About Our Lady of Good Counsel · Fonda, Iowa
Our Lady of Good Counsel is a Roman Catholic parish in the small farming community of Fonda, Iowa, founded in 1883 by some twenty-seven mostly Irish families. Originally built as a wood-frame church called St. Mary's, the parish was renamed when its current brick church — celebrated for a rose window above the choir loft often called one of the most beautiful in the country — was completed around 1908. Today it is served as part of St. Sebastian Parish of Pocahontas in the Diocese of Sioux City, alongside Resurrection of Our Lord Church in Pocahontas and the former St. Columbkille Church in Varina.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- Our Lady of Good Counsel
- Rector
- Rev. Cuong (Paul) Nguyen
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux City
Why belong here
Our Lady of Good Counsel is a small-town parish with deep roots — founded in 1883 by Irish families and anchored by a brick church celebrated for its rose window above the choir loft. It worships within the St. Sebastian Parish cluster linked to Pocahontas Catholic School, so families can expect a tight-knit community where the pastor is present in classrooms and lunchrooms as well as at the altar. The parish has a documented history of sacrifice and care for Catholic education (a school has been operating here since 1908), and recent generations have continued investing in the building through the Millennium Project's stained-glass and wood restoration. Visitors are welcomed to a Sunday morning Mass at 8:30 a.m. in a place where the congregation's history is literally built into the walls.
Mass times at Our Lady of Good Counsel
Weekly Mass schedule
History
Our Lady of Good Counsel was founded in 1883 by twenty-seven mostly Irish Catholic families who built a frame church called St. Mary's on the lot where the present brick church still stands. The original church was enlarged in 1886 to 37 by 80 feet, becoming the largest in Pocahontas County. The parish was renamed Our Lady of Good Counsel when the new brick church was completed around 1908, after Father J. F. Brennan died in an accident and Father David J. Heelan completed the building project. The rose window above the choir loft, completed around the same time, is still described as one of the most beautiful in the country.
- 1883–1884: St. Mary's frame church built on the present site at a cost of $2,000.
- 1885: First rectory built; rectory enlarged and improved in 1898.
- 1886: Church enlarged to 37 × 80 feet — largest in Pocahontas County.
- 1887: Father Dennis McCaffery succeeds Father P. J. Carroll as pastor.
- 1895: Father J. F. Brennan becomes pastor; Varina receives its own pastor.
- 1898: Rectory enlarged and improved.
- 1907: Furnishings begin to arrive for the new brick church; main altar a $700 gift of the Altar Society; side altars a gift of James F. Toy of Sioux City.
- 1908: New brick church completed and renamed Our Lady of Good Counsel; parish school opens with 45 students and five Franciscan sisters from Mount St. Clare, Clinton.
- 1913: Present rectory completed.
- 1916: Construction begins on a new brick school.
- 1927: Father John J. Howley appointed assistant under Father Heelan.
- 1954: School addition and gymnasium built at a cost of $144,000 under Father Howley.
- 1975: Last class of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School graduates.
- 1992: Father Armand J. Bertrand begins the Millennium Project.
- 2023: Father Craig Collison retires; Father Cuong (Paul) Nguyen becomes pastor of the cluster.
Architecture & The Rose Window
The standing brick church was completed around 1908 at a total cost of about $35,000 (church plus furnishings). Its rose window above the choir loft is the parish's most celebrated feature and is often described as one of the most beautiful in the country. The interior was originally furnished with a main altar from the Altar Society ($700) and side altars from James F. Toy of Sioux City. The 1913 rectory stands next to the church on the same campus.
- Rose window above the choir loft — described as one of the most beautiful in the country.
- Main altar: $700 gift of the Altar Society.
- Side altars: gifts of James F. Toy of Sioux City.
- Total cost of church and furnishings: approximately $35,000.
- Original frame church: 37 × 80 feet after 1886 enlargement; later converted to a school.
- 2013-present rectory built in 1913.
Stained Glass Restoration & the Millennium Project
Under Father Armand J. Bertrand, who became pastor in 1992, the parish launched the Millennium Project — a sustained effort to restore and improve the historic building. Stained glass was carefully restored, rotted wood was replaced, and the 'Tree of Life' was created as a lasting tribute to the parishioners and friends whose financial gifts made the work possible.
- Stained-glass restoration.
- Replaced rotted wood.
- 'Tree of Life' tribute to parish donors.
Our Lady of Good Counsel School
The parish opened its school in 1908 with 45 students and five Franciscan sisters from Mount St. Clare in Clinton, Iowa. A new brick school was begun in 1916, and during construction the convent could not accommodate all the pupils — high school boys attended the public school or went elsewhere, which is why the Class of 1917 was composed entirely of girls. A school addition and gymnasium were built in 1954 at a cost of $144,000. The high school closed after the Class of 1975, but the grade school and junior high continued, and the work of Catholic education in the cluster is now carried on through Pocahontas Catholic School.
- 1908: School opens with 45 students and five Franciscan sisters.
- 1916: New brick school construction begins.
- 1954: School addition and gymnasium erected ($144,000).
- 1975: Last high-school class graduates.
- Today: Catholic education continues through Pocahontas Catholic School.
Mass & Worship
Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Good Counsel is celebrated at 8:30 AM. The parish is part of the St. Sebastian Parish cluster — which also includes Resurrection of Our Lord Church in Pocahontas and the former St. Columbkille Church in Varina — and the cluster's sacramental records are kept at the parish office.
- Sunday Mass: 8:30 AM at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Fonda.
- Sacramental records held at the parish office.
- Clustered with St. Sebastian Parish, Pocahontas.
Cluster Parishes & Catholic Community
Our Lady of Good Counsel is one of three worship sites served by St. Sebastian Parish of Pocahontas in the Diocese of Sioux City. The cluster brings together Resurrection of Our Lord Church in Pocahontas, Our Lady of Good Counsel in Fonda, and the former St. Columbkille Church in Varina. Together with Pocahontas Catholic School, the cluster supports faith formation, sacramental preparation and school ministry across the area.
- St. Sebastian Parish — main parish in the cluster.
- Resurrection of Our Lord Church — Pocahontas.
- Our Lady of Good Counsel Church — Fonda.
- Former St. Columbkille Church — Varina.
- Pocahontas Catholic School — cluster school.
Visiting & Location
The parish is located at 521 Main Street in Fonda, Iowa. From Highway 7, visitors turn south onto Fonda's Main Street and continue approximately two blocks. The parish office can be reached at (712) 288-6480. The rose window above the choir loft is the building's most celebrated interior feature.
- Address: 521 Main St. (P.O. Box 339), Fonda, IA 50540.
- Phone: (712) 288-6480.
- From Highway 7: turn south onto Main Street; continue approximately two blocks.
- Most celebrated feature: rose window above the choir loft.
Organization & Identity
Our Lady of Good Counsel Church is registered as a Revised Domestic Non-Profit corporation in the State of Iowa (corporation #079703), originally effective April 4, 1912, with the Employer Identification Number 42-0680373. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Sioux City, the Latin Church diocese serving the northwestern quarter of Iowa and a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Dubuque.
- Iowa corporation #079703, effective April 4, 1912.
- EIN: 42-0680373.
- Diocese: Sioux City (Diœcesis Siopolitanensis); est. 1902; suffragan of the Archdiocese of Dubuque.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. P. J. Carrollto 1887
First pastor of Fonda; served the two churches of Varina and Fonda on alternate Sundays until Oct. 1, 1887.
- Rev. Dennis McCaffery1887–1895
Succeeded Father Carroll; remained in charge until October 1895. Varina was then assigned its own pastor.
- Rev. J. F. Brennan1895–c. 1905
Began planning a new brick church but died in an accident before it was built.
- Rev. David J. Heelanafter 1905–c. 1927
Took up the new-church project; the brick church was completed and renamed Our Lady of Good Counsel (c. 1908); current rectory completed 1913. Brother of Bishop Edmond Heelan of Sioux City.
- Rev. Peter J. Murphyafter Heelan–1941
Succeeded Father Heelan; served until 1941.
- Rev. John J. Howley1941–1964
First appointed assistant in 1927; led a period of expansion — new convent, 1954 school addition and gymnasium ($144,000).
- Rev. Francis Staber1964–1968
Succeeded Father Howley.
- Rev. Daniel (C.) Lynch1968–1973
Had earlier served as associate pastor; later superintendent of Our Lady of Good Counsel Grade and High School.
- Rev. C. John Brennan1973–1986
Succeeded Father Lynch.
- Rev. Armand J. Bertrand1992–
Launched the Millennium Project: stained-glass restoration, wood replacement, and creation of the 'Tree of Life' tribute.
- Rev. Craig Collisonuntil 2023 (retired July 2023)
Served the cluster of St. Sebastian Parish, Resurrection of Our Lord (Pocahontas), Our Lady of Good Counsel (Fonda) and former St. Columbkille (Varina); oversaw Pocahontas Catholic School.
- Rev. Cuong (Paul) Nguyen2023–present
Current pastor; incardinated into the Diocese of Sioux City on January 1, 2023; previously a priest of the Society of the Divine Word for nearly 23 years; marking his 25th anniversary of priesthood in 2024.
- Rev. Leo McEvoy
Assistant pastor under Father Heelan (era of 1927+).
- Rev. F. Pultee
Assistant pastor under Father Heelan (era of 1927+).
- Rev. Philip Daley
Assistant pastor under Father Heelan (era of 1927+).