In September of 2018, Benilde St. Margaret’s bought the land that the school sits on, as well as the surrounding fields from the St. Paul-Minneapolis Archdiocese. This purchase had been in consideration for ten years, but BSM decided to buy the land this year after the archdiocese filed bankruptcy.   

The archdiocese filed bankruptcy three years ago in 2015 because of numerous sexual abuse claims brought against the archdiocese. BSM has decided to buy the land now, they had been thinking about it for almost a decade. They had been saving to purchase the land, and because of the bankruptcy being filed, this seemed like the right time to buy.

The school had to agree with the archdiocese on a price, and they also had agree to the other legal parts of the purchase. Because this sale was part of the bankruptcy hearing, this required the Minnesota State Court to be a part of the process, which made the process complicated and lengthy.

From BSM, the Board of Directors were the ones who decided to buy the land, this happened by adopting a resolution last April. This purchase allows for BSM to own everything after paying $1.5 million dollars. Whereas, if the school were still owned by the archdiocese, BSM would be considered as “renters.” This new purchase also allows for BSM to be free to choose what happens to the school and its land in the future.