About St. Joseph · Beaulieu, Minnesota
St. Joseph Catholic Church in Beaulieu, Minnesota is a small rural parish of the Diocese of Crookston that has served the White Earth Reservation area for over 130 years. Originally established as a Mission for Chippewa (Ojibwa) Catholics and named for St. Joseph — a favorite saint of the local Native people — it has been a mission parish linked with St. Michael's of Mahnomen since 1982, when the late diocesan priest Fr. Eugene Wesely began serving both communities. Today Fr. Andrew Obel pastors St. Joseph's together with St. Michael's, and the parish serves roughly 95 families from its site 3¾ miles south of the former Beaulieu Trading Post. Weekly Mass is celebrated Sundays at 8:30 AM, with confessions heard beforehand.
- Established
- 1895
- Patron
- St. Joseph (named for a favorite saint of the local Chippewa / Ojibwa people)
- Rector
- Rev. Andrew Obel
- Diocese
- Diocese of Crookston
Why belong here
St. Joseph's in Beaulieu is one of the historic Catholic communities on the White Earth Reservation, where Mass has been offered continuously for more than a century in a small, family-sized church serving about 95 households. Sunday Mass at 8:30 AM is followed by coffee-and-connection in true rural-parish fashion, with a Liturgy Committee made up of St. Joseph's parishioners (Chris Bray, Deb McNamee, Vickie Anderson, JoAnn Kersting, and Rose Schlick) keeping the church's worship life grounded in the community itself. Members also benefit from the broader ministries of the linked St. Michael–St. Joseph parish cluster, including Faith Formation for grades 1–11, RCIA preparation, the parish school, the parish cemetery board, and outreach to the homebound and senior living centers — all under the pastoral care of Fr. Andrew Obel.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:15–8:30 AM (immediately before Mass)
Parish History
St. Joseph's traces its origins to 1874, when 94.4 acres of land were donated to create a parish cemetery on what was then a Chippewa (Ojibwa) settlement near the Beaulieu Trading Post. Mass was first celebrated in a private house on that land, and in 1895 the present church was built and named for St. Joseph in honor of a saint cherished by the local Native community. A resident pastor was installed in 1900, and the parish grew steadily through the early 20th century — so much so that by 1933 two Sunday Masses were needed. The defining moment of the modern parish came in 1982, when St. Joseph's was formally linked to St. Michael's of Mahnomen under Fr. Eugene Wesely, creating the parish community that exists today under Fr. Andrew Obel.
- 1874 — 94.4 acres donated for the parish cemetery
- 1895 — St. Joseph's Church built
- 1900 — first resident pastor arrives; ~90 families / ~500 parishioners
- 1906 — Clapp Act opens land to non-Native settlers
- 1922 — 38 white families (376 members) + 36 Native families (232 members)
- 1933 — two Sunday Masses needed
- 1935 — water well finally drilled (306 ft); indoor bathroom installed
- 1966 — parish obtains title to original 94.4 acres
- 1972 — first Parish Council established
- 1982 — Fr. Eugene Wesely forms the linked St. Michael–St. Joseph parish community
- Today — approximately 95 families served
Clergy, Staff & Council
St. Joseph's is pastored together with St. Michael's of Mahnomen by Fr. Andrew Obel, a priest of the Archdiocese of Tororo, Uganda, who holds a doctorate in Canon Law from Saint Paul University in Ottawa and has served in the Diocese of Crookston for over a decade. Deacon Tim Pribula assists the parish cluster. Day-to-day operations are coordinated through the Mahnomen parish office under secretary Karen Hanson, with Mara Felland serving as parish and school bookkeeper and Jim Krajsa handling bookkeeping for St. Joseph's specifically. The St. Joseph's Pastoral Council includes parishioner representatives Chris Bray, Deb McNamee, Vickie Anderson, JoAnn Kersting, and Rose Schlick on the shared Liturgy Committee.
- Rev. Andrew Obel — Pastor of St. Michael's and St. Joseph's; School Superintendent (cell 218-850-1783; [email protected])
- Deacon Tim Pribula
- Karen Hanson — Parish Secretary (218-935-2503)
- Mara Felland — Parish & School Bookkeeper
- Jim Krajsa — St. Joseph's Church Bookkeeper (218-935-5444)
- Vickie Anderson — Director of Faith Formation (218-280-9099)
- Peggy Darco — DRE of Faith Formation, Grades 1–11 (218-849-8004)
- Loren Zimmel — Custodian / Maintenance
- Sarah Chalich — St. Michael's School Principal (218-935-5222)
- Tina Penner — Development Director & School Secretary
Faith Formation & School
Faith Formation for grades 1–11 is led by DRE Peggy Darco ([email protected]), with Vickie Anderson serving as Director of Faith Formation. The linked parishes share a strong commitment to Catholic education through St. Michael's School in Mahnomen (Principal Sarah Chalich), whose School Advisory Council includes representatives from both St. Michael's and St. Joseph's parishes.
- Religious Education, Grades 1–11 — Peggy Darco, DRE
- RCIA and adult sacramental preparation
- St. Michael's School, Mahnomen — Pre-K through Grade 6 Catholic school serving the parish cluster
- School Advisory Council — joint parish representation
Liturgy, Music & Devotions
Worship at St. Joseph's is shaped by a small Liturgy Committee of parishioners working in concert with the larger St. Michael–St. Joseph Liturgy Committee, whose choir director and liturgist Dave Kochmann oversees music for the cluster. The combined parish also supports a Sunday radio devotional sponsorship ministry on KR (88202 text-to-give), and brings Mass and Rosary outreach to Mahnomen Senior Living on a monthly rotation.
- Combined St. Michael–St. Joseph Liturgy Committee
- St. Joseph's parish representatives: Chris Bray, Deb McNamee, Vickie Anderson, JoAnn Kersting, Rose Schlick
- Choir director / liturgist: Dave Kochmann
- Monthly Mass at Mahnomen Senior Living
- Monthly Rosary at Mahnomen Senior Living
- Sunday Devotional radio sponsorship ($42 per Sunday)
St. Joseph's Cemetery
St. Joseph's Catholic Cemetery sits on the original 94.4-acre land donation that gave rise to the parish in 1874. It is the responsibility of the St. Joseph's Cemetery Association, which operates under the direction of the Parish Pastoral Council and in accordance with Canon Law, the statutes of the Diocese of Crookston, and the laws of the State of Minnesota. Inquiries and fees are handled through the pastor's office at St. Michael's, Mahnomen.
- Original land donated 1874; parish obtained title 1966
- Operated by the St. Joseph's Cemetery Association
- Under the direction of the Parish Pastoral Council
- Fees payable to St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Beaulieu, MN
- Inquiries to the Pastor of St. Michael's — 218-935-2503
Getting Involved
St. Joseph's parish council, liturgy committee, and cemetery board are made up of parishioners, and the church welcomes new members into its ministries. Beyond parish-internal roles, parishioners are invited to serve on the St. Michael's School Advisory Council, volunteer as collection counters or ushers, sponsor a Sunday radio devotional, or join in seasonal events like blood drives and the annual rhubarb School Pie Sale in November.
- St. Joseph's Parish Council
- St. Joseph's Liturgy Committee representatives
- St. Joseph's Cemetery Association
- St. Michael's School Advisory Council (parish reps needed)
- Ushers and collection counters
- Sunday Devotional radio sponsorship
Visiting St. Joseph's
St. Joseph's is a small rural church with a single Sunday liturgy, ideal for visitors looking for an intimate, historically rooted worship community on the White Earth Reservation. It is administered together with St. Michael's in Mahnomen, and the parish office is staffed Tuesday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM (closed for lunch 12:00–12:30 PM).
- Sunday Mass at 8:30 AM — arrive by 8:15 AM for confession
- Address: 2312 222nd Ave, Beaulieu, MN 56557
- Parish office: 120 West Jefferson Ave, Mahnomen, MN 56557
- Phone: (218) 935-2503
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stmichaelmahnomen.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Benedictine priests of St. John's Abbey (via St. Benedict's, White Earth)1895–1982
Established and administered St. Joseph as a mission and then a parish from White Earth.
- Rev. Eugene Wesely1982
Pastor of St. Michael's, Mahnomen; assigned also to St. Joseph's of Beaulieu, formally creating the linked parish community.
- Rev. Andrew Obel
Current pastor of both St. Michael's and St. Joseph's Parishes.