About Our Lady of the Americas · Des Moines, Iowa
Our Lady of the Americas is a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Des Moines, located on the east side of Des Moines, Iowa. It is best known as a 'missionary' or 'embassy' parish for the Latino community, where Spanish is the primary language spoken and where Spanish-language Masses are celebrated most days of the week. The parish currently serves between roughly 1,100 and 1,300 families and is led by Father Fabian Moncada, a native of Bogotá, Colombia and the first Latino pastor appointed in the parish's history.
- Established
- 2004
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Americas (Nuestra Señora de las Américas)
- Rector
- Father Fabian Moncada
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Americas welcomes Catholics from across central Iowa who are seeking Spanish-language or bilingual worship, with multiple Spanish Masses each Sunday and a daily 5:30 PM Mass Monday through Friday. The parish is widely known as a 'missionary' or 'embassy' church that often serves as the first spiritual home for newly arrived Latino families in the Des Moines area. A wide range of lay ministries (lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion to the sick, welcome team, evangelization, and more) give parishioners many concrete ways to serve. Daily Eucharistic Adoration on Thursdays and a Holy Hour on Sundays make it a parish centered on the Blessed Sacrament.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Americas
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday–Friday: 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM
- Weekends: one hour before Mass
Adoration times
- Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
- Sunday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM (Holy Hour / Hora Santa)
- First Friday of each month: Perpetual Adoration begins after the 5:30 PM Mass (24 hours)
History of Our Lady of the Americas
Our Lady of the Americas was created in 2004 when Visitation Parish (founded 1881) and St. Peter's Parish (established 1915 as the 'south parish' branch of Visitation) merged under the Diocese of Des Moines. Both former church buildings were retained as worship centers. After a planning committee review of pastoral and financial stewardship, Bishop Richard Pates announced on the weekend of October 4–5, 2008 that the parish would consolidate to one worship site, keeping the former Visitation Worship Center at 1271 E. 9th St. — the present-day parish home — and closing the St. Peter's Worship Center (which was redirected to become St. Peter Vietnamese Catholic Community, with Father Ly Chu as administrator, on November 30, 2008).
- Predecessor parishes: Visitation Parish (1881) and St. Peter's Parish (1915)
- Merger / founding of Our Lady of the Americas: 2004
- Consolidation to a single worship site: 2008
- Worship-center site retained: 1271 E. 9th St., Des Moines
Parish Leadership and Clergy
The parish is led today by Father Fabian Moncada, a native of Bogotá, Colombia who became the first Latino appointed as pastor of Our Lady of the Americas in 2015. He was also the first Latino priest ordained for the Diocese of Des Moines. He is assisted by Father Oscar Rosales-Hernandez, who is also listed as serving St. Joseph Parish in Des Moines.
- Pastor: Father Fabian Moncada (since 2015)
- Associate: Father Oscar Rosales-Hernandez
Parish Ministries
Parish life at OLOA is structured around a number of lay-led ministries whose history and mission are described in detail on the parish website.
- Ministerio de Bienvenida (Welcome Ministry) – founded June 2021
- Ministerio de Comunión – founded 2014, ~40 extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion
- Ministerio de Lectores – founded c. 2016, 37 lectors (6 bilingual)
- Ministerio de Evangelización y Biblia – founded at OLOA 2010; visits inactive families
Ministerio de Evangelización y Biblia
Founded at OLOA in 2010, this ministry focuses on visiting inactive Catholic families and inviting them back to the sacraments. Between 2016 and 2022 it reported visiting 71 families, helping many return for baptism, first communion, confirmation, marriage, and reconciliation. It meets Wednesdays 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM and is supported by Fr. Fabian Moncada, with additional formation via Zoom every other Wednesday by Mayte Rodriguez from the Abbey of Concepción.
- Founded: 2010
- 71 family visits reported 2016–2022
- Wednesday meetings 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Formation supported by Fr. Fabian Moncada
Ministerio de Lectores (Lectors)
The lector ministry began around 2016 under the coordination of Mónica Hernández, Luis Vázquez, Rigoberto Cordero and Norma Sánchez. Today it has 37 readers (six of them bilingual) who proclaim the Word at Sunday Masses and participate in parish activities; members meet at least once a month for formation and to practice readings.
- Founded: c. 2016
- 37 members (6 bilingual)
- Monthly formation meetings
- Bilingual readings supported
Ministerio de Comunión (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion)
Originally started in 2014 with the help of Religious Blanca Estela Contreras, the ministry trained 11 ministers over two years (2014–2016) to bring Holy Communion to the sick at home, in hospitals, and in nursing homes. On May 6, 2017 it launched its first weekly server program inside the parish, and today counts roughly 40 members coordinated by Fredy Escobar with Luis Vásquez as sub-coordinator.
- Founded: 2014
- Fredy Escobar – Coordinator; Luis Vásquez – Sub-coordinator
- Reunion: third Monday of each month, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM, Salón Santa María
- Current membership: ~40 ministers
Ministerio de Bienvenida (Welcome Ministry)
Founded in June 2021 from an initial eight volunteers personally invited by the parish, the Welcome Ministry now has 16 servers whose purpose is to welcome Mass-goers warmly and encourage their return. The team meets the third Monday of each month from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM in Salón Santa María, drawing formation material from Juan Alberto Echeverry's 'Al Servicio de Dios'.
- Founded: June 2021
- Now 16 servers
- Meetings: third Monday of each month, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- Formation source: 'Al Servicio de Dios' by Juan Alberto Echeverry
Contact and Practical Information
Parish offices are located with the church at 1271 E. 9th St., Des Moines, IA 50316. Bulletin submissions and general inquiries go through [email protected], and the parish also lists [email protected] as a parish contact on the diocesan directory.
- Address: 1271 E 9th St., Des Moines, IA 50316
- Phone: (515) 266-6695
- Fax: 1-866-823-1398
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://oloadsm.com/
- Facebook: facebook.com/OurLadyOfTheAmericas
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Fabian Moncada2015–present
First Latino appointed pastor of Our Lady of the Americas; native of Bogotá, Colombia; previously ordained the first Latino priest for the Diocese of Des Moines