Guardian Angels Catholic Church stands at 215 West Second Street in Chaska, Minnesota, where it has served the town and surrounding area for more than 160 years. The parish is known for English and Spanish worship, family-centered faith formation, a long tradition of Catholic education and practical service in eastern Carver County, all united by its mission to reach out from the Altar of Christ to educate, serve and evangelize.
From a 1842 Mission to a Chaska Catholic Parish
Guardian Angels traces its history to 1842, when explorer Jean Baptiste Faribault invited Father Augustin Ravoux to establish a mission among the Dakota community in what would become Chaska. During the 1850s, Benedictine Fathers traveled through the area, mostly among German communities along the Minnesota River, to determine whether Chaska was large enough to sustain a church. Minnesota became a state in 1858, and that year the Benedictines decided the community was ready.
A small brick church was completed in 1860. Its pews were planks set on blocks of wood. When the congregation could not settle on a name, parishioner Michael Guenser asked his two-year-old daughter to choose from pictures of saints. She selected the Guardian Angel, and the church became Guardian Angels Catholic Church. Rapid growth soon made the first building inadequate. Work on a larger church began in 1868, and that structure served the parish until construction began at the present location in 1885. The replacement was a tall brick church whose steeple rose 162 feet above the street and whose interior ceiling stood 39 feet above the floor. It was described as one of the area's most adorned structures.
On October 7, 1902, an early-morning fire destroyed the church and toppled its steeple onto a neighboring house. By 5 o'clock that afternoon, only four charred brick walls and a picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help remained. The image had been blessed by Pope Pius IX in 1871 and still hangs near the side altar of Mary. The parish rebuilt the church within one year, forming the building used for worship today.
The Franciscan Fathers began shepherding the parish in 1878 and remained for more than 115 years. They asked the Sisters of Christian Charity to teach in a parish school founded in 1869 to help form young people in the faith and provide a high-quality academic education. A high school opened in 1923 and operated until 1973. The Sisters departed in 1992 and the Franciscan Fathers and Brothers in 1995; diocesan priests of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis have served since. Guardian Angels Catholic School closed at the end of the 2021 school year, but the parish's educational witness continues through Guardian Angels Catholic Preschool and its faith formation programs. Father Tony VanderLoop, pastor since July 2020, leads a parish that remains rooted in a small-town Catholic identity while welcoming people from the growing communities around Chaska.
Today the parish community includes people from surrounding suburban and rural agricultural areas and a significant Latino population. Guardian Angels offers Mass, the sacraments and family faith formation in both English and Spanish.
English and Spanish Masses with a Full Week of Worship
Guardian Angels keeps a varied weekly rhythm of worship, with services at the parish church in Chaska and a bilingual Friday Mass at St. Nicholas:
- Sunday: 9:00 a.m. in English and 12:00 noon in Spanish.
- Tuesday: 5:30 p.m.
- Wednesday: 8:00 a.m.
- Thursday: 8:00 a.m.
- Friday: 6:00 p.m. bilingual Mass at St. Nicholas.
- Saturday: 4:30 p.m.
Reconciliation is offered Saturday from 8:00 to 8:45 a.m. and again from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration takes place Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Guardian Angels describes itself as a traditional, welcoming Catholic parish. Catholics there come together around the Altar of Christ to be nourished by Word and Sacrament. Father Tony VanderLoop describes the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in Mass as the source and summit of parish life. For him, that communion with God forms people in the Trinity, whose love is expressed in service to others. The parish places the greatest commandment at the center of its shared life: love God with heart, soul and mind, and love one's neighbor as oneself.
Music has a prominent place in worship, with an adult choir, youth choir, cantors, instrumentalists and piano or organ accompaniment. The bilingual Friday Mass and the significant Latino population of the parish also shape its worship life. For those unable to attend in person, Mass is livestreamed on Guardian Angels' YouTube channel.
Faith Formation with Parents at the Center
Weekly faith formation classes meet Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. during the parish's September-to-April program year. The parish presents parents as the primary educators of their children, and its curriculum combines classroom teaching with lessons families complete at home.
First Sacraments
For children in second grade, a one-year First Reconciliation and First Communion course uses Augustine Institute's Word of Life curriculum. Parents come twice each month to work with their children on the lessons, with support from catechists and the wider parish community.
Confirmation
Students in grades 9 through 12 take a two-year Confirmation preparation course using Ascension Press's Chosen series. Informative videos are followed by small-group discussions intended to deepen students' understanding of God and how faith is lived within the community.
Middle School and Family Formation
Middle school students in grades 6, 7 and 8 use Word of Life lessons that include prayer, Scripture and engaging activities. Supplemental instruction is available for students seeking First Reconciliation and First Eucharist at those ages.
After First Communion, children in grades 3, 4 and 5 join Family Formation, which uses Sophia Press's A Family of Faith curriculum. In a typical month, Father Tony teaches the parents' group during the first Wednesday. During the second week, parents come to work with their children in the classroom. In the third week, they complete brief lessons at home. The fourth week may include a break or a family night for all faith formation families. Guardian Angels provides these opportunities in English and Spanish.
Serving at the Altar and Leading the Parish in Song
Parish worship is supported by volunteers who assist the priest and care for the church:
- Altar servers assist the priest during Mass, may begin in fourth grade and cover other weekend Masses when needed.
- Eucharistic ministers assist with the distribution of the Body and Blood of Christ and help prepare the sacristy.
- Lectors proclaim the Word of God, make announcements and lead the prayers of the faithful.
- Ministers of hospitality welcome people of all ages and nationalities and assist with the offertory, collections and other practical duties.
- Sacristans prepare books, vessels, offertory and incense before Mass and restore the worship space afterward.
Training is provided for new liturgical ministers, and a ministry scheduling system allows volunteers to review assignments, offer unavailable dates and request substitutes.
The Adult Choir rehearses Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. and sings at the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass from September through Pentecost Sunday. It welcomes singers from eleventh grade onward, including those who are still in school at heart, and works toward four-part singing. The Youth Choir gathers monthly before the 4:30 p.m. Saturday Mass, with rehearsal beginning at 3:00 p.m. Cantors lead the congregation in sung worship; reading music is recommended but not required. Instrumentalists and piano or organ accompanists also serve the parish's worship.
Small Groups for Women, Men, Parents and Co-Ed Friends
Small groups meet at different times so adults can take part in parish life around family and work schedules:
- Women meet Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. with leader Danielle Watkins.
- Men meet Thursdays from 6:45 to 8:15 p.m. with leader Ken Forner.
- Co-ed groups meet Mondays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. with Laurie Forner, Wednesdays from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. with Cathy Cress, and Saturdays from 6:30 to 8:00 a.m. with Craig Schapira.
- Encounter meets Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. at Guardian Angels during faith formation.
- The Moms group meets from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. on the first and third Saturdays with leader Jenna Salinas.
These groups provide regular opportunities for adults to build friendships and participate more deeply in the life of the parish.
Preparing Minds for Kindergarten and Hearts for Heaven
Guardian Angels Catholic Preschool serves children from 33 months through age five who are fully potty trained. The full-day program runs from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the school-day program runs from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and the half-day program runs from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m. Families may choose from full-time and part-time schedules.
The preschool uses the nationally recognized Funnydaffer curriculum, which meets Minnesota kindergarten-readiness standards. Science, math, art, writing and physical education are taught through play-based activities and teacher-led and student-led lessons. The teaching team includes two lead-qualified teachers with decades of combined experience.
Facilities include a full-size gym, a large outdoor playground with slides, ladders, bridges, swings and climbing stations, a dedicated nap area, and access to a nearby library and full-size community park. Children play outside daily and have a spacious indoor option when the weather does not permit.
Faith is woven into daily school life. Children hear Bible stories, attend weekly Wednesday Mass at 8:00 a.m., sing Christian songs and grow in the virtues of Faith, Hope and Love. The Wednesday service lasts about half an hour, a length chosen to suit preschoolers. The program teaches some Catholic-specific principles while also emphasizing universal principles of Faith, Hope and Love, so children from non-Catholic families may attend.
Preschool Director and Lead Teacher Joe Koktan works with assistant teacher Tayna Alcoser and classroom aide Jerilyn Oh Pastelin, who incorporates Spanish into learning when possible. Families receive at least three classroom pictures each day through the Brightwheel update service. Families provide lunches and snacks, while the preschool supplies milk for morning snack and lunch.
Hands-on Service in Carver and Scott Counties
Guardian Angels participates throughout the year in Bountiful Basket, a locally and volunteer-run food shelf serving eastern Carver County. The parish also joins the annual Packup-A-Pickup food drive each March. The food shelf is located at 1600 Bavaria Road in Chaska.
Parishioners also prepare food and assist with meals through Loaves and Fishes. Volunteers work at St. Mark's Church in Shakopee on the fifth Thursday of each month, while dinner is served there on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. for anyone who wishes to come.
Love in the Name of Christ, also known as Love Inc., is a partnership of more than 25 eastern Carver County churches, including Guardian Angels, that supports area families and individuals who need help. Meals on Wheels is another community connection, providing older adults with nutritious meals, safety checks and opportunities for companionship.
Other service ministries include the Giving Tree, which lets parishioners purchase requested Christmas gifts for local families in need, and the funeral luncheon ministry. The Knights of Columbus serve through faith, community, family, youth and fellowship activities, while Daughters of Isabella supports area pro-life groups and parish fundraising. Catholic United Financial provides a matching-grant fundraiser for Catholic education. Parish giving is also available through automatic electronic contributions from checking or savings accounts.
Sacraments, Funerals and a Parish Cemetery
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Matrimony, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick. Families preparing for Baptism are invited to a Belonging Class. Father VanderLoop teaches that baptism is the doorway to eternal life and the beginning of a child's belonging in God's family.
Guardian Angels also provides funeral ministry and a team that plans, organizes and serves funeral luncheons. Its cemetery lies off Big Woods Drive, also known as County Road 44, northwest of Chaska Boulevard. These ministries continue the parish's history of surrounding families with sacraments, worship and practical care.
A Continuing Mission from the Altar of Christ
Today, Guardian Angels remains a traditional, small-town Catholic parish with a broad practical presence: English and Spanish Mass, adoration and reconciliation throughout the week, family formation from first sacraments through Confirmation, two worship choirs, a Catholic preschool, small groups for adults and hands-on service in eastern Carver County. Its history of rebuilding after fire, supporting Catholic schools and adapting to a changing Chaska reflects a community grounded in faith, resilience, service and welcome. At its center remains the Altar of Christ and the continuing mission to educate, serve and evangelize.