About St. John the Baptist · Vermillion, Minnesota
St. John the Baptist is a small Catholic parish in Vermillion, Minnesota, rooted in a community of German, Luxembourg, and Irish pioneers who built its first church in 1882–83 in defiance of the local pastor's wishes. Today the parish is home to roughly 250 families, a Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m., and St. John the Baptist Catholic School, a thriving preschool through grade 5 program with a waiting list for kindergarten and preschool. The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and shares regional pastoral and sacramental ministries with neighboring tri-parish communities in Hampton and New Trier.
- Established
- 1882
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Fr. Mike Tix (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist is a small, family-sized parish where nearly every face is a familiar one. Members gather for Sunday Mass, support a celebrated preschool–grade 5 school with a waiting list, and participate in a tight circle of ministries—from Sunday School for 3–5 year-olds during Mass, to Knights of Columbus pancake breakfasts, to the annual Fall Festival. With the sacramental preparation, faith formation, and a parish school rooted in service (Stations of the Cross, Rosary led by students, food and sock drives for Hastings Family Service), it is a place where Catholic faith is lived out across generations.
Mass times at St. John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. at St. Mathias Parish Center in Hampton (tri-parish reconciliation)
Our History
St. John's was founded in 1882 by German, Luxembourg, and Irish Catholics tired of traveling by horse and buggy to New Trier and Coates. The first church, completed in 1883 with Gothic windows and Chaska brick walls, was dedicated by Father Gregory Koering—the same pastor who had tried to block the project—on March 11, 1883. After years of effort, the parish finally received its first full-time resident pastor, Father J. J. Jacobs, on Christmas Eve 1891. Under Father Antony Kaesen (arriving 1911), parishioners built the larger present-day church on land donated by Aloys and Christina Girgen; its cornerstone was laid September 14, 1913 before 2,000 attendees. The parish was formally incorporated on December 14, 1888 and recorded in the Dakota County Courthouse.
- Founded 1882 by German, Luxembourg, and Irish Catholic families
- First Mass in Vermillion Township said May 8, 1856
- First church completed winter 1883 — 60×30 ft, Gothic windows, Chaska brick
- Incorporated December 14, 1888 (Dakota County)
- First resident pastor Father J. J. Jacobs, December 24, 1891
- Father Antony Kaesen arrived July 21, 1911 in a 1910 Warren-Detroit
- Present church cornerstone laid September 14, 1913
Sacraments
St. John the Baptist offers the full range of Catholic sacraments, with preparation tied to its faith formation program. First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are prepared in 2nd grade; Confirmation in 9th and 10th grade; and adult sacramental initiation through the RCIA. Reconciliation is offered weekly on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. at the St. Mathias Parish Center in Hampton as part of the tri-parish community with Hampton and New Trier.
- Baptism by request (during or after Mass)
- First Eucharist / First Reconciliation in 2nd grade
- Confirmation preparation in 9th–10th grade
- Marriage — 12 months' notice required
- Anointing of the Sick (contact Fr. Mike Tix)
- Homebound Communion visits arranged through the office
- Tri-parish Saturday reconciliation, 9:00 a.m., St. Mathias Hampton
Faith Formation
Faith Formation classes run during the school year on Sundays from 8:45–9:50 a.m. and prepare children for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion. Sarah Nauer coordinates the program. A separate Sunday School welcomes children ages 3–5 each Sunday during the 10:00 a.m. Mass; volunteers gather them in the gathering area before Mass and they bring up the gifts at offertory time before rejoining their parents.
- Faith Formation Sundays 8:45–9:50 a.m. (during school year)
- Sunday School for ages 3–5 during 10:00 a.m. Mass
- RCIA for adult initiation
- Director: Sarah Nauer ([email protected])
St. John the Baptist Catholic School
The parish operates St. John the Baptist Catholic School (sjb-school.org), a preschool through grade 5 program with 134 students. Unlike many schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, SJB has a waiting list for kindergarten and both preschool levels. The school integrates Christian virtues with a 21st-century learning curriculum and a robust service program rooted in the parish's Catholic identity.
- Enrollment: ~134 students, preschool through grade 5
- Principal: Paul Dieltz ([email protected])
- School Office: Adrienne Stelzer — 651-437-2644
- Weekly Mass for students every Wednesday at 9 a.m.
- Daily school-wide prayer and Angel of God
- Weekly Rosary (October & May) led by fourth graders
- Weekly Stations of the Cross in Lent led by third & second graders
Faith in Action — School Service & Devotion
Faith life at the school is woven into daily routines and seasonal celebrations. Students participate in class prayer, monthly Faith Families led by fourth graders, weekly Wednesday Mass, and an annual All Saints Day skit. The school mounts regular service drives including the 'Sock It to Hunger' cereal and sock collection (236 lbs of cereal and 1,000+ pairs of socks in 2023 donated to Hastings Family Service), as well as ongoing drives for Hastings Family Service, Toys for Tots, and the Lewis House.
- Faith Families (K-4) — monthly virtue activities
- First Reconciliation & First Communion prep in 2nd grade
- Advent weekly prayer services
- All Saints Day skit by 4th graders
- Graduation Mass honoring 4th graders
- Catholic Schools Week celebrations
- Annual 3rd/4th grade retreat with Academy of Holy Angels
Liturgy Volunteers
Parishioners are invited to share their time and talents at Mass through a full slate of liturgical ministries. Ushers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Altar Servers (youth who have received First Communion), Music Ministers, and Rosary Leaders all serve the 10:00 a.m. Sunday liturgy. Sign-up is available via the parish website.
- Ushers — hospitality and collection
- Lectors — proclaim scripture and intercessions
- Eucharistic Ministers — distribute Holy Communion (Confirmed Catholics)
- Altar Servers — assist in the sanctuary (after First Communion)
- Music Ministers — music and congregational singing
- Rosary Leaders — lead the pre-Mass Rosary
Knights of Columbus — Father Antony Kaesen Council 5199
The Father Antony Kaesen Council of the Knights of Columbus serves the parishes of Vermillion, Miesville, New Trier, and Hampton. Knights host pancake breakfasts, sausage dinners, youth events, and charity auctions, and were the first council nationally to hold an annual Clergy Appreciation Night paired with a free-will offering for the local food shelf. Membership is open to all Catholic men over age 18.
- Council #5199 — named for Father Antony Kaesen
- Annual May Tootsie Roll drive for residents with handicaps
- Annual sausage supper in the St. John's Parish Hall
- Outdoor summer Mass at Kountry Korners Hall
- Annual 'White Elephant' auction (now new-item charity auction)
- Annual Clergy Appreciation Night for local priests and religious
Councils & Committees
Lay leadership at St. John's is organized through five councils and committees that advise the pastor, support the school, and care for parish facilities and grounds. Trustees and Parish Council members provide consultation on parish finances and mission; the Maintenance Committee oversees buildings; the Cemetery Committee tends the parish cemetery; and the SJB School Advisory Council and Home & School Association support the school.
- Parish Council / Finance Council — Trustees Dave Beskau and Samantha Endres
- SJB School Advisory Council
- SJB Home & School Association
- St. John's Cemetery Committee
- St. John's Maintenance Committee
Our Staff
Parish operations and school leadership are carried out by a small, dedicated staff of clergy, administrators, and educators, working together across parish and school.
- Fr. Mike Tix — Parochial Administrator — 651-291-4449 — [email protected]
- Katie Werner — Business Administrator — 651-437-9030 — [email protected]
- Sarah Nauer — Faith Formation / Pastoral Care — 651-437-9030 — [email protected]
- Paul Dieltz — School Principal — 651-437-2644 — [email protected]
- Adrienne Stelzer — School Office — 651-437-2644
Special Events & Community Life
St. John's is known for its strong tradition of parish festivals and seasonal gatherings, which knit together school families, parishioners, and surrounding communities. The annual Fall Festival and All Saints Music Festival anchor the parish's social calendar, alongside Knights of Columbus sausage suppers and Tootsie Roll drives.
- Annual Fall Festival
- All Saints Music Festival
- Knights of Columbus sausage supper
- May Tootsie Roll drive for residents with handicaps
- Clergy Appreciation Night with food-shelf offering
Contact & Visit
The parish office is the main point of contact for Mass intentions, sacramental arrangements, and general inquiries. St. John the Baptist is located in the small village of Vermillion in Dakota County, Minnesota, and shares tri-parish sacramental ministries with St. Mathias in Hampton and St. Mary's in New Trier.
- Address: 106 W. Main St., Vermillion, MN 55085
- Parish Phone: 651-437-9030
- Office email: [email protected]
- Faith Formation: Sarah Nauer, [email protected]
- School Phone: 651-437-2644
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Father George Keller1856
Said the first Mass in Vermillion Township, in the log home of J.J. Fuchs, before St. Mary's in New Trier was established.
- Rev. Father Gregory Koering1883–1891
Pastor of St. Mary's New Trier; opposed the founding of St. John's, then said Mass every other Sunday until a full-time pastor arrived.
- Rev. Father J. J. Jacobs1891
First full-time resident pastor, arriving December 24, 1891 after years of effort by parishioners.
- Rev. Father Antony Kaesen1911–
Drove a 1910 Warren-Detroit in to take charge; led the drive to build the larger 1913 church.
- Father Charles Jirik
Past pastor during whose tenure the Knights of Columbus began their outdoor summer Masses at Kountry Korners Hall.