About St. Edward · Henning, Minnesota
St. Edward Catholic Church is a small Catholic parish in Henning, Minnesota, serving the rural western part of Otter Tail County in the Diocese of Saint Cloud. The parish is one of seven churches that make up the Disciples of the Mission Area Catholic Community (ACC), where it is clustered with Our Lady of the Lake (Battle Lake) and St. James (Maine Township). Sunday Mass is celebrated at 8:00 a.m. (with the live-stream schedule showing 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass from Henning), together with a Memorial Day Mass each year. The parish is pastored by Fr. George Michael, VC, of the Voluntas Dei (Missionaries of the Kingdom of Christ) community, assisted by Deacon Craig Stich.
- Established
- 1945
- Patron
- Saint Edward the Confessor
- Rector
- Fr. George Michael, VC
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saint Cloud
Why belong here
St. Edward offers a true small-town Catholic community in the heart of Minnesota's lake country, where the parish has celebrated Mass continuously since 1945 and where summer visitors are a regular part of Sunday worship. Members can participate in faith formation for all ages directed by Lyn Andrews, share fellowship at events like the annual Lenten Fish Fry and the Memorial Day Mass, and serve through parish ministries listed on the ACC calendar. The parish is paired with Our Lady of the Lake and St. James within the Disciples of the Mission ACC, giving a small congregation the support of seven sister parishes and the spiritual care of priests of the Voluntas Dei community.
Mass times at St. Edward
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:30 a.m. (with live-stream Mass at 8:00 a.m.)
- Friday: 8:00 a.m. (before 8:30 a.m. Mass)
- Saturday: 4:30 p.m. (May through September, before 5:00 p.m. Mass)
Adoration times
- Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. (after 8:30 a.m. Mass)
- First Fridays: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Parish History
St. Edward was founded in June 1945 by Bishop Joseph Busch, with the pastoral effort led by Monsignor August Plachta and Father Robert Voigt of Saint Ann's in Wadena. The first 30 families met in the Belmont Funeral Home; two years later a Lutheran church was hauled 25 miles from Bertha and dedicated by Bishop William O'Brien on June 21, 1950. A second move followed in 1972, when the parish acquired Trinity Lutheran Church and the first building was salvaged board by board. The parish has weathered many transitions in clergy while remaining a tight-knit rural faith community.
- Founded June 1945 by Bishop Joseph Busch
- Founding pastors: Msgr. August Plachta and Fr. Robert Voigt of St. Ann's, Wadena
- First worship site: Belmont Funeral Home
- First church moved 25 miles from Bertha in 1949
- First church dedicated June 21, 1950 by Bishop William O'Brien
- Current building acquired 1972 (former Trinity Lutheran)
Clergy & Staff
The parish is shepherded by Fr. George Michael, VC, a member of the Voluntas Dei (Missionaries of the Kingdom of Christ) community, with Fr. Jeremy Theis serving as pastor of the wider Disciples of the Mission Area Catholic Community. Deacon Craig Stich assists, while Faith Formation Director Lyn Andrews coordinates religious education. Marilyn Bolland keeps the parish office running as secretary, and lay trustees Darby Bradley and Larry Kreager provide governance.
- Fr. George Michael, VC — Parish Priest
- Fr. Jeremy Theis — ACC Pastor
- Deacon Craig Stich
- Lyn Andrews — Faith Formation Director
- Marilyn Bolland — Parish Secretary
- Trustees: Darby Bradley, Larry Kreager
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
Weekend Mass at St. Edward shifts with the seasons: Saturday evening at 5:00 p.m. (May through September) and Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. (October through April). A live-streamed Sunday Mass is also broadcast at 8:00 a.m. Weekday Mass is celebrated on Friday mornings at 8:30 a.m., immediately preceded by the Sacrament of Reconciliation at 8:00 a.m. Holy Hour follows the Sunday Mass at 9:00 a.m., and Eucharistic Adoration is offered on Fridays from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., extending to 3:00 p.m. on First Fridays.
- Saturday 5:00 p.m. Mass (May–Sept)
- Sunday 8:30 a.m. Mass (Oct–Apr)
- Sunday 8:00 a.m. live-stream Mass
- Friday 8:30 a.m. weekday Mass
- Confessions: Sun 7:30 a.m., Fri 8:00 a.m., Sat 4:30 p.m. (May–Sept)
- Adoration: Fri 9:00–10:00 a.m.; First Fri 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
- Holy Hour: Sun 9:00 a.m.
Faith Formation
Faith Formation at St. Edward is coordinated by Director Lyn Andrews (218-770-0581) and serves families across the parish. The parish also hosts the annual Totus Tuus summer catechetical program — a week-long, Totus Tuus team–led Vacation Bible School–style camp for grades 1–12 plus an evening adult program — held at St. Edward in Henning during the summer (week of July 20–24, 2026). First Communion and Confirmation are celebrated through the Disciples of the Mission ACC in conjunction with the other six parishes.
- Faith Formation Director: Lyn Andrews
- Totus Tuus summer camp at St. Edward (late July)
- First Communion Masses coordinated across the ACC
- Confirmation and adult sacramental prep through the ACC
Parish Life & Fellowship
St. Edward maintains a busy rhythm of small-parish fellowship and seasonal traditions. Each Lent brings the popular Fish Fry hosted at the parish, and the calendar includes a Memorial Day Mass, summer Totus Tuus, and First Communion celebrations shared with the wider ACC. The parish office encourages volunteer Time, Talent, and Treasure — parishioners are invited to step forward to support the many small tasks that keep a rural parish running.
- Annual Lenten Fish Fry
- Memorial Day Mass
- Totus Tuus summer program
- Online Giving stewardship program
- Volunteer Time-Talent-Treasure program
Parish Identity & Patron
The parish is named after Saint Edward the Confessor, the 11th-century English king renowned for his piety and care for the poor. The church sits on Douglas Avenue on the west side of Henning, in the heart of Minnesota's lake-region vacation country, where summer visitors swell the pews alongside year-round parishioners.
- Named for Saint Edward the Confessor
- Located on the west side of Henning on State Highway 108
- Summer visitors a regular part of the worshipping community since 1945
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the St. Edward parish office at 201 Douglas Street, Henning, MN 56551, by phone at (218) 583-2490 (cell 218-298-0813), or by email at [email protected]. The parish is one of seven in the Disciples of the Mission Area Catholic Community; the shared website at disciplesofthemissionacc.org publishes bulletins, calendars, ministry schedules, a live-stream feed, online giving, and ACC-wide news.
- Address: 201 Douglas Street, Henning, MN 56551
- Phone: 218-583-2490
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: disciplesofthemissionacc.org
- Online Giving available
- Live-stream of Sunday Mass
About the Disciples of the Mission ACC
St. Edward belongs to the Disciples of the Mission Area Catholic Community, a family of seven parishes across western Otter Tail County in the Diocese of Saint Cloud. The cluster shares pastoral staffing, faith-formation programs, sacramental preparation, and an annual calendar that includes the Rural Life Celebration (hosted in 2026 at the Moenkedick Family Farm near Perham) and the Vocations Camp at Lake Osakis. The ACC mission is rooted in the Diocese of Saint Cloud's All Things New pastoral vision.
- Seven-parish Area Catholic Community in western Otter Tail County
- Cluster partners: Our Lady of the Lake (Battle Lake), St. James (Maine Twp.), St. Ann (Brandon), Our Lady of Seven Dolors (Millerville), Sacred Heart (Urbank), St. William (Parkers Prairie)
- Shared pastor Fr. Jeremy Theis and ACC-wide calendars and bulletins
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor August Plachta1945 (founding pastor from Saint Ann's, Wadena)
Established the mission that became St. Edward together with associate Fr. Robert Voigt at the direction of Bishop Joseph Busch.
- Fr. Robert Voigt1945 (founding associate from Saint Ann's, Wadena)
Co-founded the parish with Msgr. Plachta.