About St. Victoria · Victoria, Minnesota
St. Victoria is a Catholic parish in the small town of Victoria, Minnesota, in the southwest corner of the Twin Cities metro, belonging to the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Founded by European immigrant pioneers in 1857, the parish grew from a log-cabin chapel to a thriving community of about 1,600 registered households served by more than 60 volunteer ministries. Its campus pairs a 19th-century brick historic church (built 1870) with a newer, larger worship space dedicated in 2005, and the parish is widely known for its warm welcome, its pastor of nearly three decades, Fr. Bob White, and its mission to 'reach out as the face and hands of Jesus Christ.'
- Established
- 1857
- Patron
- Saint Victoria (chosen by the original European immigrant founders as a favorite saint from their homeland)
- Rector
- Fr. Bob White
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Why belong here
St. Victoria is a mission-driven parish where the more than 60 active ministries — from bereavement support, pregnancy-center outreach, and a Thanksgiving food drive for 200 Carver County families, to a thriving faith-formation program for children, youth, and adults — give every parishioner a concrete way to live out the Gospel. Visitors are welcomed with a blend of old and new: daily Mass in the beloved 1870 brick historic church, weekend Masses in the larger 2005 worship space, Thursday all-day Eucharistic Adoration, and a pastor who has shepherded the same community for nearly three decades. It is the kind of place, in Fr. Bob White's words, that aims to be 'a soft landing place for the Catholics who've drifted away, where they can rediscover their faith and get excited about it.'
Mass times at St. Victoria
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday — after the 5:00 PM Mass, in the St. Ignatius Reconciliation Room
- By appointment — call the parish office at (952) 443-2661
Adoration times
- Every Thursday — 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM in the Historic Church (begins after the 8:00 AM daily Mass)
- Once a month the Young Adult Ministry hosts a Holy Hour from 7:00–8:00 PM with music and guided prayers & reflections
- Eucharistic Adoration with the youth during the Faith Formation year
Mission & History
St. Victoria is a Catholic family inviting all to celebrate the Eucharist in the spirit of fellowship and love. We worship together, seek formation of youth, provide opportunities for spiritual growth and community involvement while reaching out to all as the face and hands of Jesus Christ. We do so by proclaiming a God of sweet love, by offering radical hospitality, and by engaging in bold acts of charity and justice. The parish was founded in 1857 by European immigrant pioneers who built a small wooden church and chose Saint Victoria — a favorite saint from their European homeland — as the parish's patron. A larger brick church followed in 1870, with its steeple added in 1884; both still stand in downtown Victoria as the parish's Historic Church. After the parish's centennial in 1957, decades of growth prompted construction of a new, larger worship space dedicated in 2005 to complement the historic building. The parish celebrated its sesquicentennial in 2007, 150 years after its founding, and has continued to grow to roughly 1,600 registered households served by more than 60 volunteer ministries.
- Parish founded: 1857 by European immigrant pioneers
- Original wooden church built shortly after 1857; replaced by brick church in 1870
- Historic Church steeple added: 1884
- Centennial celebrated: 1957 (196 registered homes)
- New worship space dedicated: 2005 (construction began May 2003)
- Sesquicentennial celebrated: 2007 (150th anniversary of founding)
- Approx. 1,500–1,600 registered households today
Our Team / Clergy & Staff
St. Victoria is led by Fr. Bob White, who has served as pastor since 1996, with the assistance of a deacon and a deeply developed lay staff that the parish credits with making its ministries run. The team is intentionally broad, covering liturgy, music, formation, outreach, communications, and operations — reflecting the parish's model of shared ministry.
- Fr. Bob White — Pastor (at St. Victoria since 1996)
- Deacon Ray Ortman — Deacon & Business Administrator
- Jodee Korkowski — Administrative Assistant for Financial Stewardship
- Joey Nelson — Liturgical Ministries Coordinator
- Lori Bjorklund — Receptionist (Tuesday–Thursday)
- Julie Schmieg — Ministry Support Services (handles parish registration)
- John Abel — Director of Pastoral Care & Social Outreach
- Paul David — Director of Communications
- Daryl Schmieg — Maintenance Supervisor
- Terry Beaudry — Co-Director of Music
- Amee Gallagher — Co-Director of Music
- Emily Klinker — Director of Adult, Children and Youth Formation & Parish Safe Environment Coordinator
- Ann Esping — Assistant Director for Youth Formation (Middle & High School)
Mass & Prayer Times
St. Victoria celebrates Mass in two distinct worship spaces: weekend Masses are in the larger Main Worship Space (dedicated 2005), while daily Masses take place in the Historic Church (1870 brick building). An outdoor Mass is offered on the second Sunday of each month from May through October, weather permitting, and a 'Backyard Mass' is offered on Fridays during the summer as announced.
- Saturday Vigil — 5:00 PM (Main Worship Space)
- Sunday — 8:45 AM (Main Worship Space)
- Sunday — 10:45 AM (Main Worship Space)
- Tuesday — 9:00 AM Word-Communion Service (Main Worship Space)
- Wednesday, Thursday, Friday — 8:00 AM daily Mass (Historic Church)
Liturgy & Worship
The parish invites all the faithful to participate actively in the Mass — standing, kneeling, singing, and responding — and offers many ways to serve in liturgical roles. Training is provided for all liturgical ministries, and the parish's Liturgy Coordinator, Joey Nelson, welcomes new volunteers.
- Sacristan
- Lector
- Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion
- Greeter / Usher
- Altar Server
- Music Ministry (Co-Directors: Terry Beaudry and Amee Gallagher)
- 'Pondering with Prompts' — Fr. Bob's weekly Gospel reflection for individuals, families, and faith-sharing groups
Spiritual Ministries
Beyond the sacraments, St. Victoria cultivates a wide range of devotional and prayer-based ministries. The parish Prayer Phone Line rallies intercessory prayer for special intentions, often within hours of a request, and Eucharistic Adoration is a central weekly rhythm of the community.
- Prayer Phone Line — Mary Moore (952-443-2443) and Dianne Leahy
- Eucharistic Adoration — every Thursday in the Historic Church
- Monthly Young Adult Ministry Holy Hour with music and guided reflections
- Adoration with youth during the Faith Formation year
Outreach Ministries
The parish's outreach ministries put faith into action in and around Carver County. 'The fruit of faith is LOVE. The fruit of love is SERVICE. The fruit of service is PEACE.' — St. Teresa of Calcutta. St. Victoria's outreach is coordinated through Director of Pastoral Care & Social Outreach John Abel and reflects the parish's stated mission of engaging in bold acts of charity and justice.
- Bereavement Ministry — a caring presence to parishioners grieving the loss of a loved one
- Bright Beginnings — supporting an area pregnancy center with two annual fundraisers, baby-bottle coin drives, and supply collections for families in need
- Give Thanks — Thanksgiving food drive with Humanity Alliance, Bountiful Basket Food Shelf, and Love INC; delivers complete turkey meals to about 200 families in Carver County (coordinator: Sammi Lange, Humanity Alliance, 612-444-5922)
- Joy to the World — Christmas gift-card bags with prayer cards and ornaments made by Faith Formation children
- Valentine Visits — candy and homemade valentines delivered to parishioners age 75 and older
- The Humanity Alliance — Victoria-based nonprofit addressing food insecurity and chronic disease; parishioners can sign up for weekly food packing and delivery opportunities
- 60+ additional volunteer ministries across the parish
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith Formation at St. Victoria spans adults, children, and youth, and the parish is committed to walking together on the journey of faith. The youth program includes Middle and High School formation, and Fr. Bob has also served a 14-year chaplaincy at nearby Holy Family Catholic High School (where he remains chaplain of the football team and a school board member).
- Director of Adult, Children and Youth Formation & Parish Safe Environment Coordinator: Emily Klinker
- Assistant Director for Youth Formation (Middle & High School): Ann Esping
- Adoration with youth during the Faith Formation year
- Vatican II Documents in a Year — adult formation series hosted at Elstan Hall
Joining the Parish
Joining St. Victoria involves a registration meeting with Fr. Bob or Deacon Ray. New parishioners are invited to contact Julie Schmieg in the Parish Office, who is happy to assist with the registration process. The parish frames itself as a welcoming community where new and longtime members can find spiritual growth, service opportunities, and a supportive Catholic home.
- Contact for registration: Julie Schmieg, Parish Office — (952) 443-2661
- Registration meeting with Fr. Bob White or Deacon Ray Ortman
- Office hours: Tuesday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM (closed weekends and public holidays)
Visiting & Contact
St. Victoria Catholic Parish is located in the heart of Victoria, Minnesota, a small town in the southwest corner of the Twin Cities metro area. The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM, and the parish phone line — (952) 443-2661 — is the main point of contact for all sacramental needs, registrations, and inquiries.
- Address: 8228 Victoria Dr, Victoria, MN 55386
- Phone: (952) 443-2661
- Office hours: Tuesday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM (closed weekends and public holidays)
- Directions: From Highway 5, take the Victoria exit south on Victoria Drive; the parish is just past the downtown area on the right-hand side
- Ample parking available on site
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Bob White1996–present (approx. 28+ years as pastor)
Ordained in 1974; previously parochial vicar at Our Lady of the Lake in Mound and St. Mark in St. Paul; also served as volunteer missionary in Ciudad Guyana, Venezuela (1986–c.1991); parochial vicar at St. John the Baptist in New Brighton (1992–1993); pastor of St. William in Fridley (1994–1995); assumed pastorate of St. Victoria in 1996. Has continued pastoring past normal retirement age due to a hereditary vision condition, supported by his staff and parishioners who drive him. Also served 14 years as chaplain of Holy Family Catholic High School.