St. Katharine Drexel was established on June 21, 2004, after religious, civic and community leaders jointly requested a new Catholic parish in response to burgeoning demographics of area parishes and anticipated growth in the northwest metro. After thoughtful consideration, Archbishop Harry Flynn honored the request and publicly announced the formation of a new parish in the City of Ramsey. Shortly thereafter, Archbishop Flynn officially identified the parish as The Church of St. Katharine Drexel, named after an American saint who died in 1955 and was canonized in 2000.
With the appointment of Father Paul Jaroszeski as founding pastor and the hiring of Sister Dianne Perry, SSND, the work of growing a parish community began. Word of the new parish quickly spread and town hall style meetings explained the needs of the surrounding communities. Lay leaders emerged and helped plan the first Mass, which took place at the PACT Charter School on Jan. 30, 2005. Though office and a small worship space were rented, PACT remained the site for the larger Sunday Mass for five years.
As the parish grew, so too did the need for increased dedicated space. In February 2010, construction and renovation began on the expansion of our space and the "warehouse turned prayer house" was inaugurated on Palm Sunday weekend, March 27-28, 2010. The space was formally blessed and our altar was dedicated on Sept. 26, 2010, by Archbishop Emeritus Harry Flynn.
We are a growing, spiritually engaged community. Our liturgy and our sense of welcome and belonging continue to bring people to our doors.
Our future is bright and our path is clear. We will continue to serve this community, to gather the faithful and to share the Good News of the Gospel.
And, we look forward to building our permanent home among the Burr Oaks on our beautiful land next to Ramsey’s Central Park. Until we begin that chapter of our journey, we know that to be church is simply to gather around the table, around one common purpose: to see Christ in all and be Christ to all.