The 16 Founding Sisters were members of Elizabeth Hayes' Community
This is the entrance sign to the property.
The Sisters have a number of ministries on this property at Little Falls as seem on the signage on this wall.
Francis has a deer at his feet, very fitting for this very cold place in winter.
This is the entrance into the convent, the Sacred Heart Chapel is to the left.
This is the internal entrance Hall.
Sr Beatrice, the present Congregational Leader meet us as we arrived and took us on a tour of the buildings and the grounds. We are standing at the monument to the Founding Sisters.
These are the names of the 16 Founding Sisters.
Sister Francis Beauchamp was the first elected Superior of the new Little Falls Franciscan Community. This year the sisters are celebrating 100 years since her death.
Hurrle Hall was the first permanent convent built by the sisters which was opened on August 23rd, 1891.
In my next BLOG I will show a little of the area of Little Falls.
THE END OF AN ERA - Belle Prairie Convent and School
In 1950 Mother Mary Ignatius Hayes Gymnasium was constructed behind the convent and school.
In 1963 Mother Mary Ignatius Hayes High School was opened as an extension to St Anthony's Academy. It was built in the hope of increasing numbers in the school. However this did not happen.
Our Sisters from Chicago and Rockford availed themselves of the recreational facilities of the Academy which included skating, tobogganing and skiing. These facilities were shared with many others as well.
The Belle Prairie complex was officially closed on August 6th, 1968
ST ANTHONY'S ROCKFORD, CONVENT AND SCHOOL 
On her way from Chicago to Belle Prairie in 1915 Rev. Mother Agnella detoured to Rockford northeastern Illinois. Bishop P.J. Muldoon asked for 4 Sisters to staff St Anthony's School. The school was opened in September 15th the same year.
BELOW - The convent where the Sisters lived when they left the school in 1985
ST MARY'S SCHOOL, LITTLE FALLS
In 1949 when the Benedictine Sisters withdrew from the school, Mons. Keaveny, Superintendent of Catholic Schools in St Paul was so impressed by our Sisters he invited them to replace the Benedictine Siaters. Mon. Keaveny was Pastor of St Mary's at the time. The Sisters were there until 1969.
ST ANDREWS SCHOOL, BRAINERD
St Andrew's school was opened in 1965 in the now combined parishes of St Francis. This is the main church. The sisters withdrew a few years later from St Andrews and St Mary's.
However, St Mary's reopened later under the combined direction of the Benedictine Sisters and the Little Falls Franciscan and our own MFIC Sisters.
A good relationship exists still exists. Elizabeth Hayes remains a unifying bond between the two communities.
A major setback for the Foundress, Elizabeth Hayes.
The convent was deliberately set on fire at night. Sisters and Boarders were asleep at the time. The buildings were destroyed. A monument was built on the spot where the Blessed Sacrament was burnt. The Sisters were sent to Georgia until plans could be made for the rebuilding. The Insurance money had to be collected to make a new beginning.
However, early 1891 sixteen of Elizabeth Hayes Community separated to commence their own Diocesan Congregation at Little Falls, Minnesota a few miles south of Belle Prairie. This was their first convent Hurrle Hall built and opened on 23rd August, 1891.
Mother Columba Doucette bought back the land and built a new convent and school which were opened in 1911. The buildings are to the right of the Church. The Sisters owned around 100 acres of land right back to the Mississippi River in the background of this picture. There were many pine trees on the property.
Below is a photo taken during my Pilgrimage to Belle Prairie.
The Convent and corner stone, with Franciscan Coat of Arms. The new buildings were called Our Lady of the Angels Academy.
The Convent Bell was installed in 1915
Statue of St Francis in the alcove toward the top of the Convent.
The story of the closure of this convent and school will follow in my next BLOG.
The Foundation of the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception in 1872
After travelling from Tenafly, New Jersey across five other States I crossed the State Line into Minnesota. This was the beginning of my Pilgrimage to follow in the footsteps of Elizabeth Hayes (Mary Ignatius) our Foundress.
I visited Stillwater which is the birthplace of Minnesota, founded in 1843. Not too many years before Elizabeth arrived in Belle Prairie.
These are the Paddle Boats along the banks of the St Croix River at Stillwater. It is interesting that Belle Prairie was first named by the French-Canadian Fur Traders as Lacroix. (The Cross)
The Holy Family Parish of Belle Prairie is the oldest permanent Parish in the Diocese of St Cloud. Established in 1853 by Fr Francis Xavier Pierz. He was the First Missionary Priest to establish a Parish in Central Minnesota in 1852. The Diocese was then that of St Paul with Bishop Grace as the Bishop of that Diocese.
This is an etching of the original Church which was known to Elizabeth Hayes. Below is a painting of the same Church in 1877.
It is interesting that a stained glass window of St Anthony of Padua is reflected in the painting. Elizabeth Hayes had a special attachment to St Anthony and called her first school at Belle Prairie, St Anthony Academy.
This is the present day church in 2015. It was extended at the front to make a larger foyer. Statues attached to the church are from the Sisters Convent which is now a retirement home. More about that in another BLOG.
The "Log Cabin" as it is affectionately named, was the original convent of our foundation. The log cabin is now opposite the church and was moved here around 2009. Originally it was close to the church.
This is the inside of the Log Cabin. Behind the rocking chair is a pot belly stove that was used to warm the place. Elizabeth Hayes and Mary Peet arrived in the winter of 1872.
This convent and school was built in 1873. It consisted of 4 wooden buildings around an open court yard. Two buildings were used as Boarding houses, one for the school and convent quarters for the Sisters. (This photo was taken from a display at the Little Falls Convent)
I will continue the story during the next couple of weeks.
