About Our Lady of Grace · Griswold, Iowa
Our Lady of Grace Parish was a small Roman Catholic parish in Griswold, a town in rural Cass County, Iowa, belonging to the Diocese of Des Moines. The community traced its roots to the late 1800s, when visiting priests from Corning and Red Oak celebrated Mass in local homes, and was formally erected as St. Mary's Parish in 1918. After more than a century of continuous Catholic presence, the parish was renamed Our Lady of Grace on February 24, 2012, before being extinctively merged into Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in nearby Atlantic on November 10, 2025, following a decline in registered families and serious structural and financial challenges.
- Established
- 1918
- Patron
- Our Lady of Grace (formerly Saint Mary)
- Rector
- Reverend Trevor Chicoine (last pastor at the time of the 2025 extinctive merger)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
Our Lady of Grace was a tight-knit rural Catholic community in Cass County that gathered for weekly Mass and sacramental life rooted in more than a century of presence in Griswold. Parishioners worshipped in the 1956 church at 203 Adair Street, served one another through shared faith formation, stewardship, and outreach, and shared pastoral leadership with neighboring parishes. Following the November 2025 extinctive merger, former parishioners have been welcomed into Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Atlantic or other nearby parishes, continuing the same Catholic mission of knowing and loving God in southwest Iowa.
Mass times at Our Lady of Grace
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish Identity & History
Our Lady of Grace Parish was a Roman Catholic community in Griswold, Iowa, in rural Cass County, belonging to the Diocese of Des Moines. Its Catholic roots reach back to the late 1800s, when a priest serving the parishes of Corning and Red Oak would travel to the area and celebrate Mass in a local home. The mission built its first church in 1911, was formally erected as St. Mary's Parish on May 19, 1918, and had its present church dedicated in 1956. On February 24, 2012, the parish was renamed Our Lady of Grace Parish.
- First Masses in private homes in the late 1800s
- Original mission church built 1911
- Formally erected as St. Mary's Parish on May 19, 1918
- Present church dedicated in 1956
- Renamed Our Lady of Grace Parish on February 24, 2012
2025 Closure & Merger with Ss. Peter and Paul
Facing declining participation in sacramental life and pastoral activity as well as structural and financial deterioration, Our Lady of Grace underwent a viability review led by diocesan Vicar General Father David Fleming beginning in summer 2024. After consulting the Presbyteral Council and finding no viable alternative, Bishop William M. Joensen issued a decree of extinctive union on October 14, 2025, merging the parish into Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Atlantic effective November 10, 2025. Regular Masses at Griswold ceased after the weekend of November 8–9, and on November 19, 2025 the bishop issued a further canonical decree relegating the church building to profane use; the final sacred function in the building was Bishop Joensen's vigil Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 7, 2025, which honored the parish's history and legacy.
- 37 registered and active families at time of closure
- Diocesan viability review led by Father David Fleming, Vicar General
- Decree of extinctive union issued October 14, 2025
- Merger effective November 10, 2025; last regular Masses November 8–9
- Final Mass celebrated by Bishop Joensen on December 7, 2025
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
Our Lady of Grace shared its pastor and pastoral resources with neighboring parishes in the Atlantic Deanery. Father Trevor Chicoine served as the parish's final pastor from July 13, 2023, through the November 10, 2025 merger, while continuing as pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul (Atlantic), St. Mary (Anita), and St. Timothy (Reno/Cumberland). He also held the diocesan role of Vicar for Divine Worship and was appointed Dean of the Atlantic Deanery. Father Michael Berner preceded him as pastor, serving Our Lady of Grace together with St. Timothy, Reno/Cumberland, until his reassignment to retirement on April 17, 2023.
- Father Trevor Chicoine — last pastor (2023–2025), also Vicar for Divine Worship and Dean of the Atlantic Deanery
- Father Michael Berner — previous pastor, retired April 17, 2023
- Father David Fleming — diocesan Vicar General who led the viability review
Mass & Worship Schedule
Before the November 2025 closure, Our Lady of Grace offered Mass approximately twice a week, including a Sunday morning celebration and a Tuesday afternoon Mass, with an additional Saturday vigil Mass. Published aggregator schedules list a Sunday 9:00 AM Mass and a Tuesday 4:00 PM Mass; the Saturday vigil was also part of the parish's regular schedule. As with any small rural parish, times were subject to change for holy days, seasons, and special events, and visitors were advised to confirm directly with the parish.
- Sunday Mass — 9:00 AM
- Tuesday Mass — 4:00 PM
- Saturday Vigil Mass (per aggregator listings)
- Parish shared worship life with Ss. Peter and Paul, Atlantic
Location & Contact
The parish church stood at 203 Adair Street, Griswold, Iowa 51535, in rural Cass County in southwest Iowa. The published parish telephone number was (712) 778-4540; after the November 2025 merger, former parishioners were invited to worship at Ss. Peter and Paul Parish, 106 West 6th Street, Atlantic, or at one of the other nearby parishes (St. Timothy in Reno, St. Mary in Anita, or St. Mary in Red Oak).
- Address: 203 Adair Street, Griswold, IA 51535
- Phone: (712) 778-4540
- Parish merged into Ss. Peter and Paul, 106 West 6th Street, Atlantic
- Other nearby parishes: St. Timothy (Reno), St. Mary (Anita), St. Mary (Red Oak)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Reverend Trevor ChicoineJuly 13, 2023 – November 10, 2025
Appointed pastor of Our Lady of Grace (and St. Timothy, Reno/Cumberland) while remaining pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul, Atlantic, and St. Mary; also named Diocesan Vicar for Divine Worship and later Dean of the Atlantic Deanery. He was the parish's last pastor and led the community through the 2025 merger.
- Reverend Michael BernerThrough April 17, 2023
Pastor of Our Lady of Grace, Griswold, and St. Timothy, Reno/Cumberland; reassigned to retirement effective April 17, 2023.