St. Mary’s Mission School (Red Lake, MN)

Benedictine Sisters first came to Red Lake in 1899, when they opened a day school associated with St. Mary’s Mission. They expanded service to become a boarding school the following year. When government contracts for boarding schools ended in 1899, the Benedictines continued to staff schools, but by the 1940s offered education for day students only . The Sisters teaching in these schools received no salaries but were supported by their home monastery, Saint Benedict's. At their peak, St. Mary’s had 80-100 students every year.

Photo Gallery

First school at St. Mary’s Mission

Sisters and students at Red Lake

Sister Elmer Reisinger

Red Lake School with students

Red Lake Mission Church and School

Sisters Eucharia Koltes and Laura Hesch

Red Lake Saint Mary’s Mission Boarding School

For more information about St. Mary’s Mission at Red Lake, see

Lindblad, O. (1997). Full of fair hope : A history of St. Mary's Mission, Red Lake, Minnesota. St. Joseph, MN: O. Lindblad [self-published].

MacDonald, G. (1957). With lamps burning.

St. Joseph, Minn.: St. Benedict’s Priory Press