Saint Bonaventure Catholic Church
901 East 90th Street
Bloomington, MN

Phone Numbers

Church Office:   (952)854-4733

Born north of Rome in the year 1217, the one we know as Bonaventure was baptized Giovanni de Fidanza. Tradition tells us that he received the name Bonaventure (bona - "good", venture - "event") when as a child he was cured of a life threatening illness through the prayers of St. Francis of Assisi. Bonaventure entered the Franciscan Order in 1243. His precocious talent was immediately apparent, and he began to teach publicly in the Franciscan school at the University of Paris in 1248. Bonaventure's academic tenure was brief, for in 1257 he was elected Minister General of an increasingly divided Franciscan Order.

Born north of Rome in the year 1217, the one we know as Bonaventure was baptized Giovanni de Fidanza. Tradition tells us that he received the name Bonaventure (bona - "good", venture - "event") when as a child he was cured of a life threatening illness through the prayers of St. Francis of Assisi. Bonaventure entered the Franciscan Order in 1243. His precocious talent was immediately apparent, and he began to teach publicly in the Franciscan school at the University of Paris in 1248. Bonaventure's academic tenure was brief, for in 1257 he was elected Minister General of an increasingly divided Franciscan Order.

Born north of Rome in the year 1217, the one we know as Bonaventure was baptized Giovanni de Fidanza. Tradition tells us that he received the name Bonaventure (bona - "good", venture - "event") when as a child he was cured of a life threatening illness through the prayers of St. Francis of Assisi. Bonaventure entered the Franciscan Order in 1243. His precocious talent was immediately apparent, and he began to teach publicly in the Franciscan school at the University of Paris in 1248. Bonaventure's academic tenure was brief, for in 1257 he was elected Minister General of an increasingly divided Franciscan Order.

St. Bonaventure Catholic Community was established by the order of the late Archbishop William O. Brady on October 21, 1958. He invited the Conventual Franciscans to organize the parish and Fr. Ambrose Finnegan, OFM Conv. was appointed as the first pastor.

The first Mass was celebrated by the pastor on February 8, 1959 in the gymnasium of the Cedarcrest Elementary School on the corner of 87th Street and Bloomington Ave. 1200 people were in attendance at the four Masses offered by Fr. Ambrose and Fr. Urban Wagner, OFM Conv.

In 1959 a Building fund was started. Each wage earner was asked to contribute $2.00 on the second Sunday of each month. On October 12th of that year construction started on the present parish offices. In November work began on what is now the Social Hall, but at that time it was the first church. On Sunday, June 19, 1960 Sunday Mass was held for the first time on the St. Bonaventure grounds.

St. Bonaventure Catholic Church is located on east 90th street;
between Chicago avenue south and 10th avenue south;
east of 35W and west of Cedar Avenue (Highway 77)

You can view a map to St. Bonaventure here.