History

Holy Family Catholic Church

Holy Family Parish began on June 7, 1880 with the first mass in the settlement of Mitchell. Organized by Fr. Hennessy, the people of the congregation in 1882 erected the church building, 37 x 74 feet and 21 feet high. The church and rectory cost about $7,500 and there were 500 parishioners.

The current church was built in 1906 in the Gothic Revival architectural style with granite quarried in Spencer. A.J. Kings was the lead contractor. The building cost $100,000. The cross atop the spire is 165 feet above the ground. The stained glass windows were designed by Ford Brother’s Glass Company of Minneapolis. Holy Family Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Holy Family Church has undergone multiple restorations over the years including work done to the steeple, tuck pointing and stained glass repairs.

Notre Dame School was built in 1912. Additions were made in 1921 and 1956. Holy Family and Holy Spirit school systems were combined in 1999. The former school building was demolished in 2005 and a new 7,000 square feet gathering space was built in 2008.

Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Holy Spirit Catholic Church began in 1962, with the return to Mitchell of Rev. Thomas J. McPhillips, a past assistant at Holy Family Catholic Church. His mission was to begin a second parish, Holy Spirit. The parish was created by uniting over four hundred families from the Western part of Mitchell. The first worship was held June 29, 1963 with a Mass in a funeral parlor chapel.

With a congregation formed, they needed somewhere to meet so they moved to the second floor of City Hall where the crowds were better accommodated with the larger facilities. The next step was to build a rectory that would provide space for meetings and a chapel for daily mass. Construction was started on the new rectory.

Groundbreaking for a new school building took place in 1963, and construction was finished before the opening of school in the fall of 1964. The school was under the direction of the Presentation Sisters for the first seventeen years. The school auditorium became the parish church as well as the school cafeteria, gymnasium, and parish social center. To accommodate the changing needs, the auditorium was converted almost daily from one use to another. The men became great interior decorators with their practice moving chairs and kneelers after Mass to set up the dining facilities.

During this time, the Altar Society ladies often tantalized the people with the aroma of fine foods which were prepared for dinners that helped pay for the new facility. Along with the dinners, dances on the parking lot also helped pay for the building costs.

In August, 1968, Rev. McPhillips passed on his duties to Rev. James M. Joyce, the second pastor of the parish. It was during this time that the parish began to seriously consider a new church building. In December 1975, the Parish Council began making plans to build. Groundbreaking for the new building was on July 26, 1976. In the time of about a year, the new building was almost complete. The Mass of Dedication was offered by Bishop Lambert Hoch on Pentecost Sunday, 1977.

The new contemporary design for the church was worked into the design of the main school and adjoined the school at the north. With a capacity of 570 people, the new church dominated the sight at 1401 West Cedar due to its unusual design and architectural lines. With the guidance of God and the cooperation of the parish, the new church was created.

Rev. Andrew Swietochowski became Pastor in July, 2001, and was transferred to White Lake and Kimball in July of 2010.  During his time here the  parish undertook several building projects including a new adoration chapel, a new parish hall and new rectory; all adjoined to the current facility.