Brainerd Catholic Events
The Upper Room
Join us for an evening of Praise & Worship Music at St. Francis beginning at 7:00pm. Bring your family and friends for a night filled with uplifting melodies and heartfelt lyrics that celebrate faith and community. Our talented musicians and vocalists will guide us through an inspiring musical journey, creating an atmosphere of joy and reverence. All are welcome to this special event. Come and share in the spirit of unity and praise!
Mother-Daughter Banquet
This year’s Mother-Daughter Banquet will be held on Wednesday May 21 at 6 p.m. in the St. Mathias Social Hall. Tickets will be available for purchase after all St. Andrew’s and St. Mathias Masses on May 3rd/4th and 10th/11th. Ticket costs are $13 (10 and older) and $8 (5 - 10). Children under 5 are free.
The evening is sponsored by the St. Mathias CCW.
Pentecost Vigil
Join us for Pentecost Vigil at St. Francis on June 8, 2025, Mass at 7:30pm and a social to follow. Please note that the 5:00pm Saturday Mass at St. Francis is cancelled.
We will also be doing a 9 day Novena to the Holy Spirit. See below for the full 9 day Novena and prayer for the Seven Gifts.
What is Pentecost? On the Feast of Pentecost, Christians commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, gathered around the Mother of the Lord (Acts chapter 2). The feast is celebrated on the 50th and final day of the Easter season.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Totus Tuus
Totus Tuus
Totus Tuus is a K-12 summer Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness, and Eucharistic worship.
The mission of Totus Tuus is to help young people develop an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and to understand their faith through catechesis in a way that makes the faith real to the youth and helps them live as a witness in today’s world. To accomplish this, we emphasize a devotion and love for Our Lord in the Eucharist and for Mary our Mother.
For any of our area Brainerd Catholic elementary students entering grades 1-6, Totus Tuus will take place Monday, June 9 through Friday June 13 at St. Andrew's Church. This will go from 9:00am until 2:00pm each day. Students need to bring a bag lunch each day, except for Friday when lunch will be provided.
Cost: $50 per student
2025 Brainerd Deanery Corpus Christi Procession
Join us for the Brainerd Deanery Corpus Christi Procession!
Schedule of Events:
Mass: 2pm** St. Francis Church, 404 N. 9th St., Brainerd
Procession: 3pm to St. Andrew's Church, 1108 Willow St., Brainerd
Benediction & Luncheon: St. Andrew's
Trailers with seating are available for those unable to walk the route.
** Please note there will not be an 11:15am Mass at St. Francis, as it has moved to 2:00pm**
During the procession, we will offer prayers and sing several of the same Eucharistic Hymns that St. Thomas composed to glorify this great feast in the Church.
The procession will conclude with benediction inside of St. Andrews church and an inter-deanery picnic will follow.
First Communicants: You are invited to dress in your First Communion dresses and ties to walk in a special place in the procession!
On June 22nd, 2025, all of the parishes in the Brainerd Deanery will join together and process in Honor of the Body and Blood of our Savior. Together we will bring Our Lord into the world as an example of our belief in His true presence in the Eucharist, the Source and the Summit of our Catholic faith, and will process through Brainerd from St. Francis to St. Andrews churches.
History & Background
The feast of Corpus Christi was instituted for the Universal Church on August 11, 1264, with the Papal Bull Transiturus de hoc Mundo as a result of the fervent prayer, devotion, and dedication of a woman named Saint Juliana of Liege who tirelessly promoted the feast after Our Lord, in a vision, told her of his desire for a feast day dedicated to his most Holy Body and Blood. The Papal Bull is said to have been drafted by St. Thomas Aquinas as well as the Mass prayers for the feast and the hymns of the divine office at the request of Pope Urban the IV who had been a fervent supporter of the cause of Saint Juliana before he was Pope as the Archdeacon of Liege.
In the year 1207, Our Lord revealed to a young 16 year Juliana His desire for a feast day in the Church that would be devoted to His Most Holy Body and Blood. Through her visions Our Lord made known the damage being done to the faith and faith in the Eucharist by the lack of such a feast. It took Juliana more than 20 years to answer that call, believing that Our Lord couldn’t possibly be calling a young girl from Liege to implement such a feast within the Church. Afterall, there were priests and bishops who were much more suited to such a monumental task. However by 1228, Our Lord made it absolutely clear to her that she was the one He had chosen to accomplish this task. Through many obstacles she would eventually convince her bishop to implement this feast day within her diocese and he became a strong supporter of her cause and Our Lord’s desire.
Saint Juliana of Liège died in 1258 and did not live to see the feast and devotion she worked to promote, implemented through the entire universal Church. However, three years after her death in 1261, Jacques Pantaleon, who had supported Juliana’s message when he was Archdeacon of Liège, became Pope Urban IV and in 1264 he introduced the Feast for the entire Church. Since that time Catholic’s throughout the world have processed with our Lord into their communities.
Lenten Adoration Solemn Closing
Please join us for the conclusion of Brainerd Catholic's 40 days of perpetual Lenten Adoration.
Wednesday, April 16th, 11:00 pm, St. Andrew's Church.
Ham Bingo!
Join us at St. Mathias for Ham Bingo!
Ten ham games for $3.00, 2 extra games for a quarter a card, a blackout game for half the pot, and a ham door prize. Free sandwich lunch! Soda available for purchase.
Sponsored by the St. Mathias CCW.
Red Cross Blood Drive
The next St. Mathias Church-sponsored Red Cross Blood drive is April 10th!
Click HERE to make your appointment!
40 Hours Devotion
Brainerd Catholic 17th Annual 40 Hours Devotion March 27-29 at St. Francis Church
What is “40 Hours Devotion”? It’s an ancient and ever new Catholic tradition in which we’ll come to visit and adore the Lord present in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. We’ll have Exposition of the Eucharist for 40 hours straight, even all through the night. In His Presence we will have the opportunity to hear a powerful speaker, to participate in an evening of praise and worship, to join in communal prayers and to simply open our hearts to Him in private prayer.
Thursday March 27, 2025
5:30 p.m. Mass with Bishop Hanefeldt
Friday March 28, 2025
8:15 a.m. Morning Mass
9:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
12:00 p.m. Scriptural Rosary
3:00 p.m. Divine Mercy Chaplet and Confessions w/Bishop Hanefeldt
4:30 p.m. Evening Prayer
7:00 p.m. Talk with Bishop Hanefeldt
Praise and Worship follows
Saturday March 29, 2025
9:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
12:00 p.m. Franciscan Rosary
4:30 p.m. Evening Prayer
6:30 p.m. Talk with Bishop Hanefeldt
Closing Ceremony and Benediction Follows
Wine and Hors d’oeuvres following ceremony
Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt of Grand Island, Nebraska.
French Toast Breakfast
Join your fellow parishioners for a French toast, sausage, and egg (yes, we have eggs!) breakfast after Mass at
St. Mathias on Sunday, March 23rd.
Coffee, milk, and juice will be served.
FREEWILL OFFERING!
Proceeds to support our local food shelf.
Brainerd Speaker Series - Shroud of Turin
Come for an evening of faith and learning and see the miracle of the Shroud Of Turin. There will be a presentation at 7:00PM in the main auditorium and the doors will open at 4:00 for a social hour and exhibits. Tickets are free but you will need to reserve your seat ahead of the event.
A Marriage in His Image Celebration
"A Marriage in His Image" is an event designed to celebrate the beauty and sanctity of marriage while providing couples with tools to grow closer in faith and love.
The Upper Room
Join us for an evening of Praise & Worship Music at St. Francis beginning at 7:00pm. Bring your family and friends for a night filled with uplifting melodies and heartfelt lyrics that celebrate faith and community. Our talented musicians and vocalists will guide us through an inspiring musical journey, creating an atmosphere of joy and reverence. All are welcome to this special event. Come and share in the spirit of unity and praise!
Business After Hours
St. Francis Catholic church along with our co-host Widseth welcome you all to join us in the gathering space Tuesday, January 28th to attend our first-ever Brainerd Chamber “Business After Hours”. Social hour begins at 4:30 with drinks and appetizers along with several opportunities to tour our church. At 5:30 Chamber president Matt Kilian will be interviewing Father Michael Garry along with Widseth Architect and St. Francis parishioner Erica Marcussen. Please RSVP at the link below to help us anticipate our attendance for the evening. If you have further questions please reach out to Kevin Denny at kevin.denny@duluthcatholic.org. We look forward to seeing you there!
https://business.brainerdlakeschamber.com/ap/Events/Register/wZFxXNNTeCxCw
Pancake Breakfast
Join the Knights of Columbus after the 7:30 am and 9:00 am Mass at St. Francis on the following dates: October 6th, December 15th, January 26th, and February 2nd for a delicious pancake breakfast! Enjoy a variety of breakfast essentials, including french toast, pancakes, sausage, and eggs. All proceeds from the event will support various ministries and groups at St. Francis & All Saints. We look forward to seeing you there!
March for Life
This year's March for Life will take place on Wednesday, January 22nd.
Please join us in protecting the most vulnerable among us. Be their voice!
TOGETHER, we stand for the unborn.
TOGETHER, we can create a world where the beauty and dignity of every human life are valued and protected.
TOGETHER, we march for life.
The Upper Room
Join us for an evening of Praise & Worship Music at St. Francis beginning at 7:00pm. Bring your family and friends for a night filled with uplifting melodies and heartfelt lyrics that celebrate faith and community. Our talented musicians and vocalists will guide us through an inspiring musical journey, creating an atmosphere of joy and reverence. All are welcome to this special event. Come and share in the spirit of unity and praise!
"Fighting the Battle of Good and Evil: Understanding the Spiritual World" women's retreat weekend.
Transformed by Love presents "Fighting the Battle of Good and Evil: Understanding the Spiritual World" women's retreat weekend.
We will answer these questions:
1) Who is Satan and his demons?
2) How do I know good from evil?
3) Who are the angels and how do they assist me?
4) What authority do I have over evil? and
5) How do I protect myself and my loved ones from evil?
The retreat will be held the weekend of Jan. 3-5, 2025, at the Clearwater Forest Retreat Center, Deerwood MN. Space is limited to 25 women.
To sign up for the retreat, go to the Transformed by Love Ministries website, https://transformedbyloveministries.com/wr. The cost is $280, double occupancy, for 2 nights lodging and all meals. This retreat is open to all women, ages 18 and over, of any faith.
Questions? E-mail Ellen Cherne at cherne@brainerd.net or call 218-851-3233.
Blood Drive
Shake up your holiday tradition. The Knights of Columbus Council 1491 is hosting a blood drive on December 23rd at St Francis Catholic Church located at 404 North 9th Street Brainerd, Minnesota from 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm.
Give a Great Gift this Year!!
Advent Wine & Cheese Social
All are invited to join us at St. Mathias for an evening of reflection and fellowship.
Pancake Breakfast
Join the Knights of Columbus after the 7:30 am and 9:00 am Mass at St. Francis on the following dates: October 6th, December 15th, January 26th, and February 2nd for a delicious pancake breakfast! Enjoy a variety of breakfast essentials, including french toast, pancakes, sausage, and eggs. All proceeds from the event will support various ministries and groups at St. Francis & All Saints. We look forward to seeing you there!
2nd Annual St. Francis Open House Celebrating New Members & Ministries
ALL are welcome – bring the entire family! Come enjoy appetizers and beverages. Meet new parishioners and parish leadership, hear latest updates and casually learn about the many ministries offered to follow Christ.
St. Mathias CCW Blood Drive
The next St. Mathias Church-sponsored Red Cross Blood drive is scheduled for December 13th! Click here to make your appointment!
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=StMathias
The Upper Room
** Please note the date has changed from December 6th to Saturday December 7th) **
Join us for an evening of Praise & Worship Music at St. Francis beginning at 7:00pm. Bring your family and friends for a night filled with uplifting melodies and heartfelt lyrics that celebrate faith and community. Our talented musicians and vocalists will guide us through an inspiring musical journey, creating an atmosphere of joy and reverence. All are welcome to this special event. Come and share in the spirit of unity and praise!
2nd Annual All Saints Open House Celebrating New Members & Ministries
ALL are welcome – bring the entire family! Come enjoy appetizers and beverages. Meet new parishioners and parish leadership, hear latest updates and casually learn about the many ministries offered to follow Christ.
Altar Server Formation
St. Andrew’s and St. Mathias youth grades 4 and over are invited for an evening of education, formation, and prayer.
RSVP by emailing st.andrews@lakescatholic.org or calling the Parish Office at 218-454-2927.
The Feast of St. Andrew
Everyone is warmly invited to a special Mass honoring the Feast of St. Andrew. Come and join us on Saturday, November 30th, 9:00am at St. Andrew's Church.
Beginning Saturday, the beautiful Christmas Anticipation Prayer is traditionally recited fifteen times a day until Christmas. This is a very meditative prayer that helps us increase our awareness of the real focus of Christmas and helps us prepare ourselves spiritually for His coming.
St. Mathias CCW Turkey Bingo
Join us at St. Mathias on Sunday, November 24th, at 1:30pm in the St. Mathias Social Hall. All are welcome for an afternoon of food, fellowship, and BINGO!
St. Andrew's CCW Turkey Bingo
Join us at St. Andrew’s on Saturday, November 23rd after the 4:30pm Mass in the Social Hall. All are welcome for an evening of fun, food, and BINGO!
