About Notre Dame · Cresco, Iowa
Notre Dame Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Cresco, Iowa, in the heart of Howard County in northeastern Iowa. It was formed on July 1, 1999, by merging the town's two historic Catholic parishes — Assumption and St. Joseph's — into one territorial parish under the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Today Notre Dame worships at 223 2nd Avenue East, operates an attached parish office at 116 3rd Street East, and runs Notre Dame Catholic School (preschool through 6th grade) at 221 2nd Avenue East. The parish offers daily and weekend Mass in English, a robust sacramental life, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, faith formation for grades 1–12 through the Cornerstone program, summer Totus Tuus, RCIA, and a network of small groups called Moving with Mission.
- Established
- 1999
- Patron
- Our Lady (Notre Dame = "Our Lady")
- Rector
- Fr. Jacob Rouse
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
Notre Dame Parish is a close-knit Catholic community in Cresco that combines a 19th-century Catholic heritage with a young, unified parish family. It offers the full range of Mass and confession times throughout the week, Eucharistic Adoration before most Masses, and a Catholic school serving preschool through sixth grade on the same campus. Families can grow in faith together through the Cornerstone faith-formation program for grades 1–12, the summer Totus Tuus mission, RCIA inquiry classes, Moving with Mission small groups, and youth events like Winter Olympics and Father-Son Game Day.
Mass times at Notre Dame
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 7:30 AM to 7:55 AM
- Sunday: 9:30 AM to 9:55 AM
- Tuesday: 4:30 PM to 5:10 PM
- Wednesday: 7:15 AM to 7:55 AM
- Thursday: 8:15 AM to 8:55 AM
- Friday: 7:15 AM to 7:55 AM
- Saturday: 3:30 PM to 3:55 PM
- By appointment — call the Parish Office
Adoration times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM (Adoration offered before Mass)
- Sunday: 7:30 AM to 8:00 AM (Adoration offered before Mass)
- Sunday: 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM (Adoration offered before Mass)
- Adoration is usually offered before each Mass depending on Father's schedule
Parish History & Heritage
Notre Dame Parish is the canonical successor of Cresco's two oldest Catholic parishes, Assumption and St. Joseph's, both of which trace their origins back to the 1850s when Catholic settlers first organized worship in Howard County. After decades of parallel growth, declining numbers led Archbishop Jerome Hanus, OSB, to issue a decree on June 27, 1999, canonically establishing the new territorial parish of Notre Dame. The merger took effect July 1, 1999, and Archbishop Hanus celebrated the inaugural Masses on July 3–4, 1999. Parishioners chose the name Notre Dame so the parish school could keep continuity under a single identity. In 2007 the parish consolidated to one church site.
- Predecessor parishes: Assumption and St. Joseph's (1850s origins)
- Decree establishing Notre Dame: June 27, 1999 (Archbishop Jerome Hanus, OSB)
- Effective merger date: July 1, 1999
- Inaugural Masses: July 3–4, 1999
- Single-site consolidation: 2007
- Extensive parish history held by the Loras College Center for Dubuque History
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is led by Fr. Jacob Rouse as Pastor and supported by a staff of lay and ordained ministers who handle faith formation, parish administration, the parish school, and pastoral care. The parish office is at 116 3rd Street East, while the church stands at 223 2nd Avenue East.
- Fr. Jacob Rouse — Pastor
- LeRoy Webb — Pastoral Minister
- Mindy Jones — Business Manager
- Melanie Vobr — Coordinator of Adult Faith Formation
- Brian McGee — Coordinator of Youth Faith Formation
- Katie Schmitt — Principal (Notre Dame Catholic School)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation is central to parish life at Notre Dame. The flagship program is Cornerstone, a family-based catechetical program for students in grades 1–12 that gathers the whole parish under one monthly theme. Adults and those exploring Catholicism have their own tracks, and the parish hosts a busy summer Totus Tuus mission each July.
- Cornerstone: grades 1–12, monthly themes, family attendance expected at 'Week 1' sessions 6:15–7:30 PM in the Parish Hall
- Becoming Catholic / RCIA: new inquiry meetings each Fall (call the Parish Office)
- Totus Tuus: week-long summer program — day program for grades 1–6 (9 AM–2:30 PM), night program for grades 7–12 (6:30–8:45 PM)
- Wee Families: wiggle-friendly sessions for ages 1–5 with milk and cookies after
- Youth Winter Olympics, Father-Son Game Day, and Youth Q&A Day for grades 6–12
Notre Dame Catholic School
Notre Dame Catholic School sits at 221 2nd Avenue East, sharing the parish campus. The school serves preschool through sixth grade with a co-educational enrollment of roughly 177–185 students, an 11.6 FTE teaching staff, and a student-teacher ratio near 13.6:1. The school is affiliated with the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and operates a preschool and playgroup that welcome children regardless of religious affiliation, in compliance with Iowa Department of Education standards.
- Grades: PK–6 (also offers a Playgroup for younger children)
- Principal: Katie Schmitt
- Phone: 563-547-4513
- Address: 221 2nd Ave E, Cresco, IA 52136
- Affiliation: Roman Catholic; member of NCEA
- Preschool/Playgroup open to all, led by certified teachers with Early Childhood endorsement
Sacraments
Notre Dame prepares children, teens, and adults for the full range of Catholic sacraments. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation (2nd grade), First Eucharist, and Confirmation (10th grade) is woven into the Cornerstone faith-formation program. Adults preparing to enter the Catholic Church do so through the Becoming Catholic / RCIA process each Fall.
- Baptism — contact the Parish Office
- First Reconciliation (2nd grade) — prepared through Cornerstone
- First Eucharist — prepared through Cornerstone
- Confirmation (10th grade) — prepared through Cornerstone
- Marriage — call the Parish Office
- Anointing of the Sick
- RCIA / Becoming Catholic for adults
Parish Life, Small Groups & Outreach
Beyond Mass and formation, Notre Dame cultivates community through small groups, seasonal events, and a bereavement ministry. The Moving with Mission small-group network brings together parishioners of all ages for daily prayer and mutual support. The parish also runs a structured grief workshop, 'Grieving with Great Hope,' and the St. Catherine's Circle of Faith hosts an annual Swiss Steak Supper as a parish fundraiser.
- Moving with Mission — small groups with two simple goals: daily prayer and community
- Grieving with Great Hope — multi-week bereavement workshop in the church hall
- St. Catherine's Circle of Faith — hosts the annual Swiss Steak Supper
- Parish Hall available for family event rentals
- Flocknote used for parish communications and faith-formation updates
Contact, Location & Online Presence
Notre Dame Parish can be reached by phone, fax, email, or in person at either the church or the parish office. Weekend and some weekday Masses are livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel so homebound parishioners and those traveling can stay connected.
- Church address: 223 2nd Avenue East, Cresco, IA 52136
- Parish Office: 116 3rd Street East, Cresco, IA
- Phone: 563-547-3565 | Fax: 563-547-3835
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: notredamecresco.com
- YouTube: youtube.com/@notredamecresco (livestream of Sat 4 PM and Sun 8 & 10 AM Masses)