St. Peter parish community celebrates its 150th year!

by Rev. Phil Schotzko

St. Peter, MN - A committee has dug out and polished old liturgical artifacts and framed time capsule contents for all to see; the new history was printed and on sale for interested families; the John Ireland Catholic School student council has put up a long, picture-enhanced, time-line marking key moments of Catholic life in the area; and Bishop John C. Nienstedt has come to celebrate a great milestone of faith-filled Catholic life.

It was time for a grand Fiesta!

On September 17, 2006, at the anniversary Mass, Bishop Nienstedt also presented the Area Faith Community Plan that brings the present parishes of the Church of St. Paul in Nicollet and the Church of St. Peter in St. Peter into a closer working relationship. St. Paul’s and other surrounding parishes that began as missions of St. Peter are now coming full circle and are being drawn together in a sharing of mission, goals and personnel.

The history of the Catholic Church in this area is rich and challenging to piece together. There were the early years after the signing of the treaty that “opened up” the area to settlement. Then the Civil War and Native Conflict of 1862 came that interrupted normal church life for a time. However, soon the faithful ancestors were building or expanding churches, schools and residences for priests and sisters.

A century and a half of unique history includes the splitting and combining of parishes as well as supporting one, then two and, once again, a single Catholic school. Recent history was dramatically shaped by a tornado in 1998 that destroyed the Church of St. Peter which had recently been combined with Immaculate Conception Parish. The rectory, convent and John Ireland School also had to be torn down at that time.

At the turn of the millennium a new church and school took shape and the faith in the area continues to be lived, celebrated and passed on. We are investing in the next 150 years of Catholic life in this area.

Rev. Phil Schotzko is pastor of the Church of St. Peter, St. Peter, MN.