About St. Francis de Sales · Belgrade, Minnesota
St. Francis de Sales is a Catholic parish in the small central-Minnesota town of Belgrade, one of six parishes grouped since 2019 into the 'Parishes on the Prairie' Area Catholic Community (ACC) under the Diocese of Saint Cloud. The parish's roots go back to 1886, when the first Catholic settler arrived in the area; Bishop Otto Zardetti dedicated a small church here in 1890 and named it for St. Francis de Sales, the 'gentleman saint' and Doctor of the Church. The parish serves the community from 541 Martin Avenue, sharing clergy, faith formation, and outreach with the surrounding prairie parishes of Brooten, Elrosa, West Union, and Sauk Centre.
- Established
- 1890
- Patron
- St. Francis de Sales
- Rector
- Fr. Kevin Soenneker
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saint Cloud
Why belong here
St. Francis de Sales offers a small-town, family-scale Catholic community in Belgrade, anchored by Sunday Mass and weekday Communion services, weekly confession opportunities, and a faith-formation program that walks children from kindergarten through Confirmation. As part of Parishes on the Prairie, the parish pools resources with five neighboring country parishes to give families access to broader youth ministry (RISE for grades 6–12, GIFT, Confirmation retreats, Steubenville, NCYC), adult support groups like GriefShare and DivorceCare, and Hispanic outreach — all while keeping the identity of the original 1890 parish intact.
Mass times at St. Francis de Sales
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- First Saturday 10:10 AM at St. Francis de Sales
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday 8:30–11:30 AM at St. Francis de Sales (per Parishes on the Prairie prayer & service schedule)
Parish History
The Catholic presence in the Belgrade area began in 1886 with the first Catholic settler. Four years later, Bishop Otto Zardetti — the first bishop of the Diocese of Saint Cloud — dedicated a small church in 1890 and named it for St. Francis de Sales, his personal patron. He gave the parish a statue of the saint that remains in the church to this day. By 1897 the congregation had already outgrown the original building and added on. In 1956, Father Vincent Santo led the construction of a new, larger church and a rectory; Bishop Bartholome rededicated the church in 1957. A parish center followed in 1976 and is still used for community events. Today, the parish continues to keep that story alive as one of six parishes in the 'Parishes on the Prairie' ACC formed in 2019.
- 1886 — first Catholic settler arrives in Belgrade area
- 1890 — small church dedicated by Bishop Otto Zardetti; named for St. Francis de Sales
- 1897 — addition built to accommodate growth
- 1956 — new church and rectory constructed under Fr. Vincent Santo
- 1957 — new church dedicated by Bishop Bartholome
- 1976 — parish center added
- 2019 — joined Parishes on the Prairie ACC with five neighboring parishes
Our Patron Saint — St. Francis de Sales
St. Francis de Sales (1567–1622) is often called the 'gentleman saint.' Born in France, he initially trained as a lawyer before answering God's call to the priesthood. His gentle approach to ministry — and especially the pamphlets he wrote explaining the Catholic faith — converted many souls. He became Bishop of Geneva at the remarkably young age of 35, co-founded the Sisters of the Visitation, wrote numerous books, and was later declared a Doctor of the Church. He is the patron saint of the Catholic press, authors, journalists, confessors, and the deaf. His feast day is celebrated on January 24.
- Born August 21, 1567 in France
- Bishop of Geneva at age 35
- Co-founder of the Sisters of the Visitation
- Declared a Doctor of the Church
- Died December 28, 1622 in Lyons
- Feast day: January 24
- Patron of: Catholic press, authors, journalists, confessors, the deaf
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith formation at St. Francis de Sales is run jointly with the other 'Belgrade–Brooten–Elrosa' (BBE) parishes in the Parishes on the Prairie ACC. Colleen Borgerding coordinates the K–5 program from the Belgrade office, and Sheila Jaeger coordinates grades 6–11. The program walks students from grades 1 through 11, with Confirmation preparation in grades 10–11. A separate GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) program serves grades 7–9, and RISE Youth Ministry brings together 6th–12th graders on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, at First Friday Mass, at a youth Mass every third Sunday, and at youth bible studies. Older teens (grades 9–12) can also take part in trips such as Steubenville, Castaway, and NCYC, while middle-schoolers are invited to Extreme Faith Camp and the Junior High Lock-In.
- K–5 Faith Formation — Colleen Borgerding (Belgrade office)
- Grades 6–11 Faith Formation — Sheila Jaeger
- GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) — grades 7–9
- Confirmation preparation — grades 10–11
- RISE Youth Ministry — grades 6–12
- Trips: Steubenville, Castaway, NCYC, Extreme Faith Camp, Junior High Lock-In
Adult Faith, Support & Outreach
Through the Centre for Christ hub, St. Francis de Sales parishioners can take part in adult formation such as Bible Study and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) for those discerning becoming Catholic, as well as the 'Searching Souls' small-group program that meets some Monday evenings. The Centre also hosts GriefShare and DivorceCare support groups, and offers Hispanic outreach programs. WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) services are available by appointment on the second Tuesday of each month by calling 320-656-6479.
- OCIA (RCIA) for adults
- Bible Study
- Searching Souls — Monday evenings at Centre for Christ
- GriefShare
- DivorceCare
- Hispanic outreach programs
- WIC appointments — 2nd Tuesday of each month
Parishes on the Prairie Area Catholic Community
In 2019 the Diocese of Saint Cloud combined six country parishes into one Area Catholic Community (ACC): Our Lady of the Angels and St. Paul's in Sauk Centre, St. Alexius in West Union, St. Donatus in Brooten, St. Francis de Sales in Belgrade, and Sts. Peter & Paul in Elrosa. The ACC chose its name 'Parishes on the Prairie' through a parish-wide naming contest with over 30 entries and a final vote at weekend Masses. The six parishes share pastors, deacons, faith-formation staff, and outreach programs while each retains its own identity, buildings, and Sunday worship.
- Formed in 2019 by the Diocese of Saint Cloud
- Member parishes: Our Lady of the Angels (Sauk Centre), St. Paul's (Sauk Centre), St. Alexius (West Union), St. Donatus (Brooten), St. Francis de Sales (Belgrade), Sts. Peter & Paul (Elrosa)
- Shared name chosen by parishioner vote
- South office: Belgrade (320-254-8218)
- North office: Sauk Centre (320-352-2196)
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by Pastor Fr. Kevin Soenneker and Parochial Vicar Fr. Mark Botzet, both of whom serve the wider Parishes on the Prairie ACC (Fr. Soenneker's assignment was announced by Bishop Patrick M. Neary effective July 1, 2025). Two deacons — Tom McFadden and Tim Pribula — assist with ministry. The Belgrade office is coordinated by Colleen Borgerding, who can be reached at [email protected] or (320) 254-8218.
- Pastor: Fr. Kevin Soenneker (assigned by Bishop Neary, effective July 1, 2025)
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Mark Botzet
- Deacon: Tom McFadden
- Deacon: Tim Pribula
- Belgrade Office Coordinator: Colleen Borgerding
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Vincent Santo1956 (new church built under his leadership)
Led the construction of the 1956 church and rectory, dedicated in 1957 by Bishop Bartholome.