For more than 84 years, Saint Olaf in downtown Minneapolis has been a living sign of Christ’s saving presence in the heart of the city. The parish is especially known for serving in two distinct ways: powerful liturgies that nurture spiritual growth and its Samaritan Ministry, which meets the needs of neighbors in crisis.
Meeting Needs Both Physical and Spiritual
Saint Olaf’s parish business administrator, Mary Kennedy, says, “The two charisms of excellence in liturgy and working with the poor and at risk in the heart of the city really encompass who we are as a parish.”
Samaritan Ministry provides a safe and welcoming place where those on the margins can find food, clothing, toiletries, and compassionate support.
Meanwhile, the parish offers 17 liturgies each week, along with daily confession, drawing both parishioners and the wider community into prayer.
“Not only are we meeting the physical needs of the poor, but there’s also the spiritual need that we are able to accomplish here because of the support of parishioners and many donors,” Mary says.
“Saint Olaf is a great example of stewardship,” Mary adds. “We are praying together, we’re serving and using our talents to the best of our abilities, and then we’re sharing the resources that we have to help people.”
Partnering for the Future
Since 1996, Saint Olaf has partnered with CCF to steward, promote, and grow the Saint Olaf Endowment Fund. This fund directly impacts the parish’s social outreach, worship, education ministry, capital improvements, and other needs.
Unlike annual gifts that are spent in full each year, an endowment is a perpetual fund. CCF invests gifts to the fund to grow it over time, while distributing a portion of the fund each year to sustain the parish’s mission and ministries. That means a gift given today continues to bless the community year after year, creating an enduring source of stability.
CCF is uniquely positioned for this work. With professional investment management and deep understanding of Catholic values, CCF seeks to align every dollar entrusted to an endowment with Church teaching while stewarding those assets responsibly for long-term growth. Already, the Saint Olaf Endowment Fund has quadrupled in size. And it continues to grow through prudent investments and parishioner designated gifts, estate gifts, and the Lord, Renew Your Church capital campaign.
Bishop Kevin Kenney, pastor of Saint Olaf, says, “It’s been invaluable to have a partner like CCF that can help us make the most of our money and keep it firmly centered in Catholic values.”
Securing a Source of Grace
For Bishop Kenney, the endowment represents more than financial stability — it is a promise to future generations. “This is continually going to secure the legacy of the parish and allow us to live out the life of stewardship, aligning to our parish identity, which is vital,” he says. “But even more importantly, it is also securing what happens in the future.”
For Saint Olaf, that means that even when today’s parishioners are no longer here to carry the work forward, liturgies will continue to feed souls, and Samaritan Ministry will continue to meet neighbors in their moment of need.
Saint Olaf’s downtown presence allows it to serve a diverse community, including office workers stopping by for noon Mass, families seeking support, and individuals looking for a place of prayer. With the generous support of parishioners and donors — and the legacy of faith provided by the Saint Olaf Endowment Fund — the parish is building a sustainable future, ensuring its ministries remain a source of grace in the heart of Minneapolis for generations to come.