It began as only a "station" where there was no church but Mass was offered at stated intervals, and later advanced in status as a "mission" church. In the spring of 1902, Fr. Raith, a young pastor of St. Leo's Catholic Church in Minot, offered the first Mass on record in Velva in a room over a restaurant on Main Street as he assessed there were about 12 Catholic families in the region. Under Msgr. Raith's direction, the first St. Cecilia Church was started in 1905 and held its first Mass in the new Catholic Church on New Years Day, 1907 with roughly 75 parishioners. Msgr. Raith continued to serve Velva until 1912. 
A rectory was purchased in 1925 and Velva became a parish. The first resident priest was Fr. John Duffy, 1925-1927. One of the longer serving priests was Fr. Karl Hobelsberger, 1945-1977. Under his direction ground was broken for a new (current) church in June of 1956 and was dedicated September 1, 1957, with Rt. Rev. Msgr. J.J. Raith present. A rectory was added to the new (current) church in 1962.
Other serving priest were Msgr. Joseph Senger, 1985-2000, Fr. Dan Mrnarevic, 2000-2005 and Fr. James Gross, 2005-2013, Fr. Peter Sharpe 2013-2020, Fr. Matthew Kraemer 2020-2023.
The current church added a larger gathering entrance space, handicap accessible doors and elevator, A/C, new lighting and sound system and extended parking lot in 1997. 
Our current priest, starting in 2023, is Fr. Jered A. Grossman with 153 parishioners.
The parish offers organizations and ministries of a Holy Family Society (that includes all active parishioners), Christian Mothers, choir, religious education classes for kids Pre-12th Grade, Women's Bible Study, RCIA classes, as well as other events within the parish's direction.