Brainerd Catholic Events
Pentecost Vigil
Join us for Pentecost Vigil at St. Francis on May 24, 2026, 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!
2026 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 7th, 2026, 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.
2026 Run For The Son - Faithful 5K and 10K
2026 Run For The Son Faithful 5K and 10K
Save The Date! The 2026 Run For The Son - Faithful 5K and 10K is set for September 26, 2026. Sign up to receive updates below.
Mother Mary's Banquet
RSVP by calling the St. Andrew’s Parish Office at 218-829-1340 or at https://forms.gle/ruU9j8FUmkStfk849
Red Cross Blood Drive
The next St. Mathias Church-sponsored Red Cross Blood drive is scheduled for
Friday, April 10th!
Click here and enter zip code 56449 to make your appointment!
The Blessing of Easter foods
The Blessing of the Easter Basket containing the food for the first meal of Easter has been a beloved Catholic ritual for centuries among families of Eastern European origin, who enjoy its rich symbolism. On Holy Saturday morning, families prepare their Easter Baskets and fill them with items that symbolize the Christian significance of Easter.
The custom of blessing Easter foods arose from the strict Lenten fasting of the past, when meat, eggs, fats, and other foods were forbidden during Lent. Easter was thus greeted with great joy as the day when Christ arose and when fasts were ended. The Church’s joy and thanksgiving were expressed in this custom of blessing the foods for the first meal of Easter.
Traditionally, the baskets are filled with: decorated hardboiled eggs (representing Christ’s Resurrection); lamb-shaped butter or sugar (representing Christ as the “Lamb of God”); bread (reminding us that Jesus is the “Bread of Life”); meats, such as ham (symbolic of great joy and abundance), sausage (symbolic of God’s favor and generosity), smoked bacon (symbolic of the overabundance of God’s mercy), or lamb (representing Christ as the “Lamb of God”); salt (symbolic of prosperity and justice, and reminding us that we are “the salt of the earth”); cheese (symbolizing the moderation Christians should have at all times); horseradish, pepper, oil, and vinegar (symbolic of the Passion of Christ and the bitter herbs of the Passover); and wine (symbolic of the Blood of the Lord).
Lastly, the basket is covered with white linen, to symbolize the shroud in which Christ’s body was wrapped.
This long-honored tradition is both deeply symbolic and delightfully heart-warming. Children are eager to help prepare and decorate the family basket and proudly carry it into the church on Holy Saturday for the blessing. Some families prepare specially decorated baskets for their young children, filled with fruits, chocolate bunnies, or other treats to be blessed.
We invite you and your family to bring your basket(s) to St. Francis on Holy Saturday at 10 a.m. Come and share in this beloved custom and make this the start of a new Easter tradition with your own family!
-Kathy Vansickle
Lenten Adoration Solemn Closing
Please join us for the conclusion of Brainerd Catholic's 40 days of perpetual Lenten Adoration.
Wednesday, April 1st, 11:00 pm, St. Andrew's Church.
40 Hours Devotion
Brainerd Catholic 18th Annual 40 Hours Devotion March 19-21 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 19, 2026
5:30 p.m. Mass with Fr. Brandon
Wine and Hors d'oeuvres following ceremony
7:00 p.m. Talk with Fr. Brandon & Naomi Ringhand
Friday March 20, 2026
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/Fr. Brandon
4:30 p.m. Evening Prayer
7:00 p.m. Talk with Fr. Brandon & Naomi Ringhand
Praise and Worship follows
Saturday March 21, 2026
9:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
12:00 p.m. Franciscan Rosary
4:30 p.m. Evening Prayer
6:30 p.m. Talk with Fr. Brandon & Naomi Ringhand
Closing Ceremony and Benediction Follows
Light Refreshments
Fr. Brandon Moravitz
Pastor of Holy Spirit (Virginia), Resurrection (Eveleth), St. Joseph (Gilbert), and Our Lady of Hope (Aurora)
Naomi Ringhand
Bethany House, Marquette School, Youth Ministry at Lumen Christi Mission Field
Former Totus Tuus Missionary at Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth
Worked at Steubenville Conferences
2nd Annual Couple's Dinner
Brainerd Catholic’s Annual Couple’s Dinner
Celebrate Love and Faith at Brainerd Catholic’s annual Couple’s Dinner. On Friday, February 13th, married couples are invited to a special evening of fellowship, enrichment, and prayer at St. Andrew's Social Hall. The Couple’s Dinner 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 evening will begin at 5:30pm with a social hour, allowing couples to mingle and enjoy fellowship in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Following this, the program will commence at 6:30pm featuring engaging content that uplifts and inspires and a delicious dinner.
Through thoughtful discussions and moments of prayer, couples will have the opportunity to reflect on their shared journey and strengthen their bond. Whether you've been married for a few years or many, this event is a meaningful way to celebrate your relationship.
To ensure a spot, participants are encouraged to RSVP by February 9th. Reservations can be made conveniently online at brainerdcatholic.org/events/couplesdinner or by calling the St. Andrew’s & St. Mathias Parish Office at (218) 829-1340.
Mark your calendars for this enriching event, and join other couples in honoring and deepening the gift of marriage.
St. Mathias Blood Drive
The next St. Mathias Church-sponsored Red Cross Blood drive is scheduled for Friday, December 12th! Click here to make your appointment!
https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=StMathias
Grateful Hearts, Giving Hands
Join us as our parish families come together for a Celebration of Thanksgiving on Sunday, November 16th at 10:00am at St. Andrew’s Church. We will begin with Mass, followed by a time of food, music, and fellowship in the Social Hall. Come enjoy good company, share in conversation, and celebrate the many blessings of our faith community.
During the gathering, we will provide Parish Ministry updates highlighting our ongoing efforts to serve one another and our wider community. Children are invited to participate in a special Craft Corner. All are welcome!
“Give Thanks to the Lord, who is good, whose love endures forever.” 1 Chronicles 16:34.
Information Session: Cambodia Mission Trip
Come and learn more about an opportunity to participate in a mission trip to Cambodia!
Deer Hunters Mass
The St. Mathias annual Deer Hunter Mass will take place on Saturday, November 8th at 8:00pm. All are welcome! St. Hubert, pray for us.
Annual Artisan Fair at All Saints!
Artisans needed to supply baked goods, canned and handcrafted items.
Volunteers needed to help the fair run smoothly
Register below!
November 9th at All Saints Catholic Church 9:00am-3:00pm.
16898 Carlson Lake Rd, Brainerd, MN 56401
Artisans please contact Sue at 651-336-9242
Volunteers needed to help set up please contact Bonnie Staples at 218-892-0308
St. Andrew’s & St. Mathias Altar Server Formation
Are you a current Altar Server?
Have you ever wondered what it's all about?
Are you feeling called to serve the Lord at Mass?
Join us!
