About Immaculate Conception · Cherokee, Iowa
Immaculate Conception Church is a Catholic parish in Cherokee, Iowa, that has served the local faithful since the first Mass was celebrated in town in 1870. It belongs to the Diocese of Sioux City and today is clustered (since July 2017) with Our Lady of Good Counsel in nearby Holstein under one pastor, forming the Catholic Communities of Cherokee and Holstein. The parish offers daily and weekend Mass, Eucharistic adoration, sacramental preparation, a robust K-12 religious education program, Vacation Bible School, and an active youth ministry that participates in diocesan conferences and service trips. Its current pastor, Father Dan Rupp, oversees both parishes, continuing a 150+ year tradition of Catholic life in Cherokee County.
- Established
- 1870
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Father Dan Rupp (Fr. Daniel Rupp)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux City
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a long-established Catholic parish (since 1870) with deep roots in Cherokee County and a clear rhythm of daily and weekly sacramental life — including Saturday evening and Sunday morning Mass, weekday Masses, regular confession, and Eucharistic adoration with benediction twice a month. It invests seriously in passing on the faith: a full K-12 religious education program meets every Wednesday evening during the school year, a summer Vacation Bible School engages younger children, and youth ministry takes middle and high schoolers to the Called Youth Conference, Steubenville conferences, and service trips like Abide Omaha. Worship is supported by an active parish community that uses the renovated sanctuary, the renovated organ (2011-2012), and an elevator (added 2018-2019) — a parish that takes care of its buildings so that everyone can take part in the life of the Church.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:15 pm to 4:45 pm at Immaculate Conception Church, Cherokee
- Sunday: 10:00 am to 10:15 am at Immaculate Conception Church, Cherokee
- Sunday: 8:00 am to 8:15 am at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Holstein
- By appointment
Adoration times
- 1st & 3rd Thursdays of the Month, 8:25 am to 5:00 pm at Immaculate Conception Church, Cherokee (Exposition 8:25 am; Divine Mercy Chaplet 4:30 pm; Benediction 4:50 pm)
- 1st Friday of the Month, 8:25 am to 9:00 am at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Holstein
Our Story: 150+ Years of Catholic Life in Cherokee
Catholic life in Cherokee began in 1870 when Father McNulty arrived by train from Sioux City to celebrate the first Mass in a private home. Priests from Storm Lake, LeMars, and Sioux City would visit monthly for years, saying Mass in homes, halls, and hotels. The first church — a 20-by-40-foot wood-frame building at 124 East Main Street — was begun on March 4, 1873. As the congregation grew, a larger church was built in the 500 block of West Main in 1882 and used until 1907, when the present brick church was begun on the block purchased in 1887. A parish school followed in 1909 with 130 students, expanding through the twentieth century before closing in 1972. Today the parish runs a robust K-12 religious education program in the old school building and shares pastoral ministry with Our Lady of Good Counsel in Holstein.
- 1870 — First Mass in Cherokee (private home)
- 1873 — First wood-frame church at 124 East Main
- 1882 — Second church built in 500 block of West Main
- 1887 — Parish purchases current block
- 1907 — Construction begins on present brick church
- 1909 — Parish school opens (130 students)
- 1949 — Gymnasium-auditorium built
- 1950 — New rectory and convent built
- 1969 — Grades 10-12 discontinued
- 1972 — Parish school closes
- 1983 — Deacon LeRoy Rupp, first permanent deacon of the parish
- 2011-2012 — Sanctuary and organ renovated
- 2017 — Clustered with Our Lady of Good Counsel, Holstein
- 2018-2019 — Elevator complex added for accessibility
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Immaculate Conception runs a parish-based religious education program out of the historic school building. Classes meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:25-7:30 PM, opening the first week after Labor Day and running through the first Wednesday of May. All students in kindergarten through 12th grade gather first in the school gym for a prayer service, then break into grade-level groups with their catechists. The program's stated mission is to share, teach, serve and celebrate God's Word so that his Kingdom may come in its fullness.
- Wednesday evening classes, 6:25-7:30 PM (K-12)
- Annual parish BBQ to kick off the year (late August)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Parent Handbook and Remind App Codes for family communication
- Family podcast resource: Catholic Sprouts / Hallow App
- Confirmation preparation in 9th-12th grade
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
Vacation Bible School & Children's Faith
Each summer, in the middle of June, Immaculate Conception hosts Vacation Bible School. Recent themes have included 'The Castle of Courage' (2022, focused on the Armor of God), 'Super Heroes of Faith' (2023, featuring saints like St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. John Paul II, St. Padre Pio, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Joan of Arc, and St. Mother Teresa), and 'Cathletics: Training to be Champions for Christ' (2024).
- Annual VBS in mid-June
- Recent themes: Castle of Courage, Super Heroes of Faith, Cathletics
Youth Ministry & Service
Youth ministry is geared toward middle school and high school students and offers fellowship, formation, and service opportunities throughout the year — Wednesday evenings, weekends, and during the summer. The parish uses YDisciple small-group discussion with its 10th-12th graders through a diocesan grant, and joins the Northwest Deanery for the Called Youth Conference hosted at St. Joseph's in Granville. Youth also participate in Catholic Heart Work Camp, Steubenville conferences, and an Abide Omaha / GoServe Global service weekend.
- YDisciple small groups (grades 10-12)
- Called Youth Conference (diocesan, 7th-12th)
- Catholic Heart Work Camp
- Steubenville Youth Conference trips
- Abide Omaha / GoServe Global service weekends
- Fill-A-Wagon Food Drive for CAP food pantry
- Then Feed Just One meal-packing events
- Class-level service projects (nursing home visits, sheriff/police thank-yous, neighborhood outreach)
The Catholic Communities of Cherokee and Holstein
Since July 2017, Immaculate Conception has been clustered with Our Lady of Good Counsel in Holstein, and the two parishes share a pastor and ministry team under the joint name 'Catholic Communities of Cherokee and Holstein.' The combined website at cherokeecountycatholics.org hosts information about both parishes, including combined Mass, confession, and adoration schedules. Father Dan Rupp serves as pastor of both communities, with parish offices in Cherokee (712-225-4606) and Holstein (712-368-4755).
- Clustered in July 2017
- Joint pastor: Father Dan Rupp
- Shared website: cherokeecountycatholics.org
- Cherokee office phone: 712-225-4606
- Holstein office phone: 712-368-4755
Parish Staff & Contact
The parish is led by Father Dan Rupp, pastor of both the Cherokee and Holstein communities. Deacon LeRoy Rupp, appointed in 1983, was the first permanent deacon of Immaculate Conception. The parish office can be reached by phone at (712) 225-4606 or by email at [email protected], and the parish is also active on Facebook.
- Pastor: Father Dan Rupp
- Deacon: LeRoy Rupp (first permanent deacon, appointed 1983)
- Phone: 712-225-4606
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: cherokeecountycatholics.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/immaculateconceptioncherokee
- Mailing: 709 W Cedar Street, Cherokee, IA 51012 (P.O. Box 658)
Visiting & Accessibility
Immaculate Conception welcomes visitors and newcomers, and identifies as a parish where 'whether you are new to our parish, or you are a regular member, you are always welcome here.' For those unable to attend in person, Mass can be watched online via the parish website. An elevator complex added to the church in 2018-2019 makes the sanctuary accessible to those with mobility limitations. The parish also publishes weekly bulletins (linked from the website) and maintains a parish Facebook page where the latest updates and announcements are posted.
- Welcoming of new parishioners and visitors
- Watch Mass Online via the parish website
- Weekly parish bulletins online
- Active Facebook page for updates
- Elevator access added 2018-2019
- Sanctuary and organ renovated 2011-2012
Diocese & Governance
Immaculate Conception belongs to the Diocese of Sioux City and is one of two parishes in the local cluster. The parish is incorporated in Iowa as 'Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church,' a Revised Domestic Non-Profit corporation whose home office is at 709 W Cedar Street, Cherokee, IA 51012, with Father Daniel Rupp listed as the registered agent. The parish participates in diocesan programs such as the Called Youth Conference and diocesan grants that support youth faith formation.
- Diocese of Sioux City
- Clustered with Our Lady of Good Counsel, Holstein (since July 2017)
- Incorporated as Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church (Iowa corporation #073494, effective March 8, 1912)
- Registered agent: Rev. Daniel Rupp
- Participates in diocesan Called Youth Conference and youth-ministry grants
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father McNulty1870-1871
Said the first Mass in Cherokee; arrived by train from Sioux City.
- Father Lenahan1871-1877
- Father Meis1877-1881
- Father Gaffney1881-1882
- Father Slattery1882-1887
- Father Thomas Reynold1887
- Father J. T. Saunders1887-1904
- Father J. F. Barron1904-1905
- Father W. P. Desmond1905-1919
- Father Edward Masterson1919-1925
- Father J. M. McAuliffe1925-1926
- Father Edward J. Smith1926-1933
- Father C. J. Ivis1933-1935
- Father Thomas Parle1935-1939
- Father F. P. Schultes1939-1948
- Father Louis J. Lynch1948-1960
- Father E. D. Thom1960-1964
- Father J. G. Skahill1964-1966
- Father Robert Dougherty1966-1973
- Father R. W. Reinhart1973-1975
- Father Alfred E. McCoy1975-1983
- Father Richard S. Ries1983-1990
- Father James R. Smith1990-1997
- Father Timothy R. Schott1997-2000
- Father Armand J. Bertrand2000-2012
- Father Dan Guenther2012-2018
- Father Jeff Schleisman2018-2019
- Father Mark Stoll2019-2021
- Father Dan Rupp2021-Present
Current pastor; also serves clustered parish Our Lady of Good Counsel in Holstein.