About St. Patrick · Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota
Church of St. Patrick is a Catholic parish in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, belonging to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Tracing its origins to 1856 — even before Minnesota became a state — it is one of the oldest parishes in Dakota County and serves the south-metro area with weekend and weekday Masses in English, Eucharistic Adoration, the OCIA process, and an extensive network of parish commissions. The present worship space, built in 2002 and inspired by Ireland's Rock of Cashel, seats 1,200 worshippers, while the older 1960 church now lives on as Shamrock Social Hall.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Father Brian Fier
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Patrick's welcomes all into a community of Catholic faith and worship, celebrating the Word of God, proclaiming it through daily actions, fostering hope, and committing to justice in service to others. The parish offers a full sacramental life — daily and weekend Masses, Eucharistic Adoration multiple days a week, Reconciliation on Saturdays and Tuesdays, and the Anointing of the Sick — alongside a vibrant faith-formation program built on Whole Community Catechesis for children through Confirmation and the OCIA process for adults. Six parish commissions (Pastoral Care, Worship, Faith Formation, Parish Life, Social Justice, and Administration) give active parishioners a real voice in shaping the parish, with open meetings and a Parish Pastoral Council elected by random drawing.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:45–6:15 PM in the Chapel
- Saturday 2:30–3:30 PM in the Chapel
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Tuesday 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM (enter through the adoration door at the upper entrance)
- Wednesday 8:00 AM
- Thursday 8:00 AM
- Friday 8:00 AM
History of the Parish
St. Patrick's traces its founding to January 9, 1856, when Bishop Cretin established the mission parish in the township of Inver Grove — even before Minnesota became a state. A modest log cabin church served the first decade of worship, then was replaced in 1867 by a wood-frame church (seating 300 total) built for $6,000 on the grounds of the present cemetery.
- 1856 — Mission parish founded in a log cabin (Bishop Cretin).
- 1867 — Wood-frame church built (250 in main body, 50 in gallery) for $6,000.
- October 1919 — Fire destroyed the church and rectory; parish scattered but was never officially dissolved because the cemetery remained active.
- October 18, 1959 — First Mass of the reactivated parish after the Franciscan Fathers of the Immaculate Conception Province arrived from Hollidaysburg, PA.
- August 7, 1960 — 828-seat mid-century church building completed.
- January 1996 — Franciscan Fathers departed; Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis resumed staffing.
- March 17, 2001 (St. Patrick's Day) — Groundbreaking for the present church.
- June 29, 2002 — First Mass (a wedding) in the new worship space; the 1960 church became Shamrock Social Hall.
The Present Church Building
The current worship space, opened in 2002, was architecturally inspired by the Rock of Cashel and finished in clinker-brick textured stonework. It seats 1,200 in the main worship space and 100 in the chapel. The previous 1960 church was converted into Shamrock Social Hall, where its original stained-glass windows can still be enjoyed at events of more than 300 people.
- Style inspired by Ireland's Rock of Cashel.
- Clinker-brick textured stonework.
- 1,200 seats in the worship space; 100 in the chapel.
- Shamrock Social Hall (former 1960 worship space) retains the original stained glass.
Mass & Liturgical Schedule
Mass is offered in English every day of the week except Monday. Weekend Masses are Saturday at 4:00 PM (anticipatory), and Sunday at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM. Weekday Masses are Tuesday at 6:30 PM and Wednesday through Friday at 8:00 AM.
- Saturday Vigil Mass — 4:00 PM
- Sunday — 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM
- Tuesday — 6:30 PM
- Wednesday–Friday — 8:00 AM
Our Staff
The parish is led by Father Brian Fier as Pastor and supported by a full pastoral and administrative staff including a Parish Administrator, Director of Faith Formation, Director of Music & Liturgy, Parish Nurse & Pastoral Minister, facility and cemetery teams, and an event manager.
- Father Brian Fier — Pastor (651-621-1563)
- Danika Dorame — Parish Administrator
- Teresa Neuman — Director of Faith Formation & Safe Environment Coordinator
- Lizzy Schroeder — Director of Music & Liturgy
- Lynette LaForte — Administrative / Multi-department Assistant
- Peg Johnston — Parish Nurse & Pastoral Minister
- Denise Stoffel — Event Manager
- Dave Franzwa — Lead Facility Engineer
- Ed Rudquist — Facility Engineer
- Denny Majetic — Cemetery Groundskeeper
- Sandy Christensen — staff support
- Deacon Fish — Social Justice commission
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish follows the Whole Community Catechesis model (based on the General Directory of Catechesis from Vatican II). Family faith formation is encouraged for all children in Pre-K through Confirmation. The program is designed not only to teach the fundamentals of the faith but to refresh adult knowledge, reinforce what is learned each year, relate adult learning to children's learning, build up the Domestic Church, and engage all ages in social-justice activities.
- Whole Community Catechesis for Pre-K through Confirmation
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults)
- OCIC (Order of Christian Initiation for Children)
- Family Faith Formation
- Safe Environment program (coordinated by the Director of Faith Formation)
- Contact: Teresa Neuman, Director of Faith Formation
Parish Leadership & Commissions
Parish life is organized through six commissions — Pastoral Care, Worship, Faith Formation, Parish Life, Social Justice, and Administration — each with named parishioner liaisons and staff contacts. The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) advises and counsels the pastor; members are nominated and appointed by random drawing for a three-year term. The Finance Council advises on parish finances. Commission meetings are open and welcome new participants.
- Six commissions: Pastoral Care, Worship, Faith Formation, Parish Life, Social Justice, Administration
- Parish Pastoral Council — co-chaired by Todd Briguet and Eva Hanson
- Finance Council chaired by Patty Kruse
- 1st Tuesday — Commission meetings, 7–8:00 PM
- 2nd Tuesday — Parish Pastoral Council, 7–8:30 PM
- 3rd Tuesday — Finance Council, 7–8:30 PM (by invitation)
- Active registered parishioners are eligible to serve
Administration Commission
The Administration Commission advises the Parish Pastoral Council and coordinates three subcommittees: Buildings and Grounds, Communications, and Stewardship. It reviews maintenance of parish properties and the cemetery, recommends improvements, oversees parish communications, and promotes a shared understanding of stewardship as prayer, participation, generosity, and active discipleship.
- Buildings and Grounds subcommittee
- Communications subcommittee
- Stewardship subcommittee
- Pastoral care of parish campus and cemetery
Sacraments
Beyond the regular Mass, Reconciliation and Anointing schedule, the parish prepares parishioners for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, and Christian burial; hosts OCIA for adults and OCIC for children; and offers notary services by request. Weddings require a minimum of six months' notice to the Pastor.
- Weddings — contact the Pastor at 651-455-6624 at least six months in advance
- Funerals — guided by the parish Funeral Guidelines (available on the website)
- OCIA / OCIC for adults and children
- Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation preparation
- Notary services available upon request
Visiting & Contact
The Parish Office is open Monday–Thursday 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM (Fridays the office is closed), with extended hours until 7:00 PM on Thursdays (parishioners enter through the adoration door at the upper entrance). Bulletin announcements are due by Monday noon on the week preceding publication.
- Parish Office hours: Monday–Thursday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM; Friday closed
- Bulletin announcements: [email protected] (due Monday noon)
- New parishioner registrations accepted online or in the office
- Phone: 651-455-6624
- Fax: 651-455-8984
- After-hours pastoral emergency: 612-242-9151
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Franciscan Fathers of the Immaculate Conception Province (Hollidaysburg, PA)1959–January 1996
Reactivated the parish in 1959 after the 1919 fire-era dormancy; staffed it until declining vocations led them to depart.
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis priestsJanuary 1996–present
Returned to direct staffing when the Franciscans withdrew.