In 1915, St. Ambrose was established in a red brick church in Railroad Island, a
neighborhood consisting mainly of Italian immigrant families. In 1954, Fr. Thomas
Pingatore was appointed pastor of this a vibrant parish rich in Italian traditions and
dedicated to maintaining strong families. The parish thrived until the 1980s, when
families began moving out of the area, many to St. Paul’s eastern suburbs.
Meanwhile, Woodbury, on the southeastern side of St. Paul, was experiencing
phenomenal growth. There was clear need for a new parish, and a school. At
the suggestion of Fr. Pingatore, St. Ambrose gave its name to the new Catholic
church, school, and early childhood center in Woodbury. Completed in fall of
2000, St. Ambrose of Woodbury was the first church in the Archdiocese to open
with a school in more than 30 years.