St. Genevieve

About St. Genevieve Parish

St. Genevieve is a small country parish in Lake Benton, Minnesota, part of the Christ the King Area Faith Community in the Diocese of New Ulm. The parish shares pastoral and administrative staff with five neighboring churches — St. Peter in Canby, Ss. Peter & Paul in Ivanhoe, St. Leo in St. Leo, St. Dionysius in Tyler, and St. John Cantius in Wilno — and with St. Peter Catholic School in Canby. The parish's mission statement calls it 'a welcoming Catholic community called by God to live out the message of Christ in love and service to all people.' Worship is centered in the 1898 church at 119 S. Sherman Street.

History of the Parish

Catholic families first homesteaded the Lake Benton area in 1869–1872, traveling by ox cart to Wilno, Tracy, and other mission points for Mass. The first Mass in Lincoln County was celebrated in 1878 at the John Kelley Sr. home by Father John Tori, assistant pastor of New Ulm, and Father Hanley from Woodstock said the first Mass in the village itself. Father Dyjeski of Wilno served the mission for several years, and in 1894 Father Joseph Darche was assigned out of Tracy; he built the present church in 1898 for $1,575, with Archbishop John Ireland and John Stariha (later Bishop of Lead) signing the Articles of Incorporation. Father Coyle became the parish's first resident pastor in 1903, and a rectory followed in 1905. The Altar Society (later the Rosary Society) and the parish's long sacramental record — preserved at FamilySearch from 1903 to 1990 — were all established in these early decades.

• 1869 — James Gilronan Sr. settles near Lake Benton
• 1870 — Patrick McCaffrey Sr. arrives
• 1872 — John Kelly Sr. arrives
• 1878 — Father John Tori says first Mass in Lincoln County (at the Kelley home)
• 1880s — Father Hanley says first Mass in the village, in the Northwestern railroad depot and the Donovan home
• 1894 — Father Joseph Darche assigned from Tracy
• 1896 — Father Darche builds St. Dionysius in Tyler
• 1898 — St. Genevieve's church built in Lake Benton ($1,575 contract with Charles Rein of Tyler); parish incorporated
• 1898 — Father Darche organizes the Altar Society
• 1903 — Father Coyle arrives as first resident pastor
• 1905 — Rectory completed for $2,000 by Taylor Bros.
• 1915 — Confessional donated by Monsignor Sheehan of Elkton
• 1932 — Altar Society reorganized as the Rosary Society
• 1933 — Sanctuary remodeled; original altar replaced

Christ the King Area Faith Community

St. Genevieve belongs to the Christ the King Area Faith Community (AFC), which links six rural parishes and one Catholic elementary school in southwest Minnesota. The AFC is led by Pastor Fr. Brendan Rolling and Associate Pastor Fr. Cornelius Ezeiloaku, with a Tyler office (213 Linwood, PO Box 310, Tyler, MN 56178, (507) 247-3464) and a Canby office (307 4th St. W., (507) 223-7304). Office hours are Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. in Tyler and 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. in Canby; the bulletin deadline is Tuesday morning.

• St. Peter, Canby (with St. Peter Catholic School)
• Ss. Peter & Paul, Ivanhoe
• St. Genevieve, Lake Benton
• St. Leo, St. Leo
• St. Dionysius, Tyler
• St. John Cantius, Wilno

Parish Staff and Clergy

The parish is staffed by a pastor, an associate pastor, and a team of AFC-wide secretaries and bookkeepers. Pastoral and Sacramental questions can be directed to the pastor's office, while administrative matters for St. Genevieve and St. Dionysius go through Rebecca Johnson, the AFC administrative assistant, secretary, bookkeeper, and bulletin editor.

• Fr. Brendan Rolling — Pastor (Ivanhoe office: (507) 694-1402, PO Box 49, Ivanhoe, MN 56142)
• Fr. Cornelius Ezeiloaku — Associate Pastor (Canby office: (507) 223-7304)
• Rebecca Johnson — AFC Administrative Assistant; Secretary & Bookkeeper for St. Dionysius & St. Genevieve; Bulletin Editor ((507) 247-3464)
• Lana DePestel — Secretary for St. Leo & St. Peter ((507) 223-7304)
• Caren Buysse — Finance Secretary for St. Leo & St. Peter ((507) 872-6346)
• Jeanne Bednarek — Bookkeeper for St. John Cantius & Ss. Peter & Paul ((507) 694-1402)
• Kari Nilles — Director of Religious Education, Christ the King AFC
• Kathy Rybinski — Coordinator, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd ([email protected])

Religious Education and Sacramental Preparation

Religious education is coordinated across the Christ the King AFC, with an annual online and paper registration, a published Religious Ed Handbook, and separate calendars for Canby, Tyler, Wilno/Ivanhoe, and the combined Tyler/Lake Benton/Ivanhoe/Wilno Confirmation track. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), a Montessori-based program for ages 3–6, meets in the atrium at Ss. Peter & Paul, Ivanhoe. Older youth participate in Totus Tuus and the Steubenville youth conference; the parish posts current Steubenville and Totus Tuus registration forms on its website.

• First Communion practice — Saturday, April 11, 2026, 10 a.m.–12 p.m., Ivanhoe (AFC-wide 2nd graders and parents)
• First Communion at St. Genevieve — Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
• Confirmation Mass — Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026 at 10:30 a.m., St. John Cantius, Wilno
• Confirmation Retreat — COR Night, Feb. 22, 2026, St. Aloysius, Olivia (optional)
• Senior Recognition Mass at St. Genevieve — Sunday, May 10, 2026 at 8:15 a.m.
• Sacramental prep includes: 2nd Grade Prayer Sheet, Confirmation Expectations, Service Hours Sheet, Confirmation Mass Sheet, Sponsor Guide, and Saint Project Instructions

Liturgy and Ministry Volunteers

Parishioners serve as lectors, ushers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and in other liturgical roles. Schedules are published monthly — e.g. the July 2026 St. Genevieve Ministry Schedule — and volunteers who need to be absent are asked to find their own substitute. Anyone interested in volunteering may contact the parish office.

• Lectors
• Ushers / Greeters
• Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
• Altar Servers
• Musicians / Choir

Our Faith — Resources for Catholics and Inquirers

The parish's 'Our Faith' section is designed for both lifelong Catholics and those exploring the Church. It links to foundational topics — 'What is the Catholic Church?', 'What Do Catholics Believe?', 'We are the Church' — and to the seven sacraments, with a dedicated Newcomers section for those entering or returning to the faith.

• What Do Catholics Believe?
• What is the Catholic Church?
• We are the Church
• The Seven Sacraments
• Being Catholic Today
• Newcomers

Parish Registration and Contact

Households are encouraged to register through the AFC's online or paper Registration Form. The AFC welcomes new members from Canby, St. Leo, Ivanhoe, Wilno, Tyler, and Lake Benton. General inquiries can be directed to the parish offices, and current bulletins and announcements are posted on the website's home page.

• Tyler Office — 213 Linwood, PO Box 310, Tyler, MN 56178; (507) 247-3464; Mon–Thu 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
• Canby Office — 307 4th St. W., Canby, MN 56220; (507) 223-7304; Mon–Thu 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
• Bulletin deadline: Tuesday morning