Brief History of Holy Rosary Church

 Brief History of Holy Rosary Church, Aurora MN

1908-Present

Established in 1903, the city of Aurora grew out of the mining locations and began to be built on the present site in 1905.  The Catholic people of Aurora built a church in 1906 and were first served by a priest living in Eveleth.  This community was officially incorporated as Holy Rosary Church on June 3, 1908. 

 On April 8, 1957, the church was destroyed by fire.  Six months later construction began on the current church building which was completed in February 1959 and was dedicated by Bishop Lawrence Glenn on March 8, 1959. 

 In February-September 2015 we, merged with Queen of Peace, Hoyt Lakes and St. John’s, Biwabik to form Our Lady of Hope Parish.  We are all members of the same parish, with one set of trustees, one Finance Council and one Pastoral Council. 

Pastors (*and associate) who have served Holy Rosary Catholic Church:

 Mission Pastors  
 M. Bilban 1906-08 and 1916-17
 Francis Saloven 1911-13
 Joseph Polak 1913
 Patrick J. Pirnat  1913-1914
 Richard O'Gorman  1914-15
 Anton Leskovic  1916
 John Bigley  1917-18
 A. L. Dufresne  1918-19
 Joseph L. Quillien  1919
 John Jershe  1919-25
 Resident Pastors  
 Aloysius L. Pirnat  1908-11
 John Jershe  1927-30
 Timothy Culligan  1930-32
 Thaddeus McCarthy  1932-34
 Patrick S. Flynn  1934-46
 Andrew P. Crawford  1946-47
 Edmund Mockler  1947-49
 David Taylor  1949-52
 Mirko K. Godina  1952-59
 Innocent Koncnik*  1954-58
Steven Savinshek 1958-72
Alvin Yard* 1959-64
Cletus Pifher* 1964-66
Herbert Graf* 1966-67
John Dolsina 1972-87
John Sustarsic 1987-93
Peter Muhich 1993-96
Joseph Sirba 1996-03
 David Forsman  2003-07
 William Skarich  2007-08
 Richard Banker  2008-09
Keith Bertram 2009
Steven Daigle  2010-2016
Peter S. Lambert  2016-