History

One of the abbot’s ambitions (from St. John’s in Collegeville) was to have a large farm that would supply cereals, produce of every kind and cattle for the college. For this purpose he purchased a section of land near West Union, Todd county, about 40 miles from the Abbey, in 1881. Here he built a spacious brick building, which was called St. Alexius Priory, and placed in it several lay-brothers under the direction of a priest who at the same time served as pastor for the Catholics of the vicinity, as there was not church at Osakis at the time. The farm was operated for about twenty years before the Benedictines left it for the locals.



One of the large rooms of the priory had served as a chapel, at which the Catholic farmers assembled for Sunday services. In a few years the chapel proved too small and a frame church was built near by; it was also called St. Alexius Church, and in 1899 was moved into the village of West Union.

Our Patron Saint

Born in 4th century Rome, Alexius was the only son of Euphemianus, a wealthy Christian Roman of the senatorial class. Alexius fled his arranged marriage to follow his holy vocation. Disguised as a beggar, he lived near Edessa in Syria, accepting alms even from his own household slaves, who had been sent to look for him but did not recognize him, until a miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary (later this image was called Madonna of St.Alexius) singled him out as a “Man of God.”

Fleeing the resultant notoriety, he returned to Rome, so changed that his parents did not recognize him, but as good Christians took him in and sheltered him for seventeen years, which he spent in a dark cubbyhole beneath the stairs, praying and teaching catechism to children. After his death, his family found a note on his body which told them who he was and how he had lived his life of penance from the day of his wedding for the love of God.

St. Alexius feast day is July 17. He is the patron saint of beggars, belt makers, nurses, pilgrims, and travelers.