For nearly eighty years, the Church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary has stood on Kennard Street in Maplewood as a center of Catholic faith for the east side of St. Paul and the neighborhoods around it. The parish was established by Archbishop John Gregory Murray on January 21, 1946, and the first Mass was celebrated six days later, on January 27, 1946, by Msgr. Raymond Rutkowski, who would go on to lead the parish for more than three decades. The founding community numbered just seventy-six families, most of them soldiers returning from World War II or people who had lived through it on the home front. They began by worshipping in Gladstone School, moved to what is now known as Kenney Hall for nearly twenty years, and finally settled into the present church building, which remains at the heart of a parish campus that includes the school and a parish center.
The feast of the Presentation of Mary, celebrated on November 21, is the parish's patronal feast, and Mary herself is held up as the model of parish life: always ready, always open to receive the Word of God, always ready to do God's will. As the parish describes its own calling, the founders were "people profoundly affected by World War II," serious in their commitment to Catholic tradition and beliefs, conscientious in practicing them, and determined by every means at hand to pass their steadfast faith to the next. That sense of stewardship of a beautiful campus and a living faith is the inheritance the parish still claims.
Mass Schedule and the Hmong-English Sunday
Weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturday at 5:00 pm in English, Sunday at 9:00 am in English, and Sunday at 11:45 am bilingually in English and Hmong, with a fully Hmong celebration on the first Sunday of each month. A First Saturday Mass is also offered at 9:00 am. Weekday Masses are held Tuesday through Thursday at 8:00 am and on Friday at 8:45 am.
The bilingual Sunday Mass is one of the parish's distinguishing marks. Sacramental preparation in First Communion and Confirmation draws on both languages, and one of the parish's small groups, Mystery of the Mass, meets bilingually in English and Hmong on the third and fourth Sundays of the month. The parish is also home to a Hmong-speaking Catholic community that has shaped the rhythm of its busiest weekend Mass.
The Wednesday 8:00 am, Friday 8:45 am, and Sunday 9:00 am Masses are livestreamed each week on Facebook, and recordings of the Sunday Masses are available on the parish's YouTube channel. Reconciliation is celebrated on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 to 5:45 pm, on Saturdays from 4:00 to 4:45 pm, and by appointment through the parish office.
A Chapel Open for Eucharistic Adoration, Monday Through Friday
Eucharistic Adoration is one of the great centerpieces of life at Presentation of Mary. The parish offers Adoration in the Divine Mercy Chapel, located in the parish center, every Monday through Friday from 2:00 pm until midnight. The Blessed Sacrament is reposed during Holy Day Masses, the Easter Triduum, and federal holidays.
Adorers commit to a regular weekly hour, and a network of substitutes keeps every hour covered. The chapel holds a small library of devotional books and a Book of Petitions and Thanksgiving that anyone is welcome to write in. After 4:00 pm, adorers use a secured door with a keypad code available from the parish office. The parish uses an online sign-up platform called We Adore Him to manage scheduled hours and fill gaps.
The parish describes Adoration as "God and Adorer reaching out for each other, at the same time," and the chapel has its own quiet culture: scheduled adorers are asked to arrive promptly, to remain until the next adorer is signed in, and to keep silence. For visitors exploring the practice, the parish encourages beginning with a litany of mercy, asking the Holy Spirit to pray in you, and responding to each distraction with a short prayer such as "Jesus, mercy" or "Jesus, I trust in You."
The Seven Sacraments, From Baptism to Anointing of the Sick
Like every Catholic parish, Presentation of Mary celebrates all seven sacraments. Infant Baptism requires a preparation session, which parents can attend even before a child is born; adult Baptism begins with a conversation with the pastor. First Holy Eucharist preparation takes place on Sunday mornings during the school year and is run through Family Faith Formation. Confirmation preparation begins in eighth grade and runs for nine months, ending with the celebration of the sacrament at the Cathedral of Saint Paul.
Marriage preparation includes several conversations between an engaged couple and a veteran married couple from the parish. Weddings and funeral planning go through Karen Simons, the parish's Administrative Assistant and Sacramental Coordinator. Anointing of the Sick is available to anyone who is seriously ill or suffering a prolonged illness and is arranged through Parish Life Coordinator Kay Mottaz. The parish office also takes requests for sacramental records, which require the recipient's name, birthday, and a mailing address.
Faith Formation and the Parish School
Faith Formation at Presentation of Mary is built around Sunday-morning classes between the two main Sunday Masses. Family Faith Formation runs from 10:15 am to 11:30 am for grades K through 7, with classes combined where numbers call for it. Confirmation preparation for eighth graders meets during the same Sunday window. Registration is online, fees are thirty-five dollars per student with a seventy-dollar family maximum, and accommodations are made for families for whom the fee is a burden.
The parish school, Presentation of Mary School, sits on the same campus as the church and parish center, with Barbara Kearn as principal. The school is supported by fundraisers such as the Panther Classic Golf Tournament and the Panther Pride Benefit. The campus also houses the Presentation Discovery Center, an early-childhood program directed by Susie Wolter.
Becoming Catholic Through OCIA
Adults who want to become Catholic, or Catholic adults who still need to receive Baptism, Confirmation, or First Eucharist, join the parish through OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. Classes typically begin in the fall and run through the Easter sacraments, with weekly sessions of study, prayer, and conversation about the Catholic faith. The Adult Faith Formation office, reached through the parish, takes inquiries and provides candidate information and a syllabus.
Music, Lectors, Servers, and the Wider Liturgy
Music at Presentation of Mary is led by Music Director Donna Stoering. The Liturgical Choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 pm and sings monthly at one of the Sunday Masses and on holy days. Cantors lead the assembly's sung prayer throughout the liturgy and are encouraged to join the Adult Choir when their schedule allows.
A wide range of liturgical ministries keeps the Masses and other services running. Altar Servers in fourth grade and older, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Sacristans, Ushers, and Livestream Helpers all work on rotating schedules with training provided. There is also a Prayer Line for parishioners who pray at home or at work for the prayer intentions submitted to the parish, and a Marriage Prep ministry that pairs veteran married couples with engaged couples for several pre-wedding conversations.
Behind the scenes, Church Cleaners and Floor Cleaners arrive on Friday and Monday mornings, the Linen Ministry cares for the altar linens, the Environment Committee prepares the worship space for each liturgical season, Sacristans open and close the church for each celebration, and Baptism Gown Sewers make baptismal gowns for infants when needed.
Small Groups and Bible Studies
Small group life is woven into the parish's evangelization plan in cooperation with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Six parish-based small groups meet throughout the month on different days and at different locations. Holy Moments, studying Matthew Kelly's book of the same name, meets every second and fourth Thursday evening. Living the Gospel studies Hebrews with Jeff Cavins on Tuesday evenings. The bilingual Mystery of the Mass meets on the third and fourth Sundays. Together We Share God's Love, studying the Doctors of the Church, meets on the second and fourth Monday afternoons. Wednesday Morning Disciples works through Bishop Robert Barron's Pivotal Players series on the second and fourth Wednesday mornings at a parish home. What Happens at the Mass? studies Jeff Cavins' Pearls for Wise Living on the second and fourth Saturday mornings.
A Bible Study Series committee also plans two parish-wide Bible studies each year, one in the spring and one in the fall. The parish points interested members to the Archdiocesan Small Group Finder for additional groups in the wider archdiocese.
Reaching Beyond the Parish Walls
Service to the wider community is part of the rhythm of parish life. The Knights of Columbus Father Finley Council #4374, established in 1957 by several local parishes including Presentation of Mary, supports Catholic men eighteen and older through charitable giving, parish service projects, and faith formation. Loaves and Fishes volunteers prepare and serve a meal at the Dorothy Day Center on the first Wednesday of every month.
H.E.O., Help Each Other, volunteers pick up donated food shelf items from baskets in the church each Monday and deliver them to area food shelves. The Mother Teresa Sewing Group meets monthly to knit, crochet, sew, or purchase items for newborn babies, the elderly, and homeless families, with donations going to Options for Women, Cradle of Hope, Second Stork, Marian Center, Maplewood Care Center, and a local family shelter. The Respect Life Committee works with Options for Women East to support mothers and families in crisis pregnancies, with an Advent baby-item collection, a spring baby bottle drive, and an October diaper and baby wipe drive.
Communion Ministers to the Homebound bring the Eucharist to parishioners who cannot attend Mass, and Pastoral Care volunteers pray the Rosary monthly with residents at the Shores of Lake Phalen. The Parish Life Coordinator, Kay Mottaz, organizes much of this outreach.
Fellowship, Councils, and the Scouting Tradition
The parish hosts a wide variety of fellowship groups. The 55 Club gathers parishioners fifty-five and older for monthly luncheons at Blessed Sacrament Church in St. Paul from September through May, with a planning committee that meets on the first Tuesday of each month. The Men's Club organizes the Mini-Cad Raffle and Social, the Corn Feed, and the Turkey and Ham Bingos, and raises money for church and school projects. The Council of Catholic Women, formed in 2015, brings together women of all ages around service, social, and spiritual activities, including the Gifts in a Jar fundraiser and First Communion and Confirmation gifts for candidates.
Cub Scouts run from first grade through fifth grade. Boy Scout Troop #461, chartered by the parish in 1956 and sponsored by the Men's Club, is part of the Gateway District of the Northern Star Council. The Garden Committee, the Campus Enhancement Committee, and the Funeral Lunch Committee keep the buildings, grounds, and parish hospitality running. The Funeral Lunch Committee is on call to provide meals on a few days' notice, and the Prayer Shawl Ministry makes and gives away shawls to anyone in need of spiritual or physical comfort.
The Stewardship Committee fosters stewardship of prayer, participation, and generosity across the parish, planning the annual Stewardship Renewal and a bi-annual Ministry Fair. The Pastoral Council, chaired by Nick Davini with Michelle Luczak as secretary, advises the pastor and trustees on the pastoral vision and ministry of the parish in cooperation with the Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
Clergy, Staff, and Pastoral Leadership
The parish is led by Father Toulee Peter Ly, pastor since 2019. Two deacons, Deacon Mike Powers and Deacon Naokao Yang, assist with parish ministry. The parish staff includes Daniel Kratoska, Family Faith Formation and Communications Coordinator; Kay Mottaz, Parish Life Coordinator and Safe Environment Coordinator; Karen Simons, Administrative Assistant and Sacramental Coordinator; Kalia Thao, Administrative Assistant; and Ginger Graham, Business Administration Specialist. The list of installed pastors past and present runs from Monsignor Raymond Rutkowski (1946-1977) through Father William J. Kenney (1977-1985), Father Thomas H. Seig (1985-1988), Father Laurence R. Johnson (1988-1992), Father Charles V. Lachowitzer (1993-2002), Father Phillip J. Rask (2002-2007), Father Mark Huberty (2007-2013), Father Benny Mekkatt, CFIC (2014-2016), Father T. J. McKenzie (2016-2019), and Father Ly.
Safe Environment is coordinated through Kay Mottaz. All employees and adult volunteers who work with youth or vulnerable adults complete a background check, a VIRTUS Protecting God's Children online training session, and acknowledge a Code of Conduct.
Visiting Presentation of Mary
The parish office, at 1725 Kennard Street in Maplewood, is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Handicapped access is provided on the Rectory side of the church, with accessible parking both across from those doors and at the front Kennard Street entrance. From 694 and Highway 36, the parish suggests exiting south to White Bear Avenue and turning right on Larpenteur Avenue; from 94, exit north on White Bear Avenue and turn left on Larpenteur Avenue.
Online giving is available through ParishSOFT Giving, and the parish sends a weekly email newsletter on Saturdays. Newcomers are warmly welcomed to register through the parish office or online, and to join any of the parish's many ministries, small groups, or liturgical volunteer opportunities.