St. John

Parish Identity & Mission Statement

St. John the Baptist Parish has articulated its identity with a short mission statement that captures its rural character and its deep roots in the Diocese of Crookston. The parish reads: 'We the people of St. John the Baptist Parish, are a rural community of believers, with a long heritage to the Diocese of Crookston and the Church universal. As a believing community, we strive for a personal relationship with Our Heavenly Father and with one another.' This identity as a small, relationship-centered farming-community parish shapes everything else about its life.

History of Georgetown & the Parish

Georgetown is one of the oldest European settlements in the Red River Valley. The site was chosen in 1859 as a Hudson's Bay Company trading post by James McKay because it stood where the timber belts of the Buffalo River and the Red River met — sheltered from the wind, with grasses for pasture and pure fresh water nearby. Originally named Selkirk for Lord Selkirk, the post was renamed Georgetown in honor of Sir George Simpson, governor-in-chief of Rupert's Land. It was abandoned during the Dakota War of 1862, re-established in 1864, and finally pulled out of by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1875. The present town was platted on October 8, 1883, when the Moorhead Northern Railroad (later the Great Northern) laid tracks one mile east of the old site; C. B. Hill ran the first post office in his store. The first known postmaster of the original post, Randolph M. Probstfield, is memorialized in the name of the street on which the church stands (Probstfield Street). Georgetown was officially incorporated as a village on March 10, 1904. The Catholic community that became St. John the Baptist grew with these settlers, and the parish today proudly claims 'a long heritage to the Diocese of Crookston and the Church universal.'

• 1859 — Georgetown established as a Hudson's Bay Company trading post
• 1862 — Trading post abandoned during the Dakota War
• 1875 — Hudson's Bay Company pulls out of Georgetown
• 1883 — Present village platted along the Moorhead Northern Railroad
• 1904 — Georgetown officially incorporated as a village
• Parish served by Diocese of Crookston clergy since early 20th century

Clergy & Pastoral Leadership

The parish does not have a resident pastor. Since July 1, 2025, St. John the Baptist has been served by clergy shared with the other Moorhead-area Catholic parishes. Father Vincent Miller, a priest of 27 years who holds a doctorate in sacred theology, was appointed by Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens as pastor of St. John, Georgetown, together with St. Francis de Sales, Moorhead, and St. Joseph, Moorhead. He also serves the diocese as Vicar for Clergy. Father Raul Perez-Cobo serves as parochial vicar of all three parishes.

• Rev. Vincent Miller — Pastor (since July 1, 2025); also pastor of St. Francis de Sales, Moorhead, and St. Joseph, Moorhead; Diocese of Crookston Vicar for Clergy; priest 27 years; doctorate in sacred theology; favorite saint St. Vincent de Paul, favorite holy day Holy Thursday.
• Rev. Raul Perez-Cobo — Parochial Vicar of St. Joseph, St. Francis de Sales and St. John, Georgetown.
• Deacon Mark Krejci — diocesan Director of the Office of Missionary Discipleship; sits on the Moorhead-area pastoral leadership team.

Moorhead-Area Parish Partnership (Planning for Mission)

St. John, Georgetown is part of a pioneering three-parish cooperative arrangement launched by the Diocese of Crookston in 2024–2025 under Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens' pastoral letter 'New Life: Through the Tender Compassion of Our God.' Writing to announce the partnership, Bishop Cozzens said, 'It became apparent that the cooperation of the parishes of St. Joseph's, St. Francis and St. John's in Georgetown would provide the greatest resources and efficiencies to pastor God's people as thriving, sustainable and fruitful communities.' Father Vincent Miller, who leads the pilot, has framed the change this way: 'We are no longer a culture guided by Christian principles; we are in missionary territory.' The three parishes are walking the parish-renewal process of Divine Renovation Ministry together, with a pastoral leadership team offering prayer, discernment and coaching support.

• St. Joseph, Moorhead
• St. Francis de Sales, Moorhead
• St. John the Baptist, Georgetown
• Coaching provided by Divine Renovation Ministry (Angie Glendinning, coach)
• Pastoral leadership team: Loren Haagenson, Kim Noel, Deacon Mark Krejci

Diocese of Crookston

St. John the Baptist is one of many rural parishes under the care of the Diocese of Crookston, a diocese in northwestern Minnesota that was erected on December 31, 1909, by Pope Pius X, with territory taken from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul. The first bishop was Timothy J. Corbett, who over his 28-year tenure established more than 50 churches and 12 schools. Today the diocese is led by Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens, who has set the local Church on a path of missionary renewal through his pastoral letter 'New Life: Through the Tender Compassion of Our God' and through the Planning for Mission / Divine Renovation pilot in which St. John, Georgetown is participating.

• Diocese of Crookston — erected December 31, 1909
• First Bishop: Timothy J. Corbett (28-year tenure, 50+ churches founded)
• Current Bishop: The Most Rev. Andrew H. Cozzens
• Diocesan offices headquartered in Crookston, Minnesota

Getting Involved & Contact

Because St. John the Baptist is a small mission parish, most 'getting involved' happens through personal connection with the pastors and lay leaders of the Moorhead-area partnership. Parishioners are encouraged to participate in the Divine Renovation prayer-and-discernment process, to attend the Sunday 8:00 a.m. Mass, and to reach out to the parish office for baptisms, weddings, funerals, faith formation and other pastoral needs. The parish is sustained by the stewardship of its farming-community families and by the shared ministry of the three Moorhead-area parishes.

• Phone: (218) 233-3934
• Diocese of Crookston parish directory: crookston.org/directories/parishes/73-st-johns-georgetown
• Mailing address: PO Box 248, Georgetown, MN 56546 (per joinmychurch.com listing)