History of the Diocese of crookston

The first Catholic priest to minister in present-day Minnesota was Jean-Pierre Aulneau, S.J., a French missionary stationed at Fort Saint Charles near present-day Penasse on Lake of the Woods. On June 6, 1736, he was killed by a Sioux war party along with Jean Baptiste de La Vérendrye and 19 voyageurs.

Over the following century, the Catholic Church in Minnesota passed through several jurisdictions before the Diocese of Crookston was established:

• Diocese of Saint Louis (1826–1837)
• Diocese of Dubuque (1837–1850)
• Diocese of Saint Paul (1850–1875)
• Archdiocese of Saint Paul (1875–1909)

In 1858, St. Mary’s Mission was founded on the Red Lake Reservation to serve the Red Lake Band of Chippewa/Ojibwe, becoming one of the earliest permanent Catholic missions in northwestern Minnesota.

The Diocese of Crookston was formally erected on December 31, 1909, by Pope Pius X, with territory taken from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul. He appointed Timothy J. Corbett, a priest of Saint Paul, as the first bishop. Corbett was consecrated on May 19, 1910, and during his 28-year tenure established more than 50 churches and 12 schools through determined fundraising efforts. On February 2, 1913, he dedicated the first Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Crookston. Corbett retired in 1938.

Later that year, Pope Pius XI appointed John Hubert Peschges, auxiliary bishop of Winona, as Crookston’s second bishop. Bishop Peschges organized the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, launched religious programs for rural youth, and promoted agricultural development. He served until his death on October 30, 1944.

In 1945, Pope Pius XII named Francis Joseph Schenk, a priest of Saint Paul, as the third bishop of Crookston. Bishop Schenk oversaw a period of post-war growth, establishing over 30 churches and founding Our Northland Diocese newspaper. He also organized Catholic Social Service and the Catholic Youth Organization, and created summer boarding schools for the children of Mexican migrant workers who traveled to the region for agricultural labor. In 1959, Schenk was transferred to the Diocese of Duluth.

In 1960, Pope John XXIII appointed Lawrence Alexander Glenn of Duluth as the fourth bishop of Crookston. He participated in the Second Vatican Council and later introduced its reforms in the diocese, including founding Newman Centers at Bemidji State and Moorhead State Universities. Bishop Glenn retired in 1970.

Pope Paul VI then appointed Kenneth Joseph Povish of Saginaw as the fifth bishop in 1970. Bishop Povish guided Crookston through the post-conciliar years, establishing parish and diocesan pastoral councils, supporting liturgical reform, and fostering ecumenical dialogue. He was transferred to Lansing, Michigan, in 1975.

In 1976, Pope Paul VI named Victor Herman Balke, a priest of Springfield in Illinois, as Crookston’s sixth bishop. Bishop Balke’s long tenure was marked by pastoral stability and renewal. In 1990, he dedicated the present Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Crookston. He retired in 2007 after more than 30 years of service.

On September 28, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Michael Joseph Hoeppner, a priest of Winona, as Crookston’s seventh bishop. He was consecrated on November 30, 2007. Following a Vatican investigation under Vos Estis Lux Mundi, Pope Francis accepted Bishop Hoeppner’s resignation on April 13, 2021.

Following Bishop Hoeppner’s resignation, Bishop Richard E. Pates, emeritus of Des Moines, served as apostolic administrator until the appointment of a new bishop.

On October 18, 2021, Pope Francis named Andrew H. Cozzens, auxiliary bishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, as the eighth bishop of Crookston. He was installed on December 6, 2021.