As early as the 1870's, priests from surrounding areas celebrated Mass in the town of Britt. The need to build a church became obvious by the mid 1870's due to the sizable number of Catholics living there. Property was acquired in 1879, and the first church was built the following year. St. Patrick Parish replaced the first church in about 1896, because of growing membership.

The present church was built between 1951 and 1953. The church and parish hall are on the same level and have a common entrance. One of the more unique components of the church is a Hook & Hasting tracker organ.

St. Patrick has undergone some changes in the recent past. In 2002, St. Patrick became linked with St. Patrick, Buffalo Center; St. Wenceslaus, Duncan; St. James, Forest City; St. Boniface, Garner; and St. Patrick, Lake Mills.

In 2006, St. Patrick was asked to host a monthly Spanish mass, which has now become a weekly event every Sunday.

In the history of St. Patrick, there have been several ways that the laity has been involved in building up the kingdom of God. Possibly the first was the Rosary Society, which began early in the parish history, encouraging the frequent reception of Communion and expanding the use of the rosary. Members assist the pastor in visiting the sick of the parish. Though the Rosary Society ceased to exist, it has been replaced with work groups who serve funeral dinners and other parish events. The Catholic Daughters of the Americas (CDA) chartered a court in the parish in 1916. This organization is still active and, also, supports charitable organizations.

As of December 2010, there are approx. 235 families registered in the parish and 135 children in the faith formation program. St. Patrick is a welcoming community, especially to the Hobo community that calls Britt their national home and comes back each summer.