The Crosier Community of Onamia is a vibrant center for Crosier Religious Life located at the gateway to the beautiful Lakes Region in central Minnesota.

This Crosier Community has been an important part of Crosier presence in the United States from the beginning, and now serves as one of two communities in the United States. Fr. Kermit Holl, osc, has served as prior since August 2005. 

The members of the Crosier Community of Onamia serve in a wide variety of ministries, including staffing parishes in the area, providing weekend assistance, jail ministry and leading retreats.

Our Holy Cross Center serves the focus for Crosier hospitality in Onamia, as well as the main entrance for Holy Cross Catholic Church and the National Shrine of St. Odilia. It also fulfills many other evolving functions. It is a center for joint parish activities for the nearby parishes served by members of the Crosier Community. It also serves as the primary Crosier resource center for the study of Crosier life and history in the United States.  From this center we Crosiers provide spiritual formation through retreats, recollection days, novenas for healing and spiritual direction.

Building is a theme that runs throughout our history.  In 2005, we completed construction of a new Crosier residence, the renovation of two floors in the existing monastery, and an addition to Holy Cross Center, with offices and guest rooms. With our partners, the Mille Lacs Health System and the Mille Lacs Area Community Development Corporation, we completed construction on a 35-unit assisted living facility that includes units for people suffering from a form of dementia.  This new facility, Lake Song Assisted Living, is connected to the Health System and Holy Cross Center.   Moving in this direction can be seen as an almost organic outgrowth of the Crosiers’ concern for the elders within our own community.  The Crosiers’ participation in this undertaking is a reflection of our decision to expand our ministry in a new direction that further serves the Church and the broader community.

We continue our devotion to St. Odilia, our patron saint, with two monthly Novenas, through correspondence with many seeking information or intercession, through a Healing Mass in July, Advent and Lent, and through tours of the National Shrine of St. Odilia.