History
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The Church of St. Michael
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Our parish history begins in 1849 when early missionaries held Masses in Stillwater homes. The Church of St. Michael, one of the oldest parishes in Minnesota, has a long and rich tradition from its early days as a community of Irish immigrants working in the thriving lumbering city of Stillwater.Bishop Joseph Cretin sent the young Rev. Daniel Fisher to establish a parish on the banks of the St. Croix River in the summer of 1853. He brought together the parish community of St. Michael's, built a church, and carried the Catholic faith throughout the region. On August 15, 1875, Bishop Thomas L. Grace dedicated the church, which finally reached completion on September 29, 1875, the Feast of St. Michael.
Fourteen priests succeeded Fr. Fisher pastor, each contributing to the physical and spiritual development of the community. Many of the founding families are still present in the community nearly ten generations later.
Through more than 170 years, generations of the faithful have gathered, day after day and year after year, to know, love, and serve our Lord Jesus Christ. We are a vibrant parish family, proud of our heritage, and grateful for the many gifts our Lord has bestowed upon this community.
Pastors
Fr. Daniel J. Fisher (1853-1855)
Fr. Thomas McManus (1855, 1859-1860)
Fr. Thomas Murray (1855-1859, 1860-1869)
Fr. Maurice E. Murphy (1870-1891)
Fr. Charles E. Corcoran (1891-1943)
Fr. Daniel MacCarthy (1943-1955)
Fr. Francis J. Miller (1956-1968)
Fr. Richard V. Berg (1969-1977)
Fr. Thomas Fitzgerald (1977-1987)
Fr. Robert Patterson (1987-1989)
Fr. John Szarke (1990-1991)
Fr. Michael Skluzacek (1992-2004)
Fr. John LeVoir (2004-2008; Ordained Bishop September 15, 2008)
Fr. Michael Miller (2008-2015)
Fr. Michael Izen (2015-2023; Ordained Bishop April 11, 2023)
Fr. Michael Creagan (2023-Present)Learn more about St. Michael's and the people who helped build our parish:
Parish Timeline
Centennial History Article
Fr. Corcoran’s Historic Homily
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St. Mary's Church
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On February 15, 1865, a newly ordained priest arrived in Stillwater to form a new parish serving German and Swiss immigrants. The first church building was “a pitifully inadequate” structure on Third Street and Chestnut, formerly used by the Presbyterians. In 1871, the philanthropy of parishioner Joseph Wolf allowed the parish to acquire the Fifth Street property. The St. Joseph Sisters from St. Paul came to teach at the school first built on this site. They next began constructing the present-day church building. Bishop Ireland consecrated it on July 20, 1884 (as only the fourth church to be consecrated in Minnesota). The present parsonage was built in 1888, and the organ did not arrive until 1901.In 1880, the Benedictine Order of St. John’s Abbey at Collegeville, MN began providing pastors for St. Mary’s. Two Benedictine Sisters from St. Joseph, MN, took over the teaching responsibility at the school in 1882. The parish purchased the house at 416 South Fifth Street for their convent. Benedictines would continue teaching at the school until 1948 when Sisters from St. Paul Priory replaced them. The Churches of St. Michael and St. Mary consolidated their elementary schools and relocated to the school building at St. Michael’s, establishing St. Croix Catholic School in 1968. St. Mary’s school building would house the Religious Education program for both parishes.
St. Mary’s church building was renovated in 1989 and rededicated by Bishop Robert Carlson for the parish’s 125th-year celebration. The organ was also rebuilt in 1990. Two years later, construction of the parish center (connected the church and education building) and renovation of the rectory returned the facilities to their original Victorian style. After 117 years of service, the Benedictine Abbey informed St. Mary’s in 1997 that they could no longer provide pastors. Today, two priests of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis serve St. Mary’s and St. Michael’s parishes jointly while St. Croix Catholic School, the religious education program, and youth ministry are a collaborative ministry of St. Mary’s, St. Michael’s, and St. Charles of Bayport. St. Mary’s continues to provide the sense of a small church and close community. The parish community spirit is evident each September when the parish recreates the Wild Rice Festival, a tradition since 1968.
Pastors
Fr. Alois Plut (1865-1866)
Fr. J. N. Tomazevic (1866-1867)
Fr. William Lette (1867-1872)
Fr. John Schenk (1872-1874)
Fr. Sigisbert Mon (1874-1879)
Fr. G. Rudolph (1879)
Fr. Joseph Niebling (1879-1880)
Fr. Willibrord Mahowald, O.S.B. (1880-1883)
Fr. Alphonse Kuisle, O.S.B. (1883-1895)
Fr. Jerome Heider, O.S.B. (1895-1899)
Fr. Paulin Wiesner, O.S.B. (1899-1911)
Fr. Conrad Glatzmeier, O.S.B. (1911-1919)
Fr. Leonard Kaspner, O.S.B. (1919-1923)
Fr. Pius Meinz, O.S.B. (1923-1930)
Fr. Robert Wewers, O.S.B. (1930-1939)
Fr. Richard Simmer, O.S.B. (1939-1940)
Fr. Pius Meinz, O.S.B. (1940-1956)
Fr. Oswald Johannes, O.S.B. (1956-1959)
Fr. Columban Kremer, O.S.B. (1959-1967)
Fr. James Kelly, O.S.B. (1967-1968)
Fr. Athanase Fuchs, O.S.B. (1968-1971)
Fr. Florian Muggli, O.S.B. (1971-1978)
Fr. Thomas Gillespie, O.S.B. (1978-1986)
Fr. Vernon Miller, O.S.B. (1986-1995)
Fr. Patrick Wall (1996-1997)
Fr. Michael Skluzacek (1998-2004)
Fr. John LeVoir (2004-2008; Ordained Bishop September 15, 2008)
Fr. Michael Miller (2008-2015)
Fr. Michael Izen (2015-2023; Ordained Bishop April 11, 2023)
Fr. Michael Creagan (2023-Present)
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