About St. Mary · Tracy, Minnesota
St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tracy, Minnesota is a parish of the Diocese of New Ulm that serves the Catholic community of Tracy and the surrounding Lyon County prairie. It is one of two parishes in the 'Our Lady of the Prairie' Area Faith Community — paired with St. Michael's in Milroy — and is also part of the broader 'Mary, Mother of God' Area Faith Community that includes Holy Redeemer in Marshall and St. Mary in Cottonwood. The parish worships at 249 6th Street, supports an attached parish school (St. Mary's School, preschool through grade 6), and maintains the sacramental records of the former St. Paul Catholic Church in nearby Walnut Grove.
- Established
- 1885
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (parish name: St. Mary's)
- Rector
- Fr. Steven (Steve) Verhelst
- Diocese
- Diocese of New Ulm
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a small-town, family-friendly Catholic parish where three weekly Masses (Sunday morning plus two weekday Masses) make regular worship easy, and where every parishioner is known by name. It supports an attached parish elementary school, a Religious Education program, Knights of Columbus fellowship, a Prayer Network, school Masses with student participation, and seasonal programs such as Totus Tuus and the Catholic Heart Work Camp. As part of the 'Our Lady of the Prairie' and 'Mary, Mother of God' Area Faith Communities, St. Mary's combines intimate parish life with the wider resources of neighboring Catholic communities in Marshall, Milroy, Cottonwood, and beyond.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before Sunday Mass at St. Mary's in Tracy
- Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary's in Tracy
- 30 minutes before all Masses at St. Michael's in Milroy
Our Lady of the Prairie Area Faith Community
St. Mary's in Tracy is one of two parishes that make up the 'Our Lady of the Prairie' Area Faith Community, the other being St. Michael's in Milroy. The AFC shares clergy, bulletins, and sacramental scheduling between the two churches. Together with Holy Redeemer in Marshall and St. Mary in Cottonwood, they also form the broader 'Mary, Mother of God' Area Faith Community within the Diocese of New Ulm.
- St. Mary's, Tracy (249 6th Street) — this parish
- St. Michael's, Milroy (200 Euclid Avenue, 507-336-2505, [email protected])
- Holy Redeemer, Marshall (503 West Lyon Street, 507-532-5711)
- St. Mary, Cottonwood (255 W. 4th Street S., 507-423-5220)
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
The AFC is served by a pastor and two senior associate pastors out of Holy Redeemer in Marshall, with parish staff at each church site. St. Mary's in Tracy is staffed by a parish secretary, a religious education coordinator, maintenance, a bookkeeper, and a prayer network.
- Pastor — Fr. Steven (Steve) Verhelst ([email protected]; 507-532-5711)
- Senior Associate Pastor — Fr. Dennis Labat (507-829-2412)
- Senior Associate Pastor — Fr. Andrew Michels (507-766-3678)
- Parish Secretary — Carol Strand ([email protected]; 507-629-4075)
- Religious Education Coordinator — Diann Timmerman ([email protected]; 507-401-1038)
- Bookkeeper — Kami Parker
- Maintenance — Dallas Boltjes
- Prayer Network — Alita Lenertz (507-629-4145), Lota Hannasch (507-828-6825)
St. Mary's School (Parish School)
St. Mary's School is a Christ-centered Catholic school serving preschool through sixth grade at 225 6th Street in Tracy, MN. The school's mission is to form students who 'enter to learn and exit to serve,' and faith is integrated into academics, extracurriculars, and spiritual growth. A weekly school Mass on Wednesday mornings at St. Mary's Church is a cornerstone of the school week.
- Principal — Mrs. Ashley Honetschlager (507-629-3270)
- Dean of Staff and Students — Mr. Justin Condelli
- Preschool — Mrs. Mackenzie Lau
- Early Elementary / 1st Grade — Mrs. Kathy VanMoer
- 2nd Grade — Mrs. Joan Mitchell
- 3rd & 4th Grade — Ms. McKenna McFarlin / Ms. Amber Downing
- 5th & 6th Grade — Mrs. Katie Lanoue / Mrs. Shea Pedersen
- Music — Mrs. Jolene Labat
- Librarian — Ms. Kaitlyn Proell
- Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday–Friday
- Website: https://www.stmarystracy.com
Religious Education & Faith Formation
St. Mary's runs a parish Religious Education program for children and youth who do not attend the parish school, coordinated by Diann Timmerman. Students have participated in special events such as a 'Living Rosary' in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, and the parish also offers Totus Tuus (a week-long summer catechetical program) and sends youth on the Catholic Heart Work Camp mission trip.
- Religious Education Coordinator: Diann Timmerman ([email protected])
- Totus Tuus summer program (2025 registration noted)
- Catholic Heart Work Camp (2023 trip to Marshalltown, IA)
- FORMED.org online faith formation (parish access code #YW2JXQ)
- Living Rosary prayer events
Parish Groups and Ministries
Active lay-led groups at St. Mary's include the Knights of Columbus, the Council of Catholic Women, a Prayer Network that prays for parishioners' intentions, and a Eucharistic ministry that brings Communion to the homebound and hospitalized. Liturgical volunteers serve as lectors, cantors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, ushers, gift-bearers, and money counters each week.
- Knights of Columbus — meets Monday evenings at St. Mary's, Tracy
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW) — meets quarterly in Tracy (Feb., Apr., June, Aug., Oct., Dec.)
- Prayer Network — Alita Lenertz & Lota Hannasch
- Eucharist to the Homebound — coordinated through Carol Strand (507-629-4075)
- Liturgical Ministry Schedule published regularly (most recent: July–August 2025)
Sacraments
St. Mary's celebrates the sacraments of Baptism, Marriage, and Anointing of the Sick, and brings Communion to those who are hospitalized or homebound. Baptisms for both St. Mary's and St. Michael's parishes are arranged through the Tracy parish office, and couples are asked to contact a priest at least six months before a desired wedding date.
- Baptisms: contact Diann Timmerman at the parish office
- Marriages: contact a priest at least 6 months in advance
- Anointing / Visitation of the Sick: notify Carol Strand at the parish office
Outreach and Community Life
Beyond its own walls, St. Mary's is linked to the wider Catholic community of southwestern Minnesota through the AFC and the Diocese of New Ulm. Weekly Mass is offered at Prairie View Nursing Home in Tracy on Wednesdays for residents who cannot come to church. The parish also keeps and provides access to the sacramental records of the former St. Paul Catholic Church in Walnut Grove.
- Weekly Mass at Prairie View Nursing Home, Tracy
- Catholic Schools Week celebrations (Tracy-area Catholic schools)
- Sacramental records custodian for former St. Paul Church, Walnut Grove
- Diocese of New Ulm Catholic Charities — counseling & adoptions (1-866-670-5163)
Visiting & Contact Information
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or mail. The parish shares bulletins and announcements with St. Michael's in Milroy, and bulletins are posted online as PDFs through the AFC website.
- Address: 249 6th Street, Tracy, MN 56175
- Phone: (507) 629-4075
- Email: [email protected]
- AFC Website: https://www.ourladyoftheprairie-afc.org/
- School Website: https://www.stmarystracy.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Anthony Stubeda2020–2024
Pastor of the Bread of Life and Our Lady of the Prairie AFCs (Holy Redeemer in Marshall, St. Clotilde in Green Valley, St. Mary in Cottonwood, St. Michael in Milroy, and St. Mary in Tracy). Assignment announced by Bishop John M. LeVoir on June 27, 2020.
- Fr. Steven (Steve) Verhelst2024–present
Installed as pastor of the Mary, Mother of God / Our Lady of the Prairie AFCs in summer 2024; an ice-cream social welcoming him was held at the Lyon County Fairgrounds Hoop Barn on August 26, 2024. He also serves as Diocesan Director of Priest Personnel for the Diocese of New Ulm; ordained in 1990.