Pax Christi got its start in the late 1970s, a time of explosive growth for the suburbs of Eden Prairie and West Bloomington. Catholic families moving into the area became members of churches in surrounding communities, including Bloomington, Edina, Chanhassen, and Glen Lake. Families organized their own home-based religious education program, and that group became the nucleus of a new parish. In November 1979, Diana Pauling and Mary Beth Buckman began the formal process of petitioning the Archdiocese for a new parish. They presented a viability study to the Archdiocese in March 1980, and that same year the Archdiocese gave its official blessing to the new parish and allowed the community to choose the name: Pax Christi. Father Tim Power was appointed founding pastor. With no church yet, the parish moved to several locations for Mass and acquired the nickname “The Traveling Salvation Show.” The community continued to grow, and by the time the church building was complete, it numbered 1,000 households. Today, Pax Christi is the church home for over 3,000 households who participate in 115 ministries and activities.