About Epiphany · Sioux City, Iowa
The Cathedral of the Epiphany is the mother church and seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa. Located at 1000 Douglas Street in the heart of Sioux City, it was originally built as St. Mary's Church beginning in 1891 to serve the Irish and German immigrant community, and was designated the cathedral of the new diocese in 1902. Today it is a strikingly diverse parish offering Mass in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite, with two mission churches (St. Joseph and St. Boniface) sharing its pastoral care.
- Established
- 1891
- Patron
- The Epiphany of Our Lord
- Rector
- Very Rev. David Esquiliano, JCL, JV
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux City
Why belong here
The Cathedral of the Epiphany is the spiritual heart of the Diocese of Sioux City and one of the most ethnically diverse parishes in the region, with Mass celebrated every day in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, plus the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Mass on Sundays. Worshippers find a centuries-old architectural heritage — German Gothic Revival brickwork, sixty-one Munich Mayer stained-glass windows, and an interior painstakingly restored in the 1990s — combined with active faith formation through the Cathedral Dual Language Academy, RCIA, and the Epiphany Center. It is also the pastoral home of two historic mission parishes, St. Joseph and St. Boniface, giving the cathedral an unusually broad reach across downtown Sioux City.
Mass times at Epiphany
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM (Cathedral, St. Joseph, and St. Boniface)
- Monday: 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (Cathedral)
- Tuesday: 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (Cathedral)
- Wednesday: 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (Cathedral)
- Thursday: 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (Cathedral)
- Friday: 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM (Cathedral)
- Friday: 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM (Cathedral)
- Saturday: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (St. Boniface)
- Saturday: 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM (Cathedral)
- Note: confessions end 15 minutes before scheduled Mass to allow the priest to prepare.
History of the Cathedral of the Epiphany
Catholic life in Sioux City began in 1855 when Rev. Jeremiah Tracey offered the first Mass in the log cabin of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Desy. By 1891 the city's growing Irish and German Catholic community was ready for a new central parish church, and St. Mary's was begun under the first pastor, Rev. Timothy Treacy. Construction stalled during the Panic of 1893, leaving worshippers in the basement for nearly a decade. When Pope Leo XIII erected the Diocese of Sioux City in 1902, Bishop Philip Garrigan selected St. Mary's as his cathedral and renamed it the Cathedral of the Epiphany, formally dedicating it on September 8, 1904. Successive bishops, pastors, and benefactors have shaped the cathedral over more than 120 years into the German Gothic landmark seen today.
- 1855 – First Mass celebrated by Rev. Jeremiah Tracey in the Desy log cabin.
- 1891 – Construction of St. Mary's Church begun under Rev. Timothy Treacy.
- 1902 – Diocese of Sioux City erected; Bishop Philip Garrigan names St. Mary's as the cathedral.
- 1904 – Cathedral of the Epiphany dedicated on September 8 without its spires.
- 1939 – Minor renovation under Monsignor Thomas Conghlan.
- 1952 – Twin spires added to the eastern façade by Bishop Joseph Mueller.
- 1961 – Major interior remodeling under Bishop Mueller replaces the wooden altar with a marble altar and baldachin.
- 1987 – The sixty-one Mayer of Munich stained-glass windows are fully restored.
- 1994–1998 – $3 million interior and exterior restoration; rededicated November 10, 1998.
Architecture and Treasures
The cathedral is regarded as a premier local example of late-19th-century German Gothic Revival architecture, built in brick and designed by architect Charles P. Brown. Its twin towers and spires mark the downtown skyline, while inside, centuries of craft survive in the restored interior. Highlights include the baptismal font designed by noted Prairie School architect William L. Steele, the sixty-one stained-glass windows by the Franz Mayer & Co. studios of Munich, and the Italian hand-carved and hand-painted religious statues.
- Architect: Charles P. Brown (1891)
- Style: German Gothic Revival, load-bearing brick
- Baptismal font designed by William L. Steele
- 61 stained-glass windows by Franz Mayer & Co., Munich (restored 1987)
- Reredos, side altars, and Stations of the Cross from former St. Thomas Church, Emmetsburg
- Religious statues hand-carved and hand-painted in Italy
- 1994–1998 restoration by Wetherell-Ericsson of Des Moines
Parish Pastoral Team
The cathedral is staffed by a rector/pastor, two parochial vicars, three permanent deacons, and lay staff in faith formation, operations, and maintenance. The diocese's current bishop is Most Rev. John E. Keehner. Pastoral assignments are coordinated across the Cathedral, St. Joseph, and St. Boniface parishes.
- Rector & Pastor — Very Rev. David Esquiliano, JCL, JV
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Jeremy Wind
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Travis Crotty
- Deacon Bruce Chartier
- Deacon Mark Pro
- Deacon Jorge Fernandez
- Diocesan Bishop — Most Rev. John E. Keehner
Faith Formation and Schools
The parish continues a long tradition of Catholic education that began with St. Mary's School in 1889. The current Cathedral grade school was built in 1959 and consolidated in 2001 with St. Joseph and St. Boniface schools; the original building, now called Epiphany Center, houses parish offices and formation classrooms, and is the site of the Cathedral Dual Language Academy. Secondary Catholic education is provided through Bishop Heelan High School, which has continued since 1949 with the Sisters of Charity of the B.V.M. among its teaching staff.
- 1889 – St. Mary's School built at 10th and Grandview for $30,000.
- 1949 – Cathedral High School's final class graduates; Bishop Heelan High School opens.
- 1959 – New Cathedral grade school opens at 10th and Douglas.
- 2001 – Consolidated into Holy Family School with St. Joseph and St. Boniface.
- Epiphany Center houses parish offices and formation classrooms.
- Cathedral Dual Language Academy (elementary) on site.
Vietnamese and Hispanic Ministries
Beginning in the 1980s and 1990s, the cathedral welcomed waves of Catholic immigrants from Latin America and Southeast Asia, reversing decades of declining enrollment and saving the parish from proposed closure. Today the cathedral celebrates regular Spanish Masses every day of the week and a Sunday Vietnamese Mass, alongside its English and Latin offerings. The pastoral team includes deacons and staff reflecting the parish's multicultural identity.
- Sunday 8:30 AM Spanish Mass at the Cathedral
- Sunday 12:00 PM Spanish Mass at the Cathedral
- Monday–Friday 5:30 PM Spanish Mass at the Cathedral
- Sunday 12:30 PM Vietnamese Mass at St. Joseph
Restoration and Renovation
Since its 1904 dedication the cathedral has been redecorated many times, with a wide range of design motifs documented in the parish's photographic records. The most significant changes were the 1961 interior remodeling under Bishop Joseph Mueller and the 1994–1998 restoration that returned the interior to its early-20th-century character. The 1994 work replaced the roof and gutters, tuckpointed the exterior, removed a worn bridge to the rectory in favor of a courtyard, and brought in period-appropriate liturgical furnishings from the closing St. Thomas Church in Emmetsburg.
- 1939 – Minor renovation (Monsignor Thomas Conghlan).
- 1952 – Spires added under Bishop Joseph Mueller.
- 1961 – Marble altar and baldachin replace wooden altar; interior redecorated.
- 1987 – Mayer stained-glass windows fully restored.
- 1994 – Restoration campaign launched with $1 million lead gift from William and Eleanore Metz.
- 1998 – Cathedral rededicated on November 10, 1998.
Vocations and Heritage
Across its long history the Cathedral of the Epiphany has fostered many priestly and religious vocations. Thomas McCarty, ordained in 1892 by Bishop Hennessy, was the first young man from Sioux City to be ordained a Catholic priest, having grown up in St. Mary's Parish. Generations of parishioners and the Sisters of Charity of the B.V.M. — who long taught in the parish schools — have sustained this culture of vocation.
- 1892 – Rev. Thomas McCarty ordained; first Sioux City-raised priest.
- Sisters of Charity of the B.V.M. continued at Bishop Heelan High School after 1949.
Visiting the Cathedral
Located at 1000 Douglas Street in central Sioux City, the cathedral is open for visits during posted parish hours. Visitors are invited to attend any scheduled Mass, view the German Gothic interior and Mayer of Munich stained glass, and explore the adjoining Epiphany Center, which also houses parish offices and the Cathedral Dual Language Academy.
- Address: 1000 Douglas Street, Sioux City, IA 51105.
- Phone: (712) 255-1637.
- Cathedral hours: Monday–Friday 10:30 AM–12:30 PM and 4:00–6:00 PM; Saturday 10:30 AM–12:30 PM and 3:30–4:30 PM; Sunday 7:30 AM–1:00 PM.
- Website: www.sccathedral.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Jeremiah Tracey1855–
Celebrated the first Mass in Sioux City in the log cabin of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Desy, founding the Catholic mission.
- Rev. Timothy Treacy1891–
First pastor of St. Mary's Parish (the predecessor parish of the cathedral); oversaw the start of construction of the present church building.
- Rev. Thomas McCarty1892–
Ordained April 5, 1892 by Bishop Hennessy; the first young man from Sioux City to become a priest, a member of St. Mary's Parish.
- Most Rev. Philip J. Garrigan1902–1919
First Bishop of Sioux City; selected St. Mary's Church as his cathedral and renamed it the Cathedral of the Epiphany, dedicating it on September 8, 1904.
- Most Rev. Edmond Heelan1919
Auxiliary Bishop under Garrigan and pastor of the Cathedral of the Epiphany; succeeded Garrigan as second Bishop of Sioux City on October 14, 1919.
- Monsignor Thomas Conghlan1939
Rector/Pastor of the cathedral at the time of a minor 1939 renovation.
- Most Rev. Joseph Mueller1950s–1960s
Bishop of Sioux City; oversaw the 1952 addition of the twin spires and the major 1961 interior renovation that replaced the wooden altar with a marble altar and baldachin.