About Sacred Heart · Ledyard, Iowa
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a small rural parish located at 205 Logan Street in Ledyard, Iowa, in the northeast corner of Kossuth County. The parish traces its roots to 1890, when the first Mass in Ledyard was celebrated on a regular basis in the Underkofler home, and for more than 125 years it has been a faithful presence in the Diocese of Sioux City. Today, Sacred Heart is one of seven worship sites that together make up Divine Mercy Catholic Parish of North Central Iowa, formed on July 7, 2021, by Bishop R. Walker Nickless with Father Steven J. McLoud appointed as its first pastor.
- Established
- 1890
- Patron
- Sacred Heart of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. Steven J. McLoud (first pastor of Divine Mercy Catholic Parish, formed July 7, 2021)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux City
Why belong here
Sacred Heart offers what many small-town Catholics treasure most: a long-standing parish family with deep agricultural roots, a beautiful 1930-vintage church with stained glass and a donated marble altar, and now the resources of a much larger multi-site parish, Divine Mercy Catholic Parish. Worshippers benefit from a 2191-family, 5,122-soul Catholic community with five permanent deacons serving across the seven worship sites, a Knights of Columbus council, and the spiritual support of Bishop Garrigan Catholic Schools and the famous Grotto of the Redemption nearby.
Mass times at Sacred Heart
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish History
Sacred Heart's story stretches back to 1890, when the first regular Mass in Ledyard was celebrated in the Underkofler home. The community first acquired an older church from Estherville around 1905; that wooden structure was destroyed by fire in 1924, after which Mass was said in a fourth-grade classroom of the Ledyard public school. With nearly 200 parishioners, the present church was built in 1929–1930: cornerstone laid March 30, 1930 (by Father Joseph G. Murtagh of Emmetsburg) and dedicated by Bishop Heelan on September 9, 1930, with Father Paul M. Dobberstein of West Bend as the speaker. In June 2021 the parish celebrated its 125th anniversary, and on July 7, 2021 Bishop R. Walker Nickless merged Sacred Heart with six other Kossuth County parishes into Divine Mercy Catholic Parish under Father Steven J. McLoud.
- 1890 — First regular Mass in the Underkofler home
- c. 1905 — Older church moved in from Estherville, Iowa
- 1924 — Wooden church destroyed by fire
- 1924–1930 — Services held in the Ledyard public school's fourth-grade classroom
- June 1929 — One acre purchased for parish cemetery (Sacred Heart Cemetery)
- March 30, 1930 — Cornerstone laid
- September 9, 1930 — Bishop Heelan dedicates the new church
- June 2021 — 125th anniversary celebrated
- July 7, 2021 — Joined Divine Mercy Catholic Parish (Fr. Steven J. McLoud, first pastor)
Building, Interior and Renovations
The present Sacred Heart church, built 1929–1930, has been carefully maintained and beautified across the decades. New stained-glass windows were added in 1958 and the church interior redecorated; a new marble altar was donated in 1966; the stained glass was renovated again in 1974; and a new organ was donated in 1989. Under one pastorate, the parish saw its greatest growth — more than doubling membership to about 388 souls.
- 1958 — Stained-glass windows installed; interior redecorated
- 1966 — New marble altar donated
- 1974 — Stained glass renovated
- 1989 — New organ donated
- Membership peak under one pastorate: ~388 parishioners
Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery
The parish cemetery, Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, was acquired in June 1929 when one acre was purchased about one-half mile southwest of town (Section 9 of Ledyard Township). It is one of eight cemeteries now held under perpetual care by Divine Mercy Catholic Parish, which oversees Catholic burial in the greater Kossuth County region. Sacramental burial records for Sacred Heart are administered by the Diocese of Sioux City.
- Sacred Heart Cemetery — Section 9, Ledyard Township
- Acquired June 1929
- Perpetual care by Divine Mercy Catholic Parish
Divine Mercy Catholic Parish — Multi-Site Structure
On July 7, 2021, Bishop R. Walker Nickless of the Diocese of Sioux City united seven parishes of Kossuth County and West Bend into a single new parish, Divine Mercy Catholic Parish of North Central Iowa. Father Steven J. McLoud was appointed its first pastor. The combined parish comprises 2,191 families and 5,122 souls and worships across seven church sites: St. Cecelia (Algona), St. John the Baptist (Bancroft), St. Michael (Whittemore), St. Joseph (Wesley), Sts. Peter & Paul (West Bend), St. Joseph (Bode), and Sacred Heart (Ledyard). The parish also supports Bishop Garrigan Catholic Schools (PreK–12) in Algona.
- Formed July 7, 2021
- First Pastor: Rev. Steven J. McLoud
- 2,191 families / 5,122 souls
- Seven worship sites across Kossuth County and West Bend
- Eight cemeteries under perpetual care
- Supports Bishop Garrigan Catholic Schools, Algona
Clergy, Deacons and Pastoral Staff
Divine Mercy Catholic Parish, which includes Sacred Heart, is served by Father Steven J. McLoud (Pastor) and five permanent deacons: Deacon Bill Black (Pastoral Minister, who in 2022–2023 was named Iowa Knights of Columbus Deacon of the Year), Deacon Bruce Helleseth, Deacon Brad Magill, Deacon Don McGuire, and Deacon David Penton (who also serves as Coordinator of Formation for the Permanent Diaconate of the Diocese of Sioux City). The pastoral ministry includes regular visits to the homebound, those in hospice, and parishioners in nursing homes across the seven worship sites.
- Rev. Steven J. McLoud — Pastor
- Deacon Bill Black — Pastoral Minister
- Deacon Bruce Helleseth
- Deacon Brad Magill
- Deacon Don McGuire
- Deacon David Penton — also Diocesan Coordinator of Formation, Permanent Diaconate
Sacraments
All seven sacraments of the Catholic Church are celebrated through Divine Mercy Catholic Parish at its various worship sites. Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Anointing of the Sick, and Funeral liturgies are coordinated through the parish office. The parish also operates an active ministry to the homebound, those in hospice, and parishioners in nursing homes (led by Deacon Bill Black and the diaconate team). Sacramental records for Sacred Heart, Ledyard are held by the parish and the Diocese of Sioux City and are restricted from public viewing until 100 years after the date of the sacrament; individuals may request their own records by contacting the parish office.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funerals
- Pastoral visits — homebound, hospice, nursing homes
- Records contact: 515-295-3435 / [email protected]
Schools and Catholic Education
Divine Mercy Catholic Parish proudly supports Bishop Garrigan Catholic Schools in Algona, a PreK–12 system that serves the Catholic families of Kossuth County and parts of Palo Alto and Humboldt counties. The schools draw students from across the parish's seven worship sites, including Sacred Heart, Ledyard, and have served as a critical mission of evangelization and education for the local Catholic community for generations.
- Bishop Garrigan Catholic Schools — Algona, Iowa
- PreK through 12th grade
- Served by over 5,000 Catholics across seven churches and eight cemeteries
Pilgrimage and Surroundings — Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption
Within the broader territory served by Divine Mercy Catholic Parish lies one of Iowa's most extraordinary pilgrimage sites: the Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend. Built by Father Paul M. Dobberstein (who, as a young priest, was the speaker at Sacred Heart's 1930 dedication), the Grotto is the world's largest man-made grotto, constructed of precious stones, gems, petrified wood, fossils, and minerals. It is a popular pilgrimage destination and a point of pride for Kossuth County Catholics.
- Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption, West Bend, Iowa
- Built by Father Paul M. Dobberstein — speaker at Sacred Heart's 1930 dedication
- World's largest man-made grotto
Contact and Visiting
Sacred Heart Church is located at 205 Logan Street, Ledyard, Iowa 50556, in the northeast corner of Kossuth County. Phone, email, and sacramental-record requests are handled by the Divine Mercy Catholic Parish office at 208 S. Summit St., Bancroft, Iowa 50517 (telephone 515-295-3435; email [email protected]). The parish website, with the most current Mass, confession, and adoration times across all seven worship sites, is dmparish.org.
- Address: 205 Logan Street, Ledyard, IA 50556
- Parish Office: 208 S. Summit St., Bancroft, IA 50517
- Phone: 515-295-3435
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://dmparish.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Michael Nicholls (Algona pastor who also served Bancroft/Ledyard out-mission)1887–early 1900s
Appointed pastor of Algona parish on November 17, 1887, with Bancroft as an out-mission; first Mass in Ledyard area began in 1890 under his oversight in the Underkofler home.
- Fr. FischLate 1800s/early 1900s
Pastor during whose tenure the parish's first cemetery statuary was erected (per Bancroft Register history).
- Fr. Sturmc. 1929–1930s
Oversaw the construction of the present church; cornerstone laid March 30, 1930; helped the parish through the early Depression by leaning on the agricultural community.
- Fr. Joseph G. Murtagh of Emmetsburg1930
Laid the cornerstone of the new Sacred Heart church building on March 30, 1930.
- Most Rev. Bishop Heelan1930
Dedicated the completed new church on September 9, 1930.
- Pastor of Armstrong (resident pastor)post-1930
After 1930, the resident pastor of Armstrong celebrated Mass at Sacred Heart every Sunday and on holy days of obligation.
- Fr. Paul M. Dobberstein of West Bend1930
Guest speaker at the September 9, 1930 dedication; famed creator of the Grotto of the Redemption.
- Rev. Steven J. McLoud2021–present
Appointed by Bishop R. Walker Nickless as the first pastor of the newly formed Divine Mercy Catholic Parish on July 7, 2021, which unites Sacred Heart with six other worship sites.