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The Church of the Holy Rosary
In the fall of 1924, Father Freisleben accompanied by his good friend, Father August Rhode, came to North Mankato to inspect the future site of Holy Rosary Parish. They drove down Grant Avenue which was then two wagon tracks with weeds growing on the tracks. They peered out of the side curtains of their open car and viewed the weed patch which would become the site of Holy Rosary Church and School. Father Freisleben said to Father Rhode, "It doesn't look like much now; but, God willing, and with the help of these good people, I intend to change that."
was organized as a parish
of the Archdiocese of St. Paul
in October of 1924.
On Sunday, October 24, 1924, the first Mass was offered in the old firebarn which stood on the corner of Belgrade and Center Street.
The Jesuits at SS. Peter and Paul in Mankato loaned the use of their school chapel for Sunday Masses. This chapel [photo of the chapel] became the place of worship for the next year until we had our own facilities.
Much of the work of excavating, grading and gravel hauling was donated by Belgrade farmers and North Mankatoans who furnished teams, wagons and other tools. Parishioner Cletus Steinbach remembers bringing a team of horses and a grader and joining the mutual effort to start the parish building.
Located on six lots on Grant and Sherman, a combination church, school and hall was erected of Springfield brick and Mankato stone which was the heart of the parish for twenty-five years.
The main floor served as Holy Rosary Chapel, accommodating 375 people. The second floor consisted of classrooms, library and music room. The basement was the kitchen and church hall. The house which stood on the corner of Sherman and Grant served as the first rectory. This later became the convent.
Holy Mass was said for the first time in Holy Rosary Chapel on October 14, 1925. On this occasion Archbishop Austin Dowling of St. Paul blessed the new building. Mr. Joseph Schneider arranged the hall in a fitting manner and Misses Jennie Lafontaine, Nellie McGurie and Mrs. William Spornitz arranged and decorated the altar. Also on this date, the ladies of the parish served their first big dinner in the church hall.
As time went on the parish grew out of existing facilities. This reality called for the raising of funds and drawing up blue prints for a new church under the direction of Father Freisleben.
After Father Freisleben died in July 1948, Father Alphonse Schladweiler was appointed pastor. He proceeded to organize a building committee to finalize the plans. The committee met in frequent sessions considering plans, materials, etc. and finally at a meeting on July 18, 1949 the motion was made and passed to build the church. The Neitge Brothers Construction Company of North Mankato was awarded the contract. On Sunday, July 24, 1949, ground was broken. As typical of parishioner's support, the Hiniker brothers dug the basement.
The new church is in a modified Romanesque style of Illinois brick with Mankato stone trim.
A statue of "Our Lady of the Rosary" graces the shrine in her honor to the left of the altar.
In December, 1956, it was decided and approved by the parish board to build a convent on the corner of Sherman and Garfield. It also contained a chapel. In 1958 there were 427 pupils and 21 sisters. In 1961 classes opened in a new school of 18 classrooms, 2 libraries,
Monsignor Alphonse Schladweiler was consecrated first Bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm on January 29, 1958. On January 30, 1958 the Diocese of New Ulm was erected. [Holy Rosary is in the New Ulm Diocese while the parishes in Mankato are in the Diocese of Winona.]
School Development:
The School Sisters of Notre Dame were secured to teach in our school. They first commuted daily from the Motherhouse at Good Counsel . Later they lived in one of the classrooms until they moved into the rectory when Father Freisleben took up his residency in the school until the new rectory was built in 1927.
Holy Rosary School opened its doors in September, 1925, with four classrooms. Sister Villanova, Principal, along with Sister Alonza and Candidate Catherine Meyerhofer taught the first 115 students.
Because of increased school enrollment, both school and convent were frequently enlarged. In 1940 a new classroom for the first grade was arranged in the school auditorium and the convent was enlarged by the addition of a spacious community room, bath and bedroom. In 1958, when there were 427 pupils and 21 sisters, a new convent was built.
Increasing school enrollment in the fall of 1959 prompted the parish board to undertake the expansion of the school building. Ground was broken for the edition on June 23, 1960. With this addition to the school, the total school contained 18 classrooms, a primary library, a large library, office, gymnasium with stage and cafeteria facilities, and also custodian quarters.
In 1965 there was a record setting enrollment of 583 students.
Holy Rosary School continued to support eight grades until June of 1969. Fitzgerald Middle School, grades 7-8, in Mankato, housed in a building on the property of SS. Peter and Paul Parish, opened in the autumn of 1969.
The seventh and eighth graders from the four parishes in Mankato and North Mankato were housed at Fitzgerald Middle School.
Holy Rosary continued to house grades 1-6, until May of 1974. In September of 1974, Kindergarten was added. These grades remained until May of 1989. Sixth grade moved to the Fitzgerald building in 1989. From September of 1989, until May of 1992, Holy Rosary housed grades K-5.
In September of 1992, grade 5 was also moved to the Fitzgerald building and grades K-4 continued to meet at Holy Rosary until May 1993.
From September of 1993 until June of 2005, Grades 4-5 (including all of the Mankato/North Mankato parishes), continued to be housed at the Holy Rosary school building. Grades K-3 moved to Loyola.
Since May of 2005, no grades of the Mankato Area Catholic Schools have been housed at the Holy Rosary School Building .
Loyola Catholic School, pre-K through grade 12, serves Holy Rosary Parish, as well as the parishes of Mankato. http://www.loyolacatholicschool.org
Preschool-12th grades meet at the Loyola Campus on Good Counsel Drive.
Population growth:
Holy Rosary Parish originated with 125 families. Now, in 2017, there are 873 families.