About St. Mary, Help of Christians · Sleepy Eye, Minnesota
St. Mary, Help of Christians is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, in the Diocese of New Ulm. It anchors the Divine Mercy Area Faith Community (AFC), which also includes St. Michael's in Morgan, St. Paul's in Comfrey, and the Japanese Martyrs campus in rural Sleepy Eye. The parish serves around 1,900 parishioners in roughly 750 households, worships in a striking 1902 Gothic Revival church with twin 170-foot steeples, and runs a K–12 parish school (Sleepy Eye St. Mary's Catholic School) staffed by a pastor, two parochial vicars, and two deacons.
- Established
- 1876
- Patron
- Our Lady / Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians (Sancta Maria Auxilium Christianorum)
- Rector
- Rev. Craig Timmerman
- Diocese
- Diocese of New Ulm
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers the richness of a century-old Gothic parish — Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in a dedicated chapel, a Latin (Extraordinary Form) Mass on Sundays, and a parish school that walks with families from preschool through 12th grade — all in the setting of a small southern Minnesota farming town. The parish is paired with three other churches in the Divine Mercy Area Faith Community, giving newcomers a wider circle of fellow Catholics while keeping the intimacy of a single-town parish of about 750 households.
Mass times at St. Mary, Help of Christians
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday 6:00–7:00 PM (St. Mary's, with Adoremus Holy Hour 7:00–8:00 PM)
- Saturday 9:00–10:00 AM (St. Mary's)
- Saturday 4:00–5:00 PM (St. Mary's)
- Saturday 7:30–7:45 PM (Japanese Martyrs)
- Sunday 11:00–11:15 AM (Japanese Martyrs)
- Sunday 7:30–7:45 AM (St. Michael's)
- Sunday 9:30–9:45 AM (St. Paul's)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration daily at St. Mary's Church (except during scheduled Masses and Saturdays from 12:00 PM until the end of the 5:30 PM Mass, when Adoration moves to the Divine Providence Home Chapel)
- Monday 7:00–8:00 PM: St. Mary's 'Adoremus' Holy Hour
- Sunday 6:00 PM Sung Vespers (Evening Prayer)
Parish History & Heritage
St. Mary, Help of Christians traces its origins to German-Catholic settlers served by Father Francis Xavier Pierz in the 1850s. The first church was built in 1876, the Sisters of St. Francis opened a parish school in 1883, and the present Gothic-style church was completed in 1902. The parish numbered 110 families in 1913 and today counts over 1,900 parishioners in roughly 750 households.
- Mission roots with Fr. Francis Xavier Pierz, 1852
- First brick-veneered church built 1876
- Sisters of St. Francis arrive for parish school, 1883
- Current Gothic church completed 1902; cost about $68,000
- Church blessed October 16, 1902, under the title 'Help of Christians'
- Interior decorated with a Marian theme in 1911
- First church in the Diocese of New Ulm to be consecrated (1963)
- 2016 north entry and adoration chapel; 2024 altar/reredos restoration
Architecture, Art & Furnishings
The 1902 Gothic-style church is 175 feet long by 75 feet wide, seats 975, and uses red brick from Springfield, Kasota stone, and local plastering sand. The interior was painted in 1911 with scenes from the life of Mary and refreshed in 1944 and during the 1976 centennial. The high-altar reredos depicts Pope Pius V and Don Juan of Austria invoking Our Lady at Lepanto.
- Twin steeples 170 feet; roof line 100 feet above ground
- High and side altars, communion rail, and statues restored in 2024
- Pipe organ: 3 manuals, 31 ranks (Schaefer 1907; rebuilt Wicks 1947; Moe Pipe Organ 2010)
Divine Mercy Area Faith Community
St. Mary's is the lead parish of the Divine Mercy Area Faith Community in the Diocese of New Ulm, sharing clergy and programming with three other churches: St. Michael's (Morgan), St. Paul's (Comfrey), and the Japanese Martyrs campus (rural Sleepy Eye). The Japanese Martyrs campus adds a Latin Mass and additional confession times to the AFC's offerings.
- St. Mary's Campus — Sleepy Eye
- Japanese Martyrs Campus — rural Sleepy Eye (with Latin Mass)
- St. Michael's — Morgan
- St. Paul's — Comfrey
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by a pastor supported by two parochial vicars, two deacons, a Development Director, Finance Manager, Music Director, school principal, Director of Religious Education, and parish administrative assistants.
- Pastor: Rev. Craig Timmerman
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Samuel Perez
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Nathan Hansen
- Deacon Mark Kober (also coordinates Adoration)
- Deacon Mike McKeown
- Development Director: Mr. Matt Grausam
- Finance Manager (not named in source)
- Music Director: Mr. Nicholas Liese
- School Principal: Mr. Peter Roufs
- Director of Religious Education: Mrs. Shelley Roufs
- Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Joan Windschitl
- Administrative Assistant (Japanese Martyrs): Mrs. Deb Windschitl
Sleepy Eye St. Mary's Catholic School
St. Mary's parish school has served the community since 1883, when the Sisters of St. Francis of Rochester arrived to staff it. Today it is a K–12 school whose mission is to 'guide students to form an authentic relationship with God while achieving academic excellence to live as faithful disciples of Christ.' The campus shares grounds with the church, rectory, and parish offices.
- K–12 program on the St. Mary's parish campus
- Weekly Mass and Eucharistic Adoration for middle schoolers
- Extracurriculars: Knowledge Bowl, MathCounts, Student Council, school sports
- Middle school academics: language arts, math, history, geography, science, theology, PE/health, band/choir
- Supported by the Parish Endowment Fund and Scholarship Trust Fund (est. 1999)
- Tuition assistance available
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at St. Mary's partners with parents as the primary educators of their children in the Catholic faith. Programs include ongoing religious education for parish children and sacramental preparation.
- Faith Formation / Parish School of Religion (PSR)
- First Reconciliation / First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Director of Religious Education: Mrs. Shelley Roufs
- Youth involvement through school Masses, adoration, and service
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments and welcomes parishioners to contact the parish office to arrange Baptisms, weddings, Anointing of the Sick, and other sacramental needs. Confession is offered on a published weekly schedule and by appointment with a priest.
- Baptism — contact parish office
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — through Faith Formation
- Confirmation — youth preparation
- Marriage — contact parish office to schedule
- Anointing of the Sick — contact a priest
- Confession — Mon & Sat schedule, or by appointment
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors may call the parish office at (507) 794-4171 or email [email protected]. Office hours are Monday–Thursday 8:00 AM–4:00 PM and Friday 8:00 AM–3:30 PM. The 2016 north-entry addition added an elevator and restrooms, making the church more accessible to all visitors.
- Address: 636 1st Ave N, Sleepy Eye, MN 56085
- Phone: (507) 794-4171
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.divinemercyafc.org
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 AM–4:00 PM; Fri 8:00 AM–3:30 PM
- Accessible entry via 2016 north addition (elevator, restrooms)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Francis Xavier Pierz1850s
Catholic missionary to the Chippewa considered the founder of the parish; promoted German-Catholic settlement and celebrated Mass in settlers' homes.
- Father Meinrad Rittenmeyer1890
Built the rectory the same year Bishop Zardetti consecrated the new church.
- Father Valentine Stimmlerearly 1870s
Guided construction of the original stone church; cornerstone laid by Bishop Thomas L. Grace May 13, 1873.
- Father Stulzappointed 1900
Drove the design and construction of the present Gothic-style church.