About Saint Patrick · Imogene, Iowa
St. Patrick Catholic Church in Imogene, Iowa, is a rural parish of the Diocese of Des Moines serving about 150 families (over 300 people) drawn from a roughly thirty-mile radius across southwestern Iowa. The parish was organized in June 1880 by Father Gerald Stack as a mission of St. Mary Parish in Shenandoah, and has been continuously Catholic ever since — celebrated today by a striking black Hylex-brick church that was built 1915–1919 after a fire destroyed an earlier church on the same site. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983, St. Patrick's is currently pastored by Father Lazarus Kirigia and offers Sunday Mass, weekday Mass, Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, Youth Faith Formation, Knights of Columbus, an Altar Society, and a Food Pantry that links to regional Catholic charities.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- Saint Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Lazarus Kirigia
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
St. Patrick's is a faithful, welcoming rural parish with deep Irish Catholic roots, a nationally registered historic church, and an unusually active lay life — Pastoral and Finance Councils, an Altar Society, Knights of Columbus, CYO, NCYC, Prayer Net, Adult Faith Formation, Youth Faith Formation (held Sundays after Mass in the Faith Center), a parish library, and a Food Pantry that reaches across Mills, Page, and Fremont counties. Families travel up to thirty miles to worship here; new members are warmly received and given tithe envelopes, a guest register to sign, and a brief history sheet on the way in. The parish prides itself on being both 'aware of our rich Catholic tradition' and genuinely open to visitors — guests often comment on the marble altars, Venetian Stations of the Cross, and 65-foot oak ceiling that they would not expect to find in a small Iowa farming town.
Mass times at Saint Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:15 pm – 4:45 pm (2nd & 4th Saturday of the month)
- Sunday 8:00 am – 8:15 am (Sunday after a weekend with a 1st Saturday Mass)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 1:00 am – 10:00 am and 6:00 pm – 12:00 am
- Wednesday 12:00 am – 11:00 am and 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Parish History & Heritage
Irish Catholic settlers arrived in southwestern Iowa in 1869; Father Gerald Stack organized St. Patrick's as a mission of St. Mary Parish in Shenandoah on June 21, 1880, with 11 founding families and 120 members. Father Edmund Hayes, who arrived in 1888 as the first resident pastor, transformed the parish — funding the 1892 brick church, the 1904 rectory, St. Patrick's Academy (opened 1907), and ultimately the present-day marble and brick church. After the 1915 fire, the church we see today was designed by Omaha architect Harry Lawrie and built by the Sprague brothers of Omaha between 1915 and 1919; it was formally dedicated on St. Patrick's Day 1924, debt-free. The parish celebrated its 125th Jubilee in June 2005 and continues to honor its heritage under the banner 'Bless Our Heritage — honoring our past, embracing our present, linking our future.'
- Founded June 21, 1880 — founding families: Berigan, Clark, Delehant, Gilmore, Head, Hughes, Laughlin, Mahoney, McGargill, Printy, Saner
- First resident pastor: Father Edmund Hayes (1888)
- 1892 brick church replaced the 1880 frame church
- 1892 church destroyed by fire February 12, 1915
- Present church built 1915–1919 (architect Harry Lawrie, builders Ed & Jack Sprague)
- Dedicated March 17, 1924
- 125th Jubilee celebrated June 24–26, 2005
- Added to the National Register of Historic Places July 7, 1983
The Church Building
The present St. Patrick Church is built of black Hylex brick in a Late Gothic Revival / Romanesque Revival style designed by Omaha architect Harry Lawrie. It measures roughly 65 × 130 × 65 feet with an 80-foot bell tower and basement walls five bricks thick. Inside, a single nave is crowned by an oak-paneled ceiling 65 feet high, supported by six hammer-beam trusses whose bases are decorated with quatrefoil infills. The Carrara marble high altar, side altars, baptismal font, altar rail and bronze gates are Hayes-family memorials from Pietrasanta, Italy. The Stations of the Cross are Venetian mosaic and marble; the stained glass was commissioned from Italian masters by individual Imogene families. The Pietà salvaged from the 1892 fire (originally donated by Father Hayes in 1910) still sits in the church.
- Black Hylex brick, 65 × 130 × 65 feet, 80-foot bell tower
- 65-foot oak-paneled ceiling on six hammer-beam trusses
- Carrara marble high altar with statue of Saint Patrick
- Side altars: Blessed Virgin Mary (left) and Saint Joseph
- Venetian mosaic and marble Stations of the Cross
- Italian stained glass commissioned by Imogene families
- Original 1914/1920s-era electric lights still in use
Live-Streamed Mass
The Tuesday 8:30 am, Thursday 6:00 pm, and Sunday 8:30 am Masses are livestreamed on the parish's Facebook page, allowing shut-ins, traveling parishioners, and former members scattered across the country to keep up with the parish. Visitors are warmly invited to share prayer intentions through the same channel.
Youth Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children of the parish gather for Youth Faith Formation (YFF) after Sunday Mass — from 9:45 to 10:35 am — in the parish Faith Center (the former 1922 brick convent across the street to the south). Classes run from September through April. CYO, NCYC delegations (Amy Gutschenritter and Mike Bauer lead), and an Adult Faith Formation program (Marty Maher) round out the parish's formation offerings, alongside a parish library and a board of faith formation chaired by Father Lazarus.
- YFF Sundays, 9:45–10:35 am, September–April
- Faith Center (former 1922 brick convent)
- CYO youth group
- NCYC delegation
- Adult Faith Formation
- Parish Library (Dave & Yvonne Ashley)
Music & Liturgical Ministries
Liturgical life at St. Patrick's is supported by a small team of parish musicians — Susie McDonald and Therese Sunderman lead the music ministry — and by an experienced group of sacristans, lectors and coordinators. Peg Brand, Gerard Brannen, Hannah Forney, Tom Martin, Jake McGargill and Michael Laughlin (Tuesday) serve as regular sacristans; Joe Cheney handles funerals, and Melonie Doyle coordinates weddings.
- Music: Susie McDonald, Therese Sunderman
- Sacristans: Peg Brand, Gerard Brannen, Hannah Forney, Tom Martin, Jake McGargill
- Tuesday sacristan: Michael Laughlin
- Funeral sacristan: Joe Cheney
- Wedding coordinator: Melonie Doyle
Parish Groups, Councils & Outreach
Lay leadership is unusually strong for a parish of this size. Two councils — the Pastoral Council (Peggy Brand, Gerard Brannen, Hannah Forney, Tara Doyle, Tom Martin, Dave Sunderman, Kent Owens) and the Finance Council (Dan Kinsella, Genene Fienup, Becky Hughes, Rick Dailey, Jennifer Johnson, Kendall Forney, Rita Laughlin) — guide the parish alongside an Altar Society, Knights of Columbus council, Food Pantry (covering Mills, Page, and Fremont counties), Prayer Net phone chain, Fair Trade committee, SWIPU (Southwest Iowa Parishes United), and a Safety & Compliance team. The parish is also affiliated with SWIPU's regional collaboration with neighboring parishes.
- Pastoral Council
- Finance Council
- Knights of Columbus (Jerry McDonald)
- Altar Society
- Food Pantry — Mills, Page & Fremont counties
- Prayer Net phone prayer chain
- SWIPU (Southwest Iowa Parishes United)
- Fair Trade — Kathy Regan
- Building & Grounds — Jim Martin
- Safety & Compliance — Jake McGargill
- Trustees — Jake McGargill, Tara Doyle
Sacraments
Father Lazarus asks families to contact him before making any other arrangements for Baptism or Matrimony. Weddings require at least six months of preparation, with Melonie Doyle serving as Wedding Coordinator. The Anointing of the Sick is offered to hospitalized parishioners on request, and First Friday home Communion calls are a regular outreach to the homebound.
- Baptism — contact Father Lazarus first
- Matrimony — minimum six months' notice; Wedding Coordinator Melonie Doyle
- Anointing of the Sick — on request for hospitalized parishioners
- First Friday Communion visits to the homebound
- Sacramental records & Mass intentions: 712-386-2277 or [email protected]
Mount Calvary Cemetery
The parish maintains Mount Calvary Cemetery on four acres south of Imogene, purchased on December 3, 1883, by Father James J. Ryan — who became one of its first burials the following February. Several beloved former pastors rest here, including Father Edmund Hayes (d. 1928) and Father Gerald Stack (d. 1966). The cemetery committee is currently chaired by Donnie Doyle and Jerry McDonald.
- Four acres south of Imogene
- Purchased December 3, 1883, by Father James J. Ryan
- Burial site of Father Edmund Hayes (d. 1928) and Father Gerald Stack (d. 1966)
- Committee: Donnie Doyle, Jerry McDonald
St. Patrick's Academy (Historical)
Father Hayes opened St. Patrick's Academy on September 9, 1907, with 100 students. The Sisters of Mercy taught there from 1907 to 1918; the Dominican Sisters succeeded them and taught from 1920 until the school closed in May 1969. Approximately 1,000 students received all or part of their education at the academy over its 62-year run. The building was demolished in November 1972 and the former 1922 convent was repurposed as today's Faith Center.
Planning a Visit
Visitors are warmly welcomed. On entering the body of the church, the east-side bookcase near the door holds a brief parish history sheet, a self-guided tour sheet, and tithe envelopes for newcomers. The vestibule bulletin board has parish registration forms. After Sunday Mass, coffee is served in the parish hall on most YFF Sundays. It is the parish's custom to kneel after the closing song and silently pray three Hail Marys for world peace and an end to abortion, and visitors are warmly invited to join. Guided church tours can be arranged through the Parish Secretary by emailing [email protected].
- Self-guided tour sheets on the east-side bookcase
- Parish history summary also on the east bookcase
- Registration forms on the vestibule bulletin board
- Sunday Coffee on most YFF Sundays
- Free guided tours through the Parish Secretary
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Tom Kunnel, T.O.R.1876–1880 (organized the parish)
Traveling Franciscan missionary; raised $2,000 to build the first frame church at Imogene; organized the parish on June 21, 1880; died at Foresthill, CA, November 30, 1906.
- Father Gordon Gittens1882
Came to serve Shenandoah/Imogene in 1882 and helped move St. Mary Church and build the parsonage.
- Father James J. Ryan1882–1884
Purchased four acres south of Imogene for Mount Calvary Cemetery on December 3, 1883; died February 1884 and was one of the first buried in the cemetery.
- Father Francis William Doyle
Listed on the parish priests page; details not extracted from the page summary.
- Father Schiffmacherc. 1884–1885 (six months)
Succeeded Father Ryan briefly.
- Father Peter Clarkc. 1885–1886 (one year)
Served after Father Schiffmacher.
- Father James Kleffman
Listed on the parish priests page; details not extracted from the page summary.
- Father Mary Theodore (M.T.)
Listed on the parish priests page; details not extracted from the page summary.
- Father Edmund (Edmond) Hayes1888–1928
First resident pastor; native of County Cork, Ireland; ordained 1878; independently wealthy and personally funded much of the parish's growth (1892 brick church, rectory, St. Patrick's Academy, marble altars); often called 'the best known Catholic priest in Iowa.' Died February 8, 1928 in Omaha; buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery.
- Father Gerald Stack1926–1966 (administrator 1926–1928, then pastor 1928–1966)
Born at Plato, IA, September 23, 1893; ordained May 14, 1921 in Des Moines by Bishop Drumm; came to Imogene in 1926 and served as administrator until Father Hayes died in 1928, then as pastor; died September 30, 1966; buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery.
- Father Kenneth GrossJanuary 2, 1967 – September 2, 1970
Born May 9, 1927, Des Moines; ordained May 22, 1951; previously taught at Dowling High School; died November 3, 2010.
- Father James StessmanSeptember 10, 1970 – August 18, 1971
Served five years elsewhere before becoming pastor at Imogene.
- Father (name not extracted)September 10, 1970 onward
Wikipedia and parish history reference pastors from 1970 into the 1980s; full succession not extracted here.
- Father James Stessman (separate entry on parish site)July 10, 2003 – July 14, 2011
Co-organizer of SWIPU (Southwest Iowa Parishes United) in 1981; previously served Holy Family in Council Bluffs for 10½ years; became pastor at Greenfield/Massena in 2011.
- Father John ClarkeJuly 13, 2000 – July 10, 2003
Born June 3, 1934 near Portsmouth, IA; ordained June 5, 1960; Army chaplain 1995; first resident pastor after St. Patrick became a mission of Red Oak; retired July 10, 2003 to Council Bluffs.
- Father John Eugene Cunningham, T.O.R.July 14, 2011 – July 13, 2017
Born October 31, 1960 at Kottayam, India; ordained December 26, 1988 (Third Order Regular Franciscans, Province of St. Francis, India); gave retreats to Mother Teresa's nuns; incardinated into the Diocese of Des Moines in 2015.
- Rev. Lazarus KirigiaJuly 13, 2017 – present
Born August 20, 1970 at Moru, Kenya; ordained by Bishop Emeritus Joseph Charron on June 8, 2007; formerly parochial vicar at Corpus Christi (Council Bluffs) and Sacred Heart (West Des Moines); six years at St. Patrick in Corning and Lenox before current assignment.