A West Side Parish on Hall Avenue
On a leafy stretch of Hall Avenue near the Mississippi River in St. Paul's West Side neighborhood, St. Matthew's Catholic Community has served families since 1886. The parish describes itself as a visible expression of God's love on the banks of the Mississippi, and that image has carried it through more than a century of worship, schooling, and service to neighbors in need. From the German immigrant founders who built a basement school beneath the original building, to today's lay-led parish serving hundreds of meals a day in its social hall, St. Matthew's has stayed rooted in its neighborhood while adapting to a city and a Catholic Church that have changed around it.
The parish campus takes up an entire city block, with the church at 510 Hall Avenue and the Parish Office at 490 Hall Avenue. Worship is centered on the weekend Mass schedule, faith formation runs from infancy through Confirmation, and the social hall hosts Loaves & Fishes dinners five nights a week. Around that rhythm of Mass, school and meal service, St. Matt's weaves a network of outreach ministries, fellowship groups, and volunteer opportunities that put parish life out into the streets of the West Side.
Mass and Confession
Saturday Mass is celebrated at 4:00 PM and Sunday Mass at 10:15 AM. Confession is heard each Saturday from 3:00 to 3:30 PM in the church, and on Sundays after Mass by request or by appointment. A communal Penance service is offered twice a year during Advent and Lent.
Weekend Masses are livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel for those who cannot attend in person. Greeters hand out hymnals and name tags at the door, and the parish makes a point of inviting visitors to wear a name tag so members can greet each other by name. Ushers pass the collection at the offertory, lectors proclaim the scriptures and the prayers of the faithful, and Eucharistic Ministers distribute communion. Cross Bearers, Gift Bearers, and Sacristans round out the liturgical team.
Children are warmly welcomed at Mass. From mid-September through spring, children ages 3 to 7 are invited forward after the opening blessing to go with a catechist into the chapel for Children's Liturgy of the Word, returning to their families in the pews by the time the Liturgy of the Eucharist begins.
A Parish Built and Rebuilt by Its Neighbors
St. Matthew's began in 1886 as a daughter parish of Assumption Church in downtown Saint Paul, founded by German immigrants who built their first church and opened the first four classrooms of a school in the basement of that same building. Through the 1920s, as the West Side population grew and pews filled, both the church and the school were expanded. For many families, the parish was the center of religious and social life.
On the day after Easter in 1968, the original church burned to the ground. The stunned community rebuilt, dedicating a new church in 1970 in the years just after Vatican II. The architects designed the building with movable chairs that could be rearranged for a more flexible liturgy and to host visiting theater and music groups. For the parish's centennial, two alumni of the parish school painted murals of neighbors who lived and worked in the West Side.
Father Steve Adrian was named pastor in 1978 and led St. Matthew's for 34 years, retiring from full-time pastoring in 2012 and continuing to celebrate Mass and the sacraments until spring 2024. Under his leadership the parish sought to live out its faith through direct service to people in physical need, and to be, as the parish still says of itself today, the Good Samaritan on the banks of the Mississippi.
Among the lasting initiatives that grew up around the parish in those decades: a West Side Neighborhood Development Association known as NeDA, a Loaves & Fishes meal site, and the St. Mary's Health Clinic, all hosted on or near the parish campus. The former rectory was converted into Casa Guadalupana, a residence and support program for families seeking permanent asylum in the United States. The parish also adopted the practice of welcoming any grieving family seeking a funeral, regardless of religion.
Led by Lay People, Served by Sacramental Ministers
St. Matthew's is one of the few parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis led by lay people. Because of a shortage of priests, there is no resident pastor. A Parochial Administrator, currently Reverend Antony Skaria, is assigned by the Archdiocese, and a Sacramental Minister, currently Reverend Thomas M. Kommers, presides at weekend Masses and other services. The Parish Council, the Finance Council, two trustees, and the Pastoral Administrator work together to lead the parish.
Pastoral Administrator Phil Grant also serves as the Safe Environment Coordinator. Director of Music and Liturgy Cristina Czaia oversees the choir and cantors and coordinates the liturgical ministries. Janelle Rohr directs Faith Formation, and Volunteer Coordinator Mary Leibl matches members with the many places that need help. The parish staff is small and largely part-time, so volunteers carry much of the work.
The Parish Council, the voice of the faith community, includes Ralph Brown, Isaac Garcia, Terry Lannon Grundtner, Maggie Lee, Tara Perron, Katie Quinlan, Delfina Reynolds, and Ellen Schneider, with Phil Grant as ex officio. The Finance Council, which oversees the parish's financial affairs with the Pastoral Administrator, includes John Del Vecchio, Richard Dunn, Jackie Lackner, Becky Montgomery, Tony Postiglione, and Karen Thompson. Trustees are John Del Vecchio and Karen Thompson.
Music That Frames the Sunday Eucharist
Music is woven into the parish's worship life. The St. Matt's Choir rehearses Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, September through May, and cantors lead congregational singing at weekend Masses. Instrumentalists of any background are welcome to bring their gifts. A weekly YouTube playlist offers the hymns that will be sung at the coming weekend's Mass so worshipers can listen along during the week.
Faith Formation for Every Age
St. Matt's runs one of the larger parish faith formation programs in the area, welcoming families not only from St. Paul's West Side but also from other St. Paul neighborhoods, West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, and nearby communities. The curriculum follows the liturgical year and uses the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies.
Early Childhood Family Faith Formation, called ECFFF, is a program for parents and children from birth through age five. Sessions include shared play, time for children to explore while parents meet separately to discuss their faith, and a shared family dinner. ECFFF meets Wednesday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 PM during its season, and parents do not need to be registered parishioners to attend.
Youth Faith Formation serves students in first through tenth grade who do not receive Catholic religious education at school. Classes meet Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:45 PM at the Parish Center from late September to late April. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation is offered alongside Faith Formation, with Confirmation preparation for grades 8 through 10. Sacramental preparation classes are required for any child receiving those sacraments, whether or not they attend a Catholic school.
The OCIA process, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, welcomes adults and older children who wish to become Catholic or to be confirmed, working through baptism, first communion, and confirmation with a personal sponsor. Adult formation includes various Bible studies and seminars on religious topics through the year.
Tuition for weekly Faith Formation is $50 per child, with sacramental preparation adding another $50 per child, and a family cap of $200. The parish states plainly that no one is turned away for financial reasons, and families can spread payments or volunteer time in exchange.
Loaves & Fishes and a Social Hall Full of Neighbors
The most visible outreach ministry at St. Matt's is the Loaves & Fishes meal program. Free, hot meals are served in the parish Social Hall Monday through Friday from 5:00 to 6:00 PM, with the St. Matt's site consistently one of the busiest in the city, averaging around 300 meals served a day. Teams of volunteers cook and serve under a site coordinator, helping with food preparation, guest service, and cleanup during and after the meal.
The parish also partners with four other social-justice organizations that work out of or near the campus.
Casa Guadalupana occupies the parish's former rectory and provides housing and support services for families who are seeking permanent asylum in the United States.
Raices Sagradas provides direct, culturally sensitive psychotherapy in Spanish and English to individuals, couples, and families, with a special focus on people who have worked through pain and trauma. It also conducts psychological evaluations for immigration legal processes and offers community trainings on trauma, depression, and anxiety.
St. Mary's Health Clinic offers free health care to uninsured people in the area, and has long been hosted by the parish.
Isaac's Blessing Bags, founded by a member of the parish, provides assistance to homeless people on the streets. A Gifted and Belonging ministry offers space for members with disabilities and their families to participate fully in parish life.
Rosary Society, Men's Club, Youth Club, Crafting Group
Around the worship and outreach rhythms, a cluster of fellowship groups gives the parish much of its social texture. The Rosary Society brings women together for prayer and service. The Men's Club mixes fellowship with fund-raising for the parish, sponsors the popular Lenten fish fries, hosts football watch parties, and organizes free excursions to baseball games, and is also a generous supporter of St. Matt's youth programs. The Youth Club, for students in grades 8 through 12, is built around hanging out and having fun in a safe and supportive community, where faith and service are part of the mix but not a prerequisite.
The Crafting Group meets on Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in the Social Hall. Any craft is welcome, a sewing machine is available, and the parish promises to help beginners figure things out. Coffee Sunday, the second Sunday of each month from September through May after the 10:15 AM Mass, is a time for fellowship, coffee, and treats. Different groups take turns hosting, and extra volunteers are always welcome to help with set-up, serving, and cleanup. Bible studies for adults meet at various times through the year.
Volunteering Across the Parish
Because the parish staff is small, St. Matt's leans heavily on volunteers. Front Desk volunteers answer and redirect phone calls, greet visitors, and help with simple clerical tasks during a morning shift one day a week. Money Counters handle the collection after Mass. The Parish Library is staffed by volunteers, and the Facilities and Environment Committee oversees the buildings on the campus, sometimes tackling hands-on projects. A team tends flower beds near the main entrance and indoor plants. The Communications and Technology committee keeps the parish's online presence up to date.
Volunteers also serve as Liturgical Ministers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Ushers, Greeters, Gift Bearers, Cross Bearers, Sacristans, Children's Liturgy of the Word catechists, and Choir members. Funeral Sacristans and Funeral Luncheon Volunteers help families at a time of loss, preparing the sanctuary, greeting mourners, and serving at the reception afterward. Faith Formation always needs teachers and aides for ECFFF, Children's Liturgy, and the Wednesday evening program.
Community of Saints Catholic School
Catholic education that began in the basement of the original church in 1886 continues today at Community of Saints Catholic School, a regional school formed in 2012 by combining the schools of St. Matthew, St. Michael in West St. Paul, and St. John Vianney in South St. Paul. The school carries on the long St. Matthew's tradition of welcoming all families seeking a Catholic education, regardless of ability to pay full tuition. Because it is a regional school, families from the three parishes choose where their children will receive First Communion and Confirmation; St. Matt's offers sacramental preparation registration for COS families each year.
An active alumni and friends network, Alums & Friends & Families, keeps former students and school families connected to the parish. Father Steve's recorded homilies and Gospel readings from 2020 and 2021 remain available as a podcast, and his funeral Mass and other videos are archived on the parish YouTube channel.
The Sacraments at St. Matt's
The parish prepares members for all seven sacraments. Infants through age six are baptized after parents complete a registration form, submit a copy of the birth certificate, and attend a baptism preparation class held at the church building at 510 Hall Avenue. Children ages 7 to 13 attend a series of three Tuesday-evening baptism classes with their parents. Adults and teens 14 and older prepare through OCIA.
First Reconciliation is celebrated in second grade and up, with First Communion following, both prepared through the parish sacramental program. Confirmation preparation runs from eighth through eleventh grade, with the Confirmation Mass typically celebrated in the spring. Couples preparing for marriage, members facing surgery or serious illness who seek Anointing of the Sick, and families planning funerals are all served through the parish office. The funeral ministry reaches beyond members, welcoming any grieving family that needs a Catholic funeral regardless of religion.
Supporting St. Matt's
Parishioners and friends support St. Matt's through online giving, Electronic Funds Transfer as monthly sustaining donors, qualified charitable distributions from IRAs, and legacy gifts. The parish parking lot is more than fifty years old, and campus contributions are earmarked for resurfacing and other work. For more information about supporting the parish, contact Pastoral Administrator Phil Grant at the parish office.
Joining the Parish
Anyone interested in becoming a parishioner is invited to get in touch with the parish office. Parishioner registration opens the door to sacramental preparation, school enrollment at Community of Saints, participation in parish groups, and the full rhythm of worship, formation, and service that shapes life on Hall Avenue.