About All Saints · Stuart, Iowa
All Saints Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Stuart, Iowa, part of the Diocese of Des Moines. The parish's Catholic life in Stuart goes back to 1871, and today's congregation gathers at a newer church built in the late 1990s on 95 acres of land outside town after arson destroyed the original historic sanctuary in 1995. The parish serves Stuart and also the sister mission of St. John in Adair, with weekday and weekend Masses, a weekly Reconciliation schedule, RCIA for adults preparing to become Catholic, faith formation, a Knights of Columbus council, an Altar & Rosary Society, electronic giving, and a prayer chain. The pastor is Rev. Antony Mathew, who serves both All Saints and St. John parishes.
- Established
- 1871 (parish mission); 1877 (first church dedicated); 1997 (current church cornerstone)
- Patron
- All Saints
- Rector
- Rev. Antony Mathew
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
All Saints is a small-town parish that takes seriously both worship and service. The community gathers for a Saturday vigil and Sunday morning Mass, plus three weekday Masses (including one at the Stuart Community Care Center so residents who cannot travel can still attend), and offers a regular Saturday confession slot. Parishioners are invited into the fullness of the Catholic Faith through RCIA, faith formation, and a prayer chain, and they serve one another through parish groups like the Altar & Rosary Society and the local Knights of Columbus council. New members are welcomed with a registration form, and visitors looking for a quiet, mission-driven rural parish will find an active bulletin, electronic giving, and a combined parish calendar with sister mission St. John in Adair.
Mass times at All Saints
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM (All Saints, Stuart)
- Sunday: 7:30 AM – 7:50 AM (at the sister parish St. John, Adair)
- Also by appointment at the parish office (515-523-1943)
About All Saints Catholic Church
All Saints Catholic Church is the Roman Catholic parish serving Stuart, Iowa, in the Diocese of Des Moines. According to its own mission statement, the community rejoices in God's blessings and "invite[s] and welcome[s] all to share in the fullness of the Catholic Faith" through worship, teaching, and service. The parish is paired with the sister mission of St. John in Adair, and the two share a pastor, an office, and a combined calendar. Visitors and parishioners can register through the New Member Registration Form linked from the parish site, request Mass intentions, send in prayer requests to the Prayer Chain, and give electronically.
- Mission Statement: "Rejoicing with gratitude in God's blessings, we invite and welcome all to share in the fullness of the Catholic Faith. We live our baptismal call through worship, teaching, and serving one another."
- Combined Parish Calendar (All Saints, Stuart + St. John, Adair)
- New Member Registration Form available on the parish website
- Electronic donations for various parish funds, including recurring and one-time gifts
Parish Staff and Leadership
The parish is led by a single pastor who also serves the Adair mission, supported by a parish secretary/bookkeeper, a catechetical leader, and the leaders of its main lay organizations.
- Pastor: Rev. Antony Mathew — [email protected] (also Adult Faith Formation contact)
- Parish Secretary / Bookkeeper: Wilma Ernesti — [email protected], 515-523-1943
- Catechetical Leader: Jill Gerling — [email protected]
- Knights of Columbus Grand Knight: Sean Bovinett — [email protected], 712-574-3886
- Altar & Rosary Society — contact the parish office
A Parish of Two: All Saints (Stuart) and St. John (Adair)
Per the Diocese of Des Moines parish directory, All Saints shares its pastor and office with St. John Parish in Adair. Together they publish one combined calendar, one bulletin pipeline, and one office email ([email protected]), while maintaining distinct Mass and confession schedules that suit each town.
- St. John, Adair — 501 Adair Street, Adair, IA 50002 (mailing: c/o All Saints Church, P.O. Box 605, Stuart, IA 50250)
- St. John Sunday Mass: 8:00 AM
- St. John Weekday Mass: Wednesday 5:30 PM
- St. John Reconciliation: Sunday 7:30–7:50 AM
- St. John Catechetical Leader: Elizabeth Moreland ([email protected])
History of the Parish
Catholic life in Stuart began in August 1871, when a Father Moniahan from Des Moines first came to town for Mass. The first church was built in 1874 and dedicated on November 1, 1877 — the Feast of All Saints — by the Very Rev. J.F. Brazil of St. Ambrose in Des Moines. The parish grew under pastors who also served surrounding missions like Casey, Adair, Guthrie Center, and Greenfield. In 1902 the Rev. M.S. McNamara began the project of building the grand stone church that would define All Saints for the next century.
- 1871 — Father Moniahan first celebrates Mass in Stuart
- 1874 — First church built under Rev. Edward Gaul
- 1877 — First church dedicated on the Feast of All Saints, Nov. 1
- 1881 — Parish becomes part of the new Diocese of Davenport
- 1902 — Rev. M.S. McNamara becomes pastor; plans the new church
- 1908 — Cornerstone of the historic church laid
- 1910 — Maginnis & Walsh-designed church completed
- 1911 — Parish becomes part of the newly erected Diocese of Des Moines
- 1995 — Arson fire destroys the interior of the church (Aug. 22)
- 1997 — New church cornerstone laid by Bishop Joseph Charron, C.Pp.S. (Aug. 31)
- 2000 — Historic shell listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The 1910 Historic Church — Architecture and Destruction
Designed by Maginnis and Walsh, the 1910 church was a Neo-Byzantine / Romanesque Revival landmark built of blue Bedford limestone. It measured 70 feet wide, 120 feet long, and rose 110 feet high, with seating for 600 beneath a 90-foot copper-clad dome pierced by 16 windows. The interior was finished in Italian marble, rare woods, hand-painted frescoes, gold gilding, and statuary; the stained glass came from Franz Mayer & Co. of Munich, Germany. The total cost was $65,000. On August 22, 1995, an arsonist set fire to the building, gutting the interior and leaving only the limestone walls and a small rear chapel intact.
- Architects: Maginnis & Walsh
- Built: 1908–1910
- Materials: blue Bedford limestone; copper dome; Italian marble; rare woods; gold gilding
- Stained glass: Franz Mayer & Co., Munich
- Construction cost: $65,000
- Dedication: Bishop James Davis of Davenport; sermon by Bishop James J. Keane (later Archbishop of Dubuque)
The 1995 Arson and the Move to a New Church
On August 22, 1995, Charles Willard of Des Moines drove to Stuart, poured gasoline in several places inside the church, and set it on fire. Fire departments from 20 area communities within a 50-mile radius responded. The exterior walls stood, but the interior was destroyed; a small chapel in back survived with only minor damage. Willard had mailed letters to two bishops and a Des Moines TV station taking responsibility out of hatred for the Catholic Church and even held a news conference before his arrest; he was convicted of arson and a hate crime. Under Rev. Dan Clarke, the parish and diocese decided against rebuilding and instead bought 95 acres from the Bill and Marlene Wilson family for $475,000 to build a new church, designed by RDG Planning & Design of Omaha, seating 400 with parking for 175. Bishop Joseph Charron, C.Pp.S., laid its cornerstone on August 31, 1997; the project cost $2.5 million.
- 1995 fire — interior destroyed; only limestone walls and rear chapel survived
- New church site — 95 acres purchased from Bill and Marlene Wilson family for $475,000
- Architect: RDG Planning & Design, Omaha
- Cost: $2.5 million; seating 400; parking for 175 cars
- Cornerstone laid August 31, 1997 by Bishop Joseph Charron, C.Pp.S.
The Historic All Saints / Saints Center for Culture and the Arts
In September 1997 the damaged historic church was sold to the Project Restore Foundation for $7,200, which set out to rehabilitate it as a community cultural center. Architects Kirk Blunck and Jeff Wagner of HLKB in Des Moines designed the restoration, with Koester of Grimes as contractor. The exterior was restored to its pre-fire appearance and the interior given a modern look with exposed stone and brick; the dome was rebuilt from the original numbered stone with new copper sheeting. The State Historical Society of Iowa granted $60,000 in 2000; a $545,000 Vision Iowa grant came in 2007 along with a $1.7 million Stuart bond referendum approved by 63% of voters that year, plus over $232,000 in private donations. The restored building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 7, 2000 (NRHP #00001478) and is described as a rare example of Neo-Byzantine architecture in Iowa.
- Project Restore Foundation — acquired the historic shell for $7,200 in 1997
- Restoration architects: Kirk Blunck & Jeff Wagner of HLKB, Des Moines; builder Koester, Grimes
- Funding: $60,000 State Historical Society of Iowa (2000); $545,000 Vision Iowa (2007); $1.7 million Stuart bond referendum (2007, 63% approval); $232,000+ private donations
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: December 7, 2000 (#00001478)
- Now operating as the Historic All Saints / Saints Center for Culture and the Arts
Sacraments and Becoming Catholic
All Saints prepares adults for full initiation into the Catholic Church through the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults), with inquiries directed to the parish office. The parish also publishes FAQs Regarding Marriage & Annulments on its site for couples and those seeking guidance on the sacrament of Matrimony. Reconciliation is offered weekly in Stuart (and Sunday mornings in Adair), and other sacraments — Baptism, Anointing of the Sick, and Communion for the homebound — are arranged through the parish office.
- RCIA — call 515-523-1943 for information
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:30–4:15 PM (Stuart) and Sunday 7:30–7:50 AM (Adair), or by appointment
- Marriage preparation and annulment FAQs linked from the parish website
- Baptism, Anointing of the Sick, and homebound visits — contact the parish office
Ministries, Groups, and Faith Formation
Alongside the Mass schedule, All Saints runs an active faith-formation and parish-life program. The Catechetical Leader coordinates religious education for children and youth, the pastor himself oversees Adult Faith Formation, and lay groups — the Altar & Rosary Society, the Knights of Columbus, and the Prayer Chain — make up the parish's service and devotional backbone. Music / Liturgy ministry and electronic giving round out parish life.
- Catechetical Leader: Jill Gerling ([email protected])
- Adult Faith Formation: Rev. Antony Mathew
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Altar & Rosary Society — contact the parish office
- Knights of Columbus — Grand Knight Sean Bovinett ([email protected], 712-574-3886)
- Prayer Chain — [email protected] or 515-523-1943
- Music / Liturgy ministry
- Electronic giving — recurring or one-time donations
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Moniahan (Des Moines)1871–
First priest to celebrate Mass in Stuart, in school rooms, Shield's Hall, and private homes.
- Rev. Edward Gaul1874–
Directed the building of the first church, dedicated Nov. 1, 1877.
- Rev. James Foley24-year pastorate
Built two additions and the rectory; from Stuart also tended Casey, Adair, Guthrie Center, and Greenfield.
- Rev. M.S. McNamarafrom Oct. 12, 1902
Designed and oversaw construction of the 1908–1910 Maginnis & Walsh church.
- Rev. Dan Clarke
Led the decision not to rebuild after the 1995 arson fire; oversaw the move to new church on 95 acres.