About St. Paul · Sauk Centre, Minnesota
St. Paul's Catholic Church is a historic parish in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, founded by German Catholic settlers in the 1860s. Originally the German-language parish of the town (alongside the Irish-founded Our Lady of the Angels), it is today the home of the diocesan Divine Mercy Shrine and St. Faustina's Chapel of Divine Mercy, a perpetual adoration chapel with relics of St. Faustina and St. Maximilian Kolbe. Since 2019 it has been part of the Parishes on the Prairie Area Catholic Community (ACC), joining five neighboring parishes under the Diocese of St. Cloud. The parish runs Holy Family School jointly with Our Lady of the Angels and offers faith formation, youth ministry, Hispanic outreach, and a strong calendar of Divine Mercy devotions.
- Established
- 1864
- Patron
- St. Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Fr. Kevin Soenneker (current Pastor of the Parishes on the Prairie ACC, per the parish staff page; Fr. Mark Botzet serves as Parochial Vicar). Fr. Greg Paffel had served as pastor until Bishop Patrick Neary granted him an administrative leave in February 2025.
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Cloud
Why belong here
St. Paul's offers a deeply rooted Catholic community with more than 160 years of history and a uniquely strong identity around the Divine Mercy devotion — it houses the diocesan Divine Mercy Shrine and St. Faustina's Chapel, with perpetual adoration six days a week. Families benefit from a Catholic elementary school (Holy Family), grades 1–11 faith formation, grades 6–12 youth ministry, and a Hispanic outreach ministry, all while sharing pastoral coverage with five neighboring rural parishes under the Parishes on the Prairie Area Catholic Community. Confession is offered multiple times each week and the parish doors are designated Doors of Mercy for pilgrim indulgences.
Mass times at St. Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM — St. Paul's, Sauk Centre
- Thursday 4:00 PM — St. Paul's, Sauk Centre
- By appointment — call the Sauk Centre office at 320-352-2196
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration: Sunday 1:00 PM through Saturday 10:00 AM — St. Faustina's Chapel of Divine Mercy (lower level of the 2016 addition)
- Every Monday 3:00 PM — Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet at St. Paul's
- Annual Divine Mercy Sunday celebration: Exposition 1:00 PM, Reconciliation 2:00–3:45 PM, Chaplet & Consecration 3:00 PM, Benediction 3:45 PM, Mass 4:00 PM, Eucharistic Procession and light meal to follow
History of St. Paul's Parish
St. Paul's traces its roots to the fall of 1864, when Father Matthew Stuerenberg, O.S.B., said the first Masses at the home of Joseph Capser for the area's German Catholic settlers. Six founding families — Capser, Borgmann, Ebensteiner, Kalkmann, Gruber, and Miller — paid $475 for a parcel of land in 1870 and built the first church, dedicated by Father Valentine on June 30, 1871. Bishop Seidenbusch celebrated the parish's first Confirmation in September 1875. A parish school opened on February 18, 1897, with 50 pupils taught by two Benedictine Sisters; that school is today Holy Family School. The present larger church was begun in 1902 (foundation by Paul Koschiol of St. Cloud), with Bishop James Trobec laying the cornerstone on April 10, 1904, and dedicating the finished building on April 25, 1906 — the Second Sunday of Easter. By 1908 the parish counted 106 German families.
- First Mass: fall 1864, home of Joseph Capser
- First church dedicated: June 30, 1871 (Father Valentine)
- First Confirmation: September 1875 (Bishop Seidenbusch)
- Cornerstone of present church: April 10, 1904 (Bishop James Trobec)
- Dedication of present church: April 25, 1906 (Second Sunday of Easter)
- Parish school opens: February 18, 1897 (now Holy Family School)
Divine Mercy Shrine & St. Faustina's Chapel
St. Paul's is the home of a diocesan-designated shrine to the Divine Mercy of Jesus. On the left side altar stands a hand-carved butternut-wood image of the Merciful Jesus, sculpted by Deacon Lawrence Kaas in 1980/1981 in the iconic 'Jesus, I Trust in You' pose with red and white rays. The carving was blessed by Bishop George Speltz on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 18, 1982, when the Bishop also consecrated the entire community of Sauk Centre and the Diocese of St. Cloud to Divine Mercy. Adjacent to the church, in the lower level of the 2016 addition, St. Faustina's Chapel of Divine Mercy hosts perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament six days a week and contains first- and second-class relics of St. Faustina Kowalska and St. Maximilian Kolbe, along with a relic of the True Cross. During Pope Francis's 2016 Year of Mercy, Bishop Donald Kettler designated the front doors of St. Paul's as Doors of Mercy, granting the customary indulgences to pilgrims.
- Diocesan pilgrimage shrine to Jesus Divine Mercy
- Hand-carved butternut-wood image by Deacon Lawrence Kaas (1980/81)
- Consecrated by Bishop George Speltz on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 18, 1982
- Relics of St. Faustina Kowalska and St. Maximilian Kolbe
- Relic of the True Cross
- St. Faustina's Chapel of Divine Mercy hosts perpetual adoration
- Doors of Mercy designated by Bishop Donald Kettler, 2016
Divine Mercy Sunday Celebration
Each year on the Sunday after Easter, St. Paul's hosts the regional Divine Mercy Sunday celebration — a tradition it has kept since the early 1980s, long before St. John Paul II proclaimed the feast for the universal Church in 2000. The afternoon opens with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 1:00 PM, followed by the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the praying of the Divine Mercy Chaplet and a Consecration to Divine Mercy, Benediction, and Holy Mass at 4:00 PM. A Eucharistic Procession moves to St. Faustina's Chapel of Divine Mercy, and a light meal is served in the church basement afterwards.
- 1:00 PM — Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
- 2:00–3:45 PM — Sacrament of Reconciliation
- 3:00 PM — Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Consecration
- 3:45 PM — Benediction
- 4:00 PM — Mass
- Eucharistic Procession and light meal to follow
Staff & Clergy
St. Paul's is served through the Parishes on the Prairie ACC. Fr. Kevin Soenneker is the current Pastor and Fr. Mark Botzet is the Parochial Vicar. Retired priests Fr. Jim Maderack and Fr. Joe Korf continue to assist. The diaconate serving the cluster includes Deacon Lawrence Kaas (the artist of the Divine Mercy image), Deacon Tim Pribula, Deacon Tom McFadden, and Deacon Kelly Marthaler. The Sauk Centre office is staffed by Karen VonWahlde (Sauk Centre Office Coordinator), Deb Himsl (Sauk Centre Office Assistant), Stefanie Steinhoffer, and Whitney Rutten (Director of Operations). Fr. Greg Paffel, who had served as ACC pastor and was named the 2024 recipient of the Diocese of St. Cloud Humanae Vitae Award, was placed on administrative leave by Bishop Patrick Neary in February 2025.
- Fr. Kevin Soenneker — Pastor
- Fr. Mark Botzet — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Jim Maderack — Retired Priest
- Fr. Joe Korf — Retired Priest
- Deacon Lawrence Kaas — sculptor of the Divine Mercy image
- Deacon Tim Pribula
- Deacon Tom McFadden
- Deacon Kelly Marthaler
- Karen VonWahlde — Sauk Centre Office Coordinator
- Deb Himsl — Sauk Centre Office Assistant
- Stefanie Steinhoffer
- Whitney Rutten — Director of Operations
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith Formation at St. Paul's serves students in grades 1 through 11, with coordinators split by grade band: Kathy Knoblach for the K-5 program, Sheila Jaeger and Christina Rousslang for 6-11 Faith Formation, and Colleen Borgerding supporting the program. Youth Ministry for grades 6–12 is led by Amy Trisko (and Laura Lange for Senior High), giving middle and high school students opportunities for fellowship, service, and faith growth. Registration is offered on paper (English or Spanish) or online.
- Faith Formation for grades 1–11
- K–5 Faith Formation (Kathy Knoblach)
- 6–11 Faith Formation (Sheila Jaeger, Christina Rousslang)
- Youth Ministry for grades 6–12 (Amy Trisko)
- Senior High Youth Ministry (Laura Lange)
- Registration forms available in English and Spanish
Holy Family School
St. Paul's parish school was begun in 1896 and opened February 18, 1897, with 50 children taught by two Benedictine Sisters. The school is now named Holy Family School and is jointly supported by St. Paul's, Our Lady of the Angels, and other parishes in the cluster, which contribute both financially and by sending students — a practical expression of the ACC's shared mission.
- Founded 1896, opened February 18, 1897
- Originally staffed by Benedictine Sisters
- Now Holy Family School — shared regional Catholic elementary school
- Supported by St. Paul's, Our Lady of the Angels, and other ACC parishes
Parishioner Support & Outreach
St. Paul's and the Parishes on the Prairie ACC host a number of support and outreach ministries. Hispanic Outreach programs and groups like GriefShare and DivorceCare meet at the Centre for Christ in Sauk Centre. The parish also maintains a sister-parish relationship through the Migori program with the Diocese of Homa Bay in Kenya, a connection that grew out of the original Divine Mercy committee's evangelization work. WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) services are available by appointment on the second Tuesday of each month.
- Hispanic Outreach
- GriefShare
- DivorceCare
- SEVEN youth program
- Searching Souls
- Migori — sister-parish relationship with Diocese of Homa Bay, Kenya
- WIC appointments (320-656-6479)
- Natural Family Planning and Marriage Preparation
Parishes on the Prairie Area Catholic Community
In 2019 the Diocese of St. Cloud grouped six parishes into an Area Catholic Community (ACC), which parishioners named Parishes on the Prairie after a contest (more than 30 entries were submitted, narrowed to five finalists, and voted on at all weekend Masses). The ACC allows the parishes to share staff and resources while preserving each parish's individual identity.
- St. Donatus — Brooten, MN
- St. Alexius — West Union, MN
- St. Francis de Sales — Belgrade, MN
- Sts. Peter and Paul — Elrosa, MN
- Our Lady of the Angels — Sauk Centre, MN
- St. Paul's — Sauk Centre, MN
Contact & Visiting
St. Paul's church and parish office share the same building at 304 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. The Sauk Centre office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and Friday 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The parish phone line is (320) 352-2196 and the office coordinator can be reached at [email protected]. The 2016 addition added ground-level entrances, an elevator, and additional parking for visitors.
- Address: 304 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378
- Phone: (320) 352-2196
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–4:30 PM; Fri 9:00 AM–1:00 PM
- Handicap-accessible elevator and ground-level entrances
- Saturday Vigil Mass livestreamed
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Matthew Stuerenberg, O.S.B.1864–c.1870
Celebrated the first religious services at the home of Joseph Capser; active in Stearns County missions.
- Father Valentine1871
Dedicated the first church on June 30, 1871.
- Bishop Seidenbusch1875
Celebrated the parish's first Confirmation in September 1875.
- Bishop James Trobec1904–1906
Laid the cornerstone of the current church on April 10, 1904 (at the Hour of Mercy) and dedicated it on April 25, 1906.
- Father Elmer Torborgearly 1980s
Pastor at the time the Divine Mercy committee (Kulzer, Theisen, Botz, Dcn. Kaas) brought the devotion to the parish.
- Father Todd Schneidernot specified
Former pastor; researched the 1904 cornerstone date and its connection to Divine Mercy Sunday.
- Father Greg Paffelthrough Feb 2025
Long-time pastor of the Parishes on the Prairie ACC; recipient of the 2024 Diocese of St. Cloud Humanae Vitae Award; placed on administrative leave in February 2025.