About St. Paul · Comfrey, Minnesota
St. Paul's Parish is a small rural Roman Catholic parish serving the farming community of Comfrey in southwestern Minnesota. It is one of four parishes that together form the Divine Mercy Area Faith Community (AFC), clustered with the Japanese Martyrs (Leavenworth), St. Michael (Morgan), and St. Mary (Sleepy Eye) parishes under the Diocese of New Ulm. The parish's own mission statement describes it as 'a rural Catholic community, built by the grace of God, celebrating 100 years of faith,' rooted in agriculture and inter-generational family life. Sunday Mass is celebrated at 10:00 a.m., and the parish shares pastoral leadership, faith formation, music, and administrative staff with its AFC partners.
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Fr. Craig Timmerman
- Diocese
- Diocese of New Ulm
Why belong here
St. Paul's is a close-knit rural Catholic parish where every family knows every other family and faith is woven into the rhythm of farm life. Worshippers gather for Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m. in Comfrey and can also take advantage of weekday Masses, regular confession times, and Adoration with Holy Hour. As part of the Divine Mercy AFC, the parish offers shared faith-formation programs for children, youth religious education, and a network of liturgical and outreach ministries — giving small-parish members the benefits of a larger community without losing the warmth of their home parish.
Mass times at St. Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 9:30–9:45 AM (before Mass)
- First Wednesday 9:30–10:30 AM (with Holy Hour)
Adoration times
- First Wednesday 9:30–10:30 AM (Holy Hour following confession)
Parish Identity & Mission
St. Paul's Parish in Comfrey, Minnesota, presents itself as a rural Catholic community 'built by the grace of God, celebrating 100 years of faith.' Its published mission statement emphasizes active participation, the teaching of Christian values, continued spiritual growth, and an ecumenical spirit that seeks to be an example of Christ's love in the parish, the wider community, and the world. The parish prides itself on welcoming people of all ages and occupations with a strong tie to the land.
- Mission statement: 'We are a rural Catholic community, built by the grace of God, celebrating 100 years of faith.'
- Welcomes families of all ages with ties to local agriculture
- Anniversary date noted on parish site: September 19, 1995
Divine Mercy Area Faith Community
St. Paul's Comfrey is one of four worship sites that together make up the Divine Mercy Area Faith Community in the Diocese of New Ulm. The AFC partners St. Paul's with the Japanese Martyrs campus in Leavenworth, St. Michael in Morgan, and St. Mary's campus in Sleepy Eye, pooling clergy, staff, and formation programs so that small rural parishes can sustain vibrant Catholic life. The AFC office is located at 636 1st Ave North in Sleepy Eye.
- Partner parishes: Japanese Martyrs (Leavenworth), St. Michael (Morgan), St. Mary's (Sleepy Eye)
- AFC office: 636 1st Ave North, Sleepy Eye, MN 56085
- Joint pastoral team: one pastor and two parochial vicars serving all four sites
Clergy & Staff
St. Paul's shares its pastoral and administrative team with the rest of the Divine Mercy AFC. The AFC is led by Fr. Craig Timmerman as pastor, assisted by parochial vicars Fr. Samuel Perez and Fr. Nathan Hansen, with two deacons — Deacon Mark Kober and Deacon Mike McKeown — supporting sacramental life across the parishes. Mr. Matt Grausam serves as Finance Manager and Mr. Nicholas Liese as Music Director for the AFC.
- Fr. Craig Timmerman — Pastor
- Fr. Samuel Perez — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Nathan Hansen — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Mark Kober
- Deacon Mike McKeown
- Mr. Matt Grausam — Finance Manager
- Mr. Nicholas Liese — Music Director
- Mrs. Nellie Richter — Administrative Assistant, St. Paul's Parish
Religious Education & Faith Formation
Religious education across the Divine Mercy AFC is coordinated by Mrs. Shelley Roufs, the AFC Director of Religious Education. Families from St. Paul's Comfrey, St. Michael Morgan, the Japanese Martyrs campus in Leavenworth, and St. Mary's Sleepy Eye are served through shared faith-formation programs. Mrs. Amanda Murphy is also listed on the AFC religious education staff page.
- Director of Religious Education: Mrs. Shelley Roufs
- Religious Education staff: Mrs. Amanda Murphy
- Registration available through the AFC Director of Religious Education
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at St. Paul's Comfrey and across the Divine Mercy AFC is coordinated by AFC Music Director Mr. Nicholas Liese. The shared music program supports Sunday and weekday liturgies at all four AFC worship sites, helping sustain quality sacred music despite the small size of any individual parish.
- AFC Music Director: Mr. Nicholas Liese
School & Youth Ministry
The Divine Mercy AFC operates St. Mary's School, led by Principal Mr. Peter Roufs, which serves Catholic school families across the cluster of parishes including St. Paul's Comfrey. Youth faith formation is offered through the AFC's shared religious education program.
- St. Mary's School — Principal: Mr. Peter Roufs
- School serves AFC families from Comfrey, Morgan, Sleepy Eye, and Leavenworth
Office & Contact Information
The St. Paul's Parish office is located at 209 N. Field Street, Comfrey, MN 56019, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 277, Comfrey, MN 56019. The parish phone number is (507) 877-2361. Office hours at the Comfrey site are Monday and Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and Friday 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Mrs. Nellie Richter serves as the parish's administrative assistant.
- Address: 209 N. Field Street, Comfrey, MN 56019
- Mailing: P.O. Box 277, Comfrey, MN 56019
- Phone: (507) 877-2361
- Office hours: Mon & Wed 9:00 AM–1:00 PM; Fri 1:00–4:00 PM
- Administrative Assistant: Mrs. Nellie Richter
Diocese & Wider Church
St. Paul's Parish belongs to the Diocese of New Ulm, a Roman Catholic diocese in southwestern Minnesota. Through the Divine Mercy AFC it collaborates with three neighboring parishes to sustain sacramental life, faith formation, and pastoral care in this rural region of the diocese.
- Diocese: New Ulm
- Diocese parish page: dnu.org/comfrey
- GCatholic Church ID: 32196