The parishes of Holy Rosary and St. Stephen, located about two miles apart in south Minneapolis, merged effective July 1. Sharing financial, formation and evangelization resources will help bring more people to Christ, said Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis in a statement announcing the merger. 

Following two years of parish discernment, Bishop Joseph Williams presented to Archbishop Hebda a formal petition to combine the parishes, which the archbishop addressed with the archdiocese’s Presbyteral Council, as required by canon law. Bishop Williams will serve as pastor of the Church of St. Stephen-Holy Rosary until Sept. 8, when Father James Stiles assumes that role. At the time of his ordination as bishop in January, then-Father Williams was serving as pastor of St. Stephen and parochial administrator of Holy Rosary.  

“It is inspiring to see the desire of two parish communities willing to make sacrifices and adapt to needed changes in order to fulfill the mission of the Church in evangelizing and serving the faithful people of south Minneapolis,” Archbishop Hebda said.  

The Dominican friars of the Central Province announced in February 2020 that they would conclude their ministry at Holy Rosary after 142 years. The final Dominican to lead the parish was Father Jerry Stookey, who departed June 30 2020, after serving as Holy Rosary’s pastor since July 2018.   

The archbishop said he prays that the Holy Spirit continues to guide the newly formed parish family as they plan together for the future. “Please also join me in offering a prayer of thanksgiving for the faithful devotion of the Dominicans who served the people of Holy Rosary over the course of 14 decades, and have supported the discernment process these past two years,” he said.