St. Peter (Temple Hill, Iowa)
<p>“Father Patrick Maginnis came from Garryowen in 1852 to be the first resident pastor in the county. That year he saw to the building of the first church, a small frame structure, planned to serve as both church and school, but there is no school records until 1892. To this location Fr. Maginnis gave the name Temple Hill because the temple of God was built on a low hill overlooking the surrounding countryside. When the church was destroyed by fire in the early 1860s, consuming all the records, the present limestone structure was planned and later completed in 1866 at the close of the Civil War.”</p>
- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #10: Saint Peter Parish, Temple Hill,” Dubuque: <i>The Witness</i>, 8 February 1987.
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.
1852-
History of the parish over the span of 167 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
St. Patrick (Tama, Iowa)
<p>“The first resident priest in Tama was Father Charles McCabe, arriving in 1873. He stopped there on a missionary journey and decided Tama was a better location for a church because of the larger community of Catholics and the railroad, which helped him serve the Belle Plaine and Blairstown Catholics. Built in 1875 and named for Saint Patrick, the church replaced the Toledo church, but some members were dissatisfied for more than a decade.”</p>
<p>- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #87: Saint Patrick Parish, Tama,” Dubuque: <i>The Witness</i>, 21 August 1988.</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.
1864-
History of the parish over the span of 155 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
Immaculate Conception (Sumner, Iowa)
<p>“In 1892 the Catholic pioneers judged their numbers were sufficient to build a church. That year they raised some money by means of a fair in the Cass Opera House. In August they began hauling rocks for the foundation. The church was a white frame building 30 x 50 with a seating capacity of 175 and had an entry and belfry. The cost was $600. On November 13, 1892, the completed church was dedicated to the Blessed Mother under the title of her Immaculate Conception. In 1895 a new altar was placed in the church and the pews were obtained from the now abandoned Christian Prairie Church, the next year Stations of the Cross were added.”</p>
- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #223: Immaculate Conception, Sumner,” Dubuque: <i>The Witness</i>, 5 May 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.
1884-
History of the parish over the span of 135 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
St. Mary (Strawberry Point, Iowa)
<p>“Bishop John Hennessy established the Strawberry Point parish in the southwest corner of Clayton County in 1878 and appointed Father John Hackett pastor. They had been served by missionary priests coming into the area and celebrating Mass in the homes of Bartholomew Dillion, James Ivory, Michael O’Brien, James Fitzpatrick, and T. Kelly. Father Hackett directed the purchase of property in the town of Strawberry Point and the building of a church. The 30’ by 60’ church was completed in 1880 and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary on May 23 of that year.”</p>
- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #149: Saint Mary Parish, Strawberry Point,” Dubuque: <i>The Witness,</i> 12 November 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.
1878-
History of the parish over the span of 141 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
St. Joseph (State Center, Iowa)
<p>“State Center was at the end of its run for the Northwestern Railroad in the early 1860s bringing Catholic employees among the first settlers of that Marshall County Town. Among the priests making missionary journeys to State Center were the Marshalltown pastors, Fathers William Walsh and Peter Brommenschenkel. One of the homes where Mass was celebrated was Maurice Noonan’s, a railroad employee. The first parish church in State Center was built in 1871 under Father Brommenschenkel’s direction. The parish included residents from Rhodes, Colo, and Dunn Settlement. The following year Bishop John J. Hennessy dedicated the church and confirmed the first class."</p>
<p>- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #90: Saint Joseph, State Center,” Dubuque: <i>The Witness</i>, 11 September 1988.</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.
1870-
History of the parish over the span of 149 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
Visitation (Stacyville, Iowa)
<p>“In 1873 the 27 families sent John Brost to ask Bishop John Hennessy for a resident priest and permission to build a church. Permission to build was granted, but no priest was available. The next year they dedicated the new church to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Visitation. The first resident pastor, Father John Hellregel, came in 1878. He was succeeded by Father John Albers, who later moved to Cascade.”</p>
- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #46: Visitation Parish, Stacyville,” Dubuque: <i>The Witness</i>, 25 October 1987.
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.
1874-
History of the parish over the span of 145 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
St. Isidore (Springville, Iowa)
<p>“The Parish of Saint Isidore was canonically resurrected on March 22, 1961, the Feast of Saint Isidore the Farmer. At Father Engler’s suggestion the new parish was dedicated to God in honor of Saint Isidore, the Patron of Farmers. Isidore and his wife Maria are honored as saints of the church, and they are the patrons of farmers and of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. On Sunday, May 21, that year the first Mass on the parish property was celebrated by Father Engler. Until a facility could be built, two Masses were celebrated every Sunday in a house located on parish property north of the highway. Later it served as a rectory, and still later sold.”</p>
- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #175: Saint Isidore Parish, Springville,” Dubuque: <i>The Witness,</i> 20 May 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.
1960-
History of the parish over the span of 59 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
SS. Peter and Paul (Springbrook, Iowa)
<p>“Jackson County settlers some miles south of Bellevue in the 1860s did business in either Slabton, where there was a sawmill, or Old Springbrook, or “new” Springbrook. The Methodists worshipped in Liberty School, the Baptists in Old Springbrook, but the Catholics gathered in homes when a missionary visited them. Sometimes his coming was announced with a cannon shot. When the Catholic population reached about 40 families in 1864, they organized a parish, which was later named for Saints Peter and Paul.”</p>
- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #49: Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Springbrook,” Dubuque: <i>The Witness</i>, 15 November 1987.
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.
1864-
History of the parish over the span of 155 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
SS. Peter and Paul (Sherrill, Iowa)
<p>“The first Catholic settlers of the Sherrill community came from Germany and Luxembourg in the 1840s to find land providing timber and rock for building and wood for fuel, as well as productive soil. They were visited by Bishop Loras and priests from Dubuque, Rickardsville, Holy Cross, and New Vienna for the celebration of Mass and the sacraments in the homes of John Behr, John Christmas, John Hirsch, and Mathias Michels. As they were ten oxcart miles from the Dubuque cathedral, thirty-two of these faithful Catholics met on March 28, 1852, to form a parish and build a log church dedicated to Saint William. The total cost was $96.93. Bernard Clauss and Adam Haberkorn were the leaders in organizing the parish. Frank Stillmunkes and Nicholas Fries prepared the logs and shingles for the church, which was raised by the efforts of the whole community.”</p>
- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #20: Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Sherrill,” Dubuque: <i>The Witness</i>, 19 April 1987.
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 and translated document with Latin and German.
Various primary and secondary sources.
1852-
History of the parish over the span of 167 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
Saint Luke (St. Lucas, Iowa)
<p>“In 1882 Father Francis Boeding began a pastorate of 46 years. He saw to the spiritual formation of his parish and also served the people of Cresco, Fort Atkinson, Ossian, and Hawkeye in his early years. He was instrumental in making the area entirely Catholic, and only German was spoken in homes, church, and school. The buildings of the parish were improved, added to, and replaced. A new gothic style church was built in 1914, with 4 Bavarian stained glass windows. Three bells occupy the east tower.”</p>
- Rev. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #48: Saint Luke, St. Lucas,” Dubuque: <i>The Witness</i>, 8 November 1987.
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.
1855-
History of the parish over the span of 164 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.