About St. Frances Cabrini · Big Elbow Lake, Minnesota
St. Frances Cabrini is a small Catholic mission parish serving the community of Big Elbow Lake in Becker County, Minnesota, on the White Earth Reservation. It is one of six Catholic parishes that together make up the White Earth Catholic Community, and it operates as a mission of St. Ann Parish in nearby Waubun. The church is served by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and falls within the Diocese of Crookston under Bishop Andrew Cozzens. Weekly Mass is celebrated on Saturday evening, with Reconciliation offered before Mass or by appointment.
- Patron
- St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (patron of the parish); St. Kateri Tekakwitha (patroness of the White Earth Catholic Community missions)
- Rector
- Rev. John Cox, OMI
- Diocese
- Diocese of Crookston
Why belong here
St. Frances Cabrini offers a warm, small-mission setting in which Catholic faithful on the White Earth Reservation can worship weekly, receive the sacraments, and share in the broader life of the White Earth Catholic Community. Families benefit from the parish's religious education program (the Tekakwitha Center), the Prayer Chain, and the Rosary for Life devotion held at sister parish St. Ann. Because the parish is part of a six-parish cluster served by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, parishioners are joined to a wider community that values elders, supports families, celebrates life, and challenges youth with solid faith values and respect for all human life.
Mass times at St. Frances Cabrini
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 7:15–7:30 PM (before Mass)
- 30 minutes prior to Mass
- By appointment with a priest
Welcome to the White Earth Catholic Community
The White Earth Catholic Community is the family of six Catholic parishes serving the White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota, in the Diocese of Crookston. The community is served today by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, having been originally founded by Benedictine priests and sisters of St. John's Abbey in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The parishes share a common pastoral vision: honoring the faith passed down through ancestors, journeying together as a people of God in the Roman Catholic tradition, and walking what is sometimes called the 'good red road' — the path of righteousness toward heaven.
- Six Catholic parishes on the White Earth Reservation
- Diocese of Crookston
- Served by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI)
- Under the care of Bishop Andrew Cozzens
- Special devotion to the Virgin Mary, parish patron saints, and St. Kateri Tekakwitha, patroness of the missions
Parish Identity and Patron
St. Frances Cabrini takes its name from St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850–1917), the Italian-born Missionary Sister of the Sacred Heart who became the first American citizen to be canonized and is the patron saint of immigrants. Her feast day is celebrated on November 13. Within the White Earth Catholic Community, the parish shares in a broader devotion to St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks and patroness of the missions of the White Earth Catholic Community.
- Parish patron: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (feast: November 13)
- Community-wide patroness: St. Kateri Tekakwitha
Parish Staff
Pastoral and administrative staff for St. Frances Cabrini are shared with the sister parish of St. Ann in Waubun, since St. Frances Cabrini operates as a mission of that parish. The parish office handles inquiries for both communities.
- Fr. John Cox, OMI — Pastor (218-473-2005, Ext. 106; cell 305-753-2087)
- Fr. Solomon Gaja, OMI (218-473-2005, Ext. 102)
- Janet Lhotka — Secretary / Bookkeeper, Religious Education, Tekakwitha Center Director (office 218-473-2101; cell 218-261-0753)
- Kitty Boberg — Secretary, Ogema office (218-983-3261)
Sacraments
Preparation for and celebration of the sacraments are coordinated through the parish office. Couples are asked to meet with the pastor a full twelve months before a planned wedding, and baptism families are asked to call the office to register. The Reconciliation schedule above also applies to all parishioners of the cluster.
- Baptism — call the parish office to register yourself or your child; scheduled as candidates are received
- Marriage — appointment with the pastor at least 12 months before the intended date
- Reconciliation — before Mass or by appointment
- Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator: 218-281-7895 (24-hour confidential number)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious education for children and adults across the White Earth Catholic Community is organized through the Tekakwitha Center, directed by Janet Lhotka. Programs include ongoing youth faith formation and RCIA for adults preparing to enter the Church. The parish welcomes catechists and invites parishioners considering teaching to come forward for training and mentorship.
- Youth Religious Education — Tekakwitha Center, contact Janet Lhotka at 218-473-2101 or 218-261-0753
- RCIA (Adult Education) — for information call the Ogema parish office at 218-983-3261
- Catechist recruitment and training available (no prior teaching experience required)
Devotions and Community Life
The parish and its sister communities sustain a number of devotional practices that knit the wider White Earth Catholic Community together. The Prayer Chain offers intercessory prayer for personal intentions, and the periodic Rosary for Life devotion brings together parishioners from the cluster parishes to pray for the protection of human life.
- Prayer Chain — to join or submit intentions, contact Lori Tibbetts at 218-841-4963
- Rosary for Life — held at St. Ann Church in Waubun at announced dates/times
- Shared liturgical life with St. Ann (Waubun), St. Anne (Naytahwaush), Most Holy Redeemer (Ogema), St. Benedict (White Earth), and St. Theodore (Ponsford)
Contact, Office Hours, and Bulletin
All administrative and sacramental inquiries for St. Frances Cabrini are routed through the shared parish office in Waubun. Office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The pastor may also be reached at his dedicated cell number. The current weekly bulletin — published under the title 'The Ascension of the Lord' and similar — carries announcements, Mass intentions, and parish updates, and is posted on the community website.
- Parish Office: 1112 3rd Street, Waubun, MN 56589
- Phone: 218-473-2101
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Pastor's Cell: 305-753-2087
- Website: www.whiteearthcatholiccommunity.com
Diocese and Religious Order
St. Frances Cabrini is part of the Diocese of Crookston, with Bishop Andrew Cozzens as its diocesan ordinary. Pastoral care is provided by members of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), the religious congregation that took over responsibility for the White Earth Catholic Community parishes between 1972 and 1980, succeeding the founding Benedictines.
- Diocese: Crookston
- Bishop: Most Rev. Andrew Cozzens
- Religious order: Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI)