About Resurrection of Our Lord · Pocahontas, Iowa
Resurrection of Our Lord is a Roman Catholic parish in Pocahontas, Iowa, formed in 1973 (officially merged in 1975) by the union of the city's two historic congregations: the Bohemian national parish of SS. Peter and Paul (founded 1883) and Sacred Heart Parish (established 1901) for the German and Irish faithful. The parish worships in the renovated 1901 Sacred Heart church at 202 W. Elm Avenue and today is clustered with Our Lady of Good Counsel in Fonda under St. Sebastian Parish in the Diocese of Sioux City. It is home to Pocahontas Catholic School (founded 1896) and serves roughly 980 households in Pocahontas County.
- Established
- 1973
- Patron
- The Resurrection of Our Lord (Jesus Christ)
- Rector
- Rev. Cuong (Paul) Nguyen (Pastor of St. Sebastian Parish, which includes Resurrection of Our Lord, Pocahontas; Our Lady of Good Counsel, Fonda; and the former Varina St. Columbkille)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux City
Why belong here
Resurrection of Our Lord offers small-town Catholic life in a community with deep roots: a beautifully restored 1901 brick church designed by Guido Beck of Dubuque, a parish school (Pocahontas Catholic School) founded in 1896, and a tradition of caring for multiple generations of Pocahontas County families — Bohemian, German, and Irish — under one roof since the 1973 merger. The parish is part of the St. Sebastian cluster with Our Lady of Good Counsel in Fonda, meaning weekday Masses rotate through the three communities, and it draws families who value Catholic K–5 education, traditional devotions, and a tight-knit rural congregation of roughly 980 households.
Mass times at Resurrection of Our Lord
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:45 PM (at Resurrection of Our Lord, Pocahontas, per cluster schedule)
- Sunday 9:30–10:15 AM (at Resurrection of Our Lord, Pocahontas, per cluster schedule)
- By appointment with Fr. Cuong (Paul) Nguyen
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration is offered at the cluster parishes; consult the St. Sebastian Parish bulletin/website for the current weekly holy hour schedule.
History
Catholic life in Pocahontas began with Father T. M. Lenehan's 1875 Mass in the local schoolhouse, and grew with the Bohemian and German-Irish immigrant communities through the founding of SS. Peter and Paul (1883) and Sacred Heart (1901). After more than a century of parallel parish life, Bishop Frank Greteman merged the two congregations in 1973–1975 into Resurrection of Our Lord Catholic Parish. The parish celebrated its Centennial on January 5, 2002, marking 100 years of Catholicism in Pocahontas.
- 1875 — First Catholic service by Father T. M. Lenehan in Pocahontas schoolhouse
- 1882 — Warrick Price donates three acres for church and cemetery
- 1883 — SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church established for Bohemian (Czech) families
- 1896 — Parochial school opened Nov. 30 by Father W. A. Pape, staffed by Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Family
- 1901 — Sacred Heart Parish formed for German and Irish families; brick church designed by Guido Beck of Dubuque, completed 1902
- 1953 — Joint construction of the $390,000 Pocahontas Catholic Grade and High School begins Aug. 3
- 1973 — Bishop Greteman merges Sacred Heart and SS. Peter and Paul into Resurrection of Our Lord Parish; Father J. Paul Alvey is first pastor; church renovation completed
- 1975 — Merger officially recorded
- 1978 — SS. Peter and Paul permanently closed
- 1994 — SS. Peter and Paul listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- 2002 — Centennial of Catholicism in Pocahontas celebrated January 5
Architecture & Sacred Heart Church
The parish worships in the historic Sacred Heart Catholic Church building, erected 1901–1902 from plans drawn by architect Guido Beck of Dubuque, Iowa, at a cost of $15,572. The large brick church was a striking presence in early Pocahontas, 'towering over' the small frame Bohemian SS. Peter and Paul building. A complete renovation and restoration of the building was completed under Father J. Paul Alvey during the 1971–1973 transition, and it continues in active liturgical use as the home of Resurrection of Our Lord Parish.
- Architect: Guido Beck of Dubuque, Iowa
- Original construction cost: $15,572 (building proper)
- Construction completed: 1902
- Full renovation: 1971–1973 under founding pastor Father J. Paul Alvey
Pastorate Succession
Resurrection of Our Lord is the spiritual heir of two long pastorate lineages. The SS. Peter and Paul succession runs from Father J. P. Broz (1891) through Father J. Paul Alvey (1971–1973); the Sacred Heart succession runs from Father W. A. Pape (1901) through Father Alvey (1971–1973). After the 1973 merger, the parish was served by Father Alvey, Msgr. Lawrence J. Hoffman, Father David Hogan, and Father Merle Kollasch, before being clustered under St. Sebastian Parish with Father Craig Collison and, from 2023, Father Cuong (Paul) Nguyen.
- SS. Peter and Paul: Broz, Pape, Duda, Gryc, Kramolis, Kubat O.S.B., Kramer, Kolvek, Hyland, Schissel, Barry, Karhoff (admin.), Turza, Bruch, Nash, McCoy, Alvey
- Sacred Heart: Pape, Wagener, Wessling, Karhoff, Grady, McCoy, Alvey
- Resurrection of Our Lord: Alvey, Hoffman, Hogan, Kollasch
- St. Sebastian cluster: Collison (retired 2023), Nguyen (2023–present)
Pocahontas Catholic School
Resurrection of Our Lord Parish operates Pocahontas Catholic School at 305 SW 3rd Street, Pocahontas. Founded in 1896 by Father W. A. Pape and originally housed in a modest building that opened with 63 students, the school is one of the oldest Catholic schools in northwest Iowa. It was staffed for generations by the Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Family of Dubuque and more recently by the School Sisters of Notre Dame. The present school building has been in use since 1973, when it was built together with a multi-purpose parish center.
- Founded: 1896 by Father W. A. Pape
- Address: 305 SW 3rd Street, Pocahontas, IA 50574
- Phone: (712) 335-3603
- Grades: K–5
- Religious communities: Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Family (historical); School Sisters of Notre Dame (recent)
- Member: National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
Mass & Sacrament Schedule
Weekend Masses at Resurrection of Our Lord are celebrated Saturday evening at 5:00 PM and Sunday morning at 10:30 AM, in English. Weekday Masses are part of the St. Sebastian Parish cluster rotation: Tuesday and Friday morning Masses are held at Resurrection of Our Lord at 8:30 AM, while Monday Masses are at St. Sebastian and Wednesday and Thursday Masses at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Fonda. Confessions are heard before weekend Masses and by appointment.
- Saturday Vigil: 5:00 PM (English) at Resurrection of Our Lord
- Sunday: 10:30 AM (English) at Resurrection of Our Lord; 8:30 AM at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Fonda
- Tuesday: 8:30 AM at Resurrection of Our Lord
- Friday: 8:30 AM at Resurrection of Our Lord
- Confession: Saturday 4:00–4:45 PM and Sunday 9:30–10:15 AM, or by appointment
Cluster: St. Sebastian Parish
Resurrection of Our Lord is one of three worship sites of the St. Sebastian Parish cluster in the Diocese of Sioux City, alongside Our Lady of Good Counsel in Fonda and the former St. Columbkille site in Varina. The cluster is pastored by Father Cuong (Paul) Nguyen, a former Society of the Divine Word priest who was incardinated into the Diocese of Sioux City on January 1, 2023 and celebrated his silver jubilee of priesthood in 2025.
- Cluster sites: Resurrection of Our Lord (Pocahontas), Our Lady of Good Counsel (Fonda), former St. Columbkille (Varina)
- Pastor: Rev. Cuong (Paul) Nguyen
- Cluster website: stsebastianparish.org
Heritage: The Bohemian SS. Peter and Paul Parish
The predecessor parish of SS. Peter and Paul, founded 1883, served the Bohemian (Czech) immigrant community of Pocahontas County as a national parish and was the first Roman Catholic church in the county. From 1901 it was designated a Bohemian-speaking parish under Father V. A. Duda and continued under a succession of Czech-speaking and Irish pastors. After the 1973 merger into Resurrection of Our Lord, the church was used sporadically for weddings and funerals until 1983; its last regular Mass was in 1997. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 and remains a tangible expression of Bohemian Catholic heritage in Pocahontas County.
- First Catholic church in Pocahontas County
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994
- Last regular Mass: 1997
- Architectural significance: modest frame building of Bohemian immigrant craftsmanship
Visiting & Pilgrimage
Visitors to Resurrection of Our Lord are welcome at any scheduled Mass, and those interested in the broader Catholic heritage of Pocahontas can also view the historic SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church site. The parish office is reachable at (712) 335-3242 and can arrange tours of the church and school for groups.
- Office phone: (712) 335-3242
- Church address: 202 W. Elm Avenue, Pocahontas, IA 50574
- School address: 305 SW 3rd Street, Pocahontas, IA 50574
- Nearby landmark: SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church (NRHP, 1994)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father T. M. Lenehan1875
Fort Dodge priest who celebrated the first Catholic service in Pocahontas, in the local schoolhouse.
- Father J. P. Broz1891–1895
First resident pastor of SS. Peter and Paul Parish (Bohemian national parish).
- Father W. A. Pape1895–1901 (SSPP) / 1901–1916 (Sacred Heart)
Built the 1896 parochial school staffed by Sisters of St. Francis; first pastor of Sacred Heart when it was established in 1901.
- Father V. A. Duda1901–1911
First Bohemian-speaking resident pastor of SS. Peter and Paul as a national parish, native of Moravia.
- Father Alois Gryc1911–1912
Bohemian-speaking pastor of SS. Peter and Paul.
- Father Bohumil Kramolis1912
Brief pastorate, SS. Peter and Paul.
- Father Raphael Kubat, O.S.B.1912–1917
Benedictine priest serving SS. Peter and Paul.
- Father H. B. Kramer1917–1923
Pastor of SS. Peter and Paul.
- Father Michael J. Kolvek1923–1938
Long-time pastor of SS. Peter and Paul.
- Father A. J. Wagener1916–1933
Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish.
- Father G. F. Wessling1933–1949
Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish.
- Father William Hyland1938–1945
Pastor of SS. Peter and Paul.
- Father John Schissel1945–1950
Pastor of SS. Peter and Paul.
- Father Gabriel Barry1950–1951
Irish priest who served SS. Peter and Paul during the priest shortage.
- Msgr. H. B. Karhoff1949–1963 (Sacred Heart); 1951–1954 (also serving SS. Peter and Paul)
Pastor of Sacred Heart; also administered SS. Peter and Paul 1951–1954.
- Father John Turza1954–1957
Native of Bohemia displaced by WWII; pastor of SS. Peter and Paul; led joint effort with Sacred Heart to build the new Pocahontas Catholic Grade and High School (construction began 1953, completed 1954).
- Father Walter Bruch1957–1962
Pastor of SS. Peter and Paul.
- Father Thomas Nash1962–1969
Pastor of SS. Peter and Paul.
- Father Sylvester A. Grady1963–1969
Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish.
- Father Alfred E. McCoy1969–1971
Pastor of both Sacred Heart and SS. Peter and Paul during the transition.
- Father J. Paul Alvey1971–1973 (Sacred Heart) / 1973–1978 (Resurrection of Our Lord)
Completed major renovation of the Sacred Heart church building; first pastor of the newly created Resurrection of Our Lord Parish in 1973.
- Msgr. Lawrence J. Hoffman1978–1988
Pastor of Resurrection of Our Lord; reopened SS. Peter and Paul briefly in February 1978 at the insistence of the Bohemian faithful.
- Father David Hogan1988–1995
Pastor of Resurrection of Our Lord.
- Father Merle Kollasch1995–
Pastor of Resurrection of Our Lord as of the parish's 2002 Centennial; served through the 2010s.
- Father Craig A. Collisonthrough July 2023
Pastor of the St. Sebastian cluster (Resurrection of Our Lord, Our Lady of Good Counsel, former St. Columbkille of Varina); ordained 1978; honored for 45 years of ministry in Catholic schools; retired July 2023.
- Father Cuong (Paul) Nguyen2023–present
Pastor of St. Sebastian Parish cluster; formerly a Society of the Divine Word priest for 23 years; incardinated into the Diocese of Sioux City on January 1, 2023; celebrated his silver jubilee of priesthood in 2025.