HISTORY
St. Joseph the Worker was founded in 1870 as The Church of St. Joseph of North Minneapolis. This parish has a rich history of being a Benedictine parish staffed by the Monks from St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, for its first 106 years. In 1896 a school staffed by Benedictine Sisters was started. This parish originally served the needs of German Catholics in the area. In 1976, with the building of I-94, the State of Minnesota purchased all the parish property. Proceeds from this purchase were used to acquire land in Maple Grove for a new church. At the same time, the Benedictine Monks decided not to continue to serve the parish. Thus the parish faced a dilemma of owning land and having funds to build a new church but no priests. After much prayer and petitions the Archdiocese decided to staff the parish, and St. Joseph the Worker began in Maple Grove.
During the years since 1976 the parish has grown to over 2000 households with a resident diocesan pastor and weekend assistance from the Crosier Fathers. Parish leadership consists of a Pastoral Council and four ministry boards: Liturgy, Faith Formation, Social Justice and Pastoral Ministry, serving the needs of the parish and beyond.
Our Faith Formation programs covering from pre-school through senior high. Adult Faith Formation activities include small church communities, marriage enrichment, mom's groups, an annual parish mission, Cana dinner, and many other opportunities for spiritual growth. Social Justice is an important part of our ministry within and beyond our parish community. The parish actively works to promote justice through meetings with community leaders and legislators. Parishioners generously contribute food and gifts for those in need at Thanksgiving and Christmas. We reach out to the larger community through our participation in "Habitat for Humanity" and "Feed My Starving Children." Pastoral Ministry includes an active Stephen Ministry. The parish is known for its liturgy and music including a large children's choir. We give meaning to our parish motto, "St. Joseph the Worker, A Gifted, Sharing Family."
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