About Saint Patrick · Massena, Iowa
Saint Patrick Catholic Church is a small rural parish serving the farming community of Massena in Cass County, southwest Iowa. The parish is part of the Catholic Diocese of Des Moines and is in the Atlantic Deanery grouping of the diocese. It is currently served from St. John Parish in Greenfield by Father Philip Yaw Bempong, who celebrates the Sunday and Wednesday Masses listed for St. Patrick. The parish was formally incorporated in 1913 under the name 'St. Patrick's Catholic Church of Massena, Cass County, Iowa' and worships in a church at 503 Main Street in Massena. Beyond its parish boundaries, St. Patrick's sacramental and pastoral life extends to the communities of Bridgewater and parts of Cumberland.
- Established
- 1913
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Rev. Philip Yaw Bempong
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
Saint Patrick offers a quiet, small-town Catholic home in the Massena-Bridgewater corner of southwest Iowa, where parishioners can worship in a familiar country parish that has served local families since 1913. Its ministries — including a parish Council of Catholic Women (CCW), a parish catechetical/religious education program, and a Liturgy Coordinator — give laypeople real ways to share in the life of the parish. Because the parish is currently served from St. John Parish in Greenfield, members enjoy the benefits of being connected to a wider cluster of rural parishes within the Diocese of Des Moines.
Mass times at Saint Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Half hour before all Masses
About Saint Patrick Parish
Saint Patrick is a small rural Catholic parish in the town of Massena, in Cass County in southwestern Iowa. It belongs to the Diocese of Des Moines and is listed in the Atlantic Deanery of the diocese. The parish worships at 503 Main Street and serves the surrounding countryside, including the communities of Bridgewater and parts of Cumberland, Iowa. Worship is currently in English, and the parish is pastored from nearby St. John Parish in Greenfield by Father Philip Yaw Bempong.
- Diocese: Diocese of Des Moines
- Deanery: Atlantic Deanery
- Service area: Massena, Bridgewater, and parts of Cumberland, Iowa
- Served from: St. John Parish, Greenfield
History & Founding
St. Patrick's Catholic Church of Massena, Cass County, Iowa, was formally incorporated in the State of Iowa on February 1, 1913 as a Revised Domestic Non-Profit corporation (Corporation #081301). The town of Massena itself was platted by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad in 1883–1884 and incorporated in 1886, so by the time the parish was formally registered, the rural Catholic community had already taken shape. For more than a century since, the parish has been a steady presence for Catholics in Massena and the surrounding countryside.
- Incorporated: February 1, 1913
- Iowa Corporation Number: 081301
- Legal form: Revised Domestic Non-Profit
- Registered address (historical): 503 Main St, Massena, IA 50853
Parish Leadership & Staff
St. Patrick is pastored by Father Philip Yaw Bempong, who is also pastor of St. John Parish in Greenfield and travels to celebrate Mass at St. Patrick. The parish relies on a small team of lay leaders for its day-to-day life, as listed in the Diocese of Des Moines 2025–26 Parish Information directory.
- Pastor: Rev. Philip Yaw Bempong ([email protected])
- Parish Secretary: Linda Reineke ([email protected])
- Catechetical Leader / CCW: Chelsey Lee ([email protected], 712-779-0212)
- Liturgy Coordinator: Coni Curry (301 Main Street, Massena, 712-779-0064)
Faith Formation & Parish Life
Faith formation for children is coordinated by the parish's Catechetical Leader, Chelsey Lee, who also heads up the parish Council of Catholic Women. Liturgical worship is supported by a Liturgy Coordinator, Coni Curry, who helps prepare Sunday and weekday Masses. The parish office is staffed by Parish Secretary Linda Reineke, who is the primary contact for parish business.
- Catechetical Leader: Chelsey Lee
- Council of Catholic Women (CCW): Chelsey Lee
- Liturgy Coordinator: Coni Curry
- Parish Secretary: Linda Reineke
Visiting & Contact
St. Patrick's is located on Main Street in Massena, three blocks south of Highway 92 on the west side of Main Street. The parish can be reached by phone or email through the parish secretary; the pastor can also be reached through the Diocese of Des Moines at [email protected] or via his mobile line listed by parish directories.
- Address: 503 Main Street, Massena, IA 50853
- Phone: (712) 779-3397
- Fax: (712) 779-3350
- Email: [email protected]
- Pastor email: [email protected]
Diocese of Des Moines Context
St. Patrick is one of dozens of parishes in the Diocese of Des Moines, which serves Catholic faithful across central and southwest Iowa. Within the diocese's Atlantic Deanery — covering Adair, Audubon, Cass, Dallas, Guthrie, and Pottawattamie Counties — St. Patrick is grouped with neighboring rural parishes including St. John (Adair), St. John (Greenfield), All Saints (Stuart), St. Mary (Anita), Our Lady of Grace (Griswold), and St. Timothy (Reno/Cumberland).
- Atlantic Deanery parishes nearby: St. John (Greenfield), Our Lady of Grace (Griswold), St. Patrick (Lenox), St. Timothy (Reno/Cumberland)