St. Mary

About the Parish

The Church of St. Mary is a Roman Catholic parish in Bird Island, Minnesota, in Renville County. It is one of three parishes in the Heart of Jesus Area Faith Community (AFC), which also includes St. Aloysius in Olivia and Holy Redeemer in Renville. The parish belongs to the Diocese of New Ulm and shares clergy and staff across the AFC.

History of St. Mary's Parish

St. Mary's sacramental registers begin in 1879, and a parish Diamond Jubilee booklet was published for the 75th anniversary on June 15, 1954. The parish grew rapidly in its early decades; the Sisters of St. Joseph arrived in 1896 to staff the new parish school, and the first dedicated school building opened in 1898. In 1913 a larger two-story school was built and solemnly blessed by Archbishop John Ireland, and a separate high school followed in 1915 under the parish's first assistant pastor, Fr. Henry J. Minea. The high school affiliated with the University of Minnesota in 1927 and was a leading Catholic secondary school until its final graduation in 1972.

• 1879 — Parish sacramental records begin
• 1954 — Diamond Jubilee celebrated June 15
• 1896 — Sisters of St. Joseph arrive to staff the school
• 1898 — First dedicated parish grade school opens (four classrooms)
• 1913 — Larger two-story school built; blessed by Archbishop John Ireland
• 1915 — St. Mary's High School opens
• 1927 — High school affiliates with the University of Minnesota
• 1972 — Final St. Mary's High School graduation

Heart of Jesus Area Faith Community

St. Mary's is part of the Heart of Jesus Area Faith Community, which unites three parishes in adjoining Renville County communities. The AFC shares pastors, faith-formation staff, and a common bulletin, and the website lists Mass times and sacramental preparation across all three parishes.

• St. Mary Parish — 220 S 10th St., Bird Island, MN 55310
• St. Aloysius Parish — 302 S 10th St., Olivia, MN 56277
• Holy Redeemer Parish — 106 3rd St. SE, Renville, MN 56284

Clergy and Staff

The Heart of Jesus Area Faith Community is served by a team of priests and lay staff who minister across all three parishes, including St. Mary's in Bird Island. The AFC office handles sacramental records, faith-formation registration, school administration, and parish communications.

• Fr. Joseph Steinbeisser — Pastor (St. Aloysius, St. Mary of Bird Island, Holy Redeemer of Renville)
• Fr. George Schmit — Senior Associate Pastor
• Fr. Zachary Peterson — Senior Associate Pastor
• Michelle Peppel — Parish Catechetical Leader / AFC Catechetical Leader, Adult Faith Formation & Parish Secretary
• Doug Olinger — Business Manager
• Summer O'Neill — Bookkeeper
• Sara Anderson — Admin Assistant
• Sue O'Halloran — (Faith Formation/Communications)
• Bea Revullosa — Principal, St. Mary's School
• Tracy Bertrand-Sigurdson — Facilities Manager
• Isaac Fischer — Custodian

St. Mary's Catholic School (PreK–8)

St. Mary's School is the parish school of St. Mary's Parish, a faith-centered PreK–8 Catholic school where 'faith and academics go hand in hand.' According to the school's own history, the Sisters of St. Joseph came to Bird Island in 1896 to staff a new parish grade school, with the first school building opening in 1898. The school grew into one of the leading Catholic school systems in the archdiocese, adding a high school in 1915 that was affiliated with the University of Minnesota in 1927 and graduated its last class in 1972. The current school building, originally St. Mary's High School, dates to 1915 and sits beside the church. Today St. Mary's School serves roughly 145 students from about 90 families drawn from Bird Island, Olivia, Redwood Falls, Willmar, Sacred Heart and surrounding communities.

• Founded 1896/1897 with arrival of the Sisters of St. Joseph
• First school building 1898; larger school 1913; high school 1915
• High school affiliated with the University of Minnesota, 1927
• High school closed after 1972 graduation; K–8 since 1973
• Every-other-day kindergarten began 1995; daily kindergarten added 2000
• Current PreK–8 enrollment approximately 145 students from ~90 families
• Athletic teams (historical): St. Mary's Marions, colors blue and yellow

Faith Formation and Religious Education

The AFC offers faith formation 'from ages 3 and up' — through the parish school (ages 3–grade 8), youth faith-formation classes, youth group, and adult bible and book studies. Two youth faith-formation programs, one in Olivia and one in Renville, share the mission 'Infusing lives with Jesus Christ.' Adult faith formation includes Lenten classes and other studies that meet throughout the year; registration for the 2025–2026 program opened in August 2025, with the first night of faith formation on September 24, 2025.

• Adult Faith Formation — Bible/book studies and seasonal classes (contact Michelle Peppel)
• Youth Faith Formation — K–12 religious education classes in Olivia and Renville
• First Night of Faith Formation — September 24, 2025
• Annual Women's Retreat — held at Holy Redeemer, Renville

Sacramental Preparation

St. Mary's prepares parishioners of all ages for the sacraments of initiation and the other sacraments of the Church. Baptism is offered to children of parish families with a required pre-baptism meeting; First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are typically received in the spring of second grade; Confirmation follows the Catechism of the Catholic Church; adults seeking full communion enter the OCIA (formerly RCIA) process.

• Baptism — pre-baptism meeting required during pregnancy
• First Reconciliation & First Eucharist — spring of 2nd grade; classes run fall through first Sunday in May
• Confirmation — conforms to the Catechism of the Catholic Church; preparation for candidates and families
• Matrimony — marriage preparation offered
• Holy Orders — vocational information available
• OCIA / RCIA — open to the unbaptized, Christians baptized in another tradition, and Catholics seeking First Communion or Confirmation

I'm New Here — Visiting St. Mary's

The Heart of Jesus AFC website offers an 'I'm New Here' guide that lists the three parish locations with maps, parking information, accessibility notes, and a brief welcome from the pastor. The parish encourages visitors to come to a weekend Mass and to introduce themselves to the clergy or staff.

• Street parking in front of the church and a parking lot behind it
• Most accessible entry for those with mobility challenges is the front of the church
• Address: 220 S 10th St., Bird Island, MN 55310
• Office contact: [email protected] or (320) 365-3593

Parish Communications and Bulletins

Weekly bulletins, the AFC Mass calendar, and parish news (faith-formation registration, Lenten opportunities, retreats and other events) are posted on the Heart of Jesus AFC website. Recent announcements have included Faith Formation Registration for 2025–2026, Adult Faith Formation Lent Classes, an annual Women's Retreat titled 'Abiding Together, Being the Bride,' and Lenten Opportunities for Reconciliation with Adoration.

• Weekly parish bulletins — posted online at heartofjesusafc.org/bulletins
• AFC Mass Calendar — posted at heartofjesusafc.org/calendar
• Lenten Opportunities for Reconciliation with Adoration
• Women's Retreat (annual, held at Holy Redeemer, Renville)