About St. Mary · Bellechester, Minnesota
St. Mary Catholic Church is a small country parish at 221 Chester Avenue in Bellechester, Minnesota, now serving as the Bellechester campus of Holy Trinity Parish in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Its story begins in the 1850s with Catholic settlers from Luxembourg, Germany, and Ireland who gathered for Mass in the homes of neighbors before a 40-acre tract was donated in 1862 to establish a parish. Today, Sunday Mass is celebrated at 8:45 a.m. and Monday Mass at 8:00 a.m. in the stone church, and St. Mary shares a pastor, faith-formation program, and OCIA process with the wider Holy Trinity community of Goodhue and Belle Creek.
- Established
- 1859
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Fr. Thomas McCabe
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Mary offers what many small-town Catholic parishes still uniquely offer: a tight-knit, multi-generational community where many pews are filled by descendants of the original Luxembourg, German, and Irish settler families. Worshippers gather for Sunday Mass at 8:45 a.m. and Monday morning Mass at 8:00 a.m., with First Friday devotions, weekly Monday evening adoration, and a rosary prayed together 25 minutes before Mass. The parish shares a robust faith-formation program (grades 1–12), an OCIA (RCIA) process for adults, and a pastor who personally hears confessions, visits the sick, and prepares couples for marriage — all the hallmarks of country-parish life in southeast Minnesota.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:20–8:40 AM at St. Mary
- Saturday 4:45–5:20 PM at Holy Trinity
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Monday 6:30–9:00 PM at St. Mary campus
- First Friday 7:00–7:45 PM at St. Mary (followed by Mass at 8:00 PM)
About Holy Trinity Parish and the St. Mary Campus
Holy Trinity Parish was formed in 2013 by merging three historic country parishes — Holy Trinity Church in Goodhue, St. Columbkill Church in Belle Creek, and St. Mary Church in Bellechester — under one pastor and one parish structure. Each of the three church buildings remains open, and the parish schedules Mass in each one at least weekly. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and is nestled in the rolling hills south of Red Wing, Minnesota. Its mission is 'We grow together in Christ,' and its vision is 'To grow closer to Christ and lead others to him; striving to become saints.' The St. Mary campus at 221 Chester Avenue in Bellechester is the spiritual home of the local Luxembourg-, German-, and Irish-descended Catholic community dating back to the 1850s.
- Three-campus parish: Holy Trinity (Goodhue), St. Columbkill (Belle Creek), St. Mary (Bellechester)
- Merged in 2013 under the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
- Mission: We grow together in Christ
- Vision: To grow closer to Christ and lead others to him; striving to become saints
History of St. Mary, Bellechester
Catholic settlers from Luxembourg, Germany, and Ireland gathered for Mass in the homes of Patrick Gillespie, John Befort, and John Clemons in the years before the parish was officially established in 1859. In 1862 Thomas Frenier donated a 40-acre tract for the spiritual needs of the local Catholics, and a small frame church was built in 1865 for $1,000. By 1877 a more permanent stone church had been built for about $1,600, with Rev. Peter Meier becoming the resident pastor in 1878. A parish school staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame was added in 1881. The community has twice endured major fires (1926 and 1942) and rebuilt each time, and in 1958 a new rectory attached to the church was constructed. The late 1990s brought a major restoration project that raised about $150,000 for tuckpointing and bell-tower repair.
- 1862: 40-acre tract donated by Thomas Frenier
- 1865: small frame church built ($1,000)
- 1877: stone church constructed (~$1,600)
- 1881: parish school opened under the School Sisters of Notre Dame
- 1878: Rev. Peter Meier becomes resident pastor
- 1926 and 1942: two fires; parish rebuilt both times
- 1958: attached rectory built ($30,000)
- Late 1990s: bell tower and masonry restoration (~$150,000 raised; ~2,000 of 3,000 bricks reused)
- 2013: merger into Holy Trinity Parish
Faith Formation (Religious Education)
Holy Trinity Parish's Faith Formation program partners with parents as the first and foremost catechists of their children. The parish commits to assisting parents in forming children and youth in the Catholic faith through religious instruction, worship, prayer, and service. Catechism classes are offered for Grades 1 through 12, in both English and Spanish (registration forms are available in both languages), and the program is built around the conviction that 'faith formation is a lifelong process that includes everyone.' Sacramental preparation for First Penance and First Eucharist begins in 1st grade, while Confirmation preparation begins in 8th grade and continues through 12th grade.
- Faith Formation for Grades 1–12
- Spanish-language registration available (Formación de Fe)
- Parents recognized as primary catechists
- First Penance / First Eucharist preparation in 1st grade
- Confirmation preparation for Grades 8–12
OCIA — Becoming Catholic (Adult Initiation)
Fr. McCabe offers the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA) for anyone 18 or older who wishes to be baptized into the Catholic Church, baptized Christians seeking full communion, or Catholics who have not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Classes are held Saturday evenings at Holy Trinity following the 5:30 p.m. Mass, with candidates typically received into full communion at the Easter Vigil. A free 'Inquiry Class' is offered each fall — Tuesdays at Holy Trinity in Goodhue and Thursdays at St. Mary in Bellechester — for those simply wanting to ask questions before committing. There is a $50 materials fee, and confirmed parishioners are encouraged to serve as sponsors.
- OCIA classes Saturday nights after 5:30 PM Mass at Holy Trinity
- $50 materials fee (payable over two months)
- Free Inquiry Class each fall: Tuesday at Holy Trinity, Thursday at St. Mary
- Reception typically at the Easter Vigil
- Sponsors welcomed from the parish
Sacraments and Pastoral Care
Parishioners are encouraged to contact the office well in advance of any sacramental need. Baptisms require at least three months' notice and a parent preparation class. Marriage preparation begins at least nine months before the tentative wedding date. The pastor personally brings the Anointing of the Sick to those facing serious illness, near death, or major surgery. Pastoral care extends to those who can no longer attend Mass: the office arranges priestly visits to nursing homes and care facilities and brings Holy Communion to the homebound. Funerals are coordinated through the parish office as well.
- Baptism: 3+ months notice, parent class required
- Marriage: 9+ months notice, contact Fr. McCabe
- Anointing of the Sick: contact office for illness, surgery, end of life
- Homebound / nursing-home visits and Communion calls coordinated through the office
- Funerals arranged through the parish office
Parish Office, Staff, and Contact
Fr. Thomas McCabe serves as pastor of the combined Holy Trinity Parish. The parish mailing address is PO Box 275, Goodhue, MN 55027, and the office phone is (651) 923-4472. Office hours are Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Holy Trinity campus. The general email is [email protected], and bulletin items may be submitted by Wednesday at noon. Building-use requests should go through the office, and anyone interested in joining the parish or becoming Catholic is warmly invited to make themselves known.
- Pastor: Fr. Thomas McCabe
- Parish office: (651) 923-4472
- Mailing: PO Box 275, Goodhue, MN 55027
- Office hours: Mondays 10 AM–2 PM at Holy Trinity
- Email: [email protected]
- Bulletin deadline: Wednesday at noon
The Settler Roots: Luxembourg, Germany, and Ireland
St. Mary's congregation today is still shaped by the wave of Catholic immigrants who settled Goodhue County in the 1850s — primarily from Luxembourg and Germany, with Irish families from neighboring Belle Creek. Their descendants make up much of the parish today, and the small village of Bellechester itself takes its name from those settlers: 'Bel' from Belvidere Township, 'Chester' from Chester Township, combined in an earlier 'Belle Chester Church Society.' The stone church, the parish school under the School Sisters of Notre Dame, and the long tradition of family farming around the church are all lasting gifts of those immigrant founders.
- Original settlers: Luxembourg, German, and Irish Catholic families
- 40-acre donation (1862) by Thomas Frenier
- School Sisters of Notre Dame staffed the parish school from 1881
- Village name 'Bellechester' = Belvidere + Chester Townships
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Felix Tissot (Tessot)1850s onward
Resident pastor for all of Goodhue and Wabasha counties who first served the early Catholic settlers of the Bellechester area.
- Rev. Peter Meierfrom 1878
Became resident pastor in 1878, working out of the brand-new 1877 stone church.
- Rev. Bruce Petersonpre-2013 era referenced in coverage
Served St. Mary's with Sunday Mass at 9 a.m. and St. Columbkill's at 10:30 a.m., about 100 families at St. Mary's.
- Fr. Thomas McCabecurrent
Current pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, which includes the St. Mary campus.