About St. Theodore · Albert Lea, Minnesota
St. Theodore Catholic Church is a Roman-Latin rite parish in Albert Lea, Minnesota, in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. The parish serves English-speaking and Spanish-speaking Catholics in Freeborn County, offering a Saturday evening Mass, a Sunday morning Mass, and a Spanish-language Sunday Mass. The parish campus at 315 E. Clark Street is shared with St. Theodore Elementary School (PK-5), operated by the parish as part of its Catholic-school mission under the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- St. Theodore
- Rector
- Father Kurt Farrell
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Why belong here
St. Theodore offers daily and weekend Mass in both English and Spanish, a Spanish Holy Hour after Friday Adoration, and a parish-supported elementary school (PK-5), making it a full hub of Catholic life for Freeborn County. With a Saturday Vigil Mass, a Sunday morning Mass, a Sunday Spanish Mass, and weekday Masses — plus Friday Adoration — there are abundant opportunities for prayer, fellowship, and formation for families in and around Albert Lea.
Mass times at St. Theodore
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
- Sunday 8:30 AM - 8:45 AM
Adoration times
- Friday 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Parish Identity & Leadership
St. Theodore is a Roman-Latin rite Catholic parish in Albert Lea, Minnesota, part of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester under Bishop Robert Barron. The parish is led by Father Kurt Farrell as Pastor. The parish office is at 315 E. Clark Street, Albert Lea, MN 56007, and can be reached at (507) 373-0603.
- Pastor: Father Kurt Farrell
- Diocese: Diocese of Winona-Rochester
- Rite: Roman-Latin
Spanish-Language & Hispanic Ministry
The parish serves Spanish-speaking Catholics in the Albert Lea area with a weekly Sunday Spanish Mass and a Spanish Holy Hour following Friday Adoration. These are part of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester's Hispanic Ministries apostolate.
- Spanish Mass: Sundays 11:00 AM
- Spanish Holy Hour: Friday after Adoration (approx. 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM)
Outreach to the Sick & Elderly
On a rotating basis each month (2nd - 4th Thursday), Father brings Mass to residents of local care facilities such as Good Samaritan, Thorne Crest, and New St. John's, in addition to the parish's on-site Masses.
- 2nd Thursday: Good Samaritan
- 3rd Thursday: Thorne Crest
- 4th Thursday: New St. John's
St. Theodore Elementary School
St. Theodore Elementary is the parish's PK-5 Catholic school, located at 323 E Clark Street, just east of the church on the same block. The school is operated as part of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester's Catholic Schools system and shares the parish's mission of faith formation for young families in Freeborn County.
- Grades: PK-5
- Principal: Sue Amundson
- Phone: (507) 373-9657
- Mailing address: 323 E Clark Street, Albert Lea, MN 56007
- Student-teacher ratio: 8:1
Parish History & Growth
St. Theodore's Catholic community in Albert Lea has maintained federal tax-exempt public-charity status since March 1946, making it the longest-recognized institutional chapter of the parish. Through the decades, the parish has expanded its Catholic-school mission (with the elementary school formally documented under Minnesota education records since the mid-1990s) and its Hispanic ministry. In 2023, the Diocese of Winona-Rochester announced the merger of St. James Parish in Twin Lakes into St. Theodore Parish, broadening the parish's pastoral reach in Freeborn County.
- Tax-exempt since March 1946 (EIN 41-0694756)
- Merged with St. James Parish, Twin Lakes (2023 decree)
Diocese of Winona-Rochester Affiliation
St. Theodore is one of the parishes of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, led by Bishop Robert Barron. Parishioners draw on diocesan offices for formation, vocations, marriage preparation, Catholic Charities, Catholic Cemeteries, youth ministry, and Safe Environment programs.
- Diocesan Catholic Charities outreach
- Lay Formation & RCIA
- Youth Ministry & Faith Formation
- Catholic Cemeteries