About St. James · Dawson, Minnesota
St. James Catholic Church in Dawson, Minnesota, is part of the Holy Family Area Catholic Community, a collaborative pastoral structure formed in 2004. It maintains its own identity while sharing resources and programs with neighboring parishes. The parish offers Mass in English and Spanish, sacraments, faith formation, and community ministries. It rejoined the Holy Family Area in 2020 after a brief period with another area faith community.
- Established
- 2004
- Patron
- St. James
- Rector
- Father Paul Timmerman
- Diocese
- Diocese of New Ulm
Why belong here
Join a vibrant community that offers monthly adoration, adult faith formation, RCIA classes, and youth ministry. St. James provides Mass in English and Spanish, sacramental preparation, and active parish life through its ministries and outreach programs.
Mass times at St. James
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 Minutes before each Daily Mass
About Us
As part of the Diocese of New Ulm's Plan for Parishes, St. James, Dawson, and St. Andrew (Granite Falls) and St. Joseph (Montevideo) form an area faith community. The process began in 2001 with joint meetings of parish pastoral councils. These meetings shaped goals in word, worship, service, and stewardship. The goals led to the formation of an Area Pastoral Council. The council is made up of two representatives from each of the parishes in the area faith community and the pastoral leaders. With the establishment of the Area Pastoral Council as the principal focus for consultation on the pastoral direction of the area faith community; parish pastoral councils and parish finance councils were transformed into parish administrative councils. The parish administrative councils maintain fiscal and property responsibilities of their respective parish. In 2004, this area was named the Holy Family Area Catholic Community with the priest residing in the Montevideo rectory. In 2012, Father Paul Timmerman was assigned as Pastor, to lead the area. In 2014 the Area Office was established at St. Joseph in Montevideo with the hiring of an area secretary and area business manager. An area Lead Coordinator of Faith Formation was also hired in 2014 to oversee the other two Coordinators of Faith Formation and the Faith Formation program as a whole. In July, 2015 the Holy Family Area welcomed St. James in Dawson. Father Bill Sprigler continued on as Pastoral Administrator of St. James. In July of 2017 Father Paul Timmerman became the Pastor of St. James in Dawson. In July of 2018 Bishop LeVoir made the decision to have St. James in Dawson go with the Good Teacher Area Faith Community, but to keep St. James in Dawson Faith Formation program with the Holy Family Area Catholic Community. In 2020, the Holy Family Area Catholic Community had another change to it. St. Clara, Clara City joined the Area Faith Community of Jesus Our Living Water of St. Mary's in Willmar and Our Lady of the Lakes in Spicer. St. James, Dawson joined back to the Holy Family Area Catholic Community. Each parish of the Holy Family Area Catholic Community continues to maintain its individual identity while experiencing the advantages of Area resources. With the addition of monthly adoration, adult faith formation classes, and area RCIA classes, the parishes are learning about God’s grace through their Catholic faith. Along with area staff and area committees the parishes continue to thrive and grow in God’s love.
Ministries
St. James offers a variety of ministries including Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Confirmation, First Reconciliation / Communion, Youth Ministry, St. James Vacation Bible School, and Totus Tuus.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
- Confirmation
- First Reconciliation / Communion
- Youth Ministry
- St. James Vacation Bible School
- Totus Tuus
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Paul Timmerman2017–present
Assigned as Pastor of St. James in Dawson in 2017.
- Father Bill Sprigler2015–2017
Served as Pastoral Administrator of St. James.