Immaculate Conception

Immaculate Conception — Parish Overview

Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic parish in Van Horne, Iowa, within the Archdiocese of Dubuque and the Queen of Saints Cluster — a grouping of five Benton County parishes (Immaculate Conception Van Horne, St. John Blairstown, St. Michael Norway, St. Patrick Watkins, and St. Paul Newhall) sharing a pastor and parish staff. The parish sits at 405 4th Avenue in Van Horne and is administered from the cluster offices in town. Worship follows a traditional Roman Rite schedule with Saturday Vigil Mass, Sunday morning Mass, weekly Reconciliation, and a Monday evening Holy Hour with Stations of the Cross.

Parish History

Catholic life in Benton County traces back to January 1863, when pioneer Francis Murphy deeded two sections of prairie near Keystone — 1,280 acres — to the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, in exchange for educating his two sons. In spring 1866, Father Paul E. Gillen, C.S.C., and three Brothers of Holy Cross arrived to minister to Catholic settlers, with Fr. Gillen selling most of the donated land and reserving a parcel for a church and cemetery. By 1869 a rural church called Holy Cross had been built; the Immaculate Conception church in Van Horne was built on the present site, and with the addition of a rectory in 1903 Immaculate Conception became the principal church of the area. In 1914 the Van Horne church was destroyed by fire, and the present brick structure was completed in 1915 at a cost of $40,000. Holy Cross was officially closed in 1928. The parish has long been a source of religious vocations — two women entered the Sisters of Mercy in Cedar Rapids, one man was ordained a priest, and another died while a seminarian. A more complete account appears in the book "Van Horne: The First Century 1881-1981."

• 1863 — Francis Murphy deeds 1,280 acres near Keystone to the University of Notre Dame.
• 1866 — Father Paul E. Gillen and three Brothers of Holy Cross arrive to serve the Catholic settlers.
• 1869 — The rural mission church of Holy Cross is built.
• 1903 — Rectory added; Immaculate Conception becomes the principal church.
• 1914 — Fire destroys the Van Horne church building.
• 1915 — Present brick church completed on the same site at a cost of $40,000.
• 1928 — Holy Cross is officially closed.

Pastoral Team and Staff

The Immaculate Conception pastoral team is shared across the Queen of Saints Cluster, with offices in Van Horne. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM; the office is closed on Fridays. Pastor Rev. Jacob Dunne is supported by Deacon Robb Pailthorpe, Business Manager/Webmaster Jaci Chambers, Secretary/Bulletin Editor Kellee Jurgens, and OCIA Coordinators Mark and Ann Frese. A network of Prayer Chain volunteers (Sandy Kaiser, Winifred Nolan, Darlene Ohlen, Karen Schulte, Alice Stramer, and Rozella Lauterwasser) pray for parishioners' intentions.

• Pastor — Rev. Jacob A. Dunne (Phone: 319-228-8131 ext. 303; Cell: 319-389-2202; Email: [email protected])
• Deacon — Robb Pailthorpe (Phone: 319-439-5327; Email: [email protected])
• Business Manager / Webmaster — Jaci Chambers (ext. 305; [email protected])
• Secretary / Bulletin Editor — Kellee Jurgens ([email protected])
• OCIA Coordinators — Mark & Ann Frese (319-899-0468; [email protected])

Worship and Sacraments

Immaculate Conception offers a Roman Rite schedule of Mass and the sacraments for the Van Horne community as part of the Queen of Saints Cluster. In addition to Sunday liturgy, the parish schedules the Sacrament of Reconciliation ahead of both Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, and offers a Monday evening Holy Hour with Eucharistic Adoration and the Stations of the Cross. Adult initiation (OCIA/RCIA) is coordinated for the cluster by Mark and Ann Frese, and parishioners returning to the faith are invited to contact Fr. Dunne directly for a personal conversation.

• Saturday Vigil Mass — 6:00 PM
• Sunday Mass — 8:00 AM
• Reconciliation — Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM and Sunday 7:30–8:00 AM (before Mass)
• Eucharistic Adoration with Stations of the Cross — Monday 6:00–6:30 PM

Faith Formation and Adult Initiation

Faith formation at Immaculate Conception and its sister parishes in the Queen of Saints Cluster spans youth, summer programming, and adult initiation. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA/RCIA) is led by coordinators Mark and Ann Frese, who accompany inquirers through the catechumenate and into full communion with the Church. The cluster also maintains a Summer Faith Formation Facebook page alongside its year-round Youth Faith Formation program, supporting parish families in passing on the Catholic faith across generations.

• OCIA / RCIA for adults (Mark & Ann Frese)
• Youth Faith Formation
• Summer Faith Formation (Facebook page)

Parish Life, Outreach, and Online Giving

Immaculate Conception lives within the parish-wide fabric of the Queen of Saints Cluster, sharing bulletins, ministry schedules, and parish councils across Benton County. A Prayer Chain of six parish volunteers stands ready to pray for personal intentions, reflecting the rural parish's strong tradition of personal care. Online Giving is available through the cluster website to support the parish's mission and ministries.

• Parish Prayer Chain (six volunteers)
• Cluster Bulletin and Ministry Schedules (rotating lectors, cleaning lists, etc.)
• Parish Councils
• Online Giving via IC Online Giving page