Mary, Mother of the Church

Mary, Mother of the Church was established on September 7, 1965, by Archbishop Leo Binz. The Church is located on twenty-two acres of former farmland. The Parish began with 550 charter households. In 1966, 30 parishioners planted 900 evergreen trees along the southern border of the Mary Mother parish grounds. Throughout the first three years, Masses were held in the gymnasium of Cedar High School in Eagan and all other religious activities we conducted at the former rectory on North River Hills Drive. In 1967, a building and finance committee was formed, and an architect was commissioned for the construction of the church. The first Mass in the new church was celebrated March 9, 1969. Formal dedication followed on May 18. By the mid-1970s, the parish was serving 1,645 households. In the 1980s, the parish center was renovated to maximize the use of existing space, and an 18,000 square foot addition was undertaken. The project was completed in 1988. In 2018, Pope Francis established a new feast day, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, celebrated the day following Pentecost.