“The Church is favored, the dwelling place of God on earth: A temple built of living stones, founded on the apostles with Jesus Christ its cornerstone.”
Our rich history dates back to when Wright County was established in 1855. Catholic settlers who arrived in the county were regularly visited by Benedictine priests, first from St. Paul, and later from Collegeville. As early as 1863, Monticello is mentioned in the records of Father Magnus Mayer of St. Michael church near Crow River. Forty years later in 1903, Father William Henry Blum, pastor at Fletcher, assumed responsiblity for the spiritual needs of twelve famililes in and near Monticello. The first mass was offered by Bishop Joseph F. Busch of St. Cloud at the home of Mrs. Arthur Cook.
1903-1953
For the next six years Monticello became a mission of Buffalo, then Albertville, during which time mass was held in the McEarchern home, then the Opera House until an old school building was purchased for $300, remodeled and moved to three lots on 4th Street that were purchased for $700.
In July, 1909, Monticello parishioners named the church St. Henry in honor of Reverend William Henry Blum, their first mission priest. Bishop Lawler blessed a new church St. Henry in November, 1913, when the parish numbered twenty-two families. On June 28, 1918, the Kingburgs deeded 3.2 acres of land to the church for use as the Catholic cemetery at a cost of $468. In the next twenty-five years the church was enlarged and additional property was purchased. Also during this time, a convent was constructed which was used as a religious school and was staffed by the Franciscan sisters. On August 18, 1941, two sisters of the Presentation Sisters of Dubuque, Iowa arrived by train to open their first mission.
1954-1999
The following twenty-five years were marked by the construction of a new church in 1954 with a renovation in 1983; the convent in 1962; and the rectory in 1964. By 1970, the parish had grown to over four hundred families; in 1990, over 1000, and in 1999 over 1,450 families make up the parish registry. With the continued increase in parish population, a new parish center was constructed on Seventh Street and occupied in the fall of 1999.
