About St. John the Baptist · Dayton, Minnesota
St. John the Baptist is a small, historically rich Catholic parish in Dayton, Minnesota, perched on a hill overlooking the historic village where the Crow River meets the Mississippi. Founded in 1856 by French-Canadian settlers, it is one of the oldest parishes in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and still serves the communities of Dayton, Otsego, and Champlin. Today's parishioners worship in a 1904 Gothic-style brick church with a 150-foot bell tower, attend daily Mass in the intimate St. Therese Chapel, and are known for their active involvement in local food shelves and the annual summer Parish Festival.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Fr. John Powers
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist is a small, rooted community where nearly every parishioner can be involved in the life of the parish. The church sits in the heart of historic Dayton, the buildings reflect 170 years of French-Catholic heritage, and the parish continues that tradition today with active faith formation for all ages (TLC – Total Lifelong Catechesis, including Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for children age 3 through Grade 6 and a two-year Confirmation program), a vibrant Youth Ministry with events like REVIVE, Summer Stretch, Winterblast, and Extreme Faith Camp, and strong outreach to local food shelves. The annual summer Parish Festival and the Memorial Day Mass in the cemetery — with a military honors ceremony — are beloved traditions that draw families from Dayton, Otsego, and Champlin together year after year.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday: 7:30 – 7:50 AM
- Saturday: 4:00 – 4:30 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 – 8:40 AM
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration – Non-Perpetual (held on Fridays; parish office seeking a volunteer to organize and lead)
Parish History
St. John the Baptist Parish was established in 1856 — before Minnesota was even a state — by French-Canadian settlers who gathered in a log cabin a mile from the present site, near the confluence of the Crow and Mississippi Rivers. A wooden church went up in 1866, the current brick Gothic church was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day 1904 under Fr. C.A. Pettigrew, and the parish's longest-serving pastor, Fr. J.H. Guillemette, divided the sanctuary in 1949 to make room for a school that ran until 1969. The parish has continued to evolve through the stained-glass restoration of 1989–97 under Fr. Remmerswaal OSC and a dramatic steeple repair in 2000, when the 17-ton steeple was lifted off and set back on the bell tower.
- Founded 1856; first Mass 1857 in a log cabin
- Wooden church 1866 (used as banquet hall after 1904)
- Current brick Gothic church dedicated Thanksgiving Day 1904 under Fr. C.A. Pettigrew
- St. John the Baptist School 1948–1969, taught by the School Sisters of Notre Dame
- Stained glass restoration 1989–97 under Fr. Remmerswaal OSC
- 17-ton steeple removed and reset July 28, 2000
Our Church Building
The current church is a Gothic-style brick building in a cruciform footprint, with a main worship area of 30 ft x 80 ft and transepts of 54 ft x 54 ft. The bell tower rises 150 feet and is topped with a 13-foot cross, while a secondary belfry reaches 96 feet. Because the building has no basement, the former classrooms added during the school era (1948–1969) were converted into a Social Hall. The intimate St. Therese Chapel — formerly the sacristy and confessional — now serves as the space for daily Mass.
- Gothic style with pointed arches and exterior buttresses
- Bell tower 150 ft with a 13 ft cross
- Secondary belfry 96 ft with a 7 ft cross
- St. Therese Chapel used for daily Mass
- No basement — former classrooms are now a Social Hall
Cemeteries
The parish maintains two cemeteries, reflecting more than 160 years of community history. A one-acre cemetery sits offsite on land donated in 1862, while the primary cemetery, purchased in 1886 to be near the new church, lies behind the rectory. A portion of the primary cemetery currently serves as a parish orchard, and the Memorial Day collection supports ongoing cemetery upkeep.
- Offsite cemetery on 1 acre donated in 1862
- Primary cemetery purchased 1886, behind the rectory
- Major renovations in 1943 and 1975
- Memorial Day Mass held in the cemetery at 10 AM, with Vietnam Honor Guard 470 conducting military honors
Staff & Clergy
The parish is currently shepherded by Fr. John Powers, who was ordained May 30, 2015 and brings experience from Nativity of our Lord, St. Michael and St. Mary's in Stillwater, St. Nicholas in Elko-New Market, Immaculate Conception in Lonsdale, and most recently Holy Trinity in Waterville and St. Andrew's in Elysian (where he also taught middle school religion at Bethlehem Academy in Faribault). His lay staff includes the Director of Faith Formation, Youth Ministry & Safe Environments, a Music Director, a Business Manager, and a Cemetery Manager.
- Fr. John Powers — Pastor
- Sarah Moylan — Director of Faith Formation, Youth Ministry & Safe Environments
- Steve Bebeau — Music Director
- Patti Fodstad-Bouley — Business Manager
- Sharon Williams — Cemetery Manager
Faith Formation (TLC – Total Lifelong Catechesis)
Faith formation at St. John the Baptist is called TLC — Total Lifelong Catechesis — reflecting the parish's belief that faith growth never stops. Children age 3 through Grade 6 learn through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori-based program that also prepares them for First Reconciliation and First Communion. Confirmands begin a two-year Wednesday evening program in seventh grade and are Confirmed their second year. Periodic TLC Family nights invite parents in for a celebration or service project.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (ages 3–Grade 6)
- First Reconciliation and First Communion preparation
- Two-year Confirmation program starting in 7th grade, Wednesday evenings
- TLC Family events several times a year
- Contact: Sarah Moylan, Director of Faith Formation
Youth Ministry
The goal of the parish's Youth Ministry is to help teens grow closer in their relationship with Christ. Programs reach middle schoolers through high schoolers and range from large regional events to local service weeks and summer camp.
- REVIVE — area Youth Mass with speakers and music at St. Michael Catholic Church (required for first- and second-year Confirmation students)
- Archdiocesan Youth Day — high school gathering each October
- Summer Stretch — six Wednesdays of morning Mass, service projects (e.g. Feed My Starving Children, Sharing and Caring Hands) and fellowship
- Rise Up — one-day middle school conference in March (required for first-year Confirmands)
- Winterblast — middle school lock-in at Maple Grove Community Center in December
- Extreme Faith Camp — week at Trout Lake Camp in Pine River, MN each June for students completing grades 6–8
Vacation Bible School
Each summer the parish hosts Vacation Bible School for children age 4 through grade 5. Past themes have included 'Peace Lab,' a program that helps children discover God's way of peace through games, crafts, snacks, and fun activities. Contact the parish office for current VBS information.
- Open to children age 4 through grade 5
- Past theme: 'Peace Lab'
- Games, crafts, snacks, and friends
- Contact: parish office, 763-428-2828
Parish Festival & Community Life
The annual Parish Festival is one of the highlights of the year at St. John the Baptist, bringing together parishioners from Dayton, Otsego, and Champlin. The 2026 festival is scheduled for Sunday, August 2, 2026, with informational mailings going out in mid-April. Parishioners are also strongly involved in local food shelves and other outreach, and the Memorial Day Mass in the cemetery remains a beloved tradition.
- Annual Parish Festival (2026 date: Sunday, August 2)
- Parishioner involvement in local food shelves
- Memorial Day Mass in the cemetery with military honors
- Parishioners invited to help run festival departments
Contact & Visit
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is located in the heart of the historic village of Dayton, perched atop a hill overlooking the community. The parish office can be reached by phone or email, and the mailing address is a P.O. Box shared with the church's physical address.
- Address: 18380 Columbus Street, P.O. Box 201, Dayton, MN 55327
- Phone: 763-428-2828
- Fax: 763-428-6462
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.sjbdayton.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. C.A. Pettigrewearly 1900s
Directed construction of the current brick church, dedicated Thanksgiving Day 1904
- Fr. J.H. Guillemettelongest-serving pastor, mid-20th century
1949 renovation dividing the sanctuary in half; St. John the Baptist Catholic School operated 1948–1969 under his pastorate
- Fr. Schnitzius1983–(c.1989)
Remodeled the altar area to meet Vatican II liturgical standards; former classrooms converted into a Social Hall
- Fr. Remmerswaal OSC1989–1997
Oversaw the intense eight-year restoration of the church's stained glass windows; the St. Therese Chapel was created in his pastorate
- Fr. John Powerscurrent pastor (ordained May 30, 2015)
Former associate at Nativity of our Lord, St. Michael and St. Mary's in Stillwater, St. Nicholas in Elko-New Market and Immaculate Conception in Lonsdale; most recently pastor of Holy Trinity in Waterville and St. Andrew's in Elysian while teaching middle school religion at Bethlehem Academy in Faribault