A Historical Reflection

Visitation parish was established by Archbishop John Gregory Murray in 1946 to relieve overcrowded conditions in other southwest Minneapolis churches due to increasingly growing populations at that time. The parish was named “Visitation” to advance the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary and was especially apt as a connection to the Incarnation and Annunciation parishes that already existed in the community.

The first Visitation Church Mass was celebrated on September 17, 1946 in a house on Dupont Avenue. The corporation was formed on August 28, 1946 and its first act was to serve as a rectory and chapel for daily Mass. Clara Barton School’s gymnasium was used for Sunday Masses until Christmas 1947 when Mass was offered for the first time in the basement of the current Visitation Church building. On May 1, 1948, Mass was offered for the first time in the current church sanctuary. The original intent was to add a church onto the building at a future date and use the current church sanctuary location as a school auditorium. An addition was added to the school in 1960 and the sanctuary area was remodeled as a permanent worship space in the 1970’s.

Today, Visitation Church continues to grow and serve as a Catholic parish and school for southwest Minneapolis and the greater Twin Cities metropolitan community.