Browse Items (3180 total)

"Saint Michael Parish got its start when in 1863 John Shonagel built a small frame church at his own expense in the town of Elkport, not even a mile across the river from the village of Garber in Clayton County. Several priests came from the…

Mother Mary is leaning over and glancing adoringly at her son, Jesus. Behind Mary and Jesus in the manger, there lie the wise men and others crowding to try and view Jesus. On the top of the card "Peace on Earth" is printed.

"Most of the priestly life of Father Nicholas Mary Homan is half the history of Saint Mary Parish in the Buchanan County town of Hazleton. Father Horman was appointed pastor of Saint Mary’s in September 1913 and stayed until his death on February…

“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…

"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…

"Natives of Ireland were the first Catholic settlers in the West Ridge area of Winneshiek County, about eight miles northwest of Waukon. Norwegian settlers were their neighbors to the south. In 1860 Bishop Clement Smyth bought a lot for a cemetery…

“As early as June 1944 Archbishop Francis J. L. Beckmann conferred with Father John M. Fischer at the annual Priests Retreat about founding a new parish in Waterloo. In January 1945 his Coadjutor, Archbishop Henry P. Rohlman, appointed Father…

"While Father Garrett T. Nagle was pastor of Saint Boniface Parish in Garner from 1893 to 1903 and a missionary to a large area, he visited the Catholics of Woden in Hancock County about every month. Mass was usually celebrated in the home of John…

“The citizens of the community first sought to build a parish church in 1885 and subscribed $1,305. Of the 85 subscribers on the March 5, 1885, list about forty were not Catholic. In 1887 Father Peter O’Dowd, the Independence pastor, came to…