About St. William · Twin Valley, Minnesota
St. William Catholic Church is a small mission parish in Twin Valley, Minnesota, in the Diocese of Crookston. It is one of three Norman County Catholic communities (alongside St. Joseph in Ada and Holy Family in Halstad) that share worship and formational life under a single pastoral team. The parish offers a weekly Sunday Mass in English, a Saturday Vigil Mass, weekday Mass on Thursdays, and Eucharistic Adoration, and it hosts a community food shelf run by the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Deacon Nick Revier is assigned to the parish, and it is canonically a mission of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ada.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- St. William of Vercelli
- Diocese
- Diocese of Crookston
Why belong here
St. William is a tight-knit mission parish where a small Catholic community gathers regularly for Sunday Mass, weekday Eucharist, and Thursday Eucharistic Adoration. As part of the Norman County Catholic cluster (with St. Joseph in Ada and Holy Family in Halstad), parishioners share priests, faith formation, and ministries across three towns — and the parish's hall is a genuine community resource, hosting the local St. Vincent de Paul food shelf every Wednesday.
Mass times at St. William
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 11:00 AM at St. Joseph, Ada, or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
About St. William Catholic Church
St. William is a small Roman Catholic mission parish in the rural community of Twin Valley, in Norman County, northwestern Minnesota. It is part of the Diocese of Crookston and is grouped with two other Norman County parishes — St. Joseph in Ada and Holy Family in Halstad — into a single pastoral unit. The parish church stands at 500 Lincoln Avenue NW and is supported by a small but active community of Catholic families who gather for Sunday Mass, weekday Eucharist, and Eucharistic Adoration.
History of St. William Parish
St. William's Catholic Church in Twin Valley officially became a Mission Church in June 1955, as recorded by the Norman County Historical Society. At its founding, a small cemetery was begun at the church site, but burials were later moved to the southeast corner of Zion Cemetery, where they continue today. The very first burial in St. William's was that of the twin sons of Edgar and Margaret Houglum. In the years since, the parish has been grouped with St. Joseph in Ada and Holy Family in Halstad to form the Norman County Catholic community, sharing clergy, faith formation, and a common worship schedule.
- Officially became a Mission Church in June 1955
- First burial: twin sons of Edgar and Margaret Houglum
- Burials moved to the southeast corner of Zion Cemetery
- Today grouped with St. Joseph (Ada) and Holy Family (Halstad) as Norman County Catholic
Patron Saint: St. William of Vercelli
The parish is named for Saint William of Vercelli (1085–1142), an Italian hermit and monastic founder best known for establishing the famous monastery of Montevergine in southern Italy. William was renowned in his own lifetime for his austere life of prayer, his preaching, and his founding of several other monastic communities. He is commemorated in the Roman calendar on June 25.
- Born c. 1085 in Vercelli, Italy
- Founded the monastery of Montevergine
- Died 1142
- Feast day: June 25
Diocese of Crookston
St. William is a mission parish within the Diocese of Crookston, the Catholic diocese that covers the northwestern part of Minnesota. The parish is canonically a mission of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ada, and its clergy, faith formation, and ministry resources are shared across the Norman County Catholic cluster.
- Diocese of Crookston — northwestern Minnesota
- Mission of St. Joseph Catholic Church, Ada
- Cluster partner parishes: St. Joseph (Ada) and Holy Family (Halstad)
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by a small team shared with the other Norman County Catholic churches. Deacon Nick Revier is assigned by the Diocese of Crookston to St. William, Twin Valley.
- Deacon Nick Revier — assigned to St. William, Twin Valley (Diocese of Crookston)
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Although St. William is a small mission parish, it sponsors several practical ministries that serve the wider Twin Valley community. The most visible is the St. Vincent de Paul Society food shelf, which operates out of the parish hall. The parish is also listed with the Minnesota Knights of Columbus as a partner parish for Council 8280, and faith-formation programs for children and families are coordinated through the Norman County Catholic cluster.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society Food Shelf — every Wednesday 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the parish
- Knights of Columbus — Council 8280 affiliated with St. William Mission, Twin Valley
- Clustered faith formation with St. Joseph, Ada, and Holy Family, Halstad
St. Vincent de Paul Food Shelf
The parish hall at St. William's is home to the local St. Vincent de Paul food shelf, which is open every Wednesday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Food is distributed based on household size; a picture ID and proof of residency are required, and households are initially given about 35 pounds of food. Rather than receiving pre-packed bags, visitors can 'shop' the shelves themselves, and the shelf also stocks basic care items such as bar soap, shampoo, and laundry detergent.
- Open Wednesdays, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Initial distribution: about 35 pounds of food per household
- Picture ID and proof of residency required
- Browse-style shopping rather than pre-packed bags
- Personal care items available (soap, shampoo, detergent)
Sacraments
Information on sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick) is coordinated through the Norman County Catholic cluster office at St. Joseph in Ada. Parishioners are encouraged to contact the parish office for guidance on the sacraments.
- Parish office: (218) 584-5352
- Cluster office: (218) 784-4131 (St. Joseph, Ada)
Visiting St. William
St. William Catholic Church is located in the heart of Twin Valley, Minnesota, on Lincoln Avenue NW. Twin Valley itself sits in Wild Rice Township in Norman County, named for its position between the Wild Rice River and a tributary creek; the present townsite dates to 1886, when the Northern Pacific Railroad arrived.
- Address: 500 Lincoln Ave NW, Twin Valley, MN 56584
- Phone: (218) 584-5352
- Norman County, northwestern Minnesota