About St. Helena · Minneapolis, Minnesota
St. Helena Catholic Church & School is a parish of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, located at 3201 43rd Street East in the Standish neighborhood of south Minneapolis. Founded in 1913 and now past its 110th year, the parish is celebrated for its 1940 brick-and-stone church housing a remarkable series of stained-glass windows designed by Conrad Pickel (installed 1946–47) and for its parish school, which has been in continuous operation since 1926. The community offers Sunday and weekday Mass in English, weekday Eucharistic Adoration in the Bethlehem Adoration Chapel, and a range of faith-formation ministries including Totus Tuus and a Catholic grade school.
- Established
- 1913
- Patron
- St. Helena (Empress Helena, mother of Constantine; patron saint of new discoveries)
- Rector
- Father Marcus Milless
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Helena is a loyal, multi-generational Catholic community in south Minneapolis that has worshiped on this site for more than a century. Parishioners find a prayerful liturgy, daily Mass Monday through Saturday at 8:00 AM, a robust Sunday schedule (Saturday 4:00 PM vigil; Sunday 8:30 and 10:00 AM), and weekday Eucharistic Adoration from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM in the Bethlehem Adoration Chapel. The parish also sustains a Catholic grade school with roots going back to 1926, Totus Tuus summer catechesis for youth, and a parish historian (John Sondag) who keeps the community's remarkable Pickel-window heritage alive.
Mass times at St. Helena
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 8:30–9:00 AM
- Tuesday 8:30–9:00 AM
- Wednesday 8:30–9:00 AM
- Thursday 8:30–9:00 AM
- Friday 8:30–9:00 AM
- Saturday 8:30–9:00 AM
- Saturday 3:00–3:30 PM
Adoration times
- Monday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Bethlehem Adoration Chapel)
- Tuesday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Bethlehem Adoration Chapel)
- Wednesday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Bethlehem Adoration Chapel)
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Bethlehem Adoration Chapel)
- Friday 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Bethlehem Adoration Chapel)
Parish Identity & Heritage
St. Helena Catholic Church & School sits in the Standish/Longfellow area of south Minneapolis and has served the community continuously since 1913. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and identifies with the missionary spirit of St. Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, whose feast is celebrated August 18.
- Current church built in 1940 (brick and stone)
- Feast of St. Helena: August 18
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
History of the Parish
In its early years the small community worshipped in a Fairhill Street row home and then in the converted Olney movie theater before the first permanent church and school were built. The Sisters of St. Joseph began teaching at the parish in 1924 and staffed the school from its 1927 opening until 1980. The original wood-frame church was replaced by the present building in 1940, and the famous Conrad Pickel stained-glass windows were installed in 1946–1947.
- 1924: Masses first celebrated in a Fairhill St. row home, then at the Olney movie theater
- Sept. 14, 1924: Sisters of St. Joseph begin teaching
- Sept. 6, 1927: St. Helena School opens with 438 students
- 1940: Present brick-and-stone church completed
- 1946–1947: Conrad Pickel stained-glass windows installed
Stained-Glass Windows by Conrad Pickel
The parish is best known regionally for its stained-glass windows designed by Conrad Pickel (1906–1994), who learned the art at the Mayer Studio in Munich, Germany. Monsignor Rowan, impressed by Pickel's work on nearby St. Joseph Church in Owatonna, commissioned him for St. Helena. The St. Francis window was Pickel's first solo church commission, and the Last Supper panel is considered among his finest work; together the 19+ windows form a series depicting the Gospel life of Jesus. Pickel founded his own studio in 1947, which continues today as the Conrad Pickel Studio.
- 19+ Pickel windows installed 1946–1947
- St. Francis window — Pickel's first solo church commission
- Last Supper window — designed in consultation with Msgr. Rowan
- Parish historian: John Sondag (43 years as DRE)
St. Helena Catholic School
St. Helena Catholic School is a parish grade school that has been in continuous operation since 1926, when it was founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph. According to the Archdiocese's 2025–2026 annual report on Catholic education, the school enrolls 116 students in preschool through grade 8. The school remains an important outreach of the parish to local families.
- Operating since 1926 (school year)
- Staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph from 1924 until 1980
- PreK–8 enrollment: 116 (2025–2026)
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Outside the parish school, faith formation is supported through the Totus Tuus summer program, a Catholic youth catechetical initiative whose name means 'Totally Yours' in Latin. Totus Tuus centers on the Eucharist, Marian devotion, catechetical instruction, vocational discernment, and fellowship, and is offered for students entering grades 1–6 (day program) and 7–12 (evening program). The parish also notes that John Sondag has served 43 years in religious-education roles and currently directs Totus Tuus.
- Totus Tuus day program for grades 1–6 (9:00 AM – 2:30 PM)
- Totus Tuus evening program for grades 7–12 (5:30 – 8:30 PM)
- Director: John Sondag ([email protected], 612-275-0431)
Sacramental Care for the Sick & Homebound
Parishioners who are hospitalized or homebound can request Holy Communion visits and the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick by contacting the parish office at 612-729-7344. The parish notes that hospitals and healthcare facilities cannot contact the parish directly; families should reach out themselves to arrange a visit.
- Anointing of the Sick by request
- Communion visits to homes and hospitals
- Contact: parish office, 612-729-7344
Visit, Contact & Practical Info
St. Helena Catholic Church & School is located at 3201 43rd Street East, Minneapolis, MN 55406-3858, in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The parish office can be reached by phone at 612-729-7344 (fax 612-724-8695).
- Address: 3201 43rd St E, Minneapolis, MN 55406-3858
- Phone: 612-729-7344
- Fax: 612-724-8695
- Parish office hours: contact parish by phone
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Owen Rowan (later Monsignor)1913–1966
Founding pastor; led the parish for 53 years; oversaw construction of the 1940 brick-and-stone church and the commissioning of the Conrad Pickel stained-glass windows.