2026 Rural Life Celebration

The annual Rural Life Celebration will take place on Sunday, August 16^th. This annual diocesan event celebrates our rural nature as a diocese, including various rural life awards, promotes care for creation and raises funds for the diocesan Rural Life Fund.

The event will begin with Mass on the farm at 1:30pm.  Immediately following Mass, this year’s Catholic Century Farm Awards and Rural Business Award will be presented.  Everyone is then invited to stay for refreshments, fellowship and activities for the whole family.

This year’s event is being hosted by the Northern Cross Area Catholic Community, and will take place on the Moenkedick Family Farm in rural Perham.  All are welcome!

Event location: Moenkedick Family Farm

38153 – 431st Street, Perham, MN 56573

Directions: From Highway 10, take the exit for County Road 34/Perham; go west on CR-34.  Turn left on 123. Turn right onto 428th Street.  Turn right onto 430^th/Wolf Lake Road.  431^st Street serves as the farm’s driveway. Parking will be available at the dead end near the intersection of 430^th/Wolf Lake Road and 431st; hay wagons will be available to shuttle you from parking to the farm, with limited handicapped parking and drop-off available at the farm.  Mass will be in the large shed straight ahead on the farm’s property, with tents extending out for additional seating and after-Mass activities.

This is a rain or shine event. In the case of severe weather, the event will be held at St. Henry’s Catholic Church in Perham.

Congratulations to this year’s Rural Life Awards recipients, who will receive their awards at the Rural Life Celebration! 

This year’s Catholic Century Farm Award recipients:

• Deglmann Family Farm, founded 1915 and 1919, parishioners of Christ Our Light in Princeton
• Ronald and Julie Doll, founded 1873, parishioners of St. Lawrence in Rush Lake
• Riestenberg Farm, founded 1886, parishioners of Northern Cross Area Catholic Community
• Ron and Ann Borash of Spunk Brook Farm, founded 1889, parishioners of Holy Cross in North Prairie

This year’s Catholic Rural Business Award winner:

• Steve and Connie Richter, owners of Richter’s Men’s Wear in Perham, parishioners of Sacred Heart in Dent

Novena to Sts. Isidore and Maria, patrons of rural life

Please join us in praying a Novena to Sts. Isidore and Maria, patrons of rural life, for the success of the Rural Life Celebration and all our rural communities, August 8-16th.