About St. Francis of Assisi · Freeport, Minnesota
St. Francis of Assisi is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the Freeport, Minnesota area as part of a tri-parish community together with St. Edward in Elmdale and St. Mary in Upsala, within the Diocese of St. Cloud. The parish worships at a country church along State Highway 238 (the source of its shared website name, 238catholic.org) and offers Sunday Mass, weekday Mass, Eucharistic Adoration on second Tuesdays, and a full sacramental and faith-formation program shared with its sister parishes. Together the three parishes are served by a single pastor and a Central Office housed at St. Mary's in Upsala, with on-site pastoral support from a resident sister at the St. Francis rectory.
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Fr. Jimmy Joseph V.C.
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Cloud
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi offers the intimacy of a small rural Catholic parish with the stability of a tri-parish community, including a daily and Sunday Mass schedule, Eucharistic Adoration on second Tuesdays (8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.), and a Monday-evening Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Families are supported by a shared religious education program (K–6, 7–11, Confirmation, and Children's Liturgy of the Word), ministries to the sick and homebound, a parish prayer line, and plenty of opportunities for Confirmation-age young adults to serve as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and sponsors. New parishioners are welcomed by simply calling the Central Office, and sacramental preparation for marriage (nine months in advance) and baptism (three months in advance) is personally coordinated with the pastor.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 1/2 hour before each Mass (i.e., Sunday ~7:30 a.m. and Wednesday ~7:30 a.m.)
Adoration times
- Second Tuesdays, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (St. Francis)
About the Parish
St. Francis of Assisi is a small Roman-Latin rite Catholic parish serving Freeport, Minnesota, and the surrounding countryside. It is one of three parishes in a closely-knit tri-parish community — together with St. Edward in Elmdale and St. Mary in Upsala — all within the Diocese of St. Cloud. The shared website (www.238catholic.org) takes its name from State Highway 238, on which the parish sits ten miles north of Albany.
- Patron: St. Francis of Assisi (feast day October 4)
- Diocese of St. Cloud
- Roman Rite, English-language liturgy
- Shared tri-parish Central Office located at St. Mary's, Upsala
Clergy and Staff
The tri-parish community is served by one pastor, Fr. Jimmy Joseph V.C., supported by a Central Office staff and a resident religious sister at the St. Francis rectory. The office is staffed part-time by a bookkeeper and a parish secretary, and faith formation is led by a team of volunteer and part-time coordinators.
- Pastor: Fr. Jimmy Joseph V.C. — (320) 573-2975 — [email protected]
- St. Francis Rectory: Sr. Mary Pat Burger — (320) 573-2203
- Bookkeeper: Randi Klasen (Tue & Thu, 8 a.m. – noon)
- Secretary: Jessie Johnson (Mon, Wed, Fri, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.)
- Religious Formation K–6: Reba Leither ([email protected], 701-426-1607) and Beth Lange (320-630-8390)
- Religious Formation 7–10: Randi Klasen ([email protected], 320-493-5624)
- Confirmation: Bob Vouk (320-249-3398), Jenny Revermann (320-249-9939); Confirmation Assistant Katie Urbanski ([email protected], 320-423-2203)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word: Chelsea Fuchs ([email protected])
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation is offered tri-parishly across the three communities. Classes are held on Wednesday evenings, with Confirmation preparation meeting at All Saints–St. Mary's in Holdingford and grades 7–10 gathering at St. Mary's in Upsala. A Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered at the 10:00 a.m. Mass at St. Mary's.
- Grades K–6: Reba Leither and Beth Lange
- Grades 7–10: Randi Klasen
- Confirmation: Bob Vouk and Jenny Revermann, coordinated with Two Rivers Catholic cluster
- Children's Liturgy of the Word: Chelsea Fuchs
- Totus Tuus summer program (registration advertised in bulletins)
- Youth Group for grades 8–12
Sacraments
The parish follows the standard preparation tracks for the sacraments, with personal contact and adequate lead time required for marriage and baptism. Holy Communion can be brought to the sick and homebound on request through the Central Office.
- Baptism: contact the priest three months in advance
- Marriage: contact Fr. Jimmy at least nine months in advance and before any date is set; parish and diocesan Marriage Preparation Classes required
- Reconciliation: 30 minutes before every Mass
- Anointing of the Sick and Homebound Communion: contact the Central Office
Parish Prayer Life and Devotions
Beyond Sunday Mass, St. Francis of Assisi maintains a steady devotional rhythm with weekday Mass, monthly all-day Adoration, and a tri-parish Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy. A parish prayer line offers intercessory prayer requests through volunteer contacts in each of the three parishes.
- Wednesday 8:00 a.m. weekday Mass
- Rosary & Chaplet of Divine Mercy: Mondays 6:30 p.m. (tri-parish)
- Eucharistic Adoration: 2nd Tuesdays, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. at St. Francis
- St. Francis Prayer Line: Judy Theisen (320-573-2933) and Joyce Koopmeiners (320-573-2728)
Outreach and Parish Life
The tri-parish bulletin invites parishioners of every age to participate in the life of the church. Once a young person has been Confirmed, they are considered an adult in the parish and may serve as a Baptism or Confirmation sponsor, lector, or Eucharistic Minister. Bulletin announcements are due to the Central Office by 12:00 p.m. on Tuesdays.
- Ministry to the Sick and Homebound
- Parish Prayer Line (per parish)
- Knights of Columbus
- Social Justice Committee
- Choir, Greeters, Ushers, Sacristans, Gift Bearers, Servers, Lectors, Rosary Leaders, Quilters
- Religious Education Teachers and Chaperones for Youth
- Young Adult sponsorship and liturgical roles
Contact, Office Hours, and Practical Information
Parish business for St. Francis of Assisi, St. Edward, and St. Mary is handled through the Central Office at St. Mary's in Upsala. New parishioners are asked to call the office to register. Couples planning a wedding should contact Fr. Jimmy directly at least nine months in advance and well before any reception venue is booked.
- Mailing address: PO Box 249, Upsala, MN 56384
- Physical address: 44055 State Hwy. 238 (Saint Francis), Freeport, MN 56331
- Phone: (320) 573-2132
- Fax: (320) 573-9133
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.238catholic.org
- Office hours: Jessie Johnson, Mon/Wed/Fri 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; Randi Klasen, Tue/Thu 8 a.m.–noon
- Bulletin deadline: Tuesdays at 12:00 p.m.