St. Patrick’s Catholic Church
436 W Main Street LeRoy MN 55951
The first Mass in LeRoy was celebrated in “Old Town” at the home of John Meigs by Father John McDermott. The congregation followed the town to its new location and held their services at the home of Patrick Ryan. In 1878 a frame church was built in southern LeRoy, with Father Bernard Bauman serving as pastor.
A new stone building was erected on Highway 56 in 1955. The building cost $40,000 with most of the work done by parish members. Much of the interior was furnished by a donation from former LeRoy resident Thomas Pangborn.
From its beginnings the church was a “missionary church” having no priest in residence. Mass was celebrated on a regular basis by an area priest. The “Missionary Priest” program ended in 1956 when Father Elmer Kellen, the first resident priest moved into a frame house next to the new church. A stone rectory was built on this spot in 1963. The interior of the church and the fellowship hall were remodeled, with the work being completed in 1980.
The Altar society of St. Patrick’s was organized shortly after the completion of the first church. This group of women has been responsible for many fund raising activities. Meetings and dinners were held in the Odd Fellows Hall in LeRoy in the early days. The ladies also sponsor food and clothing drives for the needy in America and around the world.
The church also has the St Patrick’s Cemetery.
Hours
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church is part of a Tri-Parish of churches including St. Finbarr in Grand Meadow and St. Ignatius in Spring Valley. Mass times for St. Patrick’s is 5:00 PM on Saturday from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. Mass times for St. Finbarr is 8:30 AM on Sunday from July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024. Mass time for St. Ignatius is 10:30 AM on Sunday all during the year.