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“Before building a frame church in 1887, the Catholics of La Porte City in Black Hawk County gathered for monthly Mass in the home of Peter Trost whenever Father Thomas F. O’Brien visited them from his Eagle Center Parish. These pioneers built a…

“Immaculate Conception Parish came into existence early in the history of the archdiocese because the town of Lansing in northeast Iowa was an important trading and shipping center on the great waterway of the Mississippi. The Catholics in that area…

“During Father Kelly’s pastorate the people of Forest City also decided to build a church. Just before the church was completed, Father James P. Taken was appointed pastor of Forest City and Lake Mills with his residence in Forest City. Father Taken…

“Catholics residing southwest of Dubuque, in Mosalem and Table Mound Townships, were organized into a parish in 1872 by Father Thomas J. O’Reilly, a priest of the Cathedral in Dubuque. Father Samuel Mazzuchelli and Bishop Mathias Loras had celebrated…

“When Father Patrick Burke was appointed pastor of Independence to succeed Father Gosker in 1878, he planned a church for Jesup congregation. It was built in 1880 and dedicated to Saint Athanasius. That year Father Peter O’Dowd succeeded Father Burke…

“A little church was built on the st side of the Iowa river in 1885 and dedicated to Saint Ambrose. By 1902 the parish had grown to […] families, and Confirmation was first administered in Iowa Falls in 1903. In 1905 Father Convery directed the…

“The third pastor, Father Henry H. Forkenbrock, stayed for five years and saw to the building of the rectory and improvements in the church. In 1902 he equipped the second floor of the 1900 rectory with schoolrooms. Since Sisters were not available…

“The Catholics of Independence built a frame church in 1856 in the block where the present Buchanan County courthouse stands, dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. Their spiritual needs have been served by priests traveling from Dubuque. After the…

“At the first parish meeting in January 1923 a building committee was formed. Bids for a church building were opened at the next meeting on May 25, and ground was broken on May 28. The cornerstone was laid on July 8, and Archbishop Keane preached for…

“Holy Cross is one of several parishes that began about the same time. Bishop Mathias Loras mentions in an 1842 letter that he was called to the Sweeney home in Concord Township to minister to a dying man. While there, he was asked to bless some…