Encouraging connections: Coworking space for Catholics to open in St. Paul

By Rebecca Omastiak

The Catholic Spirit

A coworking space for Catholics is opening in St. Paul in May.

The Quarry is owned and will be run by the St. Joseph Business Guild — a nonprofit with 650 members from 95 parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis that seeks to help Catholics support their families through business, entrepreneurship, worker and mentor networks.

It will be in the St. Mark Catholic School building, part of St. Mark parish at 1983 Dayton Ave. The school restructured in April 2019 after leadership announced a decline in enrollment and rising costs. The preschool remains and a homeschooling ministry is in the building.

Former St. Mark business administrator Joe Hermerding, who read about the interest in a Catholic coworking space from the St. Joseph Business Guild newsletter, contacted

This aligns with St. Mark’s mission of living and sharing Christ’s call to holiness.

Randy Lehnen

the nonprofit and suggested the school building.

Randy Lehnen stepped into the role of business administrator in March. He said the guild is renovating parts of the building and rent will be part of the equation. The preschool will be locked and secure; the students will not have contact with other ministries in the building, Lehnen said.

“This aligns with St. Mark’s mission of living and sharing Christ’s call to holiness,” Lehnen said. Those using the coworker space will have ready access to daily Mass, confession and other aspects of parish life, he said.

Roger Vasko, guild president, said his organization saw a need for coworking space for Catholics who were working from home. “Man was not made to work alone,” Vasko said in a statement.

“The idea is to create a Catholic business center where Catholic businesses can thrive,” Vasko said, adding that there is interest in giving the guild a central location to host speakers, classes and networking events as well as to develop mentor-mentee relationships.

Plans are in place to renovate classrooms into office space, the guild said. The coworking space inside the former school is the size of two classrooms. A small room attached to the coworking space and a secondary room across the hall can be used for phone calls. A small meeting room and a conference room are also available. A former classroom has been renovated for a breakroom and lunchroom.

Plans also include converting the school cafeteria into a banquet hall.

Tentative plans include renting that space to a caterer and to entrepreneurs interested in using commercial kitchen space. Other possible plans include setting up a photography studio, podcasting rooms, a tool library and a fitness center.

The Quarry is primarily supported through individual donations and member business sponsorship packages. Fundraising efforts are ongoing, Vasko said.

An open house for the space will be held from 4-8 p.m. May 1. Food and drinks will be provided, and a blessing will take place at 6 p.m. RSVP online at sjbusinessguild com

The introductory rate for the space in May, June and July will be $125 a month. Then, in August, the rate will increase to $150 per month. Those interested in registering for the coworking space can find more information online at quarrycoworking.com.

— Joe Ruff contributed to this report.