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Church Index


St. Patrick's Catholic Church
- origionally St. Richard's Catholic church
Monona, Iowa




St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Monona

St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Monona, ca1909

~source: original photo-postcard, postmarked 1909
~contributed by Errin Wilker



The church was started in 1856 and called St. Richard's. The members met first in private residences, until a frame structure was built the same year. That building served until it was destroyed by a tornado around 1871.

A brick building was constructed shortly after and was renamed St. Patrick's to reflect the Irish heritage of many of the area residents. This building stood for over 130 years until razed in the summer of 2005.

Construction of a new building was started in October 2005 on the site of the former church.

~ bits of information gleaned from many sources, compiled by S. Ferrall

Note: Although the name St. Patrick's was adopted in the early 1870's, the name St. Richards continued to be used by some in the congregation into the late 1880's or later.


A Church Rich with Pioneer History

Through the "Faith of Our Fathers" and the resident pastors that have labored with untiring zeal and single-hearted devotion, St. Patrick's Catholic Church will be celebrating the 125th Christmas Mass in the present church building. In 1871 Rev. Charles Toner offered the first Mass in the new church on Christmas.

The 140 year old parish was begun in 1856 under the guidance of Father Louis DeCailly. Being an organizer of unusual ability he appointed the following committee; giving it full power to preceed with the work: Michael Humphrey, Richard Humphrey, Dennis O'Leary, Patrick Geraghty and James Humphrey.

Even before that, northeastern Clayton County rural area assembled with families traveling by wagon, horseback, and on foot to attend the Mass offered by the missionary priests.

The pioneers of yesterday were the: Peter O'Malley family; Humphrey family; George Peter, Sr. family; Dennis O'Leary family; Patrick Geraghty family; Nicholas Drumm family; Carroll family; Thomas Ormsby family; Mrs. Connell family; John Looney family; Peter Grady family; and Peter Schofield family.

The first altar vessels were donated by Mary Humphrey who purchased them in memory of her husband Richard who died in passage to America. They are still on display at Loras College in Dubuque.

Father Louis De Cailly was instrumental in the construction of the first church, St. Richards*. With the encouragement of Father DeCailly, the people labored harmoniously. Some hauled logs six to eight miles to a saw mill (about two miles north of Monona) to have them sawed into lumber. In payment for the sawing they gave 50% of the lumber. Some hauled rock, sand and lime; these materials were all hauled from the town of McGregor, a distance of 13 miles. Although most of the materials were donated, nevertheless the labor that those pioneers performed in order to have a house in which to worship God, is something well worthy of mention.

The members of the subscription committee met with excellent success. Bishop Loras placed his name at the head of the list with a donation of $50.

Bradley Olmstead of Monona was awarded the contract for the erection of the building to be located at the west end of town. Before the end of May of 1856 the church, a frame building measuring 24 by 40 by 14 feet was completed.


St. Richard's Catholic Church, 1856 drawing

After completion Father DeCailly made a written report of expenses. A few items listed were: 45 yards red calico for windo curtains, $4.95; 1 old stove, $2.50; 10 lbs candles, $3.00; 800 pickets, $6.00; Entire cost of the building, $850.00.

Mrs. Richard Humphrey, a pioneer Catholic mother of the community, was to be honored by having the church named St. Mary's. At her request it was to be named St. Richard's, in memory of the patron saint of her deceased husband, Richard Humphrey.

Father Phiip Laurent and Father DeCailly had served the early settlers. Soon Father Richard Nagle came and served several communities from his residence in or near McGregor. During his ten-year pastorate, the parish received from Michael Humphrey the present Pioneer Catholic Cemetery, which is four miles southwest of Monona.

In 1868 Rev. Bart C. Lenihan was appointed rector of St. Mary's in McGregor and was to take on the needs of Monona until July 9, 1871. It was under his direction the building of the present church began.

Elijah Boley, a non-Catholic, donated the entire block of land which today stands the church, rectory, hall and CCD Center. Before the second church could be completed Father Lenihan was transferred.


St. Patrick's Catholic church, 1996

Rev. Charles Toner succeeded and was the first priest to live full time in Monona. While Father Toner was pastor the present church was completed. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered for the first time in the new edifice by Father Toner on Christmas Day, 1871.

It was fortunate for the people of the parish that a new church was being built. A few years later, St. Richard's Church was destroyed by a tornado. As was the custom of the times the old church was to be "raffled off". Tickets were sold near & far. Viola Mae Boley, daughter of the donor of grounds for the new church was the winner and now earned a church. As she pondered what she would do, providence took lead, a tornado came, blowing the church to kindling wood, and all who were in need of wood to keep away the cold came and supplied themselves with fuel from the debris. So, to the last chip, the church was divine comfort to humanity.

From 1871 until 1893 the parish was served by a number of priests. In 1893 Father Michael J. Hogan was assigned. He administered the parish for 23 years, built the parish house and in 1915 built a school. The Presentation Sisters of Dubuque conducted the school until 1969, when the last eighth grade class graduated.

Ten years prior to Father Hogan's pastorate another church was built in Beulah, about thirty Bohemian families formed St. Wenceslaus Literary & Coral Society. Eventually the people fully united with the Monona Parish. The building was razed in 1946 and the grounds continued as a third parish cemetery.

Father Hogan was succeded by Rev. John McNamara. Father Luke Donlon served the longest pastorate, 1925 to 1956 and directed many changes in the parish spiritual life and ground beautification.

In 1957 Father John Peters was appointed administrator while the convent was purchased allowing extensive remodeling of the school to accomodate more classrooms and a hot lunch program.

In 1958 Father William Menster was appointed pastor. He was instrumental in the construction of the present hall in 1959.

In March of 1967 Msgr. Donald Heineman was pastor, followed by Father Richard Bohr in 1980. In 1981 St. Patrick's celebrated its 125th Anniversary of the parish.

When Father Bohr passed away in 1983 Father John Moran, the present pastor was appointed. The church was renovated in 1984 to its present day decor. The first Parish Advisory Council was established in 1985 and in 1987 the parish began the three-year RENEW program for renewing appreciation of personal and community faith.

Today St. Patrick's serves over 275 families. A full complement of ushers, lectors, musicians, eucharistic distributors, mass servers, rosary leaders assist in three weekend Masses and three lay ministers assist in visiting the sick and elderly.

Twelve women of the parish are in religious vocations, five men have been ordained priests, one man is a brother and one man is a married deacon.

~Monona Billboard, Wednesday, December 18, 1996
~transcribed by S. Ferrall

~*~

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