About St. Mary · Seaforth, Minnesota
St. Mary is a small rural Catholic parish in the village of Seaforth, Redwood County, Minnesota, in the Diocese of New Ulm. Originally founded in 1880, it is one of the twelve Catholic missions established across Redwood County in the late 19th century by German-speaking settlers. Today the parish is part of the Light of the World Area Faith Community (also known as the Mother of Hope AFC), which links St. Anne in Wabasso, St. Mathias in Wanda, Our Lady of Victory in Lucan, and St. Mary in Seaforth. The parish is now served by Fr. Tony Hesse, who serves the wider AFC and resides in Wabasso.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father Tony Hesse
- Diocese
- Diocese of New Ulm
Why belong here
St. Mary offers a small, tight-knit Catholic community in the heart of rural Redwood County, where generations of German and Czech farming families have lived, worshipped, and been buried in the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery. Parishioners benefit from the Light of the World Area Faith Community, which links St. Mary to St. Anne (Wabasso), St. Mathias (Wanda), and Our Lady of Victory (Lucan) for shared priests, faith formation, and parish life. It is a place for those who value the rural Catholic heritage of southwestern Minnesota, the traditional Catholic societies such as the Council of Catholic Women, and the area's devotional life centered on the Blessed Virgin Mary.
History of St. Mary, Seaforth
St. Mary's parish was founded in 1880, when the first Mass was celebrated in the town of Sheridan, the township that then encompassed Seaforth. The first church — a modest wood-framed, brick-veneered building — was erected in 1886 and was valued at about $2,500. The parish was organized by German Catholic settlers with a smaller Czech (Bohemian) population, and sermons were preached in both German and English. By the early 20th century the parish was served jointly with the churches at Wabasso and Vesta, and that arrangement was formalized in July 1910 when Rev. Father Francis Roemer became pastor of all three, residing in Wabasso.
- First Mass celebrated in 1880 in the town of Sheridan
- First church built in 1886 (wood-framed, brick-veneered)
- Parish served jointly with Wabasso and Vesta from the early 1900s
- Father Francis Roemer became pastor in July 1910 and resided in Wabasso
Parish Societies and Community Life
Like many small rural Catholic parishes of its era, St. Mary was anchored by three lay societies documented in the Redwood County history: the Catholic Order of Foresters, the Christian Mothers' Society, and a Bohemian Society. These groups organized the parish's social and devotional life, raised funds, and put on the picnics and festivals that defined the rural Catholic year.
- Catholic Order of Foresters
- Christian Mothers' Society (ancestor of the Council of Catholic Women)
- Bohemian Society
Light of the World Area Faith Community
St. Mary is one of four parishes in the Light of the World Area Faith Community (now also referred to as the Mother of Hope AFC), which also includes St. Anne in Wabasso, St. Mathias in Wanda, and Our Lady of Victory in Lucan. The AFC model is rooted in the Diocese of New Ulm's SINE (Systematic Integral New Evangelization) initiative introduced in 1996, and is designed to allow small rural parishes to share priests, staff, and faith-formation resources so each can continue to celebrate the sacraments and live a full Catholic life. The AFC office is based in Wabasso, with a mailing address of PO Box 239, Wabasso, MN 56293.
- St. Anne, Wabasso
- St. Mathias, Wanda
- Our Lady of Victory, Lucan
- St. Mary, Seaforth
- AFC mailing address: PO Box 239, Wabasso, MN 56293
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently served by Father Tony Hesse as pastor of the Light of the World AFC, with Deacon Ryan Pope assisting as AFC deacon. The AFC also has a business administrator and a director of faith formation who serve all four parishes.
- Fr. Tony Hesse — Pastor
- Deacon Ryan Pope — AFC Deacon
- AFC Business Administrator and Director of Faith Formation shared across the four parishes
Sacraments
Baptisms, marriages, anointing of the sick, and other sacraments are arranged through the Light of the World AFC office in Wabasso. Funerals are still held at the Seaforth church and the parish cemetery, as illustrated by recent funerals for parishioners such as Rose Van Hecke (2015) and Floyd Kramer (2019).
- Baptism
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral Mass and burial at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery
St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery
The parish maintains St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Seaforth, which is still active for burials. Recent obituaries continue to record burials there, including the 2025 burial of Betty Woelfel following her funeral at St. Catherine's in Redwood Falls. The cemetery is the parish's most visible continuing presence in the village.
- St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Seaforth, MN
- Active burial site for parish and AFC families
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Unknown early mission priest (served from 1880 founding)1880–c.1902
Visiting priests from nearby missions celebrated Mass in Sheridan/Seaforth; the parish was linked with Wabasso and Vesta.
- Rev. Father Roemer (predecessor of Francis Roemer)c.1902 – July 1910
Remained in charge of the parish until July 1910, when he was succeeded by Father Francis Roemer.
- Rev. Father Francis RoemerJuly 1910 – c.1918
Became pastor of the Seaforth, Wabasso, and Vesta churches in July 1910; residence in Wabasso. Was still listed as pastor in the Redwood County history published around 1918.