Holy Rosary Church

History

During the Council of White Clay on September 17, 1876, Chief Red Cloud demanded that the “Black Robes” be allowed to assist his people. When construction began in 1896 on Holy Rosary Mission Church, the fruit of Red Cloud’s hope came to bear. With its main beams planed from nearby trees and its red bricks fired from local clay, Holy Rosary Church was the result of Lakota, Franciscan and Jesuit labors. The church held its first Mass on Christmas Day in 1898.

Unfortunately, the historic church—the first country brick church west of the Missouri River—burned to the ground on Good Friday, April 5, 1996. All that was salvaged was its flame-scarred baptismal font, which exists today in a new church on the grounds of the original one. Dedicated by Bishop Blaise Cupich on October 7, 1998, the new Holy Rosary Church has traditional Lakota stained glass windows that are the result of a collaboration between Red Cloud High School art students under the direction of Lakota Elder Francis He Crow and Fr. Dave Smith, S.J. Four Lakota artists designed and executed the Stations of the Cross, which also hang in the church. Mass is held daily at Holy Rosary.