About Holy Cross · Holy Cross, Iowa
Holy Cross Catholic Church is a rural Roman Catholic parish in the small town of Holy Cross, in northern Dubuque County, Iowa. It is one of the oldest parishes in the Archdiocese of Dubuque, founded in the 1840s by French Bishop Mathias Loras, and today it is part of the St. John Baptist de La Salle Pastorate, a cluster of five small parishes sharing clergy and resources. Holy Cross hosts the pastorate's central office and serves as the home of La Salle Catholic School (PreK–6). Weekend Mass is celebrated Saturday evening at 4:00 PM in English.
- Established
- 1843
- Patron
- Holy Cross (the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross)
- Rector
- Rev. Tyler Raymond
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
Holy Cross offers a small-town, family-rooted Catholic community in the rolling hills of northern Dubuque County, where parishioners can know one another by name and worship in the very place where Bishop Mathias Loras first raised a cross in 1842. As part of the St. John Baptist de La Salle Pastorate, the parish shares weekend and daily Mass, confession, faith formation, and Catholic education (PreK–6 at La Salle Catholic School) with four neighboring parishes, giving families the best of both a close-knit local parish and a wider network of ministries and sacramental life.
Mass times at Holy Cross
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM at Holy Cross Church
History of Holy Cross Parish
Holy Cross was born in 1842 when Bishop Mathias Loras, first bishop of the young Diocese of Dubuque, was called to the Sweeney home in Concord Township to minister to a dying man. He blessed ground for a burial and directed the Sweeney sons to raise an oak cross on the hill — a wooden cross that gave the future parish and town its name. In 1843 a log church was built on the hill, and priests from the Dubuque Cathedral came at least monthly to offer Mass for the Irish and German Catholic settlers of northern Dubuque County. In 1849 Bishop Loras secured title to 40 acres of land with a deed signed by President Zachary Taylor, fulfilling his policy of providing rural parishes enough acreage for a pastor's horses and cow. Father Michael Lynch became the parish's first resident pastor and is buried near the granite memorial that marks the spot of the original 1842 cross. The parish has continued to grow and serve the small town of Holy Cross (population about 378) and surrounding north-central Dubuque County ever since, weathering storms that have literally torn the roof off the church and led to interior repairs and re-roofing.
- 1842 – Bishop Mathias Loras blesses the oak cross on the hill; Sweeney family erects it
- 1843 – Log church built and named Holy Cross
- 1849 – 40-acre parish deed signed by President Zachary Taylor
- Father Michael Lynch – first resident pastor; buried in the parish cemetery
- Recent – storm damage to roof and interior repaired; new roof installed
St. John Baptist de La Salle Pastorate
Holy Cross is one of five parishes in the St. John Baptist de La Salle Pastorate, established by the Archdiocese of Dubuque to share clergy and resources among rural parishes facing declining populations and fewer priests. The other parishes are Holy Trinity in Luxemburg, St. Francis of Assisi in Balltown, St. Joseph in Rickardsville, and Ss. Peter and Paul in Sherrill. The pastorate's central offices are located at 835 Church St. in Holy Cross, where the parish and school offices share a campus. The pastorate pools faith formation, sacramental preparation, liturgical ministry scheduling, and Catholic education. Father Tyler Raymond serves as pastor of the entire pastorate and as pastoral coordinator of La Salle Catholic School. A central staff member, Lynne McDermott, coordinates baptisms, wedding preparation, and Mass Intentions across the cluster. Mass Intentions are administered through the Peosta Area Pastorate office in Epworth.
- Holy Cross, Holy Cross (this parish)
- Holy Trinity, Luxemburg
- St. Francis of Assisi, Balltown
- St. Joseph, Rickardsville
- Ss. Peter and Paul, Sherrill
- Pastorate office: 835 Church St., Holy Cross, IA 52053
La Salle Catholic School
La Salle Catholic School is the parish school of the St. John Baptist de La Salle Pastorate and is located on the Holy Cross campus at 835 Church St. Founded in the educational vision of St. John Baptist de La Salle, the school welcomes students from PreK3 through Grade 6 in a safe, faith-filled environment with small class sizes, 1:1 Apple technology in every grade, weekly Mass, daily prayer, and a Profile of a Graduate that is Academic, Religious, Spiritual, Physical, and Social. School Mass is held every Thursday at 8:30 AM at Holy Cross Church, and families and guests are always welcome to attend. The school day runs 7:40 AM to 3:35 PM (2:35 PM on Wednesdays). P.E. is on Mondays and Thursdays, Art on Tuesdays, and Music on Wednesdays and Fridays. A parent group supports the school through fundraisers including the Spring Social, and the school participates in the annual City of Holy Cross parade and auction when selected as a beneficiary.
- PreK3 through Grade 6
- School day: 7:40 AM – 3:35 PM (Wednesday dismissal 2:35 PM)
- Weekly School Mass: Thursdays 8:30 AM at Holy Cross Church
- 1:1 Apple technology in every grade
- Spring Social (largest annual fundraiser)
- Parent Group (fundraisers, parish family events)
- Profile of a Graduate: Academic, Religious, Spiritual, Physical, Social
Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation
Faith formation in the St. John Baptist de La Salle Pastorate is run pastorate-wide, drawing together families from all five parishes for religious education and sacramental preparation, including a Confirmation program. Families can sign up online for liturgical roles (acolytes, hospitality, sacristans, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, music ministry) through the pastorate website. Baptisms and wedding preparation are coordinated centrally through Lynne McDermott at 563-876-5540 or [email protected]. Mass Intentions for the parish are administered through the Peosta Area Pastorate office in Epworth.
- Faith Formation (pastorate-wide)
- Confirmation program
- Baptism preparation (Lynne McDermott, 563-876-5540)
- Wedding preparation (Lynne McDermott, 563-876-5540)
- Mass Intentions via Peosta Area Pastorate, PO Box 286, Epworth, IA 52045
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners across the pastorate are invited to serve in liturgical roles at Holy Cross and the other four churches. An online sign-up system on the pastorate website (lasallepastorate.com/sign-up-for-roles) makes it easy to volunteer. Music ministry covers all weekend Masses in the pastorate, with a 2023–2024 hymnal/song settings list published on the website and informational meetings for musicians held periodically (recently in Farley on July 9).
- Acolytes
- Hospitality (ushers/greeters)
- Sacristans
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Music Ministry (pastorate-wide)
- Online sign-up at lasallepastorate.com/sign-up-for-roles
Pastorate Staff and Contact
The pastorate is led by Fr. Tyler Raymond, who serves both as pastor of the St. John Baptist de La Salle Pastorate and as pastoral coordinator of La Salle Catholic School. Lynne McDermott is the central contact for baptisms, weddings, and Mass Intentions. The pastorate office is co-located with the parish at 835 Church St., Holy Cross. Incoming pastorate transitions are documented on the website, including a JIF Transition video to help parishioners manage change, and bulletin-board announcements about liturgies and parish events.
- Rev. Tyler Raymond – Pastor, Pastoral Coordinator of La Salle Catholic School
- Lynne McDermott – Sacramental prep & Mass Intentions (563-876-5540, [email protected])
- Parish/School address: 835 Church St., PO Box 368, Holy Cross, IA 52053
- Parish phone: (563) 870-4041
- School phone: (563) 870-2405
The Town of Holy Cross
The town of Holy Cross sits in the rolling hills of northern Dubuque County and was settled by Irish and German immigrants in the early 1800s. Bishop Mathias Loras first visited the community in 1842, said Mass in the James Sweeney home, and blessed a cross that the settlers erected near the present cemetery. The settlement was originally called Pin Oak (from the pin oak trees native to the area, after the rural post office), then Georgetown from 1855, and was finally incorporated and renamed Holy Cross in 1898. The town had a population of 378 in the 2010 census and remains a quiet community where many young couples raise families. RHCL Parochial Grade School and the parish-supported La Salle Catholic School are vital parts of community life.
- Founded as a Catholic-settler community in the early 1840s
- Previously called Pin Oak (1844) and Georgetown (1855)
- Renamed and incorporated as Holy Cross in 1898
- Population: 378 (2010 census)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Michael Lynch
First resident pastor of Holy Cross Parish; buried in the parish cemetery near the granite memorial marking the site of the original 1842 cross.