About Jesus Christ Prince of Peace · Clinton, Iowa
Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace is a Roman Catholic parish in Clinton, Iowa, serving the entire city from a single church at 1105 LaMetta Wynn Drive. The parish was created in 1990 when Bishop Gerald O'Keefe suppressed Clinton's five historic Catholic parishes — St. Irenaeus (1852), St. Boniface (1861), St. Mary (1866), St. Patrick (1889), and Sacred Heart (1891) — and merged them into one citywide community. The present-day church was dedicated on March 14, 2009 by Bishop Martin Amos. It belongs to the Diocese of Davenport and is paired with Prince of Peace Catholic School (PreK–12), making it a combined parish-and-school faith community on the Mississippi River.
- Established
- 1990
- Patron
- Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace
- Rector
- Fr. Paul Appel (appointed 2022)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Davenport
Why belong here
Prince of Peace is the only Catholic parish serving all of Clinton, Iowa, and welcomes worshippers in both English and Spanish. Members enjoy a complete sacramental life — daily and weekend Mass, Eucharistic Adoration multiple days a week, Reconciliation several times weekly, and Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage preparation — alongside robust faith formation for children, middle schoolers, high schoolers, and adults through RCIA, Totus Tuus, EDGE nights, and High School Youth Ministry. A PreK–12 parochial school and active ministries for youth, families, and outreach make it a true 'domestic church' along the Mississippi River.
Mass times at Jesus Christ Prince of Peace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–5:00 PM
- First Saturdays 8:00–8:45 AM
- Monday 7:00–7:45 AM
- Friday 7:00–7:45 AM
- Second Sundays 2:30–2:55 PM (Spanish)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Monday 7:00–8:00 AM
- Wednesday 7:00–8:00 AM
- Friday 7:00–8:00 AM
- Saturday 9:45–10:30 AM
- Thursday 7:00–8:00 PM (Spanish Adoration and Rosary)
Our History: Five Parishes Become One
Prince of Peace was forged in 1990 when Bishop Gerald O'Keefe suppressed Clinton's five historic Catholic parishes and merged them into a single citywide community. The five founding churches — St. Irenaeus (1852), St. Boniface (1861), St. Mary (1866), St. Patrick (1889), and Sacred Heart (1891) — had each built their own schools and served generations of immigrant families along the Mississippi River for more than a century.
- 1990 — Parish established; Fr. Ronald Young appointed first pastor
- 1999 — Fr. Anthony Herold appointed pastor
- 2002 — Faith Facilities Committee formed
- 2005 — St. Patrick's building demolished
- 2007 — Groundbreaking on LaMetta Wynn Drive site (July 18)
- 2009 — Present church dedicated March 14 by Bishop Martin Amos; St. Mary's demolished
- 2010 — Fr. Kenneth Kuntz appointed pastor
- 2022 — Fr. Paul Appel appointed pastor
The Original Catholic Churches of Clinton
Each of the five founding parishes brought its own history, ethnic identity, and school to the merged community. Two church buildings were later demolished, two were deeded to historical societies, and one — Sacred Heart — remains in use.
- St. Irenaeus Church — Established 1852; First Pastor: Rev. Frederick Cyrillus Jean; church built 1864; school established 1852; now deeded to the Clinton County Historical Society.
- St. Boniface Church — Established 1861; First Pastor: Rev. Aloysius Meis; church built 1908; school established 1864; now the home of the Clinton County Catholic Historical Society and its artifacts.
- St. Mary Church — Established 1866; First Pastor: Rev. P.V. McLaughlin; church built 1884; school established 1870; demolished in 2009.
- St. Patrick Church — Established 1889; First Pastor: Rev. James Murray; church built 1905; school established 1891; demolished in 2005.
- Sacred Heart Church — Established 1891; First Pastor: Rev. J. A. Schulte; church built 1891; school established 1893; the original church building remains in use.
Sacramental Life
The parish offers the full range of Catholic sacraments and devotions, including daily Eucharistic Adoration, multiple weekly Confession times (in English and Spanish), First Saturday Devotion, a weekly Tuesday Rosary, and a Spanish Adoration and Rosary hour on Thursday evenings.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Prince of Peace bills itself as 'Growing the Domestic Church,' with programming for children, youth, and adults overseen by the Faith Formation Commission (meeting quarterly at 12:30 PM on the 4th Thursday of February, April, June, August, and October). Director of Religious Education is Brenda Bertram; Youth Minister is Juliana Mace.
- Religious Education Grades K–5: Wednesdays 6:15–7:30 PM at the Catholic school; $50/child
- Baptism Preparation classes for parents
- Home-school option using parish curriculum or the Domestic Church Project app
- Wednesday Religious Education sessions meet at Prince of Peace Catholic School, 312 S. 4th St.
Youth Ministry & Totus Tuus
The parish runs a full middle- and high-school youth ministry alongside the summer Totus Tuus catechetical program.
- POPEYES (Prince of Peace Eucharistic Youth Empowered by the Spirit) — middle/high school peer faith-sharing
- Middle School EDGE Nights (Grades 6–8): twice monthly Wednesdays 6:15–7:45 PM at the school
- High School Youth Ministry (Grades 9–12): twice monthly Wednesdays 6:30–8:00 PM at the school
- Confirmation Preparation: monthly parent gatherings plus youth sessions
- Totus Tuus: week-long summer program based on the mysteries of the rosary (named for St. John Paul II's motto 'Totally Yours'); volunteers and Safe Environment training required
RCIA & Adult Faith
Adult Christian Initiation welcomes both unbaptized adults and baptized Protestants seeking full communion with the Catholic Church. Sessions run Aug–Dec and Feb–June and culminate in Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist at the Easter Vigil.
- Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA)
- Family enrichment through FORMED and AMEN subscriptions
Prince of Peace Catholic School
Prince of Peace Catholic School provides a comprehensive, faith-based education for students in PreK through 12th grade at 312 South 4th Street, Clinton, Iowa. The school traces its lineage directly to the 1852 church-basement school at St. Irenaeus and the 1864 parochial school building — over 170 years of continuous Catholic education in Clinton. It is Cognia- and Iowa Department of Education-accredited (K–12) and draws families from Clinton, Camanche, Northeast, North Scott, and Easton Valley in Iowa, and Fulton, Thomson, Albany, Morrison, Prophetstown-Lyndon, and Mt. Carroll in Illinois. Fr. Paul Appel serves as Pastor; the school staff includes a Building Principal, Vice Principal, Campus Minister, Director of Religious Education, and full PreK–12 faculty. Juliana Mace serves as Campus Minister / 6th Grade Religion Teacher.
- PreK–12 Catholic education, Cognia and Iowa DOE accredited
- High school college-preparatory curriculum
- Located at 312 S. 4th St., Clinton, IA 52732
- Pastor's Mission: 'We, the Jesus Christ Prince of Peace Catholic Education System, serve to facilitate the teaching ministry of the Parish. Our purpose is to provide educational programs which promote Gospel values and Catholic Tradition in the context of a changing world.'
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Fr. Paul Appel (appointed 2022) with Fr. Khoa Le serving as Parochial Vicar. Lay staff include Brenda Bertram (Director of Religious Education), Juliana Mace (Youth Minister and school Campus Minister), and Fran Buelow (Faith Formation Commission contact, 563-243-8592). The parish can be reached at (563) 242-3311 or [email protected].
- Fr. Paul Appel — Pastor (since 2022)
- Fr. Khoa Le — Parochial Vicar
- Brenda Bertram — Director of Religious Education (563-242-3311 / 563-243-8269)
- Juliana Mace — Youth Minister / Campus Minister (563-242-3311)
- Fran Buelow — Faith Formation Commission
Visit & Contact
The parish church is at 1105 LaMetta Wynn Drive, Clinton, Iowa 52732, on the Mississippi River. The parish school sits at 312 South 4th Street, Clinton, Iowa 52732. Mass schedule, confession, adoration, and sacramental preparation information is published on the parish website and the faith-formation companion site at jcpopfaith.org.
- Parish: 1105 LaMetta Wynn Drive, Clinton, IA 52732 — (563) 242-3311
- School: 312 South 4th Street, Clinton, IA 52732
- Email: [email protected]
- Websites: https://jcpop.org (parish) and https://jcpopfaith.org (faith formation)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Ronald Young1990–1999
Appointed first pastor of the newly created merged parish.
- Fr. Anthony Herold1999
Appointed pastor.
- Fr. Kenneth Kuntz2010
Appointed pastor; oversaw the 2009 dedication and early years of the new church.
- Fr. Paul Appel2022
Current pastor.