History

It was in 1856 that a few Catholic families settled in the territory now included in the Madelia parish. By 1863, the group grew to 30 individuals, when Father Valentine Sommereisen of Mankato celebrated the first mass in Ceresco. Soon a non-Catholic couple deeded four lots in Madelia for a first church, Mater Dolorosa, where Father Augustine Wirth, OSB, presided at the first mass on October 24, 1872.

At this time the parish was considered part of the Diocese of Saint Paul, and Bishop John Ireland, according to records, visited several times to do confirmations. In 1874, the Jesuit Fathers attended the missions in the area and in 1880, Father Francis Pribyl was appointed first resident pastor of Saint James Parish. Early in the 1880s the resident pastor was transferred to Saint James and Father Peter Jung, Joseph Goergen, and James Durward attended the spiritual needs of Madelia.

In 1891, Father Michael Smyth became the resident pastor and in 1892, Father Edmund O'Connell became the new pastor. Father O'Connell immediately began plans for a new church and offered the first Mass on Christmas Day 1892. One week later the church was destroyed by fire. By now the parish was part of the newly formed Diocese of Winona, and Bishop Joseph Cotter dedicated the new church in October 1893.

Father Michael Holper became pastor in 1898 and constructed a parish school with the Ursuline Sisters being responsible for the teaching. Father Mathias Borresch began serving in 1904 and Father Emilie Van Hoenackere in 1909. During his tenure (1909-1923) the original rectory was sold, another purchased, and the parish cemetery was moved from its original location three miles southeast of town to a six-acre tract near Madelia.

In 1956, a beautiful new church was built and in 1986, a new parish education center under the guidance of Father Frank Enright (1950-1970) was built. Father Elmer Kellen (1970-1975) was responsible for the renovation of the sanctuary and the new organ. In 1985, under the pastorate of Father Robert Taylor (1984-1990), a four-room matching addition was added to the parish education center.

The three parishes of Saint Mary, Madelia; Holy Family, Lake Crystal; and Saint Katherine, Truman were formed as a tri-parish cluster in 1985, sharing resources in faith formation, liturgy and social concerns. Father Peter Klein (1990-1998) remolded the rectory.

In 1999, the parishes of Saint Mary, Madelia and Saint Katherine, Truman were clustered with Saint James, Saint James under Father Berning (12990-2005). To meet the growing needs of the community, a daycare and preschool program was initiated in the Saint Mary Education Center in 2000. Father Thomas Cook (2005-2011) expanded Saint Mary School through grade six. In 2012, under the pastorate of Father Thein Nguyen (2011-?) the mother's room of the church was transformed into an Adoration Chapel. The whole cluster of the three parishes made a commitment to Perpetural Eucharistic Adoration.