St. Rita in Cottage Grove was incorporated as a parish of the Archdiocese
of Saint Paul and Minneapolis on September 1, 1966. Masses were held at
Park High School until the first church could be built in 1970.
In 1986, the first addition to the church building was constructed,
with an exterior of white stucco. The building corners were curved
to represent the warmth of Christ’s encircling love. This addition
included the current worship space along with the chapel, reconciliation
rooms, administration offices and workspace for staff. The 36-foot bell
tower was built at the same time. It holds a massive 2,100-pound bell, obtained from St.
Joseph in Emmett, South Dakota.
A new kitchen was added to Seton Hall in 1998, along with the statue of St. Rita, depicted
with an arm outstretched in a gesture of welcoming all to the church. The new kitchen is
put to good use through the monthly community meal program, serving approximately
100 meals each month.
Another expansion of the building was dedicated on April 17, 2016 by Archbishop Berard
Hebda as part of the 50th anniversary. This new building included new classrooms for
faith formation programs as well as many parish organizations to conduct.