In 1844, the first French-Canadian settlers arrived in what became Little Canada. The young
settlement was visited occasionally by the French missionary, Fr. Augustin Ravoux, until
Bishop Crétin appointed Fr. Jean Fayolle the first resident pastor. The original log church was
built by forty French-Canadian families in 1851-52 and was dedicated on October 7, 1852. It
was the fourth parish established in the Minnesota Territory and is the second oldest Catholic
church in the state occupying the same plot of ground under the same name.

In 1851, land was donated for St. John’s Cemetery, the second to be established in Minnesota. Under the
leadership of Fr. Joseph Goiffon, a new church was finished in 1881. In 1956, the brick building
was razed to make way for the present church. It was dedicated on October 27, 1957, more
than 100 years after the early settlers of Little Canada built their first church.
St. John supports a vibrant pre-K-8 Catholic school (founded in 1948), raises funds for over 20
local charities, is the largest supporter of the Franciscan Brothers of Peace food shelf, and is a
partner parish with a Catholic community in the Diocese of Kitui, Kenya.