About St. Henry · Perham, Minnesota
St. Henry's Catholic Church in Perham, Minnesota is a growing Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of St. Cloud, guided by its mission to be disciples of Christ who love one another, pray together, celebrate the sacraments, serve the individual and family needs of God's people, carry out Catholic education programs, and attend to the material needs of the parish. Founded in 1873 among German and Irish Catholic settlers in Otter Tail County, the parish anchors the Northern Cross Area Catholic Community (NCACC) and partners with St. Henry's Area School, a PreK-Grade 6 Catholic elementary school that has educated local children on the same downtown Perham site since 1883. The parish currently numbers about 658 families and is served by a pastor, a parochial vicar, two deacons, and a full staff of lay ministers.
- Established
- 1873
- Patron
- St. Henry
- Rector
- Fr. Omar Guanchez
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Cloud
Why belong here
St. Henry's welcomes new members and visitors into a growing community of disciples of Jesus Christ that is authentically Catholic yet warm and open. A parishioner can celebrate the Eucharist at five weekend and weekday Masses, including one televised or broadcast on 99.5 FM, and can grow in faith through Family Faith Formation (K-11), the parish school serving Preschool through Grade 6, and a wide range of ministries from Knights of Columbus and Catholic Daughters to Prayer Shawls, the Widow's Walk ministry, and a partnership with Love INC of Eastern Otter Tail County.
Mass times at St. Henry
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesdays 8:15 AM - 8:45 AM
- Thursdays 8:15 AM - 8:45 AM
- Saturdays 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM (before the 5:00 PM Vigil Mass)
- By appointment — call 218-346-4240
Adoration times
- Adoration follows the published Winter Weather Policy; check the parish app or NCACC Facebook page for weather-related schedule changes
History of St. Henry's Parish
St. Henry's was founded in 1873 as a Catholic mission in the new town of Perham, the first years of ministry being carried out for German and Irish settlers moving into Otter Tail County along the Northern Pacific Railway. The first church was built in 1875; its earliest recorded sacraments include the baptism of John Charles Gorman on August 23, 1876, the marriage of John Murphy and Lena Roach of Lake Park, and the funeral of Benjamin Kemper that same August. Henry Kemper and John Drahmann were the parish's first trustees. The present church was constructed in 1905-06, and a Spanish tile roof was added in 1931. In 2006 Bishop John F. Kinney of the Diocese of St. Cloud announced the closure of neighboring St. Stanislaus, and on October 4, 2009 the bishop celebrated the final Mass at the 1922 Polish brick church, with St. Stanislaus's members formally merging into St. Henry's under the 'Becoming One in the Spirit' process.
- 1873 — mission permission granted in Perham
- 1875 — first church building erected
- 1876 — first baptism, marriage, and funeral recorded
- 1905-06 — present church built
- 1931 — Spanish tile roof added
- 2006 — Bishop Kinney announces St. Stanislaus closure
- 2009 — St. Stanislaus formally merged into St. Henry's
Parish Mission & Welcome
St. Henry's describes itself as a Catholic Faith Community of the Diocese of St. Cloud, 'guided by the Holy Spirit and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to build God's kingdom here on Earth.' The mission statement commits members to love one another, pray together, celebrate the sacraments, serve the individual and family needs of all God's people, carry out Catholic education programs for youth and adults, and attend to the material needs of the parish. The parish welcomes visitors and new members as a growing community of disciples of Jesus Christ, promising 'an authentically Catholic parish community, a warm and open environment where you and your family will feel welcomed and at home.' Online registration is available through the parish website.
- Diocese of St. Cloud parish
- Approximately 658 families
- Online registration available at parishfaith.com
Clergy & Parish Staff
St. Henry's is currently served by a pastor and parochial vicar, two deacons, and a full team of parish staff including religious education, music, business, and maintenance leadership. The parish office can be reached at 218-346-4240 during weekday office hours (Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM).
- Fr. Omar Guanchez — Pastor (Emergency: 218-298-0585)
- Fr. Nathaniel Daubner — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Randy Altstadt (cell 218-457-0925)
- Deacon Richard Quistorff
- Michelle Sazama — Religious Education Coordinator (218-346-7030 / cell 218-849-9660)
- Gina Cavanagh — Director of Music
- Joe Byer — Director of Maintenance
- Business Manager, Parish Secretary, and additional staff (per parish website)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Henry's welcomes children from Kindergarten through 11th grade, meeting every Wednesday evening from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. The program is coordinated by Michelle Sazama, who also welcomes parent volunteers. A range of online and at-home faith resources is curated for families, including family rosary guides, daily readings and liturgies for adults, free Catholic media libraries, and kids' prayers and scripture.
- K-11th grade classes, Wednesdays 6:30-7:30 PM
- Religious Education Coordinator: Michelle Sazama
- Family rosary and at-home resources
- Daily Readings, Prayers & Liturgies for adults
- Prayers and Scripture for Kids
- Holy Week Activities
St. Henry's Area School
St. Henry's Area School is a Catholic elementary school serving Preschool through Grade 6, with a proud tradition dating back to its founding in 1883 in the same downtown Perham location. A brand-new school building was completed in 2022. The school draws students from multiple parishes in the Northern Cross Area Catholic Community — St. Henry, St. Lawrence, Sacred Heart, Holy Cross, and St. James in Maine — and currently enrolls about 148 students. Its motto is 'Enter to Learn Christ, Leave to Serve Christ.'
- Preschool through Grade 6
- Founded 1883; new building completed 2022
- Approximately 148 students
- Member of National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
- Accredited and Christ-centered community
Ministries & Groups
St. Henry's offers a wide variety of ministries organized for children and teens, men, women, liturgy, music, and general parish life. The parish is a partner church of Love INC (Love in the Name of Christ) of Eastern Otter Tail County and supports ongoing formation for adults, prayer life, and outreach.
- Faith in Action
- Children & Teens — Family Faith Formation
- Men — Knights of Columbus, Church Aisles, Cleaning Supplies, Maintenance
- Women — Catholic Daughters of America, Catholic United Financial Holy Family Council, St. Mary & Agnes Mission Circle, Adult Faith Formation, Music (Piano Keys)
- Liturgy and Music ministry (Director: Gina Cavanagh)
- Prayer Shawls & Blankets, Prayer Chain
- A Widow's Walk ministry
- Love INC of Eastern Otter Tail County
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments, with pre-Baptism classes offered on the third Saturday of each month for parents baptizing their first child. Weddings, Anointing of the Sick, and Communion for the homebound are arranged through the Parish Office.
- Baptism — pre-Baptism class (third Saturday of each month, 9:00 AM)
- Marriage — by arrangement with the Parish Office
- Reconciliation — scheduled times and by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick / Pastoral visitation — by request
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Masses (see schedule)
Cemeteries & Facilities
St. Henry's maintains two Catholic cemeteries in the Perham area in addition to its downtown church and school. The parish office at 234 2nd Ave SW is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM, with bulletin submissions due by noon on Tuesdays.
- St. Henry's Catholic Cemetery — 1001-1061 W Main St, Perham
- St. Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery — 701 1st Ave N, Perham
- Parish Office: 234 2nd Ave SW, Perham, MN 56573
- Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM
- Bulletin Deadline: Tuesdays at noon
Northern Cross Area Catholic Community (NCACC)
St. Henry's is the lead parish of the Northern Cross Area Catholic Community, a regional cluster of Catholic parishes in northwestern Otter Tail County working together to share priests, school resources, and ministry across rural Minnesota. The cluster includes Sacred Heart (Dent), St. Lawrence (Rush Lake), Holy Cross (Butler), and the Bluffton parish, together serving about 2,554 Catholics. The community uses the myParish app (search 'Northern Cross Area Catholic Community') for announcements, weather cancellations, and weekly bulletins.
- Lead parish of the NCACC
- Sister parishes: Sacred Heart (Dent), St. Lawrence (Rush Lake), Holy Cross (Butler), Bluffton
- Approximately 2,554 Catholics across the cluster
- myParish app — search 'Northern Cross Area Catholic Community'
- NCACC Facebook page for updates and weather announcements
Contact, Visiting & Giving
Visitors and parishioners can reach St. Henry's by phone at 218-346-4240 or in person at the parish office (234 2nd Ave SW, Perham) during weekday hours. Online registration for new members and online giving are both available through the parish website (parishfaith.com). The parish is part of the myParish App for smartphones and posts news and announcements via the Northern Cross Area Catholic Community Facebook page.
- Phone: 218-346-4240
- Fax: 218-346-4235
- Address: 234 2nd Ave SW, Perham, MN 56573
- Online registration: parishfaith.com
- Online giving available
- myParish App and NCACC Facebook page
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph (Joe) Herzing2000s
Pastor of St. Henry's, Bluffton, and St. Stanislaus who led the 'Becoming One in the Spirit' merger process in 2006-2009 after Bishop Kinney announced the closure of St. Stanislaus.