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St. Mary's Church and Rectory (Iowa City, Iowa)
Encyclopedia
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Davenport
located at 220 E. Jefferson St. in Iowa City, Iowa
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as St. Mary's Church and Rectory. The parish's first rectory, which is now a private home, is also listed on the NRHP as St. Mary's Rectory
. It is located a few blocks to the east of the present church location at 610 E. Jefferson St.
The first Mass in what is now Iowa City was celebrated by frontier missionary Rev. Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli
, OP on December 20, 1840. It was attended by 28 people in a building that doubled as a private home and a hotel, which was owned by Fred Haberstroh. The University of Iowa
’s School of Business is currently on that location. The previous day Mazzuchelli had arrived from St. Paul’s Church
in Burlington
and bought two lots for $2,000 on which the church and rectory stand today.
St Mary's parish was established by Mazzuchelli the following year, 1841, and he designed a small frame building that would serve as a church. The cornerstone for the new church was laid on July 12, 1841 by Bishop Mathias Loras
of Dubuque
. The building was largely completed by 1842, and several priests, including the Rev. J.A.M. Pelamourgues
from St. Anthony’s
in Davenport
celebrated Mass in the new church. In 1844 the parish had grown to about 70 families and the Rev. Anthony Godfert was assigned the parish’s first pastor. In 1844 he started the parish’s first school in the basement of the church, with Miss Noma O’Connor as the first teacher.
A year later he established St. Joseph Cemetery to the northeast of the city. Godfert left the parish in 1846 and the parish was served by visiting clergy again for the next two years. Father Pelamourgues came again, as did J. G. Perodin, Joseph Cretin
and John George Alleman
. In 1848 the Rev. F.B. Poyet was named pastor and the parish has not been without a pastor since then. In the 1850s the parish’s first choir was organized and a gallery was added to the interior of the church. In 1862 St. Francis Xavier Church was established for the pastoral care of Bohemian
immigrants. The church burned to the ground in 1869 and the parishioners returned to St. Mary’s
The Rev. William Emonds became pastor in 1858. During his pastorate of 32 years saw the expansion of Catholic education and the building of the present church. He also served more than the Iowa City parish. He is credited with establishing 44 parishes, and built churches in many of them.
The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
arrived in Iowa City in 1860 to teach at St. Mary’s. St. Agatha’s Seminary, a school for girls, opened in 1861. In 1865 St. Joseph Institute, a school for advanced learning was established by Father Emonds. It was taught by lay teachers and closed around 1890.
Initially, Father Emonds extended the original church to the north for more space, but it became obvious a new church was needed. The cornerstone for the present church was laid on October 27, 1867. Hugh V. Gildea was contracted to build the new church. The new building was built over the old church as the parish continued to worship there. When the new building's roof was completed the old structure was torn down. It took two years to build the church, although the tall spire
would be completed at a later date. By the time it was dedicated the main altar, pews, pulpit
and stained glass windows were in place. The new church was dedicated by Bishop John Hennessey
of Dubuque on August 15, 1869. It was the first consecrated church in the Diocese of Dubuque. The construction costs of the new church were $75,000.
The church was constructed of red brick
in the Romanesque Revival style. It features a large open interior without columns. The tall wooden high altar features a painting of the Visitation, which is flanked by statues of St. Patrick and St. Boniface. The altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary was installed in 1872. The tower was completed in 1873 and the spire and cross were added in 1874. The Moline pipe organ
, which is still in use, was installed in 1883. A 17-bell carillon
was added to the tower in 1885. The Stations of the Cross
were purchased by Father Emonds on one of his trips back to his native Germany.
St. Mary’s parish was divided when other parishes were established in Iowa City. St. Patrick’s was founded in 1872 and church was built a few blocks south of St. Mary’s in 1879. Another parish to serve the Bohemian community was established in 1891 when St. Wenceslaus was founded. St. Thomas More was founded in 1944 as the Newman Center before it became as independent parish.
The parish became a part of the Diocese of Davenport
when it was established in 1881. The parish’s rectory was moved four blocks to the east in 1891 by the Rev. John F. Kempker and the following year the present rectory was built during the pastorate of Msgr. A.J. Schulte
, who would serve the parish for nearly 50 years. The rectory was designed to match the church. It was also built of brick and features large rounded arches on the front porch. The house was built for $8,000.
In 1892 the parish acquired property on the corner of Clinton and Jefferson Streets. The cornerstone for the new school was laid on September 11, 1892 on that location. The new school opened in 1893 with Franciscan Sisters teaching there until 1895, when the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary again started teaching in the school. In 1897 high school grades were added to the school, and it was the first Catholic high school in Iowa to be accredited by the State University of Iowa. In 1911 an addition was built onto the school, which contained an auditorium and cafeteria. A convent
was also built to house the sisters. It was replaced by the current building, now a part of the Newman Center, in 1926. The new convent was built for $33,000. St. Mary’s and St. Patrick’s high schools were consolidated in 1958 when Regina High School
was opened. The St. Mary’s School building started to deteriorate, and it was closed in 1968. The school itself consolidated with the school at St. Patrick’s and used its building. The sisters remained in the St. Mary’s Convent. In 1975 the St. Mary’s school buildings and convent were sold to the diocese for use by the Newman Center. In the early 1990s an addition was made to Regina High School and the elementary and junior high school grades are moved from St. Patrick’s.
Renovations were done to the church building in 1908 under Msgr. Schulte. The work included sixteen buttresses to strengthen the building, a new cross and spire were built, a basement was dug below the church, and the church interior was redecorated. The church was once again redecorated for the parish centennial in 1941 during the pastorate of Msgr. Carl Meinberg. The present pews were added at that time. Liturgical changes were made after the Second Vatican Council
during the pastorate of the Rev. John Morrissey. Changes included a new altar so the priest could face the congregation. Masses were now celebrated in English rather than Latin. Another renovation of the church occurred in early 1980s under the leadership of the Rev. Henry Griener. The pipe organ was rebuilt in 1981. A parish hall was built in the basement of the church in 1982, and the church interior was redecorated in 1983. The church renovation included removal of the communion rail, new carpet, reconciliation rooms, altar, ambo
and chairs. The tabernacle
was moved from the high altar to a side altar. Another redecorating project occurred around 2000 by the Rev. Kenneth Kunz, which included moving the baptismal font
near the front door and new carpeting.
The parish council was initiated by Father Morrissey in 1969. From 1971-1980, Father Morrissey and the Rev. Carlos Leveling served the parish as co-pastors. In 1986 the concept of sacrificial giving was introduced to the parish and it started the practice of tithing a percentage of the parish income. About the same time the parish offices were moved out of the rectory to a house just east of the church. In 1988 the church tower was reconstructed. Another house was added to the parish offices and the two buildings were renovated for expanded office space by the Rev. Thomas Doyle in 1992. At the same time the parish hired its first youth minister. Today, approximately 1700 families belong to the 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...
located at 220 E. Jefferson St. in Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
. It is 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...
as St. Mary's Church and Rectory. The parish's first rectory, which is now a private home, is also listed on the NRHP as St. Mary's Rectory
St. Mary's Rectory (Iowa City, Iowa)
The former St. Mary’s Rectory, located at 610 E. Jefferson Street, Iowa City, Iowa is a private home listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building housed the Catholic clergy that served St. Mary’s Church from 1854 to 1892.-History :...
. It is located a few blocks to the east of the present church location at 610 E. Jefferson St.
History
Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli
Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, O.P. was a pioneer Italian Catholic missionary who helped bring the church to the Iowa-Illinois-Wisconsin tri-state area. He founded a number of parishes in the area, and was the architect for a number of parish buildings.-Background:Father Mazzuchelli was born...
, OP on December 20, 1840. It was attended by 28 people in a building that doubled as a private home and a hotel, which was owned by Fred Haberstroh. The University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
’s School of Business is currently on that location. The previous day Mazzuchelli had arrived from St. Paul’s Church
Saints John and Paul Catholic Church (Burlington, Iowa)
Saints John and Paul Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Davenport. The parish is the result of a merger between St. John the Baptist and St. Paul’s Parishes in the city of Burlington, Iowa, United States. The parish maintains both of the former parish church buildings as worship sites....
in Burlington
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
and bought two lots for $2,000 on which the church and rectory stand today.
St Mary's parish was established by Mazzuchelli the following year, 1841, and he designed a small frame building that would serve as a church. The cornerstone for the new church was laid on July 12, 1841 by Bishop Mathias Loras
Mathias 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 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. ...
. The building was largely completed by 1842, and several priests, including the Rev. J.A.M. Pelamourgues
J.A.M. Pelamourgues
Jean-Antoine-Marie Pelamourgues was a French missionary who was one of the first Roman Catholic priests to serve in the Diocese of Dubuque in the state of Iowa. He served as the first pastor of St. Anthony's Church in Davenport, Iowa from 1839-1868.-Early Life & Ministry:Pelamourgues was born in...
from St. Anthony’s
St. Anthony's Catholic Church (Davenport, Iowa)
Saint Anthony's Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. The church is located in Davenport, Iowa, United States, at the corner of 4th and Main Streets. It is the first church congregation organized in the city of Davenport and the second, after St. Raphael's...
in 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...
celebrated Mass in the new church. In 1844 the parish had grown to about 70 families and the Rev. Anthony Godfert was assigned the parish’s first pastor. In 1844 he started the parish’s first school in the basement of the church, with Miss Noma O’Connor as the first teacher.
A year later he established St. Joseph Cemetery to the northeast of the city. Godfert left the parish in 1846 and the parish was served by visiting clergy again for the next two years. Father Pelamourgues came again, as did J. G. Perodin, Joseph Cretin
Joseph Crétin
Joseph Crétin was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Cretin Avenue in St. Paul, Cretin-Derham Hall High School, and Cretin Hall at the University of St. Thomas are named for him....
and John George Alleman
John George Alleman
John George Alleman was a missionary Catholic priest who served in the states of Ohio, Iowa and Illinois. He served as a priest in the Dominican Order from 1834–1840, after which time he was expelled from the order. He then served as a secular priest in the Diocese of Dubuque from 1840–1851, and...
. In 1848 the Rev. F.B. Poyet was named pastor and the parish has not been without a pastor since then. In the 1850s the parish’s first choir was organized and a gallery was added to the interior of the church. In 1862 St. Francis Xavier Church was established for the pastoral care of Bohemian
Bohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
immigrants. The church burned to the ground in 1869 and the parishioners returned to St. Mary’s
The Rev. William Emonds became pastor in 1858. During his pastorate of 32 years saw the expansion of Catholic education and the building of the present church. He also served more than the Iowa City parish. He is credited with establishing 44 parishes, and built churches in many of them.
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...
arrived in Iowa City in 1860 to teach at St. Mary’s. St. Agatha’s Seminary, a school for girls, opened in 1861. In 1865 St. Joseph Institute, a school for advanced learning was established by Father Emonds. It was taught by lay teachers and closed around 1890.
Initially, Father Emonds extended the original church to the north for more space, but it became obvious a new church was needed. The cornerstone for the present church was laid on October 27, 1867. Hugh V. Gildea was contracted to build the new church. The new building was built over the old church as the parish continued to worship there. When the new building's roof was completed the old structure was torn down. It took two years to build the church, although the tall spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
would be completed at a later date. By the time it was dedicated the main altar, pews, pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
and stained glass windows were in place. The new church was dedicated by Bishop John Hennessey
John Hennessy (Archbishop)
-External links:**...
of Dubuque on August 15, 1869. It was the first consecrated church in the Diocese of Dubuque. The construction costs of the new church were $75,000.
The church was constructed of red brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
in the Romanesque Revival style. It features a large open interior without columns. The tall wooden high altar features a painting of the Visitation, which is flanked by statues of St. Patrick and St. Boniface. The altar of the Blessed Virgin Mary was installed in 1872. The tower was completed in 1873 and the spire and cross were added in 1874. The Moline pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
, which is still in use, was installed in 1883. A 17-bell carillon
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
was added to the tower in 1885. The 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 purchased by Father Emonds on one of his trips back to his native Germany.
St. Mary’s parish was divided when other parishes were established in Iowa City. St. Patrick’s was founded in 1872 and church was built a few blocks south of St. Mary’s in 1879. Another parish to serve the Bohemian community was established in 1891 when St. Wenceslaus was founded. St. Thomas More was founded in 1944 as the Newman Center before it became as independent parish.
The parish became a part of the Diocese of Davenport
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...
when it was established in 1881. The parish’s rectory was moved four blocks to the east in 1891 by the Rev. John F. Kempker and the following year the present rectory was built during the pastorate of Msgr. A.J. Schulte
Aloysius Schulte
Aloysius Joseph Schulte was the 1st president of St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa from 1882 - 1891.-Biography:Schulte was born in Fort Madison, Iowa. He received his classical education from St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, and studied for the priesthood at St. John's University in...
, who would serve the parish for nearly 50 years. The rectory was designed to match the church. It was also built of brick and features large rounded arches on the front porch. The house was built for $8,000.
In 1892 the parish acquired property on the corner of Clinton and Jefferson Streets. The cornerstone for the new school was laid on September 11, 1892 on that location. The new school opened in 1893 with Franciscan Sisters teaching there until 1895, when the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary again started teaching in the school. In 1897 high school grades were added to the school, and it was the first Catholic high school in Iowa to be accredited by the State University of Iowa. In 1911 an addition was built onto the school, which contained an auditorium and cafeteria. A convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
was also built to house the sisters. It was replaced by the current building, now a part of the Newman Center, in 1926. The new convent was built for $33,000. St. Mary’s and St. Patrick’s high schools were consolidated in 1958 when Regina High School
Regina High School (Iowa)
Regina High School is the only Catholic K-12 Education Center in Iowa City, Iowa. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. It currently houses 450+ in the elementary, and 400+ in the Junior/Senior High School...
was opened. The St. Mary’s School building started to deteriorate, and it was closed in 1968. The school itself consolidated with the school at St. Patrick’s and used its building. The sisters remained in the St. Mary’s Convent. In 1975 the St. Mary’s school buildings and convent were sold to the diocese for use by the Newman Center. In the early 1990s an addition was made to Regina High School and the elementary and junior high school grades are moved from St. Patrick’s.
Renovations were done to the church building in 1908 under Msgr. Schulte. The work included sixteen buttresses to strengthen the building, a new cross and spire were built, a basement was dug below the church, and the church interior was redecorated. The church was once again redecorated for the parish centennial in 1941 during the pastorate of Msgr. Carl Meinberg. The present pews were added at that time. Liturgical changes were made after the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
during the pastorate of the Rev. John Morrissey. Changes included a new altar so the priest could face the congregation. Masses were now celebrated in English rather than Latin. Another renovation of the church occurred in early 1980s under the leadership of the Rev. Henry Griener. The pipe organ was rebuilt in 1981. A parish hall was built in the basement of the church in 1982, and the church interior was redecorated in 1983. The church renovation included removal of the communion rail, new carpet, reconciliation rooms, altar, ambo
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
and chairs. The tabernacle
Church tabernacle
A tabernacle is the fixed, locked box in which, in some Christian churches, the Eucharist is "reserved" . A less obvious container, set into the wall, is called an aumbry....
was moved from the high altar to a side altar. Another redecorating project occurred around 2000 by the Rev. Kenneth Kunz, which included moving the baptismal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
near the front door and new carpeting.
The parish council was initiated by Father Morrissey in 1969. From 1971-1980, Father Morrissey and the Rev. Carlos Leveling served the parish as co-pastors. In 1986 the concept of sacrificial giving was introduced to the parish and it started the practice of tithing a percentage of the parish income. About the same time the parish offices were moved out of the rectory to a house just east of the church. In 1988 the church tower was reconstructed. Another house was added to the parish offices and the two buildings were renovated for expanded office space by the Rev. Thomas Doyle in 1992. At the same time the parish hired its first youth minister. Today, approximately 1700 families belong to the parish.