Divine Mercey Catholic School

BRIEF CATHOLIC SCHOOL HISTORY IN FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA

Divine Mercy Catholic School is nearly 150 years old. It is a consolidated school built from the areas first Catholic schools St. Lawrence, a Catholic school made up of students predominantly of German descent; Sacred Heart Catholic School, with students of French background; and Immaculate Conception Catholic School for those families of mostly Irish heritage. The first parochial school in Faribault was founded officially in 1872, making Divine Mercy Catholic School 136 years old, although in all three original parish schools, classes were taught in the basement beginning in 1860.

Alexander Faribault deeded land to the areas first resident priest, Father George Keller. Immaculate Conception Catholic Church still stands on this deeded land today. Immaculate Conception opened their school in the basement of the Berglehner residence in 1860. Lay teachers were the first instructors until the Sisters of the Dominican Order in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, came in 1865 to lead the school. Families paid one dollar a month for each child in addition to the necessary books and supplies needed for education. In 1872, after outgrowing the church basement classrooms, a new school was built for Immaculate Conception. This school served as the parish school until 1925 under the direction of Father Dolphin. Due to continued increases in enrollment, Monsignor Foley built on a large addition. Divine Mercy Catholic School has been added on to over the years and remains in much the same location where it began.

In 1869 Bishop T.H. Grace gave the German Catholic people of Faribault permission to form their own parish. A small frame building was built and their first celebrated Mass was on February 2, 1870. St. Lawrence began teaching school that same year in the basement of the church. In 1872, they purchased new land to build a larger church and school. Beginning in 1881, the Dominican Sisters walked from Immaculate Conception to St. Lawrence to teach the children. Father John Pavlin helped to build up the school until his death in 1896. In 1913, St. Lawrence built a new school building. This building is still used today by the Faribault public school system as the location for the Discovery Charter School.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church opened a mission school in 1916. Four Sisters of the Third Order of St. Dominic worked side by side with Father Monge teaching Catholic education and the French language. In 1952, under Father Houles direction and increasing enrollment, the parish purchased property for a new school. Students began in their new school building in 1956 with hot school lunches only 15 cents a lunch. This school building is still used as part of Divine Mercy Catholic School today, housing preschool and kindergarten classes.

The three Catholic schools were consolidated in 1969. Until 2006, the joint schools were called Consolidated Catholic Schools CCS. Originally a kindergarten to eighth grade educational institute, today, Divine Mercy Catholic School provides academic excellence to students in preschool to sixth grade to nearly 400 students.

In 2009, the North Campus is moved up with the South Campus and closed. Art and Music classes are held in the old I.C. Church basement, preschool in the Mother Samuel Building, and Kindergarten is moved into the school. We are all under one roof! The new church is opened in August of 2009.

Child Ages:

3 years - 6 years

Licenses & Accreditations:

MinnesotaDepartmentofHumanServices

Preschool:

Yes