About St. Mary's Church · Stillwater, Minnesota
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a parish in Stillwater, Minnesota, founded in 1865 to serve German and Swiss Catholic immigrants. Today it operates in close partnership with neighboring St. Michael's Church, sharing priests and a combined community of nearly 2,000 families across the St. Croix Valley. The present Victorian-era church building on 5th Street South was constructed in 1883–84 and consecrated by Co-adjutor Bishop John Ireland — only the fourth church consecrated in Minnesota. Known for its strong daily-Mass attendance (over 120 on weekdays) and its sense of small-church community, St. Mary's is part of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
- Established
- 1865
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary's)
- Rector
- Fr. Michael Creagan
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Mary's offers the warmth of a small-church community — with weekday Mass attendance regularly above 120 — alongside the resources of a large Catholic parish system. The parish shares St. Croix Catholic School (led by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia), a robust Religious Education and youth ministry program, perpetual Eucharistic adoration at the St. Faustina Chapel, the works of mercy through two Catholic Worker Houses, and Bible studies and the high school youth group that meet in the St. Mary's education center. If you value a parish with deep historical roots in Stillwater's German-Catholic immigrant community and a strong daily prayer life, St. Mary's is worth a visit.
Mass times at St. Mary's Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM (St. Mary's)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration at the St. Faustina Adoration Chapel, located at the Church of St. Michael (parish shared with St. Michael's)
Our Story — Founding and the German-Catholic Community
On February 15, 1865, a newly ordained priest arrived in Stillwater to form a new parish serving German-speaking Catholic immigrants from Switzerland, Bavaria, and other parts of Germany. The first church building was a 'pitifully inadequate' former Presbyterian structure at Third Street and Chestnut. By 1871, the philanthropy of parishioner Joseph Wolf allowed the parish to acquire the Fifth Street property, where the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Paul came to teach and to begin constructing the present-day church. St. Mary's has retained a strong sense of small-church community and immigrant heritage throughout its 160+ year history.
The 1884 Church Building
The present Victorian-era church was constructed in 1883 and consecrated by then Co-adjutor Bishop John Ireland on July 20, 1884 — only the fourth church to be consecrated in Minnesota. The present parsonage was built in 1888, and the organ did not arrive until 1901. The organ was rebuilt in 1990, and a 2023 sanctuary renovation added images of Old Testament women and other women saints who point to Mary.
The Benedictine Era, 1880–1997
From 1880 until 1997, the Benedictine Order of St. John's Abbey at Collegeville, Minnesota, provided pastors for St. Mary's — a relationship lasting 117 years. Two Benedictine Sisters from St. Joseph, Minnesota, took over teaching at the parish school in 1882. The parish purchased the house at 416 South Fifth Street for their convent. The Benedictines continued teaching at the school until 1948, when Sisters from St. Paul Priory replaced them. In 1968, St. Mary's and St. Michael's consolidated their elementary schools into St. Croix Catholic School at the St. Michael's campus, and St. Mary's old school building became home to the shared Religious Education program. In 1997, St. John's Abbey informed St. Mary's it could no longer supply pastors, and two priests of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis have since served the two parishes jointly.
St. Mary's Staff
The Churches of St. Michael and St. Mary share a unified staff serving both parishes jointly from the St. Michael's campus.
- Fr. Michael Creagan — Pastor
- Fr. Philip Conklin — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Timothy Cloutier — Retired Priest in residence
- Deacon Bert Bliss
- Deacon Dave Mead
- Erin Lisle — Director of Operations
- Jayne Windnagel — Director of Liturgy & Music
- Joan Mellor — Pastoral Minister
- Katie Rolf — Finance Manager
- MaryAnn Lahlum — Bookkeeper
- Marge Galowitz — St. Mary's Bookkeeper
- Judy Greenwood — Human Resources Manager
- Jenny Ostrom — PreK–6 Grade Faith Formation Manager
- Jerry Buchman — Adult Faith Formation Coordinator
- John Regnier — Youth and Young Adult Faith Formation Coordinator
- Hannah Knepler — PreK–6 Lead Catechist
- Erin Zauner — PreK–6 Lead CGS Catechist
- Dionne Meisterling — CGS & Sacramental Admin Assistant
- Anna Wahl — Wedding Coordinator
- Ned Windnagel — Funeral Coordinator
- Maria Gibbons — Parish Nurse
- Matt Crea — Marketing & Volunteer Coordinator
- Sue Argiro — Operations and Event Assistant
- Jennifer Colburn — Operations Support Assistant
- Chris Lentz — Facilities Manager
- Lead custodian and custodial team
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Mary's offers a full PreK–6 faith formation program with a strong Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) component, an Adult Faith Formation program, and a Youth and Young Adult Faith Formation program. Religious education and youth ministry are a collaborative ministry of St. Mary's, St. Michael's, and St. Charles of Bayport. The St. Mary's education center hosts Bible studies and the high school youth group.
St. Croix Catholic School
St. Mary's shares in St. Croix Catholic School — the oldest Catholic school in Minnesota, founded in 1856 — along with St. Michael's and St. Charles of Bayport. The pre-school through 8th grade school (approximately 400 students) is operated by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia from Nashville, Tennessee, along with lay staff.
Parish Ministries and Outreach
The parish runs an unusually rich set of ministries serving the broader Stillwater community. Pastoral care, works of mercy, family faith formation, and prayer groups are all woven into parish life.
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW) — including 'rosary bands'
- Communion and Liberation (School of Community)
- Mission to Love — pastoral support for families navigating same-sex attraction/gender dysphoria
- Catholic Worker Group — operates Blessed Solanus Casey House and Our Lady Queen of Peace House (homes of hospitality, active 15+ years)
- Christmas Outreach / Giving Tree — gifts for Stillwater Residence, Hope House, Catholic Worker Homes, Project Life, St. Vincent de Paul, Franciscan Brothers of Peace, and Missionary Sisters of Charity
- St. Vincent de Paul Society (parish conference)
- Project Life
- Senior fellowship (55+) — cards and board games, 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM in St. Mary's Great Hall
- Cub Scouts Pack 132 and Boy Scout Troop 132
- Cemetery committee
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all the usual sacraments. Reconciliation is heard Saturdays 8:00–8:30 AM at St. Mary's and at additional times at St. Michael's. Marriages are coordinated through Wedding Coordinator Anna Wahl. Anointing of the Sick and last rites are available through the Emergency On-Call Priest line (952-259-3795). The parish also offers the Blessing of a Child in the Womb on the second Saturday of each month.
Visiting and Joining
Whether you are visiting Stillwater for the day or looking to join the parish, the Churches of St. Michael and St. Mary welcome you. The two parishes together are home to nearly 2,000 families from across the St. Croix Valley. The parish office at St. Mary's (423 5th Street South) is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM, and closed Friday. The main shared parish office is at St. Michael's (611 3rd Street South, 651-439-4400). Email inquiries go to [email protected].
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Alois Plut1865–1866
First pastor; newly ordained priest who arrived Feb 15, 1865 to form the parish.
- Fr. J. N. Tomazevic1866–1867
- Fr. William Lette1867–1872
- Fr. John Schenk1872–1874
- Fr. Sigisbert Mon1874–1879
- Fr. G. Rudolph1879
- Fr. Joseph Niebling1879–1880
- Fr. Willibrord Mahowald, O.S.B.1880–1883
First Benedictine pastor from St. John's Abbey, Collegeville.
- Fr. Alphonse Kuisle, O.S.B.1883–1895
Oversaw construction/consecration of the present church in 1884.
- Fr. Jerome Heider, O.S.B.1895–1899
- Fr. Paulin Wiesner, O.S.B.1899–1911
- Fr. Conrad Glatzmeier, O.S.B.1911–1919
- Fr. Leonard Kaspner, O.S.B.1919–1923
- Fr. Pius Meinz, O.S.B.1923–1930
- Fr. Robert Wewers, O.S.B.1930–1939
- Fr. Richard Simmer, O.S.B.1939–1940
- Fr. Pius Meinz, O.S.B.1940–1956
Returned for a second stint as pastor.
- Fr. Oswald Johannes, O.S.B.1956–1959
- Fr. Columban Kremer, O.S.B.1959–1967
- Fr. James Kelly, O.S.B.1967–1968
- Fr. Athanase Fuchs, O.S.B.1968–1971
- Fr. Florian Muggli, O.S.B.1971–1978
- Fr. Thomas Gillespie, O.S.B.1978–1986
- Fr. Vernon Miller, O.S.B.1986–1995
Long-serving Benedictine pastor.
- Fr. Patrick Wall1996–1997
Transition pastor after the Benedictines ended 117 years of supplying pastors.
- Fr. Michael Skluzacek1998–2004
First diocesan pastor after the Benedictines departed.
- Fr. John LeVoir2004–2008
Later ordained Bishop on September 15, 2008.
- Fr. Michael Miller2008–2015
- Fr. Michael Izen2015–2023
Later ordained Auxiliary Bishop on April 11, 2023.
- Fr. Michael Creagan2023–Present
Current pastor; serves St. Mary's and St. Michael's jointly.