About St. Peter · Hokah, Minnesota
St. Peter's Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the small village of Hokah in Houston County, southeastern Minnesota, belonging to the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. The parish was formally established in 1878 and built its current church-school complex on Main Street beginning in 1916, with dedication on May 26, 1918. Today it is an active parish of more than 150 families that operates St. Peter School (PK–8) and shares its pastor, Father John Evans, with neighboring Crucifixion Parish in La Crescent. Weekend and weekday Masses, faith formation, EDGE youth ministry, and the legacy of Catholic education stretching back to 1862 remain at the heart of parish life.
- Established
- 1878
- Patron
- St. Peter (Apostle)
- Rector
- Father John Evans
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Why belong here
St. Peter's is a small, multigenerational Catholic community in the Root River valley that still operates its own PK–8 parish school — one of the oldest Catholic schools in the area, dating in spirit to the 1862 catechism classes taught by Miss Franceska Hafner and the School Sisters of Notre Dame. Families who join find an active parish of more than 150 households, a parish school of around 45 students, EDGE youth ministry, Generations of Faith religious education for grades 1–5, a Confirmation program, weekly adoration, Stations of the Cross in Lent, and a shared faith life with neighboring Crucifixion Parish through the 'Root River Catholics' bulletin and staff. It is a good fit for Catholics in Houston County looking for a traditional, family-oriented parish with a real school attached to the church.
Mass times at St. Peter
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:30–7:50 am (before 8:00 am Mass at St. Peter's, Hokah)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 4:30–5:20 pm (St. Peter's, Hokah — shared with Crucifixion collaborative)
Parish History
Catholic life in Hokah predates the parish by more than a decade and a half. Miss Franceska Hafner began teaching religion classes in her brother's home in 1862, local families built a small wooden church called St. Joseph's north of town (the cemetery still exists), and in 1864 Father Franz Neubrandt became the first resident priest. The School Sisters of Notre Dame opened the four-story Blessed Sacrament convent in 1867, but Archbishop John Ireland's opposition to the parochial school system kept the convent chapel from being recognized as the parish church; Bishop Cotter closed it in 1904. St. Peter's itself was formally organized in 1878 as a mission of La Crescent, and in 1916 the present combined church-and-school was begun on Main Street, with dedication on May 26, 1918.
- 1862 – first religion classes taught by Franceska Hafner
- 1864 – first resident priest, Fr. Franz Neubrandt
- 1867 – School Sisters of Notre Dame open Blessed Sacrament convent
- 1878 – St. Peter's Parish organized in Hokah as a mission of La Crescent
- 1904 – Bishop Cotter closes Blessed Sacrament convent/chapel
- 1916 – ground broken for the current church-school
- May 26, 1918 – church-school dedicated
Catholic Education & St. Peter School
The parish has run a school on the same Main Street site since the building was dedicated in 1918. The Sisters of St. Francis of Rochester taught the first 92 pupils that fall, and by 1921 a full four-year high school was offered alongside the grade school. The Notre Dame Sisters returned in 1931, a four-classroom addition was begun in 1949 to handle 171 pupils in grades 1–12, and the high school closed in 1965 when La Crescent opened a public high school. By 1979 the entire staff was lay; the first kindergarten class opened in 1986, and a preschool program was added in the fall of 2000. Today St. Peter School enrolls about 45 students in PK–8 under principal Doug Harpenau.
- 1918 – school opens with 92 students (Sisters of St. Francis)
- 1921 – four-year high school added
- 1931 – Notre Dame Sisters return (Aug. 24)
- 1949 – four-classroom addition begun; 1950 enrollment of 171
- 1965 – high school closed
- 1979 – all-lay staff under Fr. John Traufler
- 1986 – first kindergarten class
- 2000 – preschool program begins
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith formation is shared between the parish school and parish-based programs. Generations of Faith covers Grades 1–5, Confirmation preparation is offered for Grades 9–10, and EDGE Ministry provides middle-school youth nights during the school year. Adult formation includes the Tuesday morning Sunday Scripture Preview held at the Crucifixion Parish Office.
- Generations of Faith (Grades 1–5)
- Confirmation Sessions (Grades 9–10)
- EDGE Middle-School Youth Ministry (Wednesday evenings)
- Living Stations of the Cross during Holy Week (EDGE)
- Sunday Scripture Preview (Tuesdays 9:00–10:00 am, Crucifixion Office)
Parish Staff & Leadership
St. Peter's is led by a pastor shared with Crucifixion Parish, La Crescent, supported by a parish administrative assistant, school principal, bookkeeper, and lay liturgical volunteers (lectors, Eucharistic ministers, choir, ushers, greeters, servers, gift bearers, rosary leaders).
- Pastor — Fr. John Evans (since July 1, 2022; also Pastor of Crucifixion, La Crescent)
- Administrative Assistant — Camille Withrow ([email protected])
- Principal — Doug Harpenau ([email protected]; assigned 2018 from Crucifixion School)
- Bookkeeper — Jackie Fruechte ([email protected])
- Pastoral care by School Sisters of Notre Dame (historically, and Notre Dame Sisters returned 1931) and Sisters of St. Francis of Rochester (1918–)
Root River Catholics Collaborative
Since 2022 St. Peter's has shared its pastor, bulletin, faith-formation programming, and devotional life with Crucifixion Parish in La Crescent under the working name 'Root River Catholics'. The two parishes continue to maintain their own church buildings and schools but co-publish a single bulletin, share a Sunday Scripture Preview group, and rotate special Lenten devotions between the two sites.
- Shared pastor: Fr. John Evans
- Combined bulletin (Crucifixion + St. Peter's)
- Joint Eucharistic Adoration (Tuesdays 4:30–5:20 pm)
- Joint Faith Formation / EDGE programming
- Joint Sunday Scripture Preview (Tuesdays 9 am, Crucifixion Office)
Visiting & Contact
Visitors are warmly welcomed at the Sunday 8:00 am Mass. The parish office is staffed Monday–Friday and can be reached at 507-894-4375 or [email protected]. New families can register by downloading the family-registration form from the 'Forms' tab on the parish website. The combined church-school building on Main Street, with its 1918 fieldstone walls from the old Blessed Sacrament convent site, is the principal landmark to see.
- Address: 34 Main Street, Hokah, MN 55941
- Mailing: PO Box 357, Hokah, MN 55941-0357
- Phone: 507-894-4375
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.stpetershokah.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stpetershokah/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. A. F. Wermerskirchen1913–
First resident pastor; appointed by Bishop Heffron with directive to build a new church and school. Broke ground October 1916; building dedicated May 26, 1918.
- Father Knaufafter Wermerskirchen
Succeeded Fr. Wermerskirchen; departed with no successor appointed after the Blessed Sacrament convent/parochial school could not be sustained (early 1900s context referenced in parish history).
- Rev. Michael J. Kuisle1956–1965
Transferred from St. Francis de Sales, Claremont, to St. Peter's, Hokah, July 1956; reassigned as pastor of the Church of the Crucifixion, La Crescent, in June 1965. (Ordained 1940; previously at Rushford, Houston and Ridgeway 1947–54, then Claremont and West Concord 1954–56.)
- Father Paul Hodap1949–(1950s)
Directed the 1950 school year with 171 pupils in grades 1–12 after the four-classroom addition was begun in November 1949.
- Father John Traufler1979
Pastor when school opened in 1979 with an entirely lay staff; principal Patricia Tschumper.
- Father Paul Breza1992
Pastor in 1992 when the school opened with 89 K–8 pupils under principal Ken Buege; oversaw church renovation and library update.
- Father Pratap Reddy Salibindla, OFM2011–2018
Pastor 2011–2018; after his departure the diocese sent a substitute priest each Sunday.
- Father Havel2018
Assigned 2018; served during transition period after Fr. Pratap.
- Father Melvin2019
Assigned 2019.
- Father John Evans2022–present
Appointed Pastor of St. Peter Parish effective July 1, 2022, while remaining Pastor of Crucifixion Parish, La Crescent.