Maternity of Mary Church

Did you ever hear of a church starting in someone’s basement? Maternity of Mary Church, right here before us, has just such a story. Its first congregation met in a parishioner’s basement in February 1949. This humble beginning marked the birth of a vibrant community. Maternity of Mary Church quickly outgrew its initial space. By April 1949, a temporary “barracks” church was built. Just a few months later, in August, ground was broken for a more permanent structure. This included a school and a rectory. The church basement hosted its first mass on Easter Sunday 1950. The school opened its doors later that year, in September, with four Benedictine nuns as the faculty. The permanent church building, however, wasn’t finished until much later. Construction began in 1961, and the new church was dedicated the following year. Maternity of Mary Church boasts a unique architectural style. Built in a modern Romanesque style, the structure is made of dolomite sandstone from Mankato. This material was chosen to evoke the image of Noah’s Ark. Light floods into the church through 144 stained-glass clerestory windows. A large rose window depicts the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. Other historical stained-glass windows and statues, originally from Saint Andrew’s Church, decorate the Holy Family Chapel and the main church. Six new statues were commissioned, honoring Mary’s maternity. They depict four saints devoted to Our Lady, Our Lady with child, and Our Lady of Joy. Finally, the church’s 113-foot bell tower stands tall, a striking landmark above the baptistery. Maternity of Mary Church is more than just a building. It represents a journey of faith from a humble basement to a prominent landmark.