About St. Francis of Assisi · Rochester, Minnesota
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi is a vibrant, bilingual Catholic parish located in southeast Rochester, Minnesota, serving a diverse community of English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics from across Rochester and beyond. Founded on August 22, 1937 by Bishop Francis M. Kelly, the third Bishop of Winona, it is the second-oldest Catholic parish in Rochester. The parish runs a preschool-through-grade-8 Catholic school, supports a robust network of outreach ministries (St. Vincent de Paul, Resource Room, Sunday Lunch Program), and offers Mass and the sacraments in both English and Spanish under the pastoral leadership of Father Luis Vargas.
- Established
- 1937
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Luis Vargas
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester (originally established as a parish in the Diocese of Winona; the diocese was renamed Diocese of Winona-Rochester in 2018)
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi is a large, bilingual Catholic community in southeast Rochester where Mass is celebrated every day of the week in both English and Spanish, with a daily Rosary before morning Mass and weekly Confessions on Saturday afternoons and before the Sunday Spanish Mass. Parishioners raise their children in a Catholic preschool-through-grade-8 school founded in 1952 by the Sisters of St. Francis, gather for weekly Rosary, a parish book club, and a lending library, and roll up their sleeves to feed the needy through the Sunday Lunch Program, stock the Resource Room, knit prayer shawls, and serve others through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. It is an unusually welcoming home for English- and Spanish-speaking families looking for an active parish rooted in the Eucharist and the Corporal Works of Mercy.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM (English)
- Sunday: 11:30 AM – 11:45 AM (Español)
- Monday – Friday: by individual appointment (call the Parish Center Office at 507-288-7313)
Adoration times
- First Thursday of each month: 7:00 PM Holy Hour (Spanish)
- First Saturday of each month: Family Eucharistic Adoration, one hour, before the 4:30 PM Mass
A Welcome from the Pastor
Pastor Father Luis Vargas greets visitors with the insight that 'the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the source and summit of our parish life' — quoting Sacrosanctum Concilium #10. From the Mass flow catechesis and the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, and through those good works the parish returns to the altar. He invites anyone to visit the parish and join the faith community.
Parish History and Foundations
St. Francis of Assisi was canonically established by Bishop Francis M. Kelly on August 22, 1937, with Father Francis McCarthy as its first pastor. The parish first worshipped at the Rochester Armory, then built a small frame church at 11th Avenue and Fourth Street SE, before dedicating the present church on November 30, 1941. The school followed in 1952, the rectory the same year, and the convent (now Parish Center) in 1958. A large gathering space was added in 2001.
- 1937 — Parish established; first Mass at Rochester Armory, Sept. 5
- c. 1938 — Temporary frame church built at 11th Ave & 4th St SE ($5,000)
- 1941 — Present church building dedicated, Nov. 30 (one week before Pearl Harbor); cost ~$160,000; seats 750 (plus 75 in balcony)
- 1946 — Father McCarthy transferred to Austin; succeeded by Father Raymond Jensen
- 1952 — St. Francis of Assisi School opens, staffed by the Sisters of St. Francis of Rochester; rectory built
- 1958 — Convent opens; later converted to Parish Center offices
- 2001 — New gathering space added
Other Devotions
Daily and Sunday Rosary, marriage preparation, and other devotional moments knit parish life together throughout the week.
- Rosary before daily Mass: Tuesday–Friday at 6:30 AM
- Rosary before Sunday Mass: 7:30 AM, 9:30 AM, and 11:30 AM in the Church
- Diocesan Marriage Preparation classes (parish contact ≥ 6 months before wedding)
St. Francis of Assisi School
Founded by the Franciscan Sisters in 1952, St. Francis of Assisi School is a Preschool through Grade 8 Catholic school serving the northeast and southeast neighborhoods of Rochester. It is one of the schools in the Rochester Catholic Schools (RCS) system. The school reports a current enrollment of about 385 students and partners closely with parents in the Church's educational mission.
- Preschool – Grade 8
- Founded 1952 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Rochester
- Current principal: Andrew Poterucha ([email protected])
- Part of Rochester Catholic Schools (RCS) system
- Weekly school Mass, daily prayer, monthly Adoration
- Monthly focus on a virtue and a saint who exemplified it
Faith Formation
The parish's faith-formation program holds that 'catechesis is a responsibility of the entire Christian community' and that formation is a lifelong process, not only for children but also for youth and adults. Director Becky Cleveland oversees registration and programming for families and adults seeking to deepen their Catholic faith.
- Faith Formation Director: Becky Cleveland ([email protected])
- Online registration via stfrancis-church.org/registration-materials-and-forms
- First Reconciliation preparation (Advent, 2nd grade+)
- First Holy Communion preparation (Easter season, 2nd grade+)
- Supports parents as 'primary educators' in the faith
Liturgical Ministry
Parishioners of all ages serve the liturgy as Readers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Hospitality Ministers, Altar Servers, Sacristans, members of the Arts & Environment team, and through the Music Ministry. Most positions require at least a year commitment and offer training.
- Readers (Lectors)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (incl. Ministry to the Homebound)
- Hospitality Ministers (greeters, collection, pew order)
- Altar Servers (children in 4th grade and up; training each October)
- Sacristans
- Arts & Environment (seasonal church decoration)
- Music Ministry (English and Spanish/Coro Hispano)
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry, under Director of Music & Liturgy Hope Giesen, provides musicians, cantors, and choirs for all parish liturgies — including weddings, funerals, holy days, and weekend Masses. Parishioners of all musical abilities are warmly invited to share their gifts.
- Director of Music & Liturgy: Hope Giesen
- Coro Hispano practices Sundays at 11:15 AM in the Cry Room before the Spanish Mass (contacts: Miguel Guevara, Salvador Ibarra)
Parish Outreach and Social Ministries
Echoing Pope Francis's image of the Church as a 'field hospital,' St. Francis of Assisi supports an unusually broad network of outreach ministries that serve Rochester's broader community, in addition to its in-parish care of the homebound and bereaved.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — food, clothing, rent, and utility assistance
- Resource Room — household and personal-care items; open Wednesday afternoons 1:00–2:30 PM
- Sunday Lunch Program — free weekly noon meal at St. Francis on six-week rotation with the other five Rochester Catholic parishes
- Prayer Shawl Ministry — knit/crochet shawls blessed by priests; meets once a month
- Funeral Luncheons — volunteer teams serve for two months at a time
- Ministry to the Homebound — Communion brought to the elderly and homebound
- Faith Justice Committee
- Rosary Group
Parish Life and Fellowship
Beyond ministries, the parish nurtures community through a book club, a lending library in the Parish Center, and shared spaces like the Gathering Space and Parish Center Library that are open throughout the office day.
- Parish Book Club — meets six times a year
- Parish Center Library — open Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- Gathering Space library shelf — accessible before and after Mass
Sacraments (Preparation and Reception)
The parish prepares and celebrates all seven sacraments, with detailed preparation pathways for Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Matrimony. Parishioners are encouraged to begin marriage preparation at least six months before the wedding, and to contact the parish before a child's birth to arrange Baptism.
- Baptism — contact Parish Center Office; information class may be required
- First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion — for baptized 2nd-graders and older
- Matrimony — register ≥ 6 months ahead; diocesan marriage-prep classes required
- Anointing of the Sick — contact parish
- Confirmation, Holy Orders, and ongoing Confession — see contact the Parish Center Office
Staff and Parish Office
The parish is led day-to-day by Pastor Father Luis Vargas and Parochial Vicar Father Shawn Haremza, with a leadership team of parish staff, deacons, and school principal Andrew Poterucha. Office hours shift to a summer schedule between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
- Pastor: Rev. Luis Vargas
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Shawn Haremza
- Deacon: Dcn. Sean Costello
- Parish Administrator: Karina Velazquez Rowles
- Faith Formation Director: Becky Cleveland
- Director of Music & Liturgy: Hope Giesen
- Office Manager: Michelle Ibarra
- Finance Manager: Keith Troke
- School Principal: Andrew Poterucha ([email protected])
- Office hours (Sept–May): Mon–Fri, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
- Summer hours (Memorial Day–Labor Day): Mon–Thu, 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM; Fri closed
Contact and Visit
The parish's main entrance, offices, and school campus are all located at 1114 Third Street SE in southeast Rochester. Visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed by the pastor in writing and are invited to attend any Mass listed on the schedule.
- Address: 1114 Third Street Southeast, Rochester, MN 55904
- Phone: (507) 288-7313
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stfrancis-church.org/
- Weather note: the Parish Center Office follows the Rochester Catholic School weather-closing policy in storms
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Francis McCarthy1937–1946
Founding first pastor appointed by Bishop Francis M. Kelly; celebrated the parish's first Mass at the Rochester Armory on September 5, 1937; transferred to Austin in 1946.
- Father Raymond Jensen1946–
Succeeded Father McCarthy in 1946; under his guidance the parish school opened in 1952 staffed by the Sisters of St. Francis of Rochester, and the rectory was built that same year.