About Saint Patrick Church · Dunlap, Iowa
Saint Patrick Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Dunlap, Iowa, part of the Diocese of Des Moines and historically serving the small western-Iowa community of Harrison County. The parish is currently paired with Sacred Heart Catholic Church in nearby Woodbine, and together the two faith communities are pastored as a single mission by Father Samuel Danso. Worship is offered at 509 South 3rd Street in Dunlap, with weekend Masses celebrated alongside weekday liturgies and the regular availability of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The parish has embraced modern stewardship tools — including the Church by MinistryOne mobile app, online giving through ParishSOFT, and text-to-give — to keep its members connected across a rural area.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- Saint Patrick
- Rector
- Father Samuel Danso
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
St. Patrick's offers a faithful, rural-Iowa Catholic rhythm — Sunday Mass, weekday liturgies, and Saturday Confession — supported by a pastor (Father Samuel Danso) who also serves the neighboring Sacred Heart parish in Woodbine, so parishioners are part of a small, tight-knit two-church family. The community invests in its members through sacramental preparation, regular online giving options (ParishSOFT, text-to-give, the Church by MinistryOne app), and a strong intergenerational identity that celebrates graduating seniors each spring. Visitors are welcomed with open arms and a registration packet at the church door.
Mass times at Saint Patrick Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 PM (Sacred Heart, Woodbine)
- Saturday 5:30 PM (St. Patrick, Dunlap)
- By appointment — call 712-643-5808
About St. Patrick and Sacred Heart
St. Patrick's Church in Dunlap, Iowa is paired with Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Woodbine, Iowa, and both are served by a single pastor — currently Father Samuel Danso. The parish's home page opens with the greeting, 'We welcome you into God's family!' and invites newcomers to pick up a registration packet at the church entrance or call Father Joel/the Parish Office to learn more or join.
Sacred Heart, Woodbine (Paired Parish)
The two parishes share one pastor and one parish office. Sacred Heart's Mass schedule complements St. Patrick's: Saturday 5:15 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM (Diocese listing: Saturday 4:00 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM) — and Tuesday/Thursday 8:00 AM on weekdays. All mail for Sacred Heart goes to the Dunlap office at 509 South 3rd Street.
- Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass
- Tuesday & Thursday 8:00 AM weekday Mass (per Diocese)
- Mailing address: 509 South 3rd Street, Dunlap, IA 51529
Visiting and Contact
The Parish Office is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Office Phone is (712) 643-5115 and the Rectory Phone is (712) 643-5808; email is [email protected]. Visitors are encouraged to call or pick up a registration packet at the church entrance to register with the parish.
- Parish Office: 712-643-5115
- Rectory: 712-643-5808
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tue / Wed / Thu, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Giving and Online Stewardship
St. Patrick's and Sacred Heart have launched a complete digital stewardship platform. Parishioners can give online through ParishSOFT Online Giving, by text message, or through the Church by MinistryOne mobile app — the app also offers streaming Masses and event registration.
- Online giving: stpatrickchurchdunlap.com/giving
- Text-to-give (St Patrick): text 'Give' to 712-221-8850
- Text-to-give (Sacred Heart): text 'Give' to 712-800-7956
- Mobile app: Church by MinistryOne (donations, streaming Mass, registration)
Parish Life and Community
Each spring the parish celebrates its graduating high-school seniors from both St Patrick's and Sacred Heart, listing each student by name on the parish website — a small but cherished tradition in a small-town Iowa Catholic community.
- Combined St Patrick / Sacred Heart senior recognition each spring
- Spiritual Communion prayer featured on the parish website
History and Legal Identity
St. Patrick's Church of Dunlap, Harrison County, Iowa was formally incorporated under Iowa state law on November 11, 1912 as a Revised Domestic Non-Profit corporation (entity #81335). The parish continues to operate from the same address — 509 South 3rd Street, Dunlap — and remains an active Iowa entity.
- Incorporated November 11, 1912
- Iowa Entity Number 81335
- Active non-profit status
- Founded by Irish-Catholic farming community in Harrison County
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Joel McNeil
Listed as pastor on third-party parish directories; no longer listed as pastor on the parish's own About page, indicating a recent pastoral change.
- Father Samuel Danso
Current pastor per the parish's About page; also pastor of the paired Sacred Heart parish in Woodbine.