History
The first mass to be offered in Osseo was celebrated in the year 1855. It was in the home of Pierre Bottineau by a Father George Keller, a German priest from St. Paul. The community at that time was only three years old, but Father Keller had 100 families present at his Mass. Father Keller expressed his concern to the pioneers of Osseo for their need of a Catholic church of their own.
Pierre Bottineau and many volunteers completed the first structure in 1856 and it was named the Church of St. Louis. This was the first Catholic church built in Hennepin County west of the Mississippi River.
In 1864 the second church was built and named St. Vincent de Paul. This facility was built on Main Street Osseo on land donated by Peter Gervais.
As the parish grew the sanctuary was enlarged and sacristy added in 1880. A new steeple was added in 1890 to house the existing bell that had been purchased in the year 1865.
In 1921 a third structure was built to house 420 people at the cost of $63,000.00. At this time only 105 families were in the parish. A school opened in 1952.
Our current church (pictured below) was dedicated on June 10, 1989 across the street now located in Brooklyn Park at the cost of 3.6 million and holds 1,500 people. As a special memorial to the first patron of the parish, the chapel in the present church is dedicated to St. Louis.
St. Vincent de Paul parish is now composed of 3,615 households, 11,955 persons drawn from Osseo, Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, Champlin and Dayton.
A new school, gymnasium, kitchen and dining hall were added in 1998-99. Six additional classrooms were added in 2002.
