About Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish · Kranzburg, South Dakota
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish (commonly known as Holy Rosary) is a small Roman Catholic parish in the rural town of Kranzburg, South Dakota, in Codington County. It was founded in 1879 as the first Catholic parish within roughly a 100-mile radius, established by German Catholic settlers who had come to the Dakota Territory a year earlier. The parish is known for its striking 1898 Gothic Revival brick church on Minnesota Avenue, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and remains an active place of worship. Holy Rosary is currently one of seven parishes that together form the Ave Maria Pastorate within the Diocese of Sioux Falls, sharing clergy and resources with neighboring communities including Watertown, Clark, Florence, Henry, and Bryant.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (the Blessed Virgin Mary, under her title of the Most Holy Rosary)
- Rector
- Rev. Shaun T. Haggerty
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux Falls
Why belong here
Holy Rosary is the spiritual home of 190 registered families (as of June 2024) and welcomes anyone who wishes to worship in one of the oldest and most architecturally distinguished Catholic churches in northeast South Dakota. As part of the seven-parish Ave Maria Pastorate, parishioners share daily Mass, weekend Masses, Reconciliation, and faith-formation opportunities with neighboring Catholic communities from Bryant and Clark to Florence, Henry, and the two Watertown parishes. The parish maintains an active sacramental and devotional life around the historic 1898 church — now a National Register landmark — and continues to use its century-old parish school building for religious education and community gatherings such as the annual September bazaar.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00 PM – 5:20 PM (at Holy Rosary, Kranzburg) or by appointment
- Also offered 30 minutes before any Mass at Holy Rosary or by appointment (Ave Maria Pastorate sacrament policy)
History of Holy Rosary Parish
Holy Rosary Parish was formally established on June 24, 1879, when Reverend Alexander Berghold of New Ulm, Minnesota celebrated the first Mass for the German Catholic families who had settled Kranzburg a year earlier. It was the first Catholic parish within a 100-mile radius. The settlers' first church was a modest 20-by-28-foot wood-frame building constructed on land donated by the Winona and St. Peter Railroad at a cost of $600. As the congregation grew, that original structure proved inadequate, and under the leadership of Reverend H. Victor in the mid-1890s the parish commissioned a much larger, permanent brick church that was completed in 1898 and continues in use today.
- Founded 1879 by German Catholic settlers of Kranzburg
- First parish within a 100-mile radius
- First Mass celebrated June 24, 1879 by Rev. Alexander Berghold
- Original 20×28 ft wood-frame church built for $600 on railroad-donated land
- Reverend H. Victor led the effort to build the present brick church
The 1898 Gothic Revival Church
The present Holy Rosary Church was designed in the Gothic Revival style by Sioux Falls architect Joseph Schwarz, Sr., known for several other South Dakota churches including St. Mary's in Zell and Holy Family in Mitchell. Construction was carried out by local German builders John and Walter Kuhn at a total cost of $18,000, using red brick made from nearby clay and main beams planed from local trees. The building features a central tower with a prominent spire, pointed-arch stained-glass windows framed by sandstone lintels and sills, buttresses between the side windows, a high-pitched gable roof, and an interior of fine German craftsmanship including a carved wooden high altar, ribbed vaulting, and original pews, Stations of the Cross, and statuary.
- Designed by Joseph Schwarz, Sr. of Sioux Falls
- Built 1898 by John and Walter Kuhn for $18,000
- Gothic Revival style — pointed arches, central tower with spire
- Interior: carved wooden high altar, ribbed vaulting, original German-crafted furnishings
- Added to the National Register of Historic Places June 6, 1986 (NRHP #86001227)
Restoration & Preservation
Over the last three decades, the parish has undertaken a series of careful restoration projects to preserve the historic church building. In the early 1990s the interior was renovated and re-carpeted, the communion rail was removed, and the exterior received tuck-pointing and steeple repair. The early 2000s saw a new shingle roof installed over the church and steeple. In 2008 the interior received a full face-lift, including insulation and the painting of the ornate moulding. Most recently, in 2015, all the stained glass windows were removed, cleaned, and put back together using new lead framing, and a new handicap-accessible restroom was added (which required the confessional to be relocated).
- Early 1990s: interior renovation, re-carpeting, steeple tuck-pointing
- Early 2000s: new shingle roof over church and steeple
- 2008: insulation added and ornate interior moulding painted
- 2015: stained glass cleaned and re-leaded; handicap-accessible restroom added
Ave Maria Pastorate
Holy Rosary is one of seven parishes that together make up the Ave Maria Pastorate within the Diocese of Sioux Falls, formed as part of Bishop Donald DeGrood's 'Set Ablaze' pastoral planning initiative that began in August 2022. The pastorate's goal — in Bishop DeGrood's words — is to help create 'Lifelong Catholic Missionary Disciples Through God's Love' by building a ten-year plan for the future of the diocese. The seven parishes share clergy and coordinate Mass schedules, faith formation, and sacramental preparation across northeast South Dakota. Holy Rosary serves as the daily-Mass hub of the pastorate, with Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday morning Masses and the Saturday Vigil celebrated in its historic church.
- Blessed Sacrament — Florence
- Holy Rosary — Kranzburg
- Saint Henry's — Henry
- Saint Michael's — Clark
- Holy Name of Jesus — Watertown
- Immaculate Conception — Watertown
- Saint Mary's — Bryant
- Formed under Bishop DeGrood's 'Set Ablaze' pastoral plan (2022)
Clergy & Staff
The Ave Maria Pastorate is currently served by a pastor and parochial vicar who minister across all seven parish sites including Holy Rosary. Inquiries, sacramental scheduling, and parish registration for Holy Rosary are handled through the pastorate office.
- Rev. Shaun T. Haggerty — Pastor, Ave Maria Pastorate
- Rev. Christopher Hughes — Parochial Vicar, Ave Maria Pastorate
- Parish office: (605) 886-9166 — Rectory: (605) 886-3344
- Email: [email protected]
Sacraments
The Ave Maria Pastorate coordinates preparation for and celebration of all seven sacraments across its parishes. Reconciliation at Holy Rosary is offered on Saturday afternoons before the Vigil Mass or by appointment. Baptisms, marriages, First Communion, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick are scheduled through the pastorate office.
- Reconciliation — Sat 5:00 PM or by appointment
- Baptism — by arrangement through the parish office
- Marriage — preparation and scheduling through the pastorate
- First Communion & Confirmation — coordinated pastorate-wide
- Anointing of the Sick — by request through the parish office
Parish School Building & Religious Education
The parish operated Holy Rosary Catholic School from 1906 until the end of the 2013–2014 academic year. Founded by parishioners and at its peak enrolling 184 students in 1963, the school served generations of Kranzburg-area children with Catholic-based education from preschool through sixth grade. The original structure was lost to fire; the present building was dedicated in 1950. After declining enrollment following county redistricting and busing to larger schools in Watertown and Waverly, the school closed in 2014 with only 12 students. The parish repurposed the building for weekly faith-formation classes for children and youth during the school year, and the attached parish hall continues to host private and parish-sponsored events, from dinners to the annual September bazaar.
- Holy Rosary Catholic School founded 1906 by parishioners
- Current school building dedicated 1950
- Peak enrollment: 184 students (1963)
- Closed at end of 2013–2014 school year
- Building now used for weekly religious education and parish/community events
- Annual parish bazaar held every September in the parish hall
Parish Life & Outreach
Beyond the sacraments, Holy Rosary is a center of community life in Kranzburg. The parish hall attached to the former school hosts dinners and the annual September bazaar that draws families from across the area, and parishioners participate in regional fundraisers such as the Tractor Drive for a Cure. As part of the Ave Maria Pastorate, Holy Rosary families are linked to fellowship, faith formation, and service opportunities across all seven parishes from Bryant and Clark to Watertown.
- Annual parish bazaar every September
- Tractor Drive for a Cure fundraiser
- Faith-formation classes for children and youth during the school year
- Fellowship and service opportunities shared across the seven parishes of the Ave Maria Pastorate
Visit & Contact
Holy Rosary Church is located at 202 Minnesota Avenue in Kranzburg, South Dakota. The parish is part of the Ave Maria Pastorate within the Diocese of Sioux Falls, and all inquiries are handled through the pastorate office. Holy Rosary is home to 190 registered families as of June 2024.
- Address: 202 Minnesota Ave, Kranzburg, SD 57245
- Mailing Address: PO Box 166, Kranzburg, SD 57245
- Phone: (605) 886-9166 — Rectory: (605) 886-3344
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.avemariapastorate.org/
- Registered families: 190 (as of June 2024)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend Alexander Berghold1879
Pastor from New Ulm, Minnesota; celebrated the inaugural Mass on June 24, 1879, formally founding the parish.
- Reverend H. Victormid-1890s
Commissioned the design and oversaw construction of the present Gothic Revival brick church, completed in 1898.