About Holy Trinity / Holy Family Parish Cluster · Kalona, Iowa
Holy Family Parish is a Roman Catholic parish cluster in southeast Iowa, formed on July 1, 2021 by Bishop Thomas Zinkula of the Diocese of Davenport through the merger of three historic communities: Holy Trinity Parish in Richmond (Kalona), St. Mary Parish in Riverside, and St. Joseph Parish in Wellman. The three rural communities had already been sharing a pastor, staff, and faith formation programs for two decades under the informal name the 'Highway 22 Cluster,' and the juridic merger formally united them into a single parish serving small towns in Washington and Johnson counties. The cluster's mission statement reads: 'To Know God and Make God Known Through Word, Worship, Fellowship, and Service.' Weekend Masses are celebrated at all three church buildings, with Holy Trinity hosting the 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass in Richmond near Kalona.
- Established
- 1854
- Patron
- Holy Trinity (Most Holy Trinity)
- Rector
- Fr. Ben Snyder
- Diocese
- Diocese of Davenport
Why belong here
Holy Family Parish welcomes Catholics and visitors into three small, historic country churches that have served Washington County farm families since the 1850s. Weekend and daily Masses rotate across the three worship sites, so parishioners can worship close to home while still belonging to one parish family with shared faith formation, youth ministry, and outreach. Active commissions for Liturgy, Faith Formation, Family Life, Stewardship, and Justice, Peace & Social Action give parishioners of every age and skill set a way to serve — from signing up as servers and liturgical ministers, to helping collect supplies for Ukrainian refugees, to walking with children through K-8 faith formation. It is a tight-knit rural community where new families are known by name and where the Eucharist remains the center of weekly life.
Mass times at Holy Trinity / Holy Family Parish Cluster
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment with Fr. Ben Snyder — contact the parish office to schedule
Our Parish Cluster
Holy Family Parish is the merged Catholic community of St. Mary (Riverside), Holy Trinity (Richmond/Kalona), and St. Joseph (Wellman). Weekend Masses rotate across all three churches, while parish-wide commissions, staff, and faith formation programs serve the cluster as one family.
- St. Mary Church — Riverside, IA
- Holy Trinity Church — Richmond / Kalona, IA
- St. Joseph Church — Wellman, IA
- Cluster Office: P.O. Box C, 360 N. Washburn St., Riverside, IA 52327
History of Holy Trinity, Richmond
Holy Trinity Parish in Richmond has been a place of worship for more than a century and a half. German and Bohemian immigrants settled the area around Richmond (laid out in 1840), and Bishop Mathias Loras celebrated Mass in 1854 in the log cabin home of Joseph Baumgartner before laying the cornerstone for the first church later that year. The first resident pastor, Fr. John Fenrich, arrived in 1860. Construction on the present church began in 1868, and the first Mass was celebrated in it on January 25, 1874. The Parish Life Center was completed in 2006, providing classrooms, a kitchen, and a hall used for parish gatherings, diocesan meetings, and retreats.
- 1854 — First Mass in Richmond by Bishop Mathias Loras in the Baumgartner log cabin
- 1854 — Cornerstone laid for first Holy Trinity Church
- 1860 — Fr. John Fenrich becomes first resident pastor
- 1868 — Construction begins on the present Holy Trinity church
- January 25, 1874 — First Mass celebrated in the present church
- 2006 — Parish Life Center completed
History of St. Mary, Riverside and St. Joseph, Wellman
The sister parishes of St. Mary (Riverside, est. 1876) and St. Joseph (Wellman, est. 1912) joined Holy Trinity to form the cluster. St. Mary's Education and Conference Center, completed in 2011, replaced an earlier convent and added 'St. Mary's Hall' to the original church during the tenure of Rev. Richard Adam.
- St. Mary Parish established 1876; first Mass in original church Palm Sunday 1877; present church first used Christmas Day 1906
- St. Joseph Parish established 1912; first Mass in unfinished church Christmas Day 1912; present church dedicated 1962
- St. Mary's Hall and Education & Conference Center dedicated August 2011
The 2021 Merger into Holy Family Parish
On June 10, 2021, Bishop Thomas Zinkula issued a decree joining the three parishes into a single juridic person — Holy Family Parish — effective July 1, 2021. The merger was based on parish proximity, size, declining numbers, and the good of souls. The three parishes had already shared a pastor for about 20 years and informally called themselves the 'Highway 22 Cluster.'
- Decree issued by Bishop Thomas Zinkula on June 10, 2021
- Merger effective July 1, 2021 under canon 515 §2
- All sacramental registers preserved at St. Mary Church, Riverside
- Financial assets of the three parishes assumed by Holy Family Parish
Our Staff
The cluster is led by Pastor Fr. Ben Snyder, with Dcn. Derick Cranston serving as Pastoral Associate. Lay staff include Angie Goodwin (Youth Minister / Interim Director of Religious Education), Jane Duwa (Business Administrator), and Tami Plank (Financial Secretary).
- Fr. Ben Snyder — Pastor
- Dcn. Derick Cranston — Pastoral Associate (Deacon)
- Angie Goodwin — Youth Minister / Interim Director of Religious Education
- Jane Duwa — Business Administrator
- Tami Plank — Financial Secretary
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
The Holy Family Parish Faith Formation Program serves students from kindergarten through 8th grade across all three worship sites. The program promotes knowledge of the faith, catechesis of Church teaching and Scripture, Christian moral formation, prayer, and a deeper relationship with Jesus — with strong emphasis on the Mass and the Sacraments. Youth ministry is led by Angie Goodwin.
- K-8 Faith Formation with annual registration (deadline early September)
- Safe-environment 'Empowering God's Children' program required for all families
- Classes held across the three church sites
- Youth Minister: Angie Goodwin
Parish Commissions & Ministries
Parishioners serve the cluster through seven standing commissions, each with representatives from all three church communities. The commissions guide the parish's liturgical life, faith formation, family life, social action, stewardship, and finances.
- Liturgy
- Faith Formation
- Church & Parish Life
- Justice, Peace & Social Action
- Stewardship & Evangelization
- Family Life
- Finance Council
Liturgical Ministries & Sign-Up
Parishioners from any of the three churches may now volunteer to serve as lectors, servers, or liturgical ministers at any of the three Masses through the parish's centralized Sign Up Genius, not just at their home church.
- Servers, lectors, and Eucharistic ministers coordinated through Sign Up Genius
- Coordinators: Kathy Sieren, Jane Duwa, Barb Simon
Justice, Peace & Social Action
The Social Action Commission organizes concrete outreach from all three churches, including ongoing drives for Ukrainian refugees coordinated by Mike Shapovalor of Kalona, originally from Ukraine.
- Donations collected at the back of each church
- Items requested: cereal, pasta, soups, canned goods, powdered milk, coffee, tea
- Personal hygiene: toothbrushes, toothpaste, diapers, hand sanitizer, towels
- Clothing: underwear, warm clothing (new items only)
- Candles, batteries, flashlights, sleeping bags, blankets
Finance Council
The Finance Council advises the pastor on the administration and accountability of parish finances, budget, facilities, and long-range financial development. Its members are appointed by the pastor on the basis of expertise, and the Lay Directors also serve on the Parish Corporate Board.
- Junell Duwa — Lay Director
- Dee Simon — Lay Director
- Members: Marcy Musser, Jim Hauth, Cindy Michal, Bret Hochstetler, Claude Greiner, Heather Stumpf
Visiting & Becoming a Parishioner
New parishioners are welcomed into Holy Family Parish through the cluster office in Riverside. Visitors and newcomers are encouraged to register, sign up for faith formation, and join one of the parish commissions. Sacramental records for all three former parishes are now maintained at the Riverside office.
- Cluster Office: P.O. Box C, 360 N. Washburn St., Riverside, IA 52327
- Phone: (319) 648-2331
- Holy Trinity mailing address: 571 Howard St., Richmond, IA 52247
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Fenrich1860-
First resident pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, Richmond.
- Rev. Fr. Bill Roush
Pastor of the cluster around 2020-2022; listed on September 2020 and April 2022 bulletins.
- Rev. Richard Adam
Pastor during completion of the St. Mary's Education and Conference Center, dedicated August 2011.
- Fr. Ben Snyderpresent
Current pastor of Holy Family Parish.