About St. Leonard of Port Mauritius · Pelican Rapids, Minnesota
St. Leonard of Port Mauritius is a Roman Catholic parish serving Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, in the Diocese of Saint Cloud. The parish is bilingual, celebrating Mass in both English and Spanish to serve the area's growing Latino community. It is one of three worship sites in the Pelican Valley Area Catholic Community (ACC), joined in 2019 with Our Lady of Victory (Fergus Falls) and St. Elizabeth (Elizabeth). Together they are currently journeying through the diocesan "All Things New" process toward forming one new parish, while continuing to operate at each site.
- Patron
- St. Leonard of Port Maurice (San Leonardo da Porto Maurizio, 1676–1751), Italian Franciscan preacher and missionary
- Rector
- Father Alan Wielinski
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saint Cloud
Why belong here
St. Leonard's is a small, bilingual parish where members know one another and where English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics worship side by side. Weekly Mass is offered in both languages (Sunday 10:30 a.m. in English and 12:00 p.m. in Spanish, plus a bilingual Wednesday evening Mass), and the parish supports faith formation for youth, a parish assistant/psalmist program for teens, and beloved community traditions like the Día de los Niños (Day of the Children), the annual Roast Beef Dinner, Pork in the Park, and the Fiesta de Guadalupe on December 12. Visitors are warmly welcomed to register, attend Mass and get involved in the parish's ministries.
Mass times at St. Leonard of Port Mauritius
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Leonard of Port Mauritius Parish
Saint Leonard of Port Mauritius Church is a Roman Catholic parish serving Pelican Rapids, Minnesota and the surrounding area. According to the parish's own welcome statement, 'We are a community of brothers and sisters consecrated in baptism by the Holy Spirit and empowered in Confirmation to be witnesses to Jesus in the world with our lives.' The parish is bilingual, celebrating Mass in both English and Spanish to serve the growing Latino presence in the area, and is one of three worship sites of the Pelican Valley Area Catholic Community (ACC) in the Diocese of Saint Cloud.
- Roman Catholic parish in Pelican Rapids, MN
- Member of the Pelican Valley Area Catholic Community (ACC)
- Bilingual: English and Spanish
- Diocese of Saint Cloud
Parish History & Catholic Roots in Pelican Rapids
The Catholic community at St. Leonard's is rooted in the early settlement of Pelican Rapids in western Minnesota's Otter Tail County. The parish's cemetery, St. Leonard's Catholic Cemetery in Pelican Township, was established in 1903, and early parish records were kept in Latin. In 2019 the Diocese of St. Cloud brought St. Leonard together with Church of Our Lady of Victory in Fergus Falls and St. Elizabeth in Elizabeth into the Pelican Valley Area Catholic Community (ACC), and the three parishes are now moving through the diocese's 'All Things New' pastoral planning process to form a single new parish.
- St. Leonard's Catholic Cemetery established 1903 (Pelican Township)
- Early records recorded in Latin
- 2019: joined Our Lady of Victory and St. Elizabeth in the Pelican Valley ACC
- Currently journeying through the diocesan 'All Things New' process
Clergy & Staff
St. Leonard is pastored as part of the Pelican Valley ACC by Father Alan Wielinski, who has served in the Diocese of St. Cloud since his ordination in 1984. He is assisted by Father Lucho Palomino, Parochial Vicar, and two deacons: Mario Mancilla and Joe Hilber. Parish operations are supported by Secretary Dolcar Rodriguez Montenegro and Faith Formation / Youth Ministry coordinator Azucena Rojas.
- Father Alan Wielinski – Pastor
- Father Lucho Palomino – Parochial Vicar ([email protected], 218-731-2939)
- Deacon Mario Mancilla – 218-731-5409, [email protected]
- Deacon Joe Hilber – 218-731-6756, [email protected]
- Dolcar Rodriguez Montenegro – Secretary (218-863-5161 office; 218-592-9346 cell)
- Azucena Rojas – Faith Formation / Youth Ministry (218-298-0003, [email protected])
Father Alan Wielinski, Pastor
Father Alan Wielinski was born and raised in Little Falls, Minnesota. He attended Crosier Seminary High School and Junior College in Onamia, and St. John's University and School of Theology in Collegeville, before being ordained to the priesthood by Bishop George Speltz on June 2, 1984. After serving at many parishes across the diocese — including six years as pastor of the newly twinned St. Peter and St. Paul in St. Cloud — he became pastor of Our Lady of Victory in July 2013 and now also serves the ACC parishes of St. Leonard and St. Elizabeth. While at St. Leonard's he was engaged in Hispanic ministry and earned a Master's Degree in Pastoral Ministry with a Hispanic emphasis from Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, Texas. His favorite saint is Francis of Assisi.
Annual Events & Community Traditions
The parish calendar blends longtime rural-Midwest parish traditions with Mexican Catholic devotions brought by its Latino members. Events are listed on the Pelican Valley ACC website in both English and Spanish.
- Pork in the Park – July 25 (Pork in the Park – 25 de Julio)
- Roast Beef Dinner – October 21 (Cena de Roast Beef – 21 de Octubre)
- Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe – December 12 (Fiesta de Guadalupe – 12 de Diciembre)
- Día de los Niños (Day of the Children) – blessing of children, music and procession through the church, organized by the Latino community
- Pelican Valley ACC Newsletter (published periodically; June 2026 edition announced)
Hispanic Ministry & Latino Community
Hispanic ministry has been central to the life of St. Leonard for more than two decades. Deacon Mario Mancilla and his wife Alejandra have lived in Pelican Rapids since 2001; together they helped launch Bible studies and Holy Hours at the parish, gradually building a fuller program of Spanish-language spiritual life beyond the Spanish Mass. Deacon Mancilla was ordained in 2022 and now also serves part time as Latino ministries manager for the Diocese of St. Cloud, which opened a Multicultural Ministries satellite office in Pelican Rapids to honor and grow the Latino presence under Bishop Patrick Neary's pastoral priorities.
- Sunday 12:00 PM Mass in Spanish
- Wednesday 6:30 PM bilingual Mass
- Bible studies and Holy Hours begun by Deacon Mancilla's family
- Día de los Niños celebration (a Mexican tradition since 1924) brought to St. Leonard
- Diocese of St. Cloud Multicultural Ministries satellite office in Pelican Rapids
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith formation for children, youth and adults is coordinated by Azucena Rojas. The parish supports a teen parish assistant / psalmist program — one young parishioner described serving as 'a psalmist and parish assistant at St. Leonard's Parish' while in 11th grade — and prepares members for the sacraments of initiation through the wider diocesan and ACC catechetical programs.
- Faith Formation / Youth Ministry: Azucena Rojas (218-298-0003, [email protected])
- Teen parish assistant / psalmist ministry
- Preparation for sacraments of initiation coordinated through the ACC
- Deacon-led Bible studies and Holy Hours
Pelican Valley Area Catholic Community (ACC)
In 2019 the Diocese of Saint Cloud combined three parishes — Church of Our Lady of Victory (Fergus Falls), St. Leonard (Pelican Rapids) and St. Elizabeth (Elizabeth) — into the Pelican Valley Area Catholic Community. The parishes share pastoral leadership (Fr. Alan Wielinski as pastor, Fr. Lucho Palomino as parochial vicar), collaborate on ministries, and publish a joint ACC newsletter. The community is currently participating in the diocese's 'All Things New' pastoral planning process, with an ACC transition team guiding decisions about parish naming, governance and the combining of finance and leadership structures as the three worship sites move toward becoming one new parish.
- Our Lady of Victory – Fergus Falls (lead parish)
- St. Leonard – Pelican Rapids
- St. Elizabeth – Elizabeth
- ACC formed 2019 by the Diocese of St. Cloud
- Currently in the diocesan 'All Things New' process
Visit, Contact & Practical Information
Visitors are warmly invited to attend Mass at St. Leonard and to register with the parish through the parish website. Parish office hours are limited because of the small parish staff, so calling ahead or emailing is encouraged.
- Address: 36 1st Ave. NE, Pelican Rapids, MN 56572-4101
- Mailing: PO Box 378, Pelican Rapids, MN 56572-0378
- Phone: (218) 863-5161
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Wednesday 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Location: one block east of the intersection of Highway 59 and 1st Ave. NE
- Website: http://stleonardpr.org/
- Bulletin & ACC newsletter: available via the Pelican Valley ACC site at ffolvchurch.org
About the Patron: St. Leonard of Port Maurice
St. Leonard of Port Maurice (Italian: San Leonardo da Porto Maurizio) was an Italian Franciscan preacher and ascetic writer, born 20 December 1676 at Porto Maurizio on the Ligurian coast and died 26 November 1751 in Rome. He entered the Friars Minor in 1697 and spent more than forty years preaching popular missions throughout Italy, drawing enormous crowds and reportedly erecting the Stations of the Cross at more than 500 locations — including the celebrated stations in the Roman Colosseum. He is also credited with promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart, perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and the (then not yet defined) Immaculate Conception of Mary. He was beatified by Pope Pius VI in 1796 and canonized by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1867. His feast is celebrated on 26 November in the Franciscan Order and on 27 November in the general Roman calendar; he is patron of missionaries, preachers and the city of Imperia.
- 1676 – 1751, Italian Franciscan preacher
- Patron of missionaries, preachers, and Imperia
- Promoted the Stations of the Cross worldwide
- Canonized by Pope Pius IX, 29 June 1867
- Feast day: 26 November (Franciscans); 27 November (general)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Alan Wielinskiat least 2013 – present
Born and raised in Little Falls, MN; attended Crosier Seminary High School and Junior College in Onamia and St. John's University School of Theology in Collegeville; ordained to the priesthood by Bishop George Speltz on June 2, 1984; served many parishes across the Diocese of St. Cloud, including six years as pastor of the newly twinned St. Peter and St. Paul in St. Cloud; became pastor of Our Lady of Victory in July 2013 and now pastors the Pelican Valley ACC including St. Leonard and St. Elizabeth; while at St. Leonard's engaged in Hispanic ministry and earned a Master's in Pastoral Ministry (Hispanic emphasis) from Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, Texas.