About Divine Mercy Parish - St Paul Church · Burlington, Iowa
Divine Mercy Parish is a unified Catholic community serving Burlington and West Burlington in Des Moines County, Iowa, formed on June 30, 2017 by Bishop Thomas Zinkula of the Diocese of Davenport. The parish brought together the former Ss. Mary and Patrick Parish (West Burlington) and Ss. John and Paul Parish (Burlington) into one territorial parish, retaining four worship sites: St. Paul Church and St. John Church in Burlington, Ss. Mary & Patrick Church in West Burlington, and St. Mary-Dodgeville in the surrounding Sperry area. It is led today by Fr. Jacob (Jake) M. Greiner, with Fr. Dominic Nguyen serving as Parochial Vicar, and partners closely with Notre Dame Catholic School (K-12).
- Established
- 2017
- Patron
- Divine Mercy (parish patron); St. Paul the Apostle (patron of the Burlington church site, founded 1839)
- Rector
- Rev. Jacob M. (Jake) Greiner
- Diocese
- Diocese of Davenport
Why belong here
Divine Mercy Parish is a single Catholic community living across four historic church sites — St. Paul (1839), St. John (1855), Ss. Mary & Patrick (1917) and St. Mary-Dodgeville — united by one pastor and one mission. Parishioners can grow in faith through Growing in Faith Together (GIFT) family nights, the parish OCIA process, weekly Religious Education for grades 1–8, a thriving Divine Mercy Choir that rehearses Tuesdays and sings at the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, and a strong outreach network including a St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, Birthright support, blood drives, and Health Ministry to the homebound. Add daily Mass, regular Eucharistic Adoration, and Confession three times a week, and it is a place where a Catholic family can worship, learn, serve and belong.
Mass times at Divine Mercy Parish - St Paul Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 6:00 – 8:00 PM during Adoration (Ss. Mary & Patrick Church)
- Saturday after 8:00 AM Daily Mass (Ss. Mary & Patrick Church)
- Saturday 3:30 – 4:30 PM before the Vigil Mass (Ss. Mary & Patrick Church)
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00 – 8:00 PM (Ss. Mary & Patrick Church)
- 24-hour Adoration on the 1st Friday of each month, beginning after 8:00 AM Friday Mass and continuing until 8:00 AM Saturday Mass (Ss. Mary & Patrick Church)
Parish History
Catholic life in Burlington began in 1839 when Fr. Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli founded St. Paul's — the first Catholic church in the city — and built its original structure in early 1840. The parish received Burlington's first church bell in 1842, a bell that still rings today. A second, English Gothic–style church was built in 1863; the present St. Paul's cornerstone was laid October 23, 1892 under Fr. Bernard Mackin and dedicated January 27, 1895. St. John's was founded in 1855 for the German-speaking faithful and rebuilt in 1886. In West Burlington, St. Patrick (1870) and St. Mary (1886) both suffered fires in their early decades and were rebuilt; the present Ss. Mary & Patrick was constructed in 1917 on West Mt. Pleasant Street. A wave of mergers followed in the 1990s–2000s, culminating on June 30, 2017 when Bishop Thomas Zinkula erected Divine Mercy Parish by uniting Ss. John and Paul and Ss. Mary and Patrick into a single territorial parish.
St. Paul Church (Burlington)
The Burlington cornerstone of the parish, located at 508 North 4th Street. It is the third church on the site and retains the 1842 bell. Its present English Gothic–influenced building was completed in 1895 under the direction of Fr. Bernard Mackin and architect J.J. Egan.
- Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM
- Founded 1839 by Fr. Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli
- Present building dedicated January 27, 1895
St. John Church (Burlington)
Established in 1855 to serve Burlington's growing German-speaking Catholic population and rebuilt in 1886, St. John's is located at 700 Division Street. It is home to the Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:30 PM, the Sunday 10:30 AM Mass where the Divine Mercy Choir sings, the parish food pantry (St. Vincent de Paul, 1:00–3:00 PM weekdays), and Tuesday-evening choir rehearsals.
Ss. Mary & Patrick Church (West Burlington)
Formed from the 1999 merger of St. Mary (founded 1886) and St. Patrick (founded 1870), this church was originally built in 1917 at 420/502 W. Mt. Pleasant Street in West Burlington. It is the spiritual center of the parish for weekday and sacramental life, hosting daily Mass, Thursday Adoration, Confession, the 24-hour First Friday Adoration, the parish office, the parish hall (used for blood drives and the Knights of Columbus), and the Saturday Vigil at 5:00 PM.
St. Mary-Dodgeville (Sperry)
The rural mission church of the parish, located at 13204 Dodgeville Rd. in Sperry. It is also its own parish (St. Mary, Dodgeville), sharing pastorate with Divine Mercy. Mass is celebrated Sundays at 8:15 AM.
Parish Staff & Clergy
Divine Mercy Parish is served by Pastor Rev. Jacob M. (Jake) Greiner and Parochial Vicar Rev. Dominic Nguyen, with Deacon Gary Johnson assisting. Two SSND sisters — Sr. Kathy Braun and Sr. Peggy Duffy — share pastoral ministry, especially to the elderly and homebound. Lay staff include Director of Religious Education Tammy Bellrichard; Coordinator of Evangelization, Stewardship & Music Ministry Amanda (Mandy) Brent; Administrative Assistant and Safe Environment Coordinator Mary Strausbaugh; Bookkeeper Tony Miller; and Bulletin Editor Susan Crabb. The St. Paul Church office is staffed by Secretary Sue Nelson with Deacon Andrew Reif.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education for students in grades 1–8 is held on Wednesday evenings 6:30–7:30 PM at Notre Dame High School, with sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation. Catechists and substitutes (Safe-Environment/CMG training required) are recruited each year. The OCIA process (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — formerly RCIA — prepares unbaptized adults and uncatechized Catholics for Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist; contact Deacon Gary Johnson. The parish also publishes a quarterly newsletter, Divine Mercy Voices.
Growing in Faith Together (GIFT)
GIFT is Divine Mercy's monthly family faith night, started after the parish attended the Diocese of Davenport's Youth+Family Engagement kick-off summit. Held one Wednesday a month at Notre Dame Catholic School in Burlington — taking the place of that week's RE classes and youth group — GIFT gathers parents, grandparents, RE students and youth group members around a shared meal and a program. Past topics have included a living rosary for the Month of the Holy Rosary, a witness talk by former professional soccer player Fr. Chase Hilgenbrinck, a Mary's Meals presentation, and Blessed Carlo Acutis. Catechists take younger children aside for age-appropriate learning when a topic is more adult.
Music & Liturgical Ministries
The Divine Mercy Choir sings at the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass at St. John's from September through Corpus Christi Sunday, and at major feasts (Christmas, Easter, Triduum, Holy Days). Rehearsals are Tuesdays 6:00–7:00 PM at St. John's. The choir welcomes singers from high-school age upward, plus instrumentalists (C instruments such as flute, violin, clarinet); no formal audition is required. The choir prepares special programs such as the Ave Maria Song Fest (Oct. 5, 3:00 PM) and the Beautiful Remembrance Service (Nov. 17, 5:30 PM). Liturgical ministries also include Lectors and other roles at Mass; contact the parish office (319-752-6733).
- Ave Maria Song Fest — Oct. 5, 3:00 PM at St. John's
- Beautiful Remembrance Service — Nov. 17, 5:30 PM at St. John's
- Rehearsals Tuesdays 6–7 PM at St. John's
- Choir Director: Mandy Brent, Coordinator of Parish Evangelization and Stewardship
Outreach & Social Justice
Outreach is central to parish identity. The St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry operates out of St. John's gymnasium at 700 Division St. (1:00–3:00 PM weekdays, 319-752-9332). The parish supports Birthright of Burlington (pregnancy support), hosts mobile blood drives every two months at the SS. Mary & Patrick parish hall, supplies Christmas fruit baskets to the homebound, runs a Christmas Giving Tree, partners with the Transitions DMC homeless shelter, and contributes to the Cookies-for-Comfort program (1st Friday at the Hospice House).
- St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry — 700 Division St.
- Birthright of Burlington — 1113 S. Main St.
- Blood Drives at SS. Mary & Patrick parish hall
- Christmas Fruit Baskets & Giving Tree
- Transitions DMC shelter support
- Cookies for Comfort (1st Friday)
Pastoral Care & Prayer
Sr. Kathy Braun and Sr. Peggy Duffy (SSND) coordinate ministry to the elderly, including visits to the homebound, hospital and assisted-living patients. Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Eucharist to those who cannot attend Mass; a Bereavement/Grief Ministry offers support via phone and meets quarterly; a Prayer Chain receives intentions; and the Divine Mercy Chaplet can be requested for the sick and dying.
- Ministers of Holy Communion to the Homebound
- Bereavement / Grief Ministry
- Divine Mercy Chaplet
- Prayer Chain
Health Ministry
Using a holistic model that addresses spiritual, social, emotional and physical needs, the Health Ministry brings together health professionals and community partners to serve the faith community. Meetings are held the first Monday of the month at 10:00 AM at the St. Mary's & Patrick Parish Center.
Cemeteries
The parish oversees cemeteries in Des Moines County. Sacred Heart Cemetery contact is Joe Stevens (319-752-7309); St. Mary's Cemetery contact is Beverly Holmes (319-759-5523).
KCDM Catholic Radio
KCDM 98.3 FM LP — 'Know Christ's Divine Mercy' — is the parish's own low-power Catholic radio station. Programming includes a wide variety of Catholic topics, daily Mass broadcasts, the rosary, and parish-produced podcasts featuring Divine Mercy pastors and parishioners sharing their faith journeys. Contacts: Joe Spillane and Tony Miller.
Knights of Columbus & Parish Groups
The Burlington Knights of Columbus Council meets every second Monday at 6:00 PM in St. Paul's Hall; any Catholic gentleman over 18 is welcome. Other parish groups include the St. Theresa Little Flower Circle (sewing/quilting for Birthright and parish fundraisers), the Senior Pot Luck, and the Welcoming Ministry for new parishioners.
Notre Dame Catholic School
Notre Dame Elementary, Junior and Senior High School is a K-12 Catholic school that provides an academic and Catholic faith-based education to the Burlington area. All students receive biblical, spiritual, and sacramental formation. The school hosts the parish's Religious Education classes on Wednesday evenings and the monthly GIFT family nights.
Visit, Contact & Office Hours
The Divine Mercy Parish Office is at 502 W. Mt. Pleasant Street, West Burlington, IA 52655, open Monday–Thursday 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM (phone 319-752-6733, email [email protected]). The St. Paul Church office is at 508 N. 4th Street, Burlington (319-752-8771). Each church page on the parish website offers driving directions.
- Parish Office: 502 W. Mt. Pleasant St., West Burlington, IA 52655
- Phone: 319-752-6733
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Pastor: Fr. Jacob Greiner — [email protected]
- Parochial Vicar: Fr. Dominic Nguyen — [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli1839–
Founder of St. Paul's, the first Catholic church in Burlington; designed and built the first St. Paul's in 1840.
- Rev. Bernard Mackin1892–1895
Directed construction of the third and present St. Paul's Church; cornerstone laid October 23, 1892, dedicated January 27, 1895.
- Very Rev. Martin G. Goetz, VF2017–
First pastor of the newly erected Divine Mercy Parish on June 30, 2017; remained pastor of St. Mary, Dodgeville concurrently.
- Rev. William D. Roush2017–
Appointed first Parochial Vicar of Divine Mercy Parish at its 2017 founding.
- Rev. Jacob M. (Jake) Greinerpresent
Current pastor; previously assigned pastorate before current role.