Whispers of history echo from these very stones. This is the Church of St Joseph in Minneapolis. A place where German immigrants first sought solace in 1870. They built their church in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. They yearned for familiar comfort. They asked St John’s Abbey in Collegeville for a German-speaking priest.
The Church of St Joseph grew. It expanded to accommodate its expanding congregation. A school was built alongside. It served children from kindergarten to 8th grade. The original church stood until the 1970s. A charcoal drawing on the wall near the office depicts its final form.
The Church of St Joseph thrived. Four bells journeyed from Germany. They called parishioners to worship. They were a link to their homeland. Sadly in 1972 a tornado struck. It toppled both bell towers. The towers crashed into the street. They narrowly missed parked cars.
Then the state planned Highway 394. Eminent domain took the land. The church the school the convent and rectory were all claimed. The entire block vanished to make way for the highway. The Church of St Joseph was gone. Its location near the Twins ballpark is now a roadway.
The Archdiocese planned to move the parish to Maple Grove. It wanted to use the sale proceeds to start a new parish. Canon law forbade this. It forbade transferring funds or property from one parish to another. The solution was simple. The new church would also be called St Joseph.
To avoid confusion a subtitle was added. The new church is called St Joseph the Worker. It started in a house in Maple Grove in 1975. Masses were held in the basement. The parish outgrew that house quickly. It moved to Cedar Island School. The current church building opened in 2003. Archbishop Harry Flynn dedicated it. He praised the parish’s singing and prayers. He said they were the best in the Archdiocese.
St Joseph the Worker continued its mission of social justice. It championed affordable housing. It helped feed the hungry. It advocated for better education and environmental protection. The parish even influenced the Maple Grove city council. It successfully advocated for more affordable housing for workers.
In 2009 St Joseph the Worker partnered with St Catherine’s in Bouzy Haiti. Parishioners traveled to Haiti to share their faith and support the community. They helped after the devastating 2010 earthquake. They provided clean water medical care and school supplies. They continue to support St Catherine’s through donations and aid. They maintain a strong bond through emails and photos.
The Church of St Joseph’s legacy endures. Whether downtown or in the suburbs its commitment to faith community and social justice remains strong.