About St. Matthew · Vernon Center, Minnesota
St. Matthew is a Roman Catholic parish in the small farming community of Vernon Center, Minnesota, in Blue Earth County. Founded in 1911, it is one of the four historic churches that anchor the village and continues to serve as a center for township gatherings and charitable activities. Today St. Matthew is clustered with St. Joseph in Good Thunder (and its mission at St. Joseph, Waldorf) and St. Teresa in Mapleton under a single tri-parish administration headquartered in Mapleton and a shared pastor. Mass at St. Matthew is celebrated every other Sunday at 10:00 a.m., with the full rotation published in the parish bulletin.
- Established
- 1911
- Patron
- St. Matthew (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Father Swaminatha (Swamy) Pothireddy
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Why belong here
St. Matthew is a small, tight-knit rural Catholic community in the heart of Blue Earth County, gathered together with St. Joseph (Good Thunder and Waldorf) and St. Teresa (Mapleton) into a single tri-parish family that shares priests, staff, faith formation, and bulletin. Parishioners can register as members of St. Matthew online or at the tri-parish office, and they are welcomed into a cluster that celebrates Mass at all three churches on a published rotation, runs Faith Formation and Youth Ministry, supports the sacraments of Baptism, Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation, and Marriage through one shared staff, and maintains the historic Saint Matthews Cemetery. Joining St. Matthew means belonging to a multi-generational farming community with deep roots in southern Minnesota while drawing on the resources of a larger tri-parish team.
Mass times at St. Matthew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- One half hour before each weekend Mass
- Thursday 8:00 a.m. at St. Teresa
- By private appointment with Fr. Vogel
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration held before daily Mass (at the tri-parish cluster)
About St. Matthew Parish
St. Matthew Catholic Church is a small rural parish in Vernon Center, Minnesota, founded in 1911 to serve the Catholic families of Vernon Center Township in Blue Earth County. Today it is administered as part of a tri-parish community together with St. Joseph in Good Thunder (and its mission at Waldorf) and St. Teresa in Mapleton, under the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. The parish publishes a weekly bulletin covering all three worship sites and shares one pastor, deacon, faith-formation director, and office staff.
- Founded 1911
- Tri-parish cluster with St. Joseph (Good Thunder/Waldorf) and St. Teresa (Mapleton)
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester
- Rite: Roman-Latin
Mass & Service Schedule
Mass at St. Matthew is celebrated every other Sunday at 10:00 a.m., alternating with St. Joseph in Good Thunder. Weekday Masses, Holy Day Masses, and the full rotation are listed in the parish bulletin and on the sjsmst.org schedule page. A Saturday vigil Mass at St. Matthew on the 2nd and 4th weekends of the month has also been listed by directory sites.
- Sunday 8:00 a.m. — St. Teresa, Mapleton
- Sunday 10:00 a.m. — alternating St. Joseph, Good Thunder (1st, 3rd, 5th) and St. Matthew, Vernon Center (2nd, 4th)
- Saturday 5:00 p.m. — St. Joseph, Waldorf
- Weekday Masses — primarily at St. Teresa, Mapleton (see bulletin)
- Holy Days — see bulletin
Sacraments
The tri-parish community prepares parishioners for and celebrates the seven sacraments across its three churches. Preparation classes and meetings are scheduled through the tri-parish office in Mapleton.
- Baptism — pre-Baptism preparation required; contact office at least one month in advance
- Reconciliation (Confession) — ½ hour before each weekend Mass; Thursdays 8:00 a.m. at St. Teresa; or by appointment with Fr. Vogel
- Anointing of the Sick — call the office for hospital/homebound visits
- Marriage — meet with priest or deacon at least 6 months before the wedding
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Religious education for children and youth across the tri-parish is coordinated by Julia Bressler, the Tri-Parish Director of Faith Formation and Youth Ministry. Programs span the cluster's three parishes so that families at St. Matthew can participate alongside their neighbors at St. Joseph and St. Teresa.
- Tri-Parish Faith Formation for school-age children
- Tri-Parish Youth Ministry
- Coordinator: Julia Bressler — (320) 266-8397
Parish Staff & Clergy
The tri-parish is staffed by a pastor, deacon, parish manager, bookkeeper, and director of faith formation who together serve all three worship sites.
- Father Swaminatha (Swamy) Pothireddy — Pastor
- Deacon Chris Walchuk — (507) 469-5563
- Marcie Anderson — Tri-Parish Manager
- Darla Graf — Bookkeeper
- Julia Bressler — Tri-Parish Director of Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
Becoming a Parishioner
New families and individuals can register with St. Matthew (or St. Joseph or St. Teresa) through the parish website. The online New Parishioner Registration page collects name, address, age, and parish preference, and the office follows up to officially welcome each new member into the tri-parish community.
- Online registration via sjsmst.org/new-parishioner
- Tri-Parish office: 104 West Silver Street, Mapleton, MN 56065
- Phone: (507) 524-3127
Saint Matthews Cemetery
Saint Matthews Cemetery is associated with St. Matthew Catholic Church and contains more than 300 memorial records, serving as the resting place for many of the Catholic pioneer families of Vernon Center Township. The cemetery remains an important ministry of the parish and an enduring link to the community's early Catholic heritage.
- 300+ memorial records
- Located in Vernon Center Township, Blue Earth County
- Ministry of St. Matthew Parish
Contact & Visit
St. Matthew is located on Kendall Street in the village of Vernon Center, with the shared tri-parish office in nearby Mapleton. Visitors and parishioners can reach the parish by phone, email, Facebook, or the parish website for the latest bulletin and schedule.
- Church address: 200 Kendall Street, Vernon Center, MN 56090-0156
- Phone: (507) 524-3127
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://sjsmst.org/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/SJSMST
- Sacramental emergency line: (507) 320-9669
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Andrew Vogelat least 2018
Listed as Pastor of the Tri-Parish (St. Joseph, St. Matthew, St. Teresa) in a July 2018 parish bulletin.
- Father Swaminatha (Swamy) Pothireddycurrent
Current pastor of the tri-parish, per the parish website and Diocese of Winona-Rochester directory.