About St. John the Baptist · Savage, Minnesota
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and School is a large, active Roman Catholic parish in Savage, Minnesota, in the southwest metro of the Twin Cities, serving more than 2,100 households (over 6,600 individuals) under the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Chartered in 1854, it is one of the oldest Catholic congregations in Minnesota, with a heritage rooted in Irish pioneer families and a parish mission centered on the vision of "Friendship with Christ in our time." The parish is paired with St. John the Baptist Catholic School and Preschool (PK–8), and offers perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, daily and weekend Masses, a robust faith formation program that includes Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, and ministries for every stage of life.
- Established
- 1854
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Fr. Ben Little (transitioned to Saint Paul Seminary as spiritual director, effective July 1, 2025; new pastor not yet confirmed in sources reviewed)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist is one of the oldest parishes in the Archdiocese and remains a thriving, family-oriented community in the heart of Savage. With perpetual Eucharistic Adoration (open Monday through Saturday, 9 AM–5 PM, and Sundays 12–5 PM), daily and weekend Masses, a robust Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium for young children, an attached PK–8 Catholic school and preschool, and ministries for every age — from Summer Stretch middle-school programming to the Holy Family Prayer Group and Divine Mercy Cenacle — the parish offers a deep, active Catholic life. Its guiding vision, 'Friendship with Christ in our time,' shapes everything from liturgy to faith formation to outreach.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM
- Friday 7:00 AM – 7:45 AM
- Saturday 9:00 AM
- By appointment through the parish office (952-890-9465)
Adoration times
- Monday–Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (enter through Door #10)
- Sunday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM (enter through Door #10)
- Perpetual Adoration (livestream available) — questions: [email protected]
Parish Identity & Vision
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and School in Savage, Minnesota, centers its parish life around the vision statement 'Friendship with Christ in our time.' The parish explains that God calls us his friends, and that friendship — willing the same things and rejecting the same things — is a foretaste of heaven and a communion of persons. The phrase 'in our time' is a deliberate reference to the parish's patron, St. John the Baptist, who called himself 'the Bridegroom's friend, who rejoices at his voice' (John 3:29). The parish sees itself as missionary in the present moment, drawing on Pope Francis's Evangelii Gaudium for its self-understanding.
- Vision: 'Friendship with Christ in our time.'
- Pull quote on the parish homepage from Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium no. 28
- Parish motto drawn from John 3:29 — St. John the Baptist as 'the Bridegroom's friend'
History of St. John the Baptist Parish
From 1853 first Mass in the Byrne family home to today's 2,100-family parish, St. John the Baptist's story is one of pioneering Irish Catholic families, perseverance through fire, and steady growth. The parish has been served by missionaries, long-tenured pastors like Fr. John A. Kane (through 1931), school-building pastors like Fr. Albert Ziskovsky, and more recent shepherds including Fr. Michael Tix (since 2004) and Fr. Ben Little (through mid-2025).
- 1853: First Mass by Fr. Augustine Ravoux in the home of William Byrne
- 1853: Log church and cemetery built on Byrne-donated land in Burnsville
- 1854: Parish chartered (13th in the diocese)
- 1866: Frame church built; 1,800-lb bell installed (still rings)
- 1883, 1902: Two successive church fires
- 1902: Brick church cornerstone laid Oct. 5 in Hamilton/Savage
- 1959: School and Convent dedicated (June 24)
- 1984: Present church built on the site of the 1902 church
- 2009: 25th/50th/20th anniversaries celebrated
Clergy & Pastoral Staff
The parish has been led in recent years by Fr. Ben Little, a 2012 ordinand and member of the Companions of Christ fraternity, who hosted the parish podcast 'Friends of the Bridegroom.' In spring 2025 Archbishop Bernard Hebda appointed Fr. Little to serve as a spiritual director at The Saint Paul Seminary effective July 1, 2025. His prior parish assignments include the Church of St. Peter in Forest Lake, St. Olaf in Minneapolis, Pope St. John Paul II School in Minneapolis, and the Church of St. Michael in Farmington. Earlier in the parish's recent history, Fr. Michael Tix served as pastor from 2004. Parish staff include Kayla Rooney (Director of Discipleship & Religious Education), Adrian Sanchez (Director of Marketing & Communications), Mary Ziebell (Principal of the school), Joan Walerius (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd contact), and Angie Faith (Department of Religious Education).
- Fr. Ben Little — pastor through mid-2025
- Fr. Michael Tix — pastor from 2004
- Kayla Rooney — Director of Discipleship & Religious Education
- Adrian Sanchez — Director of Marketing & Communications
- Mary Ziebell — Principal of St. John the Baptist Catholic School
- Angie Faith — Department of Religious Education
- Joan Walerius — Catechesis of the Good Shepherd coordinator
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. John the Baptist offers a layered faith formation program. For the youngest children (ages 4 through 6), the parish runs the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), a Montessori-style atrium program held weekly in Room 103 from October through May. Older children progress through elementary faith formation classes, and older youth prepare for Confirmation through a two-year program coordinated by Angie Faith in the Department of Religious Education.
- CGS Level I — weekly atrium sessions for ages 4–6
- Elementary faith formation
- Two-year Confirmation preparation (grades 11–12)
- Baptismal certificates requested from parish of baptism (for those baptized elsewhere)
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
CGS is built on the parable of the Good Shepherd: through discovery and reflection, the child hears Jesus announce himself as the Good Shepherd who calls his sheep by name. Sessions last 1 to 1.5 hours, are led by a trained adult catechist with assistants, and run October through May. The atrium is treated as a sacred space — quiet, reverent, much like the church itself — with child-sized, tangible materials that engage all the senses in exploring the mystery of the Eucharist, Scripture, and the liturgical gestures. Children must be potty trained and able to follow simple instructions; preference is given to parishioners. Adult volunteers and catechists are needed.
- Atrium location: Room 103
- Contact: Joan Walerius
- Volunteer catechists needed (E3 compliance required)
St. John the Baptist Catholic School & Preschool
St. John the Baptist Catholic School and Preschool (sjtbcatholic.school) has been educating young disciples of Christ since 1959. The school nurtures intellect and cultivates virtue through a program centered on faith, academics, service, and personal development, serving preschool through 8th grade at 4620 W 126th Street, Savage. The school is led by Principal Mary Ziebell and shares a campus — and a pastor — with the parish, an arrangement the school describes as vital to its mission 'to make Jesus Christ known and loved by all.'
- Grades: Preschool through 8th
- Principal: Mary Ziebell ([email protected])
- Phone: (952) 890-6604; Fax: (952) 890-9481
- School website: sjtbcatholic.school
- Mission pillars: Faith, Academics, Service, Personal Development
Prayer Groups & Adult Faith Life
Beyond Sunday Mass, the parish hosts a number of ongoing prayer and fellowship gatherings. The Divine Mercy Cenacle meets weekly on Mondays (during the school year) for prayer and reflection on the Diary of St. Faustina, ending with the Divine Mercy Chaplet prayed in the church. The Holy Family Prayer Group meets weekly on Tuesdays in the Cana Room to pray for parishioners' intentions and those in need around the world. A periodic Lunch & Learn series offers fellowship and topical presentations.
- Divine Mercy Cenacle — Mondays, school year, Kathy ([email protected]) and Sandy ([email protected])
- Holy Family Prayer Group — Tuesdays, Cana Room
- Lunch & Learn — periodic parish fellowship and formation
Youth & Family Ministry
Children, middle schoolers, and families are woven into parish life through several programs. Summer Stretch brings middle-school 'Stretchers' together on Wednesdays during the summer for faith, fun, and service led by high school and college leaders, with activities ranging from Valleyfair and bowling to Feed My Starving Children packing days. Free childcare is offered during the 8:30 AM Sunday Mass on selected Sundays following the ISD 191 Sunday-school calendar, in Room 109 of the school, for children ages 6 months to 3 years.
- Summer Stretch — middle-school summer Wednesdays
- Nursery during 8:30 AM Sunday Mass (Room 109 of school)
- Contact for Summer Stretch: [email protected]
Parish Communications & Outreach
The parish maintains a weekly bulletin, a website (stjohns-savage.org), active YouTube and Facebook channels, and a LinkedIn presence. The parish also produces a podcast, 'Friends of the Bridegroom,' formerly hosted by Fr. Ben Little and focused on spiritual formation and Christian discipleship. A Prayer Intentions form on the website invites anyone to submit intentions for the community's prayer.
- Weekly bulletin — published on stjohns-savage.org
- Podcast: Friends of the Bridegroom
- YouTube and Facebook official pages
- Prayer Intentions submission form
Visiting, Sacraments & Anointing Emergencies
The parish welcomes new visitors and offers pathways into sacramental life. Anyone interested in Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, or Anointing of the Sick is encouraged to contact the parish office at (952) 890-9465. For after-hours situations in which a loved one is in danger of death and in need of the Anointing of the Sick, St. John the Baptist maintains an emergency line at 915-314-5417.
- Parish office: (952) 890-9465
- Anointing of the Sick emergency line: 915-314-5417
- Reconciliation by appointment available via the parish office
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Augustine Ravoux1853
Missionary priest who celebrated the first Mass in the home of William Byrne
- Fr. John A. Kaneserved until 1931
Long-tenured pastor of the parish
- Fr. Albert Ziskovskypastor at 1955 centennial
Launched fundraising for the parish school; raised $32,000 before leaving
- Fr. Michael Tix2004–
Pastor as of 2016 Catholic Community Foundation feature; quoted on growth from 10 Irish families to 2,200 households
- Fr. Ben Littlethrough ~mid-2025
Ordained 2012; Companions of Christ member; hosted parish podcast 'Friends of the Bridegroom'; appointed spiritual director at Saint Paul Seminary effective July 1, 2025