About Holy Family Church-Corpus Christi Parish · Council Bluffs, Iowa
Corpus Christi Parish in Council Bluffs, Iowa is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Des Moines that was formed on July 1, 2011, by Bishop Richard Pates through the merger of three parishes: Queen of Apostles, Holy Family, and Our Lady of Carter Lake. The merged parish retains three worship sites — Queen of Apostles Church (the main parish site at 3304 4th Ave.), Holy Family Church (2217 Avenue B), and Our Lady of Carter Lake Church. The parish serves a bilingual community, offering Mass in both English and Spanish, and is connected to St. Albert Catholic School and Queen of Apostles School.
- Established
- 2011
- Patron
- Corpus Christi (Body of Christ); the former Holy Family Church is dedicated to the Holy Family
- Rector
- Father Luis Mejia (per ParishesOnline and parishesonline listing; some parish-summarizer sites list 'Father Tom Thakadipuram' and others 'Father Luis Mejia' — verify directly with the parish office for the current pastor).
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
Corpus Christi Parish welcomes Catholics from Council Bluffs and the surrounding area into a single bilingual community where English and Spanish are both part of daily parish life. Worship is offered at three historic sites — Queen of Apostles (with daily Mass, Saturday vigil, Sunday Masses and a noon Spanish Mass), Our Lady of Carter Lake, and the former Holy Family — with the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Mass at Queen of Apostles also livestreamed on Facebook. The parish supports Catholic education through St. Albert Catholic School and Queen of Apostles School, runs a music ministry with choirs at several weekend Masses, and engages in outreach such as local food pantries, making it a good fit for families, Spanish-speaking Catholics, and anyone looking for an active, multi-site parish in southwest Iowa.
Mass times at Holy Family Church-Corpus Christi Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (English and Spanish)
- Sunday 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM (English and Spanish)
- Monday 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM (English and Spanish)
Parish History
Corpus Christi Catholic Parish in Council Bluffs, Iowa was formed on July 1, 2011, by Bishop Richard Pates of the Diocese of Des Moines through the merger of three parishes: Queen of Apostles, Holy Family, and Our Lady of Carter Lake. The three churches had been collaborating in shared ministries since June 2002, and Bishop Pates confirmed the new name 'Corpus Christi' — meaning 'Body of Christ' — on his radio program 'In the Heartland with Bishop Pates' on May 6, 2011. Father Dan Kirby was assigned as the first pastor of the merged parish. At founding the parish included roughly 680 families from Queen of Apostles, 400 from Holy Family, and 100 from Our Lady of Carter Lake. The name had been suggested by several parishioners, including Deacon Bob McClellan, as a way to express a eucharistic and unifying identity for the new community.
- Three predecessor parishes: Queen of Apostles, Holy Family, Our Lady of Carter Lake
- Collaboration began June 2002
- Parish name announced May 6, 2011 (Bishop Richard Pates)
- Parish erected July 1, 2011
- First pastor: Father Dan Kirby
- About 1,180 families combined at founding
Holy Family Church (Worship Site)
Holy Family Church, located at 2217 Avenue B in Council Bluffs, was the only Catholic church on the west side of the city when it was founded. It became a worship site of Corpus Christi Parish after the 2011 merger and operated as such until 2024. According to the parish's own website and coverage from the Council Bluffs Public Library archives, Holy Family marked its golden anniversary in 1958 and its 75th anniversary in 1983 under a pastor then entering his 40th year. The brick building had few exterior changes over the decades besides steps added on either side of the front brick wall facing Avenue B, and in 1955 a $200,000 addition with a gym was planned. The sanctuary was redecorated in 1972.
- Address: 2217 Avenue B, Council Bluffs, IA 51501
- 75th anniversary observed in 1983
- Golden anniversary (50th) observed in 1958
- $200,000 addition (with gym) planned in 1955
- Sanctuary redecorated 1972
- Operating as Corpus Christi worship site after 2011 merger
Closure of Holy Family Church (2024)
On January 3, 2024, Bishop William Joensen of the Diocese of Des Moines signed a decree of relegation that allowed the Holy Family Church building to be returned to non-sacred, or 'profane but not sordid,' use — a canonical step ordinarily required before a Catholic church can be sold for purposes other than worship. The Diocese announced the proceeds of any sale would support Corpus Christi Parish ministries, including the educational ministry of St. Albert Catholic School. A 'Preserve Holy Family' preservation society organized to keep the historic building in sacred use, but ultimately fell short of its fundraising goal and the church was closed. Corpus Christi Parish held a special Mass for the Feast of the Holy Family at the closed building.
- January 3, 2024: Bishop Joensen signs decree of relegation
- Building at 2217 Avenue B designated for non-sacred use
- Sale proceeds directed to Corpus Christi ministries and St. Albert Catholic School
- Preserve Holy Family preservation society formed in response
- Fundraising goal not met; church closed
Music Ministry
Corpus Christi Parish has an active music ministry. Under the motto 'He who sings prays twice' (St. Augustine of Hippo), musicians — singers and instrumentalists — help enhance the sacred liturgy at several weekend Masses. The choir sings at the Saturday 4:00 PM and the Sunday 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM Masses at Queen of Apostles, and the choir at Our Lady of Carter Lake sings at the Saturday 6:00 PM Mass.
- Saturday 4:00 PM choir — Queen of Apostles
- Sunday 8:00 AM choir — Queen of Apostles
- Sunday 10:00 AM choir — Queen of Apostles
- Saturday 6:00 PM choir — Our Lady of Carter Lake
- New choir/instrumentalists can sign up via the parish website form
Faith Formation & Catholic Schools
The parish supports two Catholic schools: St. Albert Catholic School (named as a beneficiary of the Holy Family Church sale proceeds) and Queen of Apostles School (founded in September 1964 under Father Elwood Geary, initially staffed by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, and served by the Marianist community from 1985). Religious education across the merged parish was combined as part of the 2011 consolidation.
- St. Albert Catholic School
- Queen of Apostles School (founded 1964)
- Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary staffed QofA School until 1972
- Sister of Charity of the BVM principal appointed 1972
- Lay administration of QofA School from 1976
- Marianist community served Queen of Apostles Parish from 1985
- Parish religious education consolidated in 2011 merger
Outreach & Parish Life
The parish runs ongoing outreach such as food pantries and offers parishioners ways to register and become active ('Join Our Parish'). A bricks courtyard project at the 'Our Lady' worship site invites parishioners to order engraved bricks. Mass livestreaming on Facebook makes Sunday worship available to homebound and remote parishioners.
- Food Pantries — listed on parish site
- Join Our Parish — parish registration
- 'Our Lady' Courtyard Project — engraved brick fundraiser
- Facebook livestream of Sunday 10:00 AM Mass
Diocese & Governance
Corpus Christi Parish is part of the Diocese of Des Moines, and the diocesan bishop plays a direct role in parish decisions about worship-site changes — most notably Bishop William Joensen's 2024 decree regarding Holy Family Church. The merger itself was carried out under Bishop Richard Pates in 2011.
- Diocese of Des Moines
- Bishop Richard Pates — formed the parish July 1, 2011
- Bishop William Joensen — signed 2024 relegation decree for Holy Family Church
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Dan Kirby2011 (founding pastor)
Appointed first pastor of Corpus Christi Parish when it was formed July 1, 2011, by merger of Queen of Apostles, Holy Family, and Our Lady of Carter Lake.
- Father Luis Mejia
Listed as pastor on the parish's ParishesOnline directory page.