In 1853 Fr. Francis Xavier Pierz, missionary to the Indians, established the oldest permanent parish in the Diocese of St. Cloud at Belle Prairie, where St. Andrews Church was built on land purchased from the Bisson family. In 1857 the land deed was granted to Bishop Cretin. In 1872 the name of the French speaking Parish of St. Andrews was change to Holy Family Parish. In 1877 under the direction of Father Buh, parish volunteers started building Holy Family Church, hauling stone for construction from the rapids of the nearby Mississippi River, and on October 10, 1880 the stone and concrete church was dedicated by Bishop Seidenbusch. A succession of 13 priests served the parish through 1920. From 1916 to 1949, while Fr. Pellet was pastor, many immigrants settled in the area, masses and records were done in English, and the French church became known as the Church on the Prairie. From 1949 to 1956, pastor Father Smith said masses in Latin and English, and during this time the basement was dug out and the beams reinforced. From 1937 to 1973 a number of priests served the parish. Father Harold Kost served Holy Family Parish as its spiritual and inspirational leader from 1973 until his death in 2000. In 1999 parish volunteers began Project 2000, adding a gathering room at the entrance, a meeting room on the west end, and an elevator to make more room for funerals, weddings, and fellowship, and Bishop John Kinney dedicated the new addition to Father Kost on June 3, 2000.