About St. John the Baptist · Jordan, Minnesota
Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Jordan, Minnesota, belonging to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Founded in the mid-1850s by fifteen German Catholic settler families, it is one of the oldest parishes in Scott County and the spiritual home to more than 580 registered households. The parish runs an attached K-8 Catholic school, an active Faith Formation / youth ministry program, Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel of the Little Flower, and the long-running Pillar of Faith College Scholarship program. Worship is offered in English, with weekday and weekend Masses, regular Reconciliation, and a robust sacramental and outreach life rooted in 170 years of Catholic tradition in the Jordan valley.
- Established
- 1855
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Father Bryan Pedersen
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist is a multi-generational Catholic community with deep roots in Jordan and a remarkable range of ways to encounter Christ: weekend and daily Mass, Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel of the Little Flower, weekly Reconciliation, RCIA for adults, a full preschool-through-10th-grade Faith Formation program, an active Youth Ministry, and a parish school enrolling over 150 children. Parishioners can also join the Knights of Columbus, the Guild of Sacred Music, the parish choir, and the Pillar of Faith College Scholarship program, or serve through ministries such as Church Cleaning, Mary's Dinner, and outreach to the homebound. It is the kind of place where a family can worship, form children in the faith, and belong for a lifetime.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays from 1:00 pm – 7:00 pm in the Church, with multiple priests present during every hour
- Additional Reconciliation during Advent and Lenten Days of Mercy (e.g. Wednesday, March 18, 2026)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel of the Little Flower, open to scheduled adorers and visitors almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (established April 2000)
- Temporarily closed on Saturdays 12:00 am – 5:00 am, Sundays 1:00 am – 4:00 am, and Wednesdays 12:00 am – 9:00 am due to fewer scheduled adorers
- Two chapel entrances: one from the main gathering space, and an exterior entrance on the south side of the building near the parish office (coded lock — call the parish office at 952-492-2640 or the chapel coordinator for the code)
Parish History
St. John the Baptist traces its origins to 1855, when 15 Catholic settler families near Holmes Mill (now Jordan) gathered in the log cabin of William Nachbar and resolved to build a log-cabin church. After disputes over its site, a portion of the community moved into the town of Jordan itself and built a frame church in 1858 on a hilltop lot donated by Thomas Holmes; it was dedicated in honor of St. John the Baptist. A stone church followed in 1867, and the present church was begun in 1889 with the laying of the cornerstone on April 22 by Rev. Benignus Schuetz, O.F.M., together with work on the attached monastery. The Franciscans, invited by Bishop Grace in 1875 amid the German Kulturkampf, have shaped the parish's spiritual life for generations.
- 1855 — first parish meeting in William Nachbar's log cabin
- 1858 — first church in Jordan proper, a 46 x 26 ft frame building on a hilltop
- 1860 — first baptism recorded at SJB (William Norbert Schwingler, by Rev. Bruno Riss, O.S.B.)
- 1867 — new 30 x 80 ft stone church built for $9,000
- 1875 — Franciscan Fathers arrive; parish then had 110 families
- 1877 — new two-story brick parish school
- 1879 — School Sisters of Notre Dame arrive
- 1889 — cornerstone of the present church laid April 22
- April 2000 — Chapel of the Little Flower established for Perpetual Adoration
Parish School (PK–8)
Saint John the Baptist Catholic School is an attached parish school serving preschool through 8th grade. According to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, the school enrolls over 150 children; the Minnesota Department of Education lists its location at 215 Broadway St N, Jordan. The school is led by Principal Ann Dettmann and staffed with tuition-assistance partnerships through the Aim Higher Foundation, the Catholic Community Fund, Families First, and the Richard M. Schultz Family Foundation, plus its own dedicated fund and Knights of Columbus and Joey Siwek scholarships for new K–8 families.
- Address: 215 Broadway St N, Jordan, MN 55352
- Phone: 952-492-2630
- Email: [email protected]
- Grades: PK–8
- Principal: Ann Dettmann
- Tuition assistance via Aim Higher, Catholic Community Fund, Families First, Richard M. Schultz Family Foundation, and parish fund
Faith Formation & Youth
The Faith Formation office supports families in passing on the Catholic faith from preschool through 10th grade and beyond. Programs include Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for ages 3 through 1st grade, weekly Holy Family Formation for 2nd–5th graders (with Mary's Dinner and Saint Joseph's Workshop on the first Wednesday of the month), 6th-grade classroom sessions, 7th–8th-grade gatherings, and a two-year Confirmation preparation for 9th and 10th graders. There is also an Adaptive Faith Formation program on Thursday evenings for children with special needs (ages 3–6), and an active Youth Ministry for high-school teens led by Youth Ministry Coordinator Emma Knoop.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (3 yrs–1st grade)
- Holy Family Formation (2nd–5th grade)
- 6th grade classroom — Wednesdays 6:15 PM
- 7th & 8th grade — Wednesdays 7:00 PM
- Confirmation prep (9th & 10th grade) — Wednesdays 7:00 PM
- Adaptive Faith Formation for children with special needs — Thursdays 6:15–7:05 PM
- High School Youth Ministry (Emma Knoop)
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the parish's process for adults considering becoming Roman Catholic — including the unbaptized, baptized Christians seeking full communion, and Catholics who have not yet received the sacraments of Eucharist and/or Confirmation. Classes typically run from September/October through Pentecost Sunday, with the parish's 2025–2026 program beginning the first week in September on Sundays after the 8:00 AM Mass. The parish also invites families to sign up to bring breakfast for candidates as a ministry of welcome.
- Begins first week of September, Sundays after 8:00 AM Mass
- Runs through Pentecost Sunday
- Open to unbaptized, baptized Christians, and uncatechized Catholics
- Contact: 952-492-4573 or [email protected]
Sacraments
The parish prepares and celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments. First Reconciliation and First Communion are typically received in 2nd grade through the Holy Family Formation program. Confirmation is prepared through a two-year program for 9th and 10th graders. Adults enter the Church through RCIA. The parish also prepares couples for Marriage, celebrates Baptisms, and ministers Anointing of the Sick and Funeral Masses — Father Neil Bakker is named as presider at scheduled funeral Masses.
- Baptism
- First Reconciliation & First Communion (2nd grade)
- Confirmation (9th & 10th grade)
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral Masses
- RCIA
Parish Staff & Leadership
Day-to-day parish life is led by Pastor Father Bryan Pedersen, with operational and formational staff supporting Faith Formation, Youth Ministry, Communications, and Operations. The parish school is administered separately and lists Father Neil Bakker and Principal Ann Dettmann in its leadership. The parish office can be reached at 952-492-2640 or [email protected].
- Father Bryan Pedersen — Pastor
- Andy Danielson — Director of Operations (952-492-4560, [email protected])
- Tina Goetz — Director of Communications & Faith Formation (952-492-4573, [email protected])
- Loree Heinkel — Faith Formation (952-492-4573, [email protected])
- Emma Knoop — Youth Ministry Coordinator (952-492-2640, [email protected])
- Father Neil Bakker — presides at funeral Masses; school administration
- Ann Dettmann — Principal, Saint John the Baptist Catholic School
Getting Involved
Parishioners can join the Knights of Columbus, serve in the Guild of Sacred Music and the parish choir, sign up to bring breakfast for RCIA candidates, or volunteer for the Church Cleaning days that keep the parish buildings ready for worship. The Pillar of Faith College Scholarship Program supports students heading into higher education, and Mary's Dinner on the first Wednesday of each month joins the Saint Joseph's Workshop for parish families in faith formation. To become a registered member of St. John the Baptist, contact the parish office at 952-492-2640 or [email protected].
- Knights of Columbus
- Guild of Sacred Music / Choir
- Church Cleaning volunteer days
- RCIA breakfast hospitality
- Mary's Dinner / Saint Joseph's Workshop
- Pillar of Faith College Scholarship Program
- Parish registration via the office
Plan Your Visit
Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church is located at 313 2nd Street East, Jordan, MN 55352, with the attached parish school at 215 Broadway St N. Weekend Masses are Saturday at 5:00 PM and Sunday at 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM. Confessions are heard in the Church on Saturdays from 1:00–7:00 PM, and Eucharistic Adoration runs nearly continuously in the Chapel of the Little Flower. New parishioners are encouraged to register through the parish office.
- Address: 313 2nd Street East, Jordan, MN 55352
- Phone: 952-492-2640
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://sjbjordan.org
- Saturday Confession: 1:00–7:00 PM in the Church
- Perpetual Adoration in the Chapel of the Little Flower
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Bruno Riss, O.S.B.1858–
Benedictine priest from Shakopee who celebrated Mass monthly in Jordan and recorded the first SJB baptism in 1860.
- Rev. Guido Knepper, O.F.M.1879–1887
First Franciscan pastor appointed to the parish; raised $16,000 for a new church but was transferred before it was built.
- Rev. Benignus Schuetz, O.F.M.1887–
Succeeded Fr. Knepper; laid the cornerstone of the present church on April 22, 1889 and began work on the attached monastery.
- Father Neil Bakker
Listed in school administration records; presides at funeral Masses and is connected with the parish school.
- Father Bryan Pedersen
Current pastor, listed on the parish staff directory.