St. Patrick (St. Cecelia, Iowa)

St. Patrick (St. Cecelia, Iowa)

"The first church in western Howard County was Saint Patrick Church at Cecelia built in 1860 on a plot given by James Roche. Made of logs, it measured 16 by 21 feet and stood in the present cemetery. For some years before, Mass had been celebrated in homes of that area by missionary priests. When a priest arrived, the word was spread through the countryside by boys on horseback. The pioneers before 1860 were mostly French. Later the Irish came in good numbers. Although it was never a town, the place was early named Cecelia, perhaps for one of the first settlers. From 1875 to 1886 there was a post office named Cecelia. About the turn of the century the title St. was prefixed to the name."

-Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #82, The Witness, July 17, 1988.

The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.

Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.

Various primary and secondary sources.

English.

Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"

1865-1988
History of the parish over the span of 123 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.

History (6 documents)
Anniversary documents (2 documents)
Correspondence (2 documents)
Finances (6 documents)