Handmaids to move to new home in Duluth, with room for more sisters

The Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus announced Nov. 20 that in January 2024 they will be moving to a larger house within the Diocese of Duluth, which will allow more sisters to live and serve within the diocese. 

The Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus were first invited to the Diocese of Duluth by Bishop Paul Sirba in 2018. They established a house at Holy Family Catholic Church and renovated the vacant rectory on the property to be a home for their community which housed four to five sisters. In recent years, the Handmaids have desired to send more sisters to Duluth because of the growth of their ministry in the diocese. However, they have been unable to do so because of the limited space of their current house. 

“Our house at Holy Family has been such an immense blessing for our community,” said Sister Magnificat, the current local superior of the Handmaids’ house in Duluth. “The parishioners at Holy Family and St. Lawrence have been so generous and supportive of our community throughout the years and have helped us to truly feel at home in the Diocese of Duluth.” 

For the last several months, the Handmaids have been in conversation with Duluth Bishop Daniel Felton regarding the best way to accommodate the growth of their community in the diocese. They discussed the possibility of building a new residence to house up to 12 sisters, but this was estimated to be about $5 to 6 million. They also considered renovating an existing building that would be larger in space, but these renovations were still estimated to be close to $2 million. 

In the midst of these discussions, the Handmaids discovered a property for sale at 518 N. Hawthorne Road — a location near the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary. At almost 8,000 square feet, it is a considerably larger space than their current house. After discernment and prayer, the Handmaids decided to purchase this house to be used for their sisters in Duluth, because the size and the layout would work well in accommodating their growth and also do so at the lowest cost. 

With the purchase of this new house, the Handmaids will be following a history of religious sisters taking up residence in large, historic homes in Duluth. The sisters are committed to preserving the beautiful, historic character of the 1915 home while maintaining its natural simplicity. 

“We are grateful that this larger house will allow us to eventually have more sisters, and therefore afford us a greater opportunity to be available for serving in the diocese,” Sister Magnificat said. 

The Handmaids said they are grateful for increased opportunities to serve and remain committed to continuing their ministry at Holy Family and St. Lawrence parishes as well as at Stella Maris High School and at the University of Minnesota Duluth Newman Center. 

To finance this purchase, the Handmaids had a donor come forward who offered to make a gift of $200,000 and then offered to loan the rest at no interest. The sisters are hoping to raise $1 million in the Diocese of Duluth over the next several years in order to repay the loan. 

“We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the Lord’s abundant generosity in providing for our needs in this way,” said Mother Mary Clare, the Superior General of the Handmaids. “We are also so thankful for Bishop Daniel Felton and for his support of our community in the Diocese of Duluth and for his guidance in this decision.” 

Individuals who are interested in learning more or who desire to make a financial contribution can visit their website, handmaidsoftheheartofjesus.org/duluth. Checks can be made out to Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus and mailed to 202 N. 25th Ave. W., Duluth, MN 55806. 

“We are so grateful for the Lord’s providence and care for our community and we trust that he will continue to lead us forward,” Mother Mary Clare said. 

The Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus are a community of Catholic religious sisters who live in imitation of Mary and serve as spiritual mothers in the diocesan life of the church. Through their feminine consecrated presence, their sisters provide a stable presence of spiritual motherhood in the local church in complement to the diocesan priesthood. Alongside the priests and the lay faithful, the Handmaids seek to build up the Kingdom of God and help all people find their true home in God. The Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus were established in 2010, and their motherhouse is located in the Diocese of New Ulm. They also have houses in Duluth and St. Paul, as well as in Dickinson, North Dakota.