Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (Winona, Minnesota)
Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Seminary is a Roman Catholic, Diocesan-sponsored college seminary in Winona, Minnesota. Located adjacent to the campus of Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, IHM Seminary has provided college-level seminary training since 1948. Seminarians from various dioceses across the United States live at IHM Seminary and take classes from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. While the current bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, the Most Reverend Robert E. Barron, is the president of the advisory board, the rector of the seminary oversees the day-to-day activities. History The early years In 1912, Bishop Patrick Richard Heffron of the Diocese of Winona, founded Saint Mary's College (now Saint Mary's University) on the terraced heights of Winona's Gilmore valley. Bishop Heffron founded the all-male college just two years after being ordained the second bishop of the Winona Diocese. Saint Mary's was founded for the higher education of all young men, but especially for the formation and education of future priests. By 1933, Saint Mary's College was transferred from the Diocese of Winona to the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Christian Brothers). This transfer, however, was not completed for ten years due to the fact that the Holy