About Saint Patrick · Grand River, Iowa
Saint Patrick Catholic Church is a small rural mission parish in the farming community of Grand River, Iowa (Decatur County), in the Diocese of Des Moines. It is served from neighboring Osceola as part of the St. Bernard Catholic Church cluster, which also includes St. Joseph in Mount Ayr, sharing one pastor (Rev. Tomson Thomas) and a deacon (Rev. Mr. Mark Burdt) along with one set of secretaries, bookkeeper, and catechetical leader. GCatholic lists the church formally as a "Mission of St. Patrick," reflecting its small size but its longstanding place in the spiritual life of the Grand River community since the original Catholic congregation gathered there in 1895.
- Established
- 1929
- Patron
- Saint Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Tomson Thomas
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
Saint Patrick's is a tight-knit rural Catholic community where generations of the same farm families have worshipped together for nearly a century. Weekend Mass, a Wednesday weekday Mass, the Altar Society's annual June pig roast, religious education for the parish's children, and a one-week summer Vacation Bible School led by a visiting Religious Sister keep the parish rooted in faith and neighborliness. Because the church is administered from St. Bernard in Osceola under the Diocese of Des Moines' Leon Region team ministry, parishioners also share in the broader Sacramental life — RCIA, Bible study, and Knights of Columbus — of the wider cluster of south-central Iowa parishes.
Mass times at Saint Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before Mass, or by appointment
History of St. Patrick's Parish
Catholic worship in Grand River dates to October 1895, when the local Catholic community purchased Grand River's first schoolhouse (built 1879), moved it three blocks east, and remodeled it as St. Mary's Catholic Church. That building served until 1929, when it was sold and the present Saint Patrick's Church was erected on land donated by James and Hannah Daughton. Father John O'Conner built and dedicated the new church in November 1929, with Bishop Drumm presiding; the high altar was donated by Samuel and Brigget Wallace of Creston. A parish hall was added in 1979 and blessed by Bishop Maurice J. Dingman at the parish's golden anniversary. The parish has inspired two religious vocations — Sister Carolyn Walters and Sister Mary Ethel Burley — and has been part of the Diocese of Des Moines' Leon Region team ministry since 1971.
- 1895 — First Catholic church in Grand River (St. Mary's), housed in the 1879 schoolhouse
- 1929 — Current St. Patrick's Church built on Daughton-donated land; dedicated by Bishop Drumm
- 1930 — Ladies' Altar Society organized
- 1948–1958 (+ 1976–77) — Parish Study Club
- 1971 — Joined the new Leon Region team ministry under Bishop Dingman
- 1979 — Parish hall built; 50th-anniversary Mass and hall dedication by Bishop Dingman
Mass & Service Schedule
St. Patrick's publishes a seasonal Mass schedule. From May through September the parish gathers for Sunday Mass at 8:00 AM in English; from October through April, the parish instead offers the Saturday-evening 5:00 PM Mass (as listed in the diocesan directory). A Wednesday 8:00 AM weekday Mass is also celebrated. Reconciliation is heard 30 minutes before Mass or by appointment. Holy Day and weekday schedules vary; consult the bulletin.
- Sunday 8:00 AM (English) — May through September
- Saturday 5:00 PM — October through April
- Wednesday 8:00 AM (weekday Mass)
- Reconciliation: 30 minutes before Mass, or by appointment
Clergy, Staff & Leadership
Saint Patrick's is administered as part of the St. Bernard Catholic cluster based in Osceola. The Administrator is Rev. Tomson Thomas; the shared deacon is Rev. Mr. Mark Burdt. Parishioners are served by secretaries Belen Rosales and Delores Edgington, bookkeeper Brenda Hernandez, and catechetical leader Abby Elliott. RCIA inquiries for the cluster are directed to the Osceola rectory at (641) 342-2850.
- Rev. Tomson Thomas — Administrator ([email protected])
- Rev. Mr. Mark Burdt — Deacon
- Belen Rosales — Secretary
- Delores Edgington — Secretary
- Brenda Hernandez — Bookkeeper
- Abby Elliott — Catechetical Leader
Our Lady's Altar Society & Parish Life
Founded in 1930, the Altar Society is the longest-running organization in the parish. In its early decades the ladies raised money through bake sales, household-sale lunches, bandage rolling, and prayer groups; today the society continues to fund parish projects and hosts the parish's annual pig roast each June. The roast, like the bake sales before it, is one of the community's signature gatherings.
- Altar Society founded 1930 — still active
- Annual pig roast each June (parish fundraiser)
- Bake sales and household-sale lunches
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish has offered religious education continuously since its early years. During the school year, parents serve as the primary catechists; in the summer, a Religious Sister visits for one week to lead Vacation Bible School. Catechetical coordination for the cluster is handled by Abby Elliott, and the cluster also offers Bible Study and RCIA through the Osceola office.
- Year-round Religious Education (parents as teachers)
- Summer Vacation Bible School (one week, led by a visiting Religious Sister)
- Catechetical Leader: Abby Elliott
- RCIA inquiries: (641) 342-2850
Knights of Columbus & Bible Study
Parishioners share in the broader St. Bernard cluster ministries. The local Knights of Columbus council serves men of the parish and surrounding communities. A Bible Study / Prayer Group also meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 1:00 PM in the St. Bernard Church basement in Osceola, where members study the upcoming Sunday's readings and Gospel (bring a Bible; contact Lois Dau at 641-247-8135).
- Knights of Columbus council (cluster)
- Bible Study / Prayer Group — 2nd & 4th Wednesday, 1:00 PM, St. Bernard basement
- Contact: Lois Dau — 641-247-8135
Contact, Location & Visiting
The church sits on Wabonsy Street in the small farming community of Grand River in Decatur County, Iowa. The mailing address and administrative office are in Osceola, about 29 miles northeast, where St. Bernard Catholic Church hosts the parish office. Visitors are warmly welcomed at Sunday Mass; for baptisms, weddings, anointing of the sick, or other Sacramental needs, call the office to arrange preparation with the cluster's pastor.
- Church address: 460 Wabonsy Street, Grand River, IA 50108
- Mailing / office: 222 E. Pearl St., Osceola, IA 50213
- Phone: (641) 342-2850
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stbernardiowa.wixsite.com/website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father John O'Conner1929–
Built the present St. Patrick's Church in 1929; also served St. Brendan's, Leon.
- Father E. J. Schumann
- Father E. J. Harken
Wrote a 1956 history of the Catholic Church in Decatur County.
- Father John Cunningham
- Father James McIlhon
- Father Paul Connelly
- Father John Lorenz
- Father Larry Hoffman
- Father Joe McDonnell
- Father Jerry O'Conner
- Father Dennis Trausch
- Father James Keirnan
- Father Don Daleke
- Father Frank Chiodo
- Rev. Tomson Thomaspresent
Current Administrator; based at St. Bernard, Osceola.