“Location, location, location” is a popular pitch when it comes to buying a home. For many Catholic families, that location is Bismarck, North Dakota — a capital city whose reputation as a strong Catholic community is drawing people from across the country.

According to Will Gardner, a real-estate agent along with his wife, Laura, at Century 21, there’s been a growing trend over the last four to five years of families moving here, drawn by the solid Catholic education at the University of Mary, good Catholic schools, active parishes and dynamic priests. It’s a place that had good beginnings and has flourished over the years. 

Thirty-five years ago, when my husband Mark was looking for a job in radio news, we prayed for God to lead us to a place where we could grow in holiness and raise our children in a good environment. A radio-station manager looking for a newsman heard about Mark through networking and offered him a position. We came — and raised 10 children here. At the time, when we asked the rare out-of-staters what had brought them to Bismarck, it was surprising how often the answer was: “God brought us here.” 

It seemed a solid enough place back then, despite a shortage of priests. But over time, a slow and steady blossoming of a dynamic Catholic culture took root — one marked by an explosion of vocations, increased Mass attendance, frequent confession, a growing population of young families, and an ever-expanding number of Catholic events and activities. 

 

What Happened?

Certainly, the diocesan-wide call to pray for vocations 30 years ago had an impact, along with a Monday evening Holy Hour for vocations that began more than 20 years ago at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit and has since spread to other parishes. After his installation in 1997, Bishop Paul Zipfel committed to placing a priest in every Catholic high school and held an “Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” over the diocese. Bishop David Kagan, who succeeded him in 2011, renewed both initiatives.

Another key factor is that the University of Mary (UMary) transitioned from a largely regional school to one that began attracting professors from other states. It is now featured in guides that highlight authentic Catholic education, including the Register’s annual “Catholic Identity College Guide.”

Once those standards were in place, professors began relocating, and students seeking an affordable, solid Catholic education started coming from all over — and staying. Gardner said that in addition to families seeking an authentic Catholic environment, he also sees parents and siblings following college students. “I’m helping an attorney from California to find a lake home, and I just helped their son, who graduated from UMary, to find a home.”

“One family that moved here from Nevada,” he said, “felt like they were in heaven because they can go to Mass every day, at all different times, at so many churches. There are Masses all over town, with a variety of young and old, vibrant priests.” 

As for the cold winter, Gardner sees it as a positive, saying it encourages people “to work hard, be tough, and have to have a commitment to be here. It parallels their faith — they want to do things the right way, not always the easy way.” He added that the summers are beautiful.

 

The ‘Frozen Chosen’

Lacey and Mark Gallik moved to Bismarck from Bozeman, Montana, in July 2021 with their seven children, who now attend St. Mary’s Central High School and Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Elementary School. 

“It was a long discernment,” Lacey admitted. While praying about it, Mark crossed paths with an old friend, Mike McMahon, a former football coach and administrator at UMary. 

“Bismarck has it all — young, charismatic priests and a vibrant college and community,” he told them.

Mark’s job as director of finance for a software company became remote in 2020, so they decided to visit Bismarck. “It was a cold, overcast week in March,” Gallik recalled, but on the drive home, “every kid said they wanted to move here.”

Lacey’s parents came too — this past February. “My heart is totally settled,” she said. “I have total confidence that this is where God wants us. Mark and I feel that home is where our family is. We weren’t attached to Montana, but we were attached to the idea of making our kids saints.”

One thing that helped them make that decision was a spreadsheet Mark created, listing all the sacramental opportunities across town. “If the sacraments are going to sanctify our lives, there’s Jesus being adored all throughout the day in town, and there’s confession every day,” Lacey said, adding that “Montana’s faithful Catholics call this area the ‘Frozen Chosen.’ There are so many people coming from other states. It’s pretty wild, but people are willing to do radical things for their family and faith.”

Kyla and Stuart Anderson, both pharmacists from Great Falls, Montana, watched their son graduate from Carroll College in Helena. Their next child, a daughter, enrolled at UMary in 2015. When the family visited, Kyla said she fell in love with Bismarck. Then a second daughter began attending there. “I started praying,” she explained. “I would tell Our Lord that I would love to live in such a Catholic-rich environment.”

They owned a pro-life pharmacy in Montana, and when the opportunity to sell it arose, they took it. In the meantime, their son Carter entered St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, to study for the Diocese of Helena under Bishop Austin Vetter. In a conversation with Bishop Vetter — who had previously served in the Diocese of Bismarck — he confirmed to the Andersons that Bismarck was indeed a faithful Catholic community. 

They moved in May of last year. Their oldest daughter lives in St. Paul and is expecting her second child. Another daughter is attending UMary, and their two youngest children go to St. Mary’s High School and St. Anne’s Elementary School. “Bismarck has exceeded our expectations,” Anderson shared. “I want to say thank you to the people of Bismarck — not just the Catholic community. People have been so kind and welcoming. I am astounded by the common courtesy and the hard work ethic here.” 

Students Staying

Derek Turbide, the oldest of eight children, moved to Bismarck in 2012 from Palos Verdes Estates, a coastal city in Los Angeles County, California. He wanted to experience the Midwest for four years while attending a small, affordable Catholic college.

He visited the University of Mary during his junior year of high school. His mom insisted he pick the coldest month to see what he’d be in for. They came in February and experienced a blizzard — but Turbide was sold by the warmth on campus. “There was a real joy that I had never experienced anywhere else,” he said. “The Benedictine values shine there, from the university president to faculty and students.”

Back home, he shared the experience with his friend Mark Dever, who was a year older and planning to attend a small local college where his father taught. Turbide suggested that Dever take a chance and go to UMary instead. “If you like it,” he said, “I’ll meet you up there. If not, no harm done — you can always come back.”

Dever liked it so much that he stayed after graduation and is now head of creative direction for Stand Firm Productions. Turbide’s plan for North Dakota was originally just four years — but then he met Bridget, from Littleton, Colorado, whom he married, and now they’re putting down roots. 

His sister Teresa is in the nursing program at UMary, and the next sibling, Catherine, will be attending in the fall. 

Turbide also fell in love with the great outdoors, becoming an ardent hunter and fisherman — often joined by Bridget. “Something is going on in North Dakota that is very big, very powerful and very Christian,” he said.

The best part, he added, is that churches here are unlike any he’s ever experienced — because of the noise. So many children! 

“They say if your church isn’t crying, it’s dying,” Turbide said. “I’m sold. I’ll be here for the rest of my days.”