Immaculate Conception (Blessing, Iowa)
"Father Scallan directed the building of a church, probably in 1880. Patrick and Bridget Farrell deeded four acres of their farm to the Diocese of Dubuque on May 25, 1880, a year after they had purchased it. The Centennial History of the Archdiocese states that Father Kelly celebrated Mass in Anthony and Martin Cummings’ homes, but no further reference to Father Kelly can be found in the Archives. Before it was called the Blessing Church, it was known as the Hudson or Lincoln Church, according to old directories. Blessing appears to have been named for James Blessington Dunn, a storekeeper and postmaster. The church was dedicated from its beginning to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary."<br /><br /> - Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, "Parish Profile #119,"<em> The Witness</em>, April 9, 1989.
The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.
Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"
Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmier, Helen. Waldmeir, John.
English.
Various primary and secondary sources.
1880-2006
The history of the parish over the span of 126 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
Immaculate Conception (Castle Grove, Iowa)
"The first European settlers in the Castle Grove area of Jones County were of Irish origin, arriving about 1846. They were visited regularly by Father Jeremiah Trecy from Garryowen on his missionary circuit. Then they were visited by Father Patrick McGuinnes. In 1853 he directed the building of the first church, dedicated to Saint Aloysius Gonzaga. Years later the parish was named for the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the incitement of the Know Nothing animosity toward Catholics and immigrants, the small church was burned to the ground soon after its completion. “Upon the ashes and ruins of it the holy sacrifice was offered the day following, and the new stone church is now nearly completed,” the Catholic Almanac for 1856 reported. No real town grew up around the church, but Castle Grove is listed as a post office from the ‘60’s through the ‘80’s. Under the direction of Father Matthew Murphy, the school was moved to a new location and opened as a parochial school with the Clinton Franciscan Sisters in charge. Father Murphy served a long pastorate of thirty-one years. Later Father John J. Hennessy, nephew of Archbishop Hennessy, served a still longer time, from 1922 to 1966." <br /><br />- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, "Parish Profile #21,"<em> The Witness</em>, n.d.
The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.
Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"
Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmier, Helen. Waldmeir, John.
English.
Various primary and secondary sources.
1853-
The history of the parish over the span of 165 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
Immaculate Conception (Clutier, Iowa)
"From 1900 to 1903 Father Vincent Opava resided in a house near Saint Wenceslaus Church in Carroll Township, about a mile and a half west of Clutier. He cared for both Holy Trinity in Otter Creek and Saint Wenceslaus. In 1905, during the four-year pastorate of Father Aloysius Kolar (1903-1907), a rectory was built in Clutier. The next pastor, Father Joseph Gregor, served from 1907 to 1912. During his pastorate the Methodist church in Clutier was purchased and converted to Catholic use. When Father Gregor began celebrating Mass in Clutier every Sunday, Mass was said on alternate Sundays at Saint Wenceslaus and Holy Trinity. This continued until 1919, when Holy Trinity church was given into the care of the pastor of Saint Mary Church in Vining." <br /><br />-Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, "Profile #230," <em>The Witness,</em> n.d.
The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.
Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"
Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmier, Helen. Waldmeir, John.
English.
Various primary and secondary sources.
1910-2006
The history of the parish over the span of 96 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
Immaculate Conception (Haverhill, Iowa)
"Under Father Murphy’s guidance 21 families collected $1,285 in 1877 for a parish church. They put up a small frame building about a mile west of the present town, on two acres donated by Ben Welp. On December 8, 1879, Father Murphy celebrated the first mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception. About the same time J. B. Determan, Killian Kunkel, and Henry Lemker started a one-room parochial school for 25 children. Miss Mary Foley was the first teacher. Miss Mary Tasshaller and Miss Gertrude Eich were later teachers, using the same course of studies in secular subjects as the public schools. They later joined the Dubuque Franciscan Sisters."<br /><br /> - Rev. Edgar Kurt, "Profile #144,"<em> The Witness,</em> 8 October 1989.
The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"
Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.
English.
Various primary and secondary sources.
St. John (Andrew, Iowa)
"Father John M. Wolfe was appointed pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Maquoketa, February 1913, in his eighth year of the priesthood. He set about the spiritual and material development of this county seat parish. He soon gave attention to the Catholics in the area of the former county seat town of Andrew. In 1914 he began celebrating Mass in Hansen Hall, the second floor of the original Jackson County Court House. That fall and the next year he led the Catholics of the Andrew area in building Saint John church. It was dedicated on October 1, 1915."<br /><br /> - Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #213<em> The Witness</em>, February 24, 1991.
The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.
Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"
Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.
English.
Various primary and secondary sources.
1915-
History of the parish over the span of 103 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
St. John (Cartersville, Iowa)
"Under Father Murphy’s guidance 21 families collected $1,285 in 1877 for a parish church. They put up a small frame building about a mile west of the present town, on two acres donated by Ben Welp. On December 8, 1879, Father Murphy celebrated the first mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception. About the same time J. B. Determan, Killian Kunkel, and Henry Lemker started a one-room parochial school for 25 children. Miss Mary Foley was the first teacher. Miss Mary Tasshaller and Miss Gertrude Eich were later teachers, using the same course of studies in secular subjects as the public schools. They later joined the Dubuque Franciscan Sisters."<br /><br /> - Rev. Edgar Kurt, "Parosh Profile," Dubuque: <em>The Witness</em>, 8 October 1989.
The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.
Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"
Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.
English.
Various primary and secondary sources.
1912-
History of the parish over the span of about 90 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
St. Joseph (Cresco, Iowa)
<p>“In 1880, after the church was closed for ten years, Bishop Hennessy assigned Saint Joseph Church to the care of the Protivin pastor, ten miles away. The Jesuits of Prairie du Chien gave them spiritual care in the 1880s. And Father Francis X. Boeding of St. Lucas also cared for them for six years, visiting them every two weeks. But there is no clear record of the twenty years from 1880 to 1900. Saint Joseph Parish, Cresco, does not appear in the old Catholic directories until after 1900.”</p>
<p>- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #171: Saint Joseph Parish, Cresco.” Dubuque: <i>The Witness</i>, 22 April 1990.</p>
The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.
Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"
Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.
English.
Various primary and secondary sources.
St. Wenceslaus Parish (Carroll Township, Iowa)
History of the Saint Wenceslaus church and parish, from the time of its founding.
"In Tama County, famed for Czech pioneers and parishes, one of the early churches was Saint Wenceslaus in Carroll Township. As its location is about a mile and a half west of the town of Clutier. Saint Wenceslaus Church was built in 1899 and blessed October 18, 1901. Father Vincent Opava resided in a house near Saint Wenceslaus Church in Carroll Township from 1900 to 1903. He cared for both Holy Trinity Church on Dupanda Road in Otter Creek Township and Saint Wenceslaus Church." <br /><br />-Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #231, <em>The Witness,</em> June 30, 1991.
The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.
Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"
Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.
English.
Various primary and secondary sources.
1899-
History of the parish over the span of over 119 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
Saint Joseph (Dysart, Iowa)
"Saint Joseph Parish, Dysart, probably began as a triple-town parish. In 1937 Father James F. Delay wrote in a parish history, on November 11, 1878, Father P. Kenny was appointed the first resident pastor of Vinton, Dysart and Traer.” At that time church had allowed a priest to be pastor of only one parish. The other churches in his charge were called missions. Vinton may have been the parish from the start, with Dysart and Traer as missions. Soon churches were built in each of these towns."  <br /><br />- Rev. Edgar Kurt, Profile #193,<em> The Witness,</em> 30 September 1990.
The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.
Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"
Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.
English.
Various primary and secondary sources.
History of the parish, including information about its priests and parishioners.
St. Joseph the Worker (Dubuque, Iowa)
"Saint Joseph Parish in Dubuque was formally established by Archbishop Henry P. Rohlman on November 1, 1949, after the archdiocesan consultors had reviewed the area census of Catholics. Msgr. Michael J. Martin was immediately named the founding pastor. He had just served two years as pastor at Fillmore, and after having served as president of Loras College for 19 years. Catholics living with the newly established boundaries were asked to join in building the newly founded parish. They had belonged to three surrounding parishes: the Nativity, Saint Anthony and Saint Columbkille, Monsignor Martin invited them to Washington Junior High School for the first parish Mass on Sunday, December 4, 1949, at which Archbishop Rohlman presided. The four acres along Highway 20 between Algona and Stetmore Streets were soon cleared and prepared for building. The architect quickly designed a church-school and work on the building began in April 1950. The seven Dominican Sisters who staffed the school lived at Saint Dominic Villa in Dubuque until a house could be secured to provide a convent. The present long-desired church was completed in 1968 and dedicated on December 8th that year." <br /><br />-Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #216, <em>The Witness</em>, March 17, 1991.
The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.
Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"
Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.
English.
Various primary and secondary sources.
1949-
History of the parish over the span of 69 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.