About Holy Rosary · Pine Ridge, South Dakota
Holy Rosary Mission is a Roman Catholic mission parish in the heart of the Oglala Lakȟóta Nation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, in the Diocese of Rapid City. Founded in the 1880s after Chief Red Cloud petitioned for the Jesuit 'Black Robes' to come to his people, it is one of the most historic Catholic missions on the Great Plains and today encompasses six active churches and three active mission sites serving more than 800 families. The parish is staffed by the Jesuits (Society of Jesus) in collaboration with Lakȟóta lay leadership, and is closely tied to Maȟpíya Lúta (formerly Red Cloud Indian School).
- Established
- 1888
- Patron
- Holy Rosary (Our Lady of the Rosary / Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Ryen Dwyer, S.J.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Rapid City
Why belong here
Holy Rosary Mission is one of the oldest Catholic missions on the Great Plains, with roots going back to Chief Red Cloud's own request for Jesuit ministry and a parish today that serves more than 800 families across the Pine Ridge Reservation through six active churches and three active mission sites. Worshippers experience a daily-Mass rhythm at the 100 Mission Drive church, with weekend Mass celebrated at the parish's other Pine Ridge sites, plus rosary, Stations of the Cross in Lent, and Eucharistic Adoration. The community blends Lakȟóta and Catholic traditions — medicine-wheel architecture, Lakȟóta stained glass and Stations of the Cross, and a parish life run jointly by Jesuit priests and Lakȟóta lay leadership — making it a distinctive place for anyone wanting to belong to a living cross-cultural Catholic community.
Mass times at Holy Rosary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By request — contact the parish priest to make confession (no posted schedule; visit with parish priest)
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration / Holy Hour events held periodically (e.g., December 5 Holy Hour led by visiting seminarians)
History of Holy Rosary Mission
Holy Rosary Mission traces its origin to Chief Red Cloud's demand at the 1876 Council of White Clay that the Jesuit 'Black Robes' be allowed to serve the Oglala Lakȟóta. After a decade of lobbying, the Jesuits and Lakȟóta workers broke ground on August 20, 1887, and the school opened in 1888. Construction of Holy Rosary Church — built with locally fired red brick and beams planed from nearby trees — began in 1896 and was completed in 1898, with its first Mass on Christmas Day. After the original church burned on Good Friday 1996, a new church was dedicated on the original grounds by Bishop Blaise Cupich on October 7, 1998, designed to incorporate the Lakȟóta medicine wheel and adorned with stained glass and Stations of the Cross by Lakȟóta artists.
- 1876 — Chief Red Cloud demands 'Black Robes' at the Council of White Clay
- 1877 — Red Cloud petitions President Hayes for a Jesuit school
- 1887 — Ground broken at future Holy Rosary Mission (August 20)
- 1888 — School opens; 100 students enrolled by year's end
- 1890 — After Wounded Knee Massacre, Red Cloud offers Holy Rosary protection
- 1896 — Construction begins on Holy Rosary Church
- 1898 — First Mass celebrated on Christmas Day
- 1969 — School arm renamed Red Cloud Indian School
- 1996 — Original brick church destroyed by fire on Good Friday, April 5
- 1998 — New Holy Rosary Church dedicated by Bishop Blaise Cupich, October 7
- 2022 — Red Cloud Indian School begins doing business as Maȟpíya Lúta
Architecture, Art, and Sacred Furnishings
The current Holy Rosary Church, dedicated in 1998, was designed in close collaboration with the Lakȟóta community. Its layout incorporates the shape of a medicine wheel, a sacred Lakȟóta symbol, signaling the integration of Catholic and Indigenous traditions. The traditional Lakȟóta stained glass windows were created by Red Cloud High School art students under the direction of Lakȟóta Elder Francis He Crow and Fr. Dave Smith, S.J., and four Lakȟóta artists designed and executed the Stations of the Cross. The flame-scarred baptismal font from the 1898 brick church — the first country brick church west of the Missouri River — was salvaged from the 1996 fire and survives in the present church.
- Medicine-wheel-inspired floor plan
- Lakȟóta stained glass windows by Red Cloud HS students, Francis He Crow, and Fr. Dave Smith, S.J.
- Stations of the Cross by four Lakȟóta artists
- Salvaged baptismal font from the 1898 church
Pastoral Leadership and Staff
Holy Rosary Mission is staffed by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) alongside Lakȟóta and other religious and lay staff. Fr. Ryen Dwyer, S.J. is the current Pastor, installed by Bishop Scott Bullock on November 5, 2026 at Christ the King Church in Porcupine. The pastoral team includes a parochial vicar, associate pastor, permanent deacon, and Franciscan sister, supported by lay ministry, operations, and pastoral-assistant staff.
- Pastor: Fr. Ryen Dwyer, S.J.
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Robert Chawngthu, S.J.
- Associate Pastor: Fr. Ronald Seminara, S.J.
- Permanent Deacon: Dcn. Bill White
- Discipleship Team Leader: Sr. Catherine Neiketounuo Thakro, UFS
- Pastoral & Social Ministry Team Leader: Joyce Tibbitts
- Director of Operations: Lisa Swallow
- Operations Associates: Carol LaDeaux, Angela Stover
- Pastoral Assistant: Viola Loafer
Sacraments and Sacramental Preparation
The parish offers preparation for all seven Catholic sacraments — Baptism, Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders — as well as Catholic funeral liturgy. Sacramental preparation for children begins in 2nd grade for First Reconciliation and First Communion, and Confirmation is available to those 12 and older. Engaged couples begin marriage preparation by filling out the parish inquiry form. Sacramental records for all Catholic churches on the Pine Ridge Reservation are maintained centrally and can be requested through the parish website.
- Baptism — register via sacrament inquiry form
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — 2nd grade and up; registration in fall
- Confirmation — ages 12+
- Matrimony — engagement inquiry form begins marriage prep
- Anointing of the Sick and Holy Orders
- Catholic funeral liturgy
- Central sacramental records for all Pine Ridge Reservation Catholic churches
Faith Formation and Adult Faith Journey
Alongside children's sacramental prep, the parish runs an Online Zoom Faith Journey for adults beginning the third week of September, welcoming adults seeking sacraments or spiritual growth. Sacramental preparation classes (for Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion) have begun in recent years in late September. The weekly parish bulletin includes a Bible Study component and current Mass and prayer information.
- Adult Online Zoom Faith Journey (starts third week of September)
- Annual Sacramental Preparation Classes (late September start)
- Weekly Bible Study (see bulletin)
Community Life and Outreach
Pastoral and Social Ministry programming across the parish serves more than 800 families on the Pine Ridge Reservation, with outreach initiatives in religious education, recovery ministry, and lay leadership development. The parish is part of the wider Maȟpíya Lúta (Red Cloud) community, which includes Red Cloud schools, The Heritage Center, and programs in Truth and Healing, Food Sovereignty, Alumni and Graduate Support, and the Lakȟóta Language Center. Parishioners regularly take part in Diocesan events such as the Rite of Election, and the parish hosts the annual diocesan Black Elk Memorial Mass at Holy Rosary Church.
- Pastoral & Social Ministry serving 800+ families
- Recovery ministry and lay leadership development
- Maȟpíya Lúta programs: Truth and Healing, Food Sovereignty, Lakȟóta Language Center, Heritage Center
- Diocesan Rite of Election participation
- Annual Black Elk Memorial Mass hosted at Holy Rosary Church
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Ryen Dwyer, S.J.2025–present
Installed by Bishop Scott Bullock on November 5, 2026 at Christ the King Church in Porcupine. Began at Holy Rosary Mission as Associate Pastor in August 2024; became Pastor in July 2025 and Superior of the De Smet Jesuit Community.
- Fr. Brad Held, S.J.through 2025
Released from assignment as Pastor for the Parishes of Holy Rosary Mission in the 2025 priest assignments; departed for a new Jesuit Midwest USA Province assignment.
- Fr. Rick Abert, S.J.through May 28, 2017
Left Holy Rosary Mission on May 28, 2017 for a new assignment in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
- Fr. Dave Smith, S.J.
Co-directed the collaboration with Lakȟóta Elder Francis He Crow that produced the Lakȟóta stained glass windows in the present church.