About St. Mathias · Fort Ripley, Minnesota
St. Mathias Catholic Church is a small rural parish in Fort Ripley, Minnesota, part of the Brainerd Lakes Catholic Churches "South Cluster" alongside St. Andrew's in Brainerd. Originally a French-Canadian farming settlement, the parish traces its roots to 1887, making it one of the older parishes in the Diocese of Duluth, and celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2012. The parish is known for its historic church (basement dug by local farmers in 1923, completed in 1928), the Stations of the Cross shipped from a Jesuit church in Rotterdam in 1930, and one of the few Catholic cemeteries in the area.
- Established
- 1887
- Patron
- St. Matthias the Apostle
- Rector
- Fr. Gabriel Waweru
- Diocese
- Diocese of Duluth
Why belong here
St. Mathias is a small, historic rural parish where generations of families from the original French-Canadian settlement still worship. Members come together for Sunday Mass, faith formation for every age, the Knights of Columbus and Council of Catholic Women, and a robust cluster of outreach including the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the BeFriender Ministry. As one of the older parishes in the Diocese of Duluth, it offers a quiet, rooted Catholic community with deep local history — and a beautiful church whose Stations of the Cross have been venerated since 1930.
Mass times at St. Mathias
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:30 AM (First Sundays only)
- By appointment — call the parish office at 218-829-1340
Adoration times
- Queen of Peace Adoration Chapel at St. Andrew's (cluster partner) — see cluster chapel link for hours
St. Mathias Catholic Church — Overview
St. Mathias is a small rural Catholic parish in Fort Ripley, Minnesota, part of the Diocese of Duluth and one of the Brainerd Lakes Catholic Churches. Since July 2014 it has been paired with St. Andrew's of Brainerd as the "South Cluster" of the area's Catholic parishes, sharing pastors, staff, and many ministries while retaining its own identity and Sunday worship. The parish gathers for Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM and weekday Mass on Fridays at 8:30 AM, with confessions heard before the first Sunday Mass each month and by appointment.
- Address: 4529 County Road 121, Fort Ripley, MN 56449
- Parish phone: 218-829-1340
- Website: brainerdcatholic.org/st-mathias
- Diocese: Diocese of Duluth
- Pastor: Fr. Gabriel Waweru
History of St. Mathias Parish
St. Mathias is one of the older parishes in the Diocese of Duluth. The first Masses were celebrated in settlers' homes beginning in 1887 by visiting Monsignor J.F. Buh. The community was originally a French-Canadian settlement and was first served as a mission of St. Francis Church in Brainerd by Father Arthur Lamothe from Belle Prairie (1890–1905), who built the first framed church and the cemetery on land donated by the Gideon Matte family. In 2012 the parish celebrated its 125th anniversary.
Building of the Present Church (1923–1928)
By the early 1920s the original framed church could no longer accommodate the growing parish. Local farmers dug the basement for a new church in December 1923, and on September 24, 1924 the first Mass was offered in that basement. Construction continued for four more years, and the completed church was dedicated on August 26, 1928.
- Basement dug by local farmers: December 1923
- First Mass in basement: September 24, 1924
- Church completed and dedicated: August 26, 1928
The Stations of the Cross from Rotterdam
During a 1930 vacation in Holland, Fr. Tertoogan was offered the Stations of the Cross from a Jesuit church in Rotterdam at no cost. He shipped them home, paying only $50 in freight. These same Stations of the Cross still grace the interior of St. Mathias today.
- Donor church: a Jesuit church in Rotterdam, Holland
- Year acquired: 1930
- Shipping cost: $50
The Catholic Cemetery at St. Mathias
St. Mathias is home to one of the very few Catholic cemeteries in the Brainerd Lakes area. The cemetery was laid out alongside the original framed church on land donated by the Gideon Matte family during Fr. Arthur Lamothe's pastorate (1890–1905) and has served the parish and surrounding community ever since.
Parish Staff
St. Mathias and St. Andrew's share a single pastoral team under the South Cluster model. Fr. Gabriel Waweru serves as pastor, assisted by four deacons and a staff that coordinates faith formation, liturgy, music, and parish life across both parishes.
- Fr. Gabriel Waweru — Pastor
- Deacon Jerry Bock
- Deacon Mike Koecheler
- Deacon John Kroll
- Deacon Daniel O'Reilly
- Ann Scheinost — Business Manager & Liturgical Coordinator
- Augusta Loerher — Parish Life Coordinator
- Anne Pritschet — Music Director
- Celeste Badger — Pre-K and Elementary Faith Formation
- Britt Johnson — Middle School Faith Formation
- Dan Johnson — High School Faith Formation & OCIA
Parish Leadership
Alongside the clergy and staff, St. Mathias is served by elected trustees and a finance council who help steward parish resources and facilities.
- Debby Erickson — Trustee
- Gerald Geisenhoff — Trustee
- Finance Council: Trevor Thompson, Mike Barrett, Dan Caughey
Parish Ministries and Groups
St. Mathias has a full parish life, much of it run together with St. Andrew's as the South Cluster. Lay faithful can join the Knights of Columbus, the Council of Catholic Women, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, the BeFriender grief-support ministry, the FUSE adult faith study, and the liturgical ministries (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Lectors, Ushers, Altar Servers, Cantors, Choir, and Accompanists).
- Knights of Columbus — monthly meetings in the St. Mathias basement; contact Adam Rademacher at 320-250-0146 or [email protected]
- Council of Catholic Women — St. Mathias contact Rosanne Caughey at 218-831-3376 or [email protected]
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — St. Teresa of Calcutta's Conference; meets 2nd & 4th Mondays at 4:00 PM at St. Andrew's; 218-656-0345
- BeFriender Ministry — trained lay listeners offering spiritual and emotional support
- FUSE — adult faith study
- Liturgical Ministers — EMHCs, Lectors, Ushers, Altar Servers, Cantors, Choir, Accompanists (contact parish office at 218-829-1340)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Mathias is offered for every age, from pre-kindergarten through high school, with a dedicated coordinator for OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for anyone exploring the Catholic faith.
- Pre-K and Elementary Faith Formation — Celeste Badger
- Middle School Faith Formation — Britt Johnson
- High School Faith Formation & OCIA — Dan Johnson
Sacraments
The South Cluster parishes prepare parishioners for the sacraments of initiation and the other rites of the Church. Baptism is scheduled after a half-day Baptismal Preparation retreat (generally the second Saturday every other month), and OCIA guides adults and older children into full communion with the Church.
- Baptism (with preparation retreat)
- First Reconciliation
- Confirmation
- Weddings — see Worship & Sacraments page on the cluster website
- OCIA (Becoming Catholic)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor J.F. Buh1887–
Began visiting the area in 1887; Mass was said in homes.
- Fr. Arthur Lamothe1890–1905
From Belle Prairie in the St. Cloud Diocese; built the first framed church on land donated by the Gideon Matte family and established the cemetery.
- Fr. E. Bossus1905–1909
First full-time pastor; built the rectory in 1906; 57 families at his departure.
- Fr. Lamyuntil 1918
Added a sacristy, two galleries, the steeple, and installed a 400-pound bell.
- Fr. Tertoogan1920–1996
Native of Holland; began the long Crosier connection with the parish; shipped the Stations of the Cross from Rotterdam in 1930.
- Fr. Seamus Walshfrom August 2001
Bishop Dennis Schnurr clustered St. Andrew's, St. Francis, and St. Mathias under his pastorate.
- Fr. Tony Wroblewskifrom 2010
Bishop Paul Sirba expanded the cluster to include All Saints and St. Thomas of the Pines.
- Fr. Daniel Weiskefrom July 2014
Pastor of the reorganized 'south' cluster of St. Andrew's and St. Mathias.