About St.George · New Ulm, Minnesota
The Church of St. George is a historic Roman Catholic parish in West Newton Township just outside New Ulm, Minnesota, founded in 1854 by German Catholic immigrants who settled the prairies of Nicollet County. It is one of the four parishes that make up the Holy Cross Area Faith Community (along with the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and St. Mary's in New Ulm and St. John the Baptist in Searles) within the Diocese of New Ulm. The parish is distinguished by its long partnership with the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ sisters, who once staffed its parochial school, and by an active lay life built around two choirs, the Council of Catholic Women, Catholic United Financial, and the Catholic Order of Foresters. Today St. George offers Sunday Mass at 8:30 AM and is served pastorally by the priests of the Holy Cross AFC.
- Established
- 1854
- Patron
- Saint George
- Rector
- Rev. Mark Steffl (Pastor of the Holy Cross Area Faith Community, which includes St. George)
- Diocese
- Diocese of New Ulm
Why belong here
St. George is a small, deeply rooted country parish with more than 170 years of continuous Catholic life in the New Ulm area, making it an ideal spiritual home for families and individuals seeking a close-knit rural congregation. Members are actively involved across the parish — two choirs, the Council of Catholic Women, Catholic United Financial, the Catholic Order of Foresters, plus many volunteers as altar servers, lectors, commentators, and ushers — so newcomers quickly find a place to serve and belong. As part of the four-parish Holy Cross Area Faith Community, St. George offers the beauty of a historic 1892 brick church combined with the resources and pastoral staff of a larger Catholic network.
Mass times at St.George
Weekly Mass schedule
History of St. George Parish
The Church of St. George originated in 1854 when immigrants from Germany began settling the open prairies of Nicollet County. In 1856 a priest first began ministering to the spiritual needs of the people, and in 1858 a small log church was erected to serve the growing community. Because many of the men of the community had been baptized with the name George, Saint George became the parish's patron. By 1871 the log structure was replaced with a frame building, and that in turn was replaced in 1892 with the present larger brick church, which still serves as the home of the parish today.
- 1854 — German immigrants arrive in Nicollet County.
- 1856 — First priest begins ministering to the scattered families.
- 1858 — A small log church is built.
- 1871 — Log church replaced with a larger frame church.
- 1892 — Present brick church is built on the site.
- 1916 — Parochial school opens, staffed by the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ sisters.
- 1952 — School building is replaced.
- 1991 — Parochial school closes.
- August 22, 1998 — The church is solemnly rededicated by Bishop Raymond A. Lucker.
The Holy Cross Area Faith Community
St. George is one of four parishes in the Holy Cross Area Faith Community (Holy Cross AFC). The AFC brings together St. George in West Newton Township, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm, the Church of St. Mary in New Ulm, and St. John the Baptist in Searles so that they can share priests, staff, and ministries. According to a 2019 New Ulm Journal feature, the AFC's shared pastors and staff assist approximately 6,400 registered members.
- Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New Ulm
- Church of St. Mary, New Ulm
- St. John the Baptist, Searles
- St. George, West Newton Township
Parish Staff and Pastoral Leadership
As part of the Holy Cross AFC, St. George is served by a shared pastoral team rather than a single resident priest assigned only to its church building. The current pastor is Rev. Mark Steffl, who is also Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the Diocese of New Ulm. He is assisted by senior associate Msgr. Eugene Lozinski, parochial vicars Rev. Gerald Meidl and Rev. Tanner Thooft, and Deacon Richard Christiansen.
- Rev. Mark Steffl — Pastor, Holy Cross AFC; Vicar General & Moderator of the Curia, Diocese of New Ulm.
- Msgr. Eugene Lozinski — Senior Associate, Holy Cross AFC.
- Rev. Gerald Meidl — Parochial Vicar, Holy Cross AFC.
- Rev. Tanner Thooft — Parochial Vicar, Holy Cross AFC; Assistant Vocations Director, Diocese of New Ulm.
- Deacon Richard Christiansen — Holy Cross AFC.
Mass and Sacraments
St. George offers one Sunday Mass each week at 8:30 AM in English, along with a Tuesday morning Mass at 8:00 AM. Surrounding parishes in the Holy Cross AFC provide additional Mass times on Saturday evenings and other Sunday mornings, and confession, adoration, and confirmation preparation are coordinated AFC-wide. Information about faith formation and confirmation is handled by Darlene Filzen at [email protected] or 507-233-0628.
- Sunday — 8:30 AM Mass (English).
- Tuesday — 8:00 AM Mass (English).
- Saturday Vigil — Not celebrated at St. George; nearest Saturday vigil options are at St. Mary's (4:00 PM) and the Cathedral (5:00 PM).
- Daily Mass — Cathedral and St. Mary's in New Ulm.
- Confirmation — Coordinated across all four AFC parishes; contact Darlene Filzen ([email protected], 507-233-0628).
Parish Ministries and Organizations
The parish lists an active lay life built around traditional Catholic societies, music, and liturgical service. Members of St. George serve in two choirs and volunteer as altar servers, lectors, commentators, and ushers, while others help on parish boards and committees or with yard and building maintenance. Social events bring the parish together and help support its financial needs.
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW)
- Catholic United Financial
- Catholic Order of Foresters (COF)
- Knights of Columbus (AFC-wide)
- Two parish choirs
- Altar servers, lectors, commentators, and ushers
- Parish boards and committees
- Yard and building maintenance volunteers
- Parish social events and fundraisers
Diocese of New Ulm
St. George belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of New Ulm, a suffragan diocese in southern Minnesota originally erected by Pope Pius XII in 1957 with the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm designated as the cathedral church. The diocese's fourth bishop, the Most Reverend John M. LeVoir, was installed in 2008, and assignments confirmed by Bishop Chad W. Zielinski name Rev. Mark Steffl as both pastor of the Holy Cross AFC and Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia.
- Established 1957 by Pope Pius XII.
- Cathedral: Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, New Ulm.
- Bishop (2024+ assignments by): Bishop Chad W. Zielinski.
- Vicar General: Rev. Mark Steffl, JCL.
Visiting St. George
St. George sits just outside the city of New Ulm in rural West Newton Township at 63105 Fort Road, at the intersection of Highway 16 and County Road 5. The parish office can be reached at (507) 233-7729 or [email protected], and visitors are encouraged to check the Holy Cross AFC website (holycrossafc.org) for the latest schedule of Masses and parish events.
- Address: 63105 Fort Road, West Newton Township, New Ulm, MN 56073.
- Phone: (507) 233-7729.
- Email: [email protected].
- Website: holycrossafc.org/church-of-st-george.
- Parking: Available on-site at the parish grounds.