About St. Richard · Richfield, Minnesota
St. Richard Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis located at 7540 Penn Ave S in Richfield, Minnesota. Founded on February 3, 1952, by families moving out of nearby St. Peter and Assumption parishes, St. Richard grew quickly in the post-war Richfield farmland community and built its first combined church-and-school in 1952. The present-day church was dedicated in 1985 after the original worship space could no longer hold the growing congregation. Since 2020, St. Richard has collaborated closely with neighboring parishes Church of the Assumption and St. Peter under a single pastor, one parish staff, and shared bilingual ministries, while remaining three distinct parishes with their own identities and Mass schedules.
- Established
- 1952
- Patron
- St. Richard
- Rector
- Father James (Jim) Liekhus
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Richard offers a deeply rooted Richfield parish family with both English and Spanish Masses every Sunday, weekday Mass on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and a tradition of lay involvement that has shaped the parish since 1952. Worshippers here can join a vibrant music ministry (English choir, Spanish choir, bell choir, and ensembles), serve on one of five parish commissions (Worship, Fellowship, Outreach, Education, Administration), and participate in the annual Tri-Fest festival that unites St. Richard with neighboring Assumption and St. Peter parishes under one collaborative community. With its 1985 church, its long partnership with Blessed Trinity Catholic School, and a pastorate committed to bilingual ministries, St. Richard is a welcoming home for both longtime Richfield families and newer neighbors.
Mass times at St. Richard
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM (before Mass, at St. Richard)
- Thursday 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM (before Mass, at St. Richard)
- Or by appointment with Father Liekhus (bilingual)
Adoration times
- Adoration is offered at the parish level on Mondays 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM at St. Peter and Fridays 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM at Assumption (no perpetual adoration specifically listed for St. Richard; the Archdiocesan directory lists Eucharistic Adoration as Non-Perpetual). Adoration is not held most holy days or holidays.
History of St. Richard Parish
St. Richard Catholic Church was founded on February 3, 1952, by families from St. Peter and Assumption parishes responding to the explosive post-war growth of the Richfield area. The first combined church-and-school was completed within a year, and Franciscan fathers and friars from Assumption Seminary supported the young parish from its earliest days.
- Founded February 3, 1952
- First combined church-and-school completed 1952
- Poor Clare Monastery established in the parish boundaries in 1954
- New church dedicated in 1985
- St. Richard School merged into Blessed Trinity Catholic School in 1994
- Tri-parish collaboration with Assumption and St. Peter began 2020
The Poor Clare Sisters Connection
In 1953, Pastor Father Alfred Longley of St. Richard learned that the Poor Clare Monastery of Sauk Rapids needed more space. Parishioner Marie St. Martin donated five acres of her Bloomington farmland, and on August 11, 1954, six sisters moved in. The Poor Clares remained part of the spiritual life of St. Richard for 64 years and formed deep bonds with parishioners, who later assisted in repurposing the historic monastery.
- Land donated by parishioner Marie St. Martin
- Monastery completed May 1954
- Six sisters from Sauk Rapids moved in August 11, 1954
- Sisters lived within the parish boundaries for 64 years
The Tri-Parish Collaboration (Assumption, St. Peter, St. Richard)
Since 2020, the three Richfield parishes have operated as a single collaborative Catholic community while remaining three distinct parishes. They share one pastor (Father Jim Liekhus), one parochial vicar (Father David Shaw), one parish staff, one tri-parish Pastoral Council, and one set of bilingual ministries. The Mass schedule is coordinated so the six Sunday Masses do not overlap across the three campuses.
- Father Jim Liekhus — Pastor of all three parishes
- Father David Shaw — Parochial Vicar
- Beth Schorle — Tri-parish Parish Administrator
- One shared Pastoral Council; three separate Finance Councils
- Coordinated bilingual Sunday Mass schedule across three campuses
Parish Commissions and Lay Leadership
St. Richard's parish council has organized ministry around five commissions, inviting parishioners to use their God-given gifts in service of the parish mission of spreading the Gospel and building God's kingdom. The model is shared across the tri-parish collaboration.
- Worship Commission
- Fellowship Commission
- Outreach Commission
- Education Commission
- Administration Commission
- Contact: Anne Marie Gavel
Music Ministry
Music ministers lead the assembly in sung prayer so that everyone gathered can be a full, active participant in the liturgy. The parish offers several ensembles, including a bilingual mix of English and Spanish choirs that have grown together since the tri-parish collaboration began.
- English Choir — Grade 9 through adult, Tuesday evening rehearsals, September–May
- Spanish Choir
- Bell Choir — directed by Donna Kavanaugh, parishioner
- Ensembles — singers and instrumentalists
- Director of Music: Nuriel Abdenur
- Bell Choir Director: Donna Kavanaugh
Education and Blessed Trinity Catholic School
St. Richard School was founded together with the parish in 1952 and staffed initially by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Crookston. In 1994 it merged with the schools of Assumption and St. Peter to form Blessed Trinity Catholic School, a single Catholic school serving Richfield families from all three parishes.
- St. Richard School founded 1952
- Originally staffed by Sisters of St. Joseph of Crookston
- Consolidated into Blessed Trinity Catholic School in 1994
Outreach and Community Life
Tri-Fest, the tri-parish community festival launched under Father Liekhus, rotates annually among the three Richfield parish campuses and includes games, raffles, music, a beer garden, a pancake breakfast, and appearances by the Richfield fire and police departments. The festival has helped parishioners from St. Richard, Assumption, and St. Peter serve together across parish lines.
- Tri-Fest annual festival — rotates among the three parishes
- Most recent Tri-Fest hosted at St. Richard
- Includes bingo, pancake breakfast, and community games
- Volunteer core of 12–13 planners plus broader parish participation
Visiting and Getting Involved
Newcomers and returning parishioners are invited to attend Mass at St. Richard, introduce themselves to Father Liekhus or Father Shaw after liturgy, and learn more about the five commissions and music ministries. The tri-parish office at 7540 Penn Ave S fields calls for all three parishes and can connect visitors with sacraments, faith formation, and volunteer opportunities.
- Office: 7540 Penn Ave S, Richfield, MN 55423
- Phone: 612-869-2426
- Email: [email protected]
- Parochial Vicar email: [email protected]
- Music Director email: [email protected]
- Bell Choir: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Alfred Longley1950s (founding era)
Early pastor who, with parishioner Marie St. Martin, helped secure land in Bloomington that became the Poor Clare Monastery in 1954.
- Father John UbelThrough at least December 2010
Referenced in The Catholic Spirit as pastor of St. Richard during the December 2010 snowstorm.
- Father James (Jim) Liekhus2020–present
Appointed pastor of St. Richard and Assumption in 2020, and of St. Peter in 2021, uniting the three Richfield parishes under one pastor.
- Father David Shaw2022–present
Joined as parochial vicar of the tri-parish community in July 2022.