The front entrance of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Mankato. COURTESY SCHOOL SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME

An upcoming move by the School Sisters of Notre Dame will bring more than 100 sisters into the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis from their current location in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, at Our Lady of Good Counsel campus in Mankato.  

The sisters announced March 14 that an estimated 111 sisters will begin a move to Benedictine Living Community in Shakopee, with the process beginning as early as the end of 2022, according to Sister Dawn Achs, a member of the Central Pacific Province leadership team and the Our Lady of Good Counsel Work Group. About 25 sisters will stay in Mankato and live independently and continue ministry there. 

Along with moving those currently at Our Lady of Good Counsel, the sisters are working with a developer for the purchase of the property on which Our Lady of Good Counsel sits. The site was established in 1912 on about 135 acres to serve the educational needs of the surrounding community and aid in the formation of sisters. 

Sister Dawn said it was becoming cost prohibitive to keep all of the sisters in Mankato, with many having advanced healthcare needs. The Shakopee facility will be able to accommodate the full range of situations, from independent living all the way to skilled nursing and memory care. Plus, it can accommodate all of the sisters who are moving, which means they can stay together, another important consideration, Sister Dawn said. 

But, first and foremost in choosing where to relocate, was the spirituality of the new facility. 

“The focus was on (finding) a strong, faith-based organization, preferably Catholic,” Sister Dawn said. “And, obviously, Benedictine is Catholic.” 

Another reason for choosing Benedictine was the fact that it sits between Mankato and the Twin Cities, which will help the sisters in both places stay in touch with the sisters in Shakopee. 

“It’s a midway point between the two areas where we have a significant number of sisters,” Sister Dawn said. “So, that will make it easier for sisters who are not moving to Shakopee to visit and to be with them.” 

As the sisters prepare to move forward into this new reality, they also are reflecting on their many years at Our Lady of Good Counsel. 

“We sisters are deeply grateful for our long history and presence in Mankato,” said Sister Joyce Kolbet, a member of the work group and alumna of Good Counsel Academy. “Mankato has been home for several of us since we were 14.” 

Thus, it won’t be easy for sisters to pull up their roots and say goodbye to Our Lady of Good Counsel, even though they won’t be traveling far. 

“To know that this place, where probably most of us received our formation — most of the sisters here received their formation — and just assumed it was always going to be here, that’s going to be a difficult loss,” Sister Dawn said. “So, there’s going to be grief and grieving, but there’s also going to be anticipation of the newness.” 

The sisters plan to retain their cemetery in Mankato, plus they will continue in their agreement with Loyola Catholic School, which currently is leasing buildings at Our Lady of Good Counsel.