Due to the discovery of iron ore on the Mesabi Range and the arrival of the railroad, Northeastern Minnesota saw a large number of Immigrants. In many cases, many people came from a country as a group and settled together. To provide for their spiritual welfare, national Catholic churches were set up to care for them. This was the beginning of St. Clement's which served the English and German speaking people, SS Peter and Paul, which served Polish speaking people and St. Jean-Baptiste, which served the French speaking people. Each of these parishes had their own church buildings, schools, convents and rectories in the West End of Duluth.
The need for national churches diminished as the years passed and the immigrants were absorbed into the American culture. Also, the shift of the population in the West End made it hard to maintain the three separate churches in a small area.
The consolidation of the three parishes began in 1974 with the combination of St. Clements and St. Jean's. The process was completed when St. Clement's and Jean's and SS Peter and Paul were combined to create Holy Family Parish.
The dedication of our new Holy family church which stands on the site of St. Jean's-Baptiste Church, took place on June 14, 1998.