is the director of planning
for the Diocese of St. Cloud.
By Brenda Kresky
The Diocese of St. Cloud’s All Things New pastoral planning process invites the local Church to listen attentively to the Holy Spirit and to respond with faith, courage and hope to the realities of our time. Central to this process is the understanding that the history of our diocese includes periods of change — including the opening, merging, and closing of parishes — as the Church has continually adjusted to meet the pastoral needs of the people in each era.
While All Things New reflects a contemporary period of discernment, it is rooted in a long tradition of pastoral planning within the Diocese of St. Cloud. Beginning in 1945, shifts in population, clergy availability and community life led to the closure or consolidation of some parishes as the diocese sought to steward its resources responsibly while remaining faithful to its mission.
A brief historical overview
1945 Sacred Heart and St. Francis Xavier Parish joined to become St. Mary, Little Falls
1958 St. Boniface and St. Patrick in Melrose joined to become St. Mary
1961 St. James, Philbrook closed
1967 St. Joseph, Perham closed
1969 St. Adelbert, Little Falls closed and joined St. Mary
1970 Our Mother of Sorrows, Aldrich closed
1979 St. Joseph and St. Peter joined to become Christ the King, Browerville
1989 Sacred Heart, Arban closed
St. Joseph, Brushvale closed
St. Patrick, Collis closed
1991 Holy Angels, St. Cloud closed
1994 St. Theresia, Donnelly closed
St. Joseph, Foxhome closed
1998 Immaculate Conception, Sedan closed
1999 St. Bernard, Ward Springs closed
2001 St. Anthony, Padua closed
2004 St. Peter, Dumont closed
2008 St. Isadore, Moran closed
2009 St. Stanislaus, Perham closed
2010 St. Edward, Princeton and St. Pius X, Zimmerman joined to become Christ Our Light
2011 St. Catherine, Farming closed
2011 St. Hedwig and St. Mary, Holdingford joined to become All Saints
2012 Immaculate Conception, Becker and Our Lady of the Lake, Big Lake joined to become Mary of the Visitation
In the Diocese of St. Cloud, parish restructuring has been an ongoing reality rather than just a challenge of today.
Pastoral planning helps the Church respond faithfully to change while remaining rooted in its mission to proclaim the Gospel. As populations shift and pastoral needs evolve, planning provides a prayerful framework for discernment, stewardship, and sustainable ministry. Change, while often difficult, is not a sign of failure but a hallmark of a living Church attentive to the Spirit’s guidance.
Honoring past and inspiring the future
The closure of a parish is always a deeply emotional moment. Each closed parish represents generations of faith, service, and community life. As the Diocese of St. Cloud continues its journey through All Things New, it does so with gratitude for these communities and a renewed commitment to serving God’s people with faith, hope, and courage — today and into the future.