About St. Johns · Darwin, Minnesota
The Church of St. John is a Roman Catholic parish in Darwin, Minnesota, in the Diocese of New Ulm. Founded in 1878, it is one of the four parishes that make up the Shepherd of Souls Area Faith Community, alongside St. Philip in Litchfield, Our Lady in Manannah, and St. Anthony in Watkins. The parish's mission is to proclaim and celebrate Jesus Christ as the center of parish life and to make disciples through word, worship, service and stewardship. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 10:00 AM, and the parish supports a Faith Formation program out of its St. John's Education Center.
- Established
- 1878
- Patron
- St. John (the Evangelist/Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Jeffrey Horejsi
- Diocese
- Diocese of New Ulm
Why belong here
St. John's is a small, historic Catholic parish that has served Darwin and the surrounding countryside since 1878, with a continuous line of dedicated pastors and a faith community that gathers around a 10:00 AM Sunday Mass. As part of the Shepherd of Souls Area Faith Community, members benefit from a wider network of ministries — Faith Formation for grades 1–11, an Adult Faith Formation group, a Wednesday Adoration hour, the Knights of Columbus, a quilting circle, and choir — while keeping the close-knit, rural character that has defined the parish for nearly 150 years. Newcomers are warmly invited to register through the parish website or by calling the parish office.
Mass times at St. Johns
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday after the 8:00 AM Mass at St. John (winter schedule, October–April)
- Saturday 4:15 PM at St. Philip, Litchfield
- By appointment with a priest
Adoration times
- Wednesday evenings, 5:30–7:45 PM at St. John's Education Center (with optional dinner and adult faith session)
- Select Fridays — check the bulletin for the next scheduled Friday Adoration at St. John
History of St. John's, Darwin
St. John's is one of the oldest parishes in Meeker County. Its origins lie in the Catholic settlement of the Big Woods of Minnesota beginning in 1856, and the parish was formally begun in 1878 under Fr. John McDermott with its first Mass on December 8 of that year. The present church was built in 1958–59 and dedicated on August 15, 1959 by Bishop Alphonse J. Schladweiler. The parish's website preserves a detailed narrative of its founding, the pioneer families, the missions of Fr. McDermott, the bitter debate over the new church's site, and the dedication of church furnishings.
- First Mass: December 8, 1878
- Original frame church cost $3,000; debt paid the next year
- Cemetery land across from the church donated by John Curran in 1880
- Parish formally incorporated March 20, 1883 by Fr. Patrick Kenny
- New (current) church dedicated August 15, 1959
- Stained glass windows installed 1978 as centennial project
Shepherd of Souls Area Faith Community
St. John's belongs to the Shepherd of Souls Area Faith Community along with three neighboring parishes: St. Philip in Litchfield, Our Lady in Manannah, and St. Anthony in Watkins. The AFC shares clergy, staff, faith formation programs, and a joint bulletin; its mission is 'to proclaim and celebrate Jesus Christ as the center of our lives and to make disciples for Jesus through building community, serving our Brothers and Sisters, sharing our faith and celebrating sacraments.'
- St. Philip, Litchfield — Saturday 5:00 PM (winter 4:00 PM), Sunday 8:00 AM, Sunday 12:00 PM (Spanish)
- Our Lady, Manannah — Sunday 8:00 AM
- St. John, Darwin — Sunday 10:00 AM
- St. Anthony, Watkins — Sunday 10:00 AM
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. John's Education Center houses Faith Formation classes for grades 1–11 on Wednesday evenings during the school year. The schedule includes choir practice and Adoration from 5:30 PM, an optional light meal at 6:00 PM, and classes for grades 1–11 alongside an Adult Study group at 6:30 PM. Sunday School (preschool–grade 3) meets on Sundays during Mass; Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered periodically during the 10:00 AM Mass. Sacramental preparation covers First Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation.
- Faith Formation — grades 1–11, Wednesdays at the Ed Center
- Sunday School — preschool–grade 3
- Children's Liturgy of the Word — select Sundays at 10:00 AM Mass
- First Reconciliation / First Communion preparation
- Confirmation — AFC-wide 11th-grade program with monthly classes and sponsor participation
- Adult Faith Formation — Adult Fellowship and Faith Formation
Parish Staff
St. John's is served by both parish-specific and Area Faith Community staff. Fr. Jeffrey Horejsi is the current Pastor of the Shepherd of Souls AFC, with Fr. Mike Doyle serving as Senior Associate Pastor. St. John's parish staff includes Julie Schmitz (Parish Secretary), Karin Colberg (Bookkeeper), and Deacon John Hansen (RE Coordinator). The AFC also has Deacon Roger Osborne in Deacon Ministry, Brenda Grates as AFC Administrator, and Nathan Stewart as AFC and Parish Catechetical Leader.
- Fr. Jeffrey Horejsi — Pastor (AFC)
- Fr. Mike Doyle — Senior Associate Pastor
- Deacon John Hansen — RE Coordinator, St. John's
- Deacon Roger Osborne — Deacon Ministry
- Julie Schmitz — Parish Secretary
- Karin Colberg — Bookkeeper
- Brenda Grates — AFC Administrator
- Nathan Stewart — AFC & Parish Catechetical Leader
Parish Ministries & Community Life
Parish life at St. John's blends traditional devotional, service, and social activities. The parish gathers for Wednesday quilting mornings, Thursday coffee-and-rolls fellowship, the Knights of Columbus' pancake breakfasts and monthly meetings, and choir practice before Faith Formation. The AFC also maintains a Hispanic Ministry Committee serving Spanish-speaking parishioners who attend the 12:00 PM Spanish Mass at St. Philip, and engages in outreach such as the Blood Mobile and Place of Hope Food Ministry.
- Knights of Columbus (KC) — St. John Council, monthly meetings and pancake breakfasts
- Parish Quilting — Wednesdays at 8:30 AM
- Choir — Wednesdays at 5:30 PM at the Ed Center
- Coffee & Rolls — Thursday mornings at St. John
- Hispanic Ministry Committee — AFC-wide
- Music Committee — AFC-wide
- Youth Ministry / Youth Nights
- Place of Hope Food Ministry (St. Anthony)
- Blood Mobile (community outreach)
Sacraments
Information on the sacraments is available through the parish office. Faith Formation registration and preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation are coordinated through Deacon John Hansen and the catechetical leaders. Baptisms are scheduled with the parish secretary, and arrangements for weddings, anointing of the sick and funeral liturgies are made directly with the parish office.
- Baptism — register with the parish office
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — Faith Formation track
- Confirmation — 11th-grade AFC program with monthly classes
- Matrimony — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by appointment; priests also respond to sick calls
- Funeral Liturgy / Bereavement support
Visiting & Contact
The parish office is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays and can be reached at 320-275-2915 or 320-693-9496 (fax 888-404-1952). The St. John's Education Center can be reached at (320) 286-2800. Newcomers are encouraged to register online at www.shepherdofsouls.org (click 'I'm new') or by calling the office of the parish they wish to join.
- Address: 106 N. 4th Street, Darwin, MN 55324
- Phone: 320-275-2915 / 320-693-9496
- Fax: 888-404-1952
- Education Center: (320) 286-2800
- Office hours: Tuesday & Thursday
- Website: www.shepherdofsouls.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John McDermott1878–1887
Built the first St. John's Church; first Mass Dec. 8, 1878; temperance advocate; died in Darwin in 1887 and is buried in the parish cemetery.
- Fr. Joseph Tracy1887–1889
Came to Darwin Nov. 21, 1887; organized catechism classes in surrounding school districts.
- Fr. Edward Lee1890–1893
Tower added to the church and bell dedicated in memory of the McKinney brothers, May 15, 1892.
- Fr. P.J. McCabe1893–1902
Worked with the young people, directed plays and played violin at parish gatherings; oversaw construction of St. Charles Hall in 1894.
- Fr. Wm. Dobbin1902–1916
- Fr. L. Cosgrove1916–1920
First resident pastor of the parish.
- Fr. M.M. Ryan1920–1936
- Fr. Martin Donovan1936–1945
- Fr. Jerome Campbell1945–1956
- Fr. John Flemming1956–1960
Under his direction the present church was planned and constructed, funded largely by the Mabel O. Schultz bequest.
- Fr. Donald Eichinger1961–1965
- Fr. Albert Slechta1965
- Fr. Charles Stark1965–1969
Renovated the church hall in the 1960s.
- Fr. John Savage1969–1973
- Fr. Adelbert Cepress1973–1975
- Fr. Thomas Exley1975–1986
- Fr. Paul Schumacher1986–1989
- Fr. Fred Fink1989–1999
- Fr. Paul Schumacher1999–2000
Returned for a brief second pastorate.
- Fr. Pat Casey2000–2010
- Fr. John Pearson2010–2012
- Fr. Joe Steinbeisser2012–present
Pastor per the parish's own 'Our Pastors' list (1878–2017). The AFC is now also served by Fr. Jeffrey Horejsi as Pastor and Fr. Mike Doyle as Senior Associate Pastor.