About SS Mary and Mathias · Muscatine, Iowa
Saints Mary and Mathias is a Roman Catholic parish in Muscatine, Iowa, belonging to the Diocese of Davenport. The parish is the historic successor of St. Mathias Parish, founded in 1841 — making it one of the oldest Catholic congregations in the state — and today it is a multilingual community offering Mass in English and Spanish. Worship, faith formation, a parish school (Preschool through Grade 8), youth ministry, RCIA, and outreach flow out of the parish campus at 215 W. 8th Street, which includes the current church built in 1910–1911 and the preserved original 1842 chapel — a tiny Greek Revival church once rafted down the Mississippi from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
- Established
- 1841
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Matthias the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Chris Weber
- Diocese
- Diocese of Davenport
Why belong here
Saints Mary & Mathias welcomes Catholics and seekers across languages and generations: a Saturday vigil and two Sunday English Masses are complemented by a monthly Spanish Mass (last Sunday of the month at 12:30 PM), and weekday Masses are offered Tuesday through Friday. The parish grounds include the oldest Catholic church in Iowa — the 1842 St. Mathias chapel — alongside the 1910 church, a parish school serving Preschool through 8th grade, and a parish center. A full life of formation runs from RCIA for adults becoming Catholic, to Confirmation preparation, parish religious education, an active Middle School Youth Ministry (which participates in the Iowa Catholic Youth Conference), and ongoing sacramental and outreach ministries.
Mass times at SS Mary and Mathias
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM (before Mass)
- Wednesday: 12:45 PM (immediately following the 12:10 PM Mass)
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday: 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM (before the 5:00 PM Mass)
Adoration times
- Thursday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
Parish Identity and History
Saints Mary and Mathias traces its origin to January 25, 1841, when Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, O.P., celebrated the first Catholic Mass in Muscatine (then Bloomington) at the home of Mrs. Hannah McCrow. In 1842, Bishop Mathias Loras of Dubuque arranged for a 20-by-30-foot Greek Revival frame church to be built at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, then floated down the Mississippi by raft and re-erected at Second and Cedar Streets. That chapel — St. Matthias — still stands on the parish grounds and is recognized as the oldest Catholic church in Iowa. The current main church was built in 1910–1911, and Saints Mary and Mathias Catholic School, now serving Preschool through Grade 8, opened in its present form in 1955. The Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission, established in 1975 to serve Spanish-speaking Catholics, merged into the parish in 2005.
- Founded 1841 (first Mass January 25, 1841)
- Original 1842 chapel preserved on parish grounds
- Current church built 1910–1911
- Parish school built 1955
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission merged in 2005
- St. Mary and St. Mathias parishes merged 1999
- Designated Jubilee pilgrimage church 2016 and 2025
- Parish center named for Father Mazzuchelli
Saints Mary & Mathias Catholic School
The parish operates Saints Mary and Mathias Catholic School, a state-accredited Catholic school serving Preschool through 8th grade on the parish campus. The school has its roots in the parish's first schoolroom, added to the original chapel in 1853, and moved into its current building in 1955. The school partners with the parish and the Diocese of Davenport to provide faith-based education that nurtures moral development, lifelong learning, and stewardship.
- Preschool through Grade 8
- State-accredited, Diocese of Davenport
- Virtue-centered, Christ-centered education
- Parent Portal available through the school website (muscatinesaints.org)
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation at Saints Mary & Mathias spans the whole arc of parish life: Parish Religious Education (PRE) for grade-school children, Confirmation preparation ordinarily in 8th through 10th grade (with a Confirmation retreat that includes dinner and small-group time), and the R.C.I.A. (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) for those becoming Catholic or returning to the faith. The parish also has a Director of Formation & Evangelization coordinating these ministries.
- Parish Religious Education Program (PRE)
- Confirmation prep (8th–10th grade) and Confirmation retreat
- R.C.I.A. for adults — Becoming Catholic track
- Adult Confirmation / Returning Catholics track
Youth Ministry
Middle School Youth Ministry exists to help 6th through 8th graders encounter Jesus Christ through large-group community events, small-group faith sharing, service, and participation in the Iowa Catholic Youth Conference (ICYC). High School Youth Ministry, Confirmation prep, and service opportunities round out the parish's youth programming. The parish team includes a Minister of Faith Formation and a Youth Ministry Coordinator.
- Middle School Youth Ministry (6th–8th grade)
- Iowa Catholic Youth Conference (ICYC) participation
- High School Youth Ministry
- Confirmation retreat and small groups
- Youth volunteer opportunities during Mass
Hispanic / Spanish-Language Ministry
The parish has ministered to Spanish-speaking Catholics since the 1950s, when Mexican migrants began settling in the Muscatine area. The Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission was established in 1975 and formally merged into Saints Mary and Mathias in 2005. Today the parish offers a monthly Spanish Mass on the last Sunday of the month at 12:30 PM, Spanish-language holy day Masses, and a bilingual parish secretary (Maria Frausto) who can assist Spanish-speaking parishioners in their language.
- Spanish Mass last Sunday of the month, 12:30 PM
- Bilingual parish secretary (habla Español)
- Spanish-language holy day Masses (e.g., Assumption)
Community Life and Fellowship
Community life at Saints Mary & Mathias is marked by long-standing traditions that bring parishioners together across generations. After each Sunday Mass, the parish hosts Coffee and Doughnuts in Gannon Hall. The annual Fish Fry is a parish tradition, and the parish also sponsors a booth at the Muscatine County Fair, distributing rosaries and prayer cards and engaging fair-goers. GriefShare provides a faith-based support ministry for those who are grieving.
- Doughnut Sunday after each Mass
- Annual Parish Fish Fry
- Muscatine County Fair booth outreach
- GriefShare support group
Online Giving, Bulletins, and Communications
Parishioners can support the parish through E-Giving, and the parish publishes weekly bulletins online. Saturday 5:00 PM Mass is livestreamed on the parish's YouTube channel, and an archive of past Masses is available there. The parish also sends e-newsletters and text messages to keep families connected with parish news and religious education updates.
- E-Giving options
- Online bulletins
- Livestream Saturday 5:00 PM Mass on YouTube
- E-newsletters and parish text messaging
Contact and Visit
The parish office is staffed by Maria Frausto, the parish secretary, who is bilingual in English and Spanish. Visitors and parishioners can call (563) 263-1416 during office hours or email [email protected]. The parish grounds include the historic 1842 chapel, the 1910 church, the school, and the Mazzuchelli Center — all within walking distance of downtown Muscatine at 215 W. 8th Street.
- Address: 215 W. 8th Street, Muscatine, IA 52761
- Phone: (563) 263-1416
- Parish office email: [email protected]
- Parish secretary: Maria Frausto (habla Español) — [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, OP1841–early 1840s (missionary)
Italian Dominican who celebrated the first Mass in Bloomington/Muscatine on January 25, 1841, in the home of Mrs. Hannah McCrow.
- Rev. P. T. McCormick1851 (a few months)
First resident priest assigned to the parish.
- Rev. Phillip Laurent1851 onward (decades)
Took charge in November 1851; shepherded the parish through its mid-19th-century growth and the addition of the school room in 1852–1853.
- Fr. Richmondaround 2017
Pastor during the parish's 175th anniversary celebration.
- Rev. Chris Weber2020–present
Current pastor, priest of the Diocese of Davenport; previously served as Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry at the parish.