History

The Saint

Born in 1549. Ordained a priest in the Franciscan Order at age 27. Left Spain for Peru in 1589. Labored among the Indians of Peru as a missionary for 20 years. Died in the year 1609. Feast day is celebrated on July 14.

The Mission

1790	First converts to Catholicism. The person mainly responsible for an exemplary Christian life was a certain Frenchman – John Corbine.
1860-73	There were occasional visits by Missionary Fathers from Bayfield, Wisconsin.
1878	Franciscan priests took charge.
1881	Small log cabin church was begun.
1885	Church was completed and blessed in August. A school and Sister’s Convent were built. Dominic Durharine, a Catholic layman, was the first teacher.
1885	The School Sisters of St. Francis from Milwaukee, WI, came to teach in the school until 1908.
1909	Sisters of St. Joseph from Superior, WI, took charge of the school until 1920. School was closed for lack of funds.
1918	Father Philip Gordon, diocesan priest and first American Indian priest, became pastor.
1921	The Church was destroyed by lightning.
1923-24	Present Church was built of native pipe stone.
1927	The School Sisters of St. Francis returned and reopened the school with Sister Sirilla LaRush as principal. She was the first native Indian religious from St. Francis Solanus Mission.
1936	New home for the Sisters was built.
1938	Franciscan priests from the Sacred Heart Province of St. Louis, MO, returned and took charge.
1941-42	A new school building was erected and blessed by Bishop William O’Connor on May 11, 1942.
1950	Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes constructed as a Marian year project.
1965	Cemetery restoration.
1969	Blacktopping of playground and parking lot. Playground equipment installed.
1970	Church tuck-pointed and bell tower repaired.
1971	Wigwam Repository constructed (21 deer hides). Interior of church redecorated. New garage for buses.
1972	Automatic Church bells and Angelus bells installed. Blacktopping completed; new playground equipment added.
1973	Re-shingling of Church roof and rectory kitchen addition.
1974	Green van for transporting 11 school children.
1975	New well dug and indoor plumbing for the school. New dry wells for the Mission.
1976	New epoxy glass windows for the church and convent chapel. Kindergarten begun in school.
1977	New 60 passenger school bus for the school children. New garage for Sisters.
1978	Lightning rods installed on roofs of all mission buildings.
1980	New lawn mowing equipment and snow removal equipment.
1981	New maroon van for transporting 11 school children.
1982	Extensive repair job on school to prevent basement leaking. Dishwasher equipment for school. Cross on Church steeple repaired.
1983	New organ for church in May. Original statue of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha in church. First computers in school.
1984	New 65-passenger school bus. Memorial erected in honor of Rev. Kurt E. Buranich, O.F.M. (died Dec. 25, 1983). Emergency generator installed for entire Mission.
1985	New 21-passenger school bus. New cemetery land cleared. Centennial of the school. Centennial celebration on June 9, 1985.
1986	New windows in school. Classroom painted.
1987	New furnace in school. New windows in convent. Cross in new cemetery erected. New drain filed for school. Electrical rewiring of school. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha statue in school cafeteria as a memorial to honor Sister Sirilla LaRush, Native Indian religious from St. Francis Mission.
1987	New carpet in school.
1988	Diocesan priest, rev. Gregory Hopefl, became pastor. New windows in Convent.
1989	Church roof repaired. Inside walls of church repaired. Exterior of Convent painted. Roof repair on rectory.
1990	Interior of Church painted and carpeted. Outdoor shrine of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha constructed across from new cemetery. Mission Establishes Kateri Circle
1991	Playground equipment moved to present location.
1992	New 15-passenger (1993) school bus-van donated.
1993	Extensive school furnace repair. Construction of multi-purpose parish hall. New 15-passenger school bus.
1994	Blacktop sealant on parking lot.
1995	New 65-passenger school bus.
1996	New 21-passenger school bus.
1997	New roof and siding on school. Lumen Christi Award presented to Sister Felissa Zander. Installation of the Internet in school.
1998	New roof and siding on Convent. New roof and siding on Rectory.
1999	St. Francis Solanus Mission Historical Marker erected.
2000	Millennium Celebration
2001-02	Installed new generator for entire Mission from Clemson University, S.C.
2004	Painted interior of school
2005	First class relic Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha in Church
2009	New propane gas tanks installed New handcrafted Easter candle stand installed by Ojibwe
2011	Appreciation celebration for School Sisters of St. Francis hosted by Ojibwe
2013	Entire church renovated: new roof, interior and exterior tuck pointing of pipestone completed Hosted the Diocesan St. Kateri Tekakwitha Canonization Celebration July 14, 2013
2014	Steel shingled roof replacement on School.
2015	Steel shingled roof installed on two garages.
2016	Hand beadwork on white buckskin with Eagle Feathers, decorates the Lectern in Church.
2017	New Bishop James Patrick Powers ordained and installed as 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Superior. Church Sidewalk, Steps and Ramp installed.
2018	Begninning of COVID 19 Crisis. Hand Beaded, white buckskin covering, decorates the main alter in Church.
2019	COVID Virus Spreads. Playground Equipment refurbished.
2020	Coronavirus Epidemic - Shutdown March 18. Online, Virtual Events, In Person Events Shutdown. Wearing Masks Mandate. Traditional Corpus Christi Feast - Virtual. Fundraiser for Kubota - Gravedigger - completed and installed. Stell shingled Roof installed on Convent.
2021	Sidewalk Railing by Church Ramp Constructed.
2022	COVID still spreading - Masks Optional. Playground Equipment repaired. Corpus Christi Traditional Feast for All - IN-PERSON