St. Irenaeus Catholic Church (Clinton, Iowa)
Encyclopedia
Saint Irenaeus Church is a former parish of the Diocese of Davenport
. The church was founded in the town of Lyons, which now the north side of Clinton, Iowa
, United States
. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
since 2010.
of the Diocese of Dubuque
said the first Mass in Lyons. The Mass was celebrated in a log home in 1848. The area was visited by various priests, including the Rev. J.A.M. Pelamourges from Davenport
, and the Rev. Frederic Cyrille Jean, who was assigned as the first resident pastor. Jean was originally from Baynes, France
and came to the United States upon the invitation of Bishop Loras. He came to Lyons from Bellevue
and started building a church as soon as he arrived and it was completed in 1852. The building was built of brick and cost $1,500 to construct.
The parish grew quickly and a larger church was built in 1856. In 1864 Bishop Clement Smyth
laid the cornerstone for the present church. Parishioners helped in building the church without pay. It is a Gothic Revival style building constructed in limestone
, which was quarried just outside the town. The building was completed in 1871 and cost the parish $45,000. The building measure 130 by 60 feet and could accommodate 450 people. The ceiling is 50 feet off the floor. The stained glass
windows depict the Twelve Apostles. Two offset spires front the building.
Father Jean returned to his native France before the church was completed. While there he was given ornate golden chandelier modeled after the crown of France. It was a gift from the Bonaparte family to the parish to be used as the sanctuary lamp
.
The parish school was built at the same time as the church. It cost $4,000 to build and it was staffed by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
from Dubuque
.
In 1861 the German members of the parish formed their own parish a few blocks away called St. Boniface. That left St. Irenaeus a predominately Irish parish. Other parishes were formed to the south in Clinton: St. Mary's (1867), St. Patrick's (1889) and Sacred Heart (1891).
was transferred to the Diocese of Davenport.
A major renovation occurred to the church interior in the 1940s. Simulated stone was applied to the walls to match the exterior of the church, Gothic-style light fixtures were hung, new Stations of the Cross
were installed along the side walls and the ceiling was decorated with simulated beams. In the 1960s and 70s, a parish hall, kitchen, meeting rooms and restrooms were built in the basement of the church.
The parish school was merged with the school at St. Boniface in the 1970s to form North Catholic School. Eventually, all the Catholic grade schools in Clinton merged to form Holy Trinity School. The parish itself was officially closed in 1990 when the five parishes in Clinton were merged to form Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport is a diocese of the Catholic Church for the southeastern quarter of the state of Iowa. There are within the diocese...
. The church was founded in the town of Lyons, which now the north side of Clinton, Iowa
Clinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since 2010.
19th Century
Bishop Mathias LorasMathias Loras
Bishop Mathias Loras was an immigrant French priest to the United States who later became the first bishop of the Dubuque Diocese in what would become the state of Iowa.-Early Life & Ministry:...
of the Diocese of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
said the first Mass in Lyons. The Mass was celebrated in a log home in 1848. The area was visited by various priests, including the Rev. J.A.M. Pelamourges from Davenport
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, and the Rev. Frederic Cyrille Jean, who was assigned as the first resident pastor. Jean was originally from Baynes, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and came to the United States upon the invitation of Bishop Loras. He came to Lyons from Bellevue
Bellevue, Iowa
Bellevue is a city in Jackson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,350 at the 2000 census. The city lies along the Mississippi River , next to Bellevue State Park....
and started building a church as soon as he arrived and it was completed in 1852. The building was built of brick and cost $1,500 to construct.
The parish grew quickly and a larger church was built in 1856. In 1864 Bishop Clement Smyth
Clement Smyth
Timothy Clement Smyth, OCSO was an Irish born 19th century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the second leader of the Diocese of Dubuque following the death of Bishop Mathias Loras....
laid the cornerstone for the present church. Parishioners helped in building the church without pay. It is a Gothic Revival style building constructed in limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, which was quarried just outside the town. The building was completed in 1871 and cost the parish $45,000. The building measure 130 by 60 feet and could accommodate 450 people. The ceiling is 50 feet off the floor. The stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
windows depict the Twelve Apostles. Two offset spires front the building.
Father Jean returned to his native France before the church was completed. While there he was given ornate golden chandelier modeled after the crown of France. It was a gift from the Bonaparte family to the parish to be used as the sanctuary lamp
Sanctuary lamp
A sanctuary lamp, altar lamp, everlasting light or eternal flame is a light that shines before the altar of sanctuaries in many denominations of Jewish and Christian places of worship. Prescribed in ] 27:20-21] of the Hebrew Bible, this icon has taken on different meanings in each of the religions...
.
The parish school was built at the same time as the church. It cost $4,000 to build and it was staffed by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known by their initials BVM, is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the United States by Mother Mary Frances Clarke. BVM Sisters work in twenty-five U.S...
from Dubuque
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
.
In 1861 the German members of the parish formed their own parish a few blocks away called St. Boniface. That left St. Irenaeus a predominately Irish parish. Other parishes were formed to the south in Clinton: St. Mary's (1867), St. Patrick's (1889) and Sacred Heart (1891).
20th Century
In 1906 the church building was completely reversed. Initially the main entrance of the church faced Fifth Street. North Second Street on the back side of the church became a major thoroughfare through town. To accommodate the change the main entrance of the church was moved to the west side of the church on Second Street and the altar was moved to the east side of the church and the pews were reversed to face the altar. The new entrance also eliminated the long staircases up to the entrances. A gallery was created in the west side of the church. In 1911 all five Clinton parishes joined the Davenport Diocese when Clinton CountyClinton County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 49,116 in the county, with a population density of . There were 21,733 housing units, of which 20,223 were occupied.-2000 census:...
was transferred to the Diocese of Davenport.
A major renovation occurred to the church interior in the 1940s. Simulated stone was applied to the walls to match the exterior of the church, Gothic-style light fixtures were hung, new Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
were installed along the side walls and the ceiling was decorated with simulated beams. In the 1960s and 70s, a parish hall, kitchen, meeting rooms and restrooms were built in the basement of the church.
The parish school was merged with the school at St. Boniface in the 1970s to form North Catholic School. Eventually, all the Catholic grade schools in Clinton merged to form Holy Trinity School. The parish itself was officially closed in 1990 when the five parishes in Clinton were merged to form Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish.