evenings)
- Grades 7–10: youth group format with catechesis, prayer, and games
- First Reconciliation / First Communion preparation (2nd grade +)
- Confirmation preparation (10th grade +)
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Family Holy Hour kickoff each year
- Fee: $20 per student ($20 additional for sacramental preparation)
Liturgical Ministries
A wide range of lay liturgical roles are open to parishioners, with weekday and Sunday rotation schedules available for those serving the homebound. Musicians, accompanists, and cantors provide the music ministry alongside lectors and altar servers; Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion assist with distribution at Mass and with bringing the Eucharist to the sick.
- Altar Servers
- Lectors (Readers)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Cantors
- Musicians / Accompanists
- Mass Coordinators
Volunteer & Discipleship Opportunities
The parish maintains an open 'Discipleship Opportunities' list and a 'Volunteer Ministries' page inviting parishioners to fill out a single form indicating which ministries interest them. Roles span liturgical service, faith formation, outreach to the homebound and to those in nursing homes, hospitality, parish-office support, and funeral ministry. New volunteers are encouraged to contact the parish office to begin.
- Faith Formation catechists
- Youth event chaperones
- Homebound communion ministers (weekday or Sunday rotations)
- Hospitality ministers
- Nursing-home visitors
- Office volunteers
- Funeral ministry volunteers
- Adult Education facilitators
Pastoral Care & Outreach
The parish continues the ministry of bringing Holy Communion to parishioners who are homebound, hospitalized, or resident in local nursing homes, with both weekday and Sunday rotation schedules available. Funeral ministers assist at parish funerals, and the parish offices welcome volunteer help with office work, vacuuming and general upkeep.
- Homebound Ministry (weekday/Sunday rotations)
- Nursing-home visits
- Funeral ministry
- Hospitality at Mass
- Parish-hall and office volunteering
Sacraments
St. Edward celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments, with First Reconciliation/First Communion and Confirmation prepared through the parish's Faith Formation program. Reconciliation is offered weekly before Mass and by appointment. The parish's homebound ministers extend the Eucharist to those unable to attend Mass.
- Baptism — preparation through parish office
- First Reconciliation / First Eucharist — sacramental prep in Faith Formation
- Confirmation — preparation in 10th grade Faith Formation track
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Saturdays 3:30 pm and by appointment
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Masses (see schedule)
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through parish office
- Marriage — contact parish office
Contact & Visiting
The combined parish office for St. Augustine and St. Edward is staffed Tuesday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm and can be reached by phone or email. The St. Edward church is located at 405 4th Street NW, while the office mailing address for both parishes is 2000 Oakland Ave W, Austin, MN 55912.
- St. Edward church: 405 4th Street NW, Austin, MN 55912
- Parish office: 2000 Oakland Ave W, Austin, MN 55912
- Office hours: Tuesday–Friday, 8:00 am–4:30 pm
- Phone: (507) 437-4537
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Dan Corcoran1960–
First pastor of St. Edward; arrived July 13, 1960 and oversaw the construction of the school building and the new church (groundbreaking June 10, 1962).
- Rev. James Steffes
Pastor of St. Augustine and St. Edward; reassigned by Bishop Robert Barron to Resurrection Parish, Rochester, effective July 1, 2023.
- Rev. Andrew Beerman2023–present
Appointed by Bishop Robert Barron as pastor of St. Augustine and St. Edward parishes effective July 1, 2023, coming from St. John Vianney, Fairmont and Ss. Peter and Paul, Blue Earth.