About St. Boniface · Sioux City, Iowa
St. Boniface Catholic Church is a historic parish of the Diocese of Sioux City, located at 703 West 5th Street on the west side of downtown Sioux City, Iowa. Founded in 1885–1886 by 23 German-speaking families, it was the second Catholic parish in the city and reflects the deep German immigrant roots of its founders through its namesake, Saint Boniface, the 'Apostle of Germany.' Today St. Boniface is clustered with the Cathedral of the Epiphany and St. Joseph Church under one pastoral team, sharing priests, deacons, faith formation, and ministry staff. The current parish campus — church, rectory, school, and heating plant — forms the St. Boniface Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998, and St. Boniface continues to serve a diverse, bilingual Catholic community in Sioux City with Masses in English and Spanish.
- Established
- 1886
- Patron
- Saint Boniface (Apostle of Germany)
- Rector
- Rev. Jeremy Wind (Rector & Pastor of the Cathedral of the Epiphany / St. Joseph / St. Boniface cluster); Very Rev. David Esquiliano, JCL, JV also serves as Rector
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux City
Why belong here
St. Boniface is a parish where a 140-year-old German immigrant heritage meets a present-day bilingual Catholic community. A parishioner or visitor finds weekend Masses in both English and Spanish in a nationally registered historic church — one with 73 stained-glass windows and the tallest spire in early-20th-century Sioux City — alongside the active faith life of the Cathedral of the Epiphany / St. Joseph / St. Boniface cluster. There are warm points of entry for almost anyone: faith formation for children, adult sacramental preparation and RCIA, the Spanish-language Emaus Charismatic Group that meets Sundays in St. Boniface Hall, Knights of Columbus Council #743, liturgical ministries (servers, lectors, extraordinary ministers), and parish Bible studies.
Mass times at St. Boniface
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM at St. Boniface
- Sunday 7:45 AM – 8:15 AM at St. Boniface
- Monday–Friday 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM at Cathedral of the Epiphany
- Friday 11:15 AM – 11:45 AM at Cathedral of the Epiphany
- Saturday 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM at Cathedral of the Epiphany
History of St. Boniface
St. Boniface was born from a December 1885 meeting of 23 German-speaking Catholic families in Sioux City — the city's second Catholic parish. They bought two lots on West Fifth and Main Streets for $1,500 and, on Christmas Eve 1886, welcomed their first pastor, Rev. John A. Gerleman. The first Mass was celebrated on July 17, 1887, and the parish school opened that September with Franciscan Sisters from Dubuque as teachers. Originally part of the Diocese of Dubuque, St. Boniface joined the new Diocese of Sioux City when it was created in 1902. The parish's identity today — bilingual, historically German-rooted, Franciscan-tended, then diocesan — was set in this founding decade.
The Present Church (1911) and Its Architects
In 1906 Franciscan pastor Rev. Seraphin Lampe, OFM, began planning a much larger church. Brother Leonard Darschield, OFM — a Franciscan architect — designed the new Romanesque Revival church and matching rectory on West Fifth Street between Omaha and Cook. Bishop Philip Joseph Garrigan dedicated the building on September 4, 1911. The 162½-foot spire made St. Boniface the tallest structure in Sioux City, a landmark visible for miles. The exterior is clad in Buffalo, New York brick with Bedford limestone trim.
- Architect (church & rectory): Brother Leonard Darschield, OFM
- Dedicated September 4, 1911 by Bishop Philip Joseph Garrigan
- Built of Buffalo (NY) brick with Bedford limestone trim
- Rib-vaulted interior ceiling rising 54 feet
- Pipe organ, four confessionals, Stations of the Cross, side altars with statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph
- High altar with statues of St. Boniface and St. Patrick
Stained Glass and Interior Art
St. Boniface is celebrated for its stained-glass program. The parish's history page describes 73 glass windows; the National Register nomination cites 66 stained-glass windows in the original 1910 Munich production, including round-arched windows and a rose window. The windows on the outside walls represent the Seven Sacraments; additional windows depict Saints Boniface, Francis of Assisi, Thérèse, Patrick, Agatha, and Agnes.
- Munich-made stained glass from 1910
- Rose window on the front facade
- Seven-Sacrament cycle on the side walls
- Patron and saint windows: Boniface, Francis, Thérèse, Patrick, Agatha, Agnes
Parish School and Convent
The parish school opened with 28 students in 1887 and grew quickly. By 1924 enrollment had reached 337 students, prompting a new two-story brick school and matching heating plant designed by prominent Sioux City Prairie School architect William LaBarthe Steele to complement the Romanesque church. The original Franciscan convent, also designed by Brother Leonard and built in 1911, was torn down in 1993 after a fire gutted its interior — the site was converted to additional parking. The Sisters of the Living Word began staffing the school in 1975.
- School opened September 1887 with 28 students
- New school and heating plant dedicated 1924 (architect William LaBarthe Steele)
- Enrollment of 337 by 1924
- Convent destroyed by fire 1993; site became parking
- Sisters of the Living Word served the school from 1975
Religious Orders and the Centennial Transition
St. Boniface was shaped by successive religious orders. The Franciscan Sisters from Dubuque taught the school from the beginning; the Franciscan Fathers of the Sacred Heart Province took charge of the parish in 1906; and the Sisters of the Living Word joined the school in 1975. After the parish's centennial in 1986, the Franciscan Friars departed and diocesan priests assumed leadership of the parish — a transition that coincided with consolidation of local Catholic schools.
- Franciscan Sisters from Dubuque (from 1887)
- Franciscan Fathers of the Sacred Heart Province (from 1906)
- Sisters of the Living Word (from 1975)
- Diocesan priests assume leadership after 1986 centennial
Holy Family School and the Cluster Parishes
In 1987 the St. Boniface School merged with St. Joseph and Epiphany Schools to form Holy Family School — a consolidation that also brought the three parishes together as a pastoral cluster. Today St. Boniface shares priests, deacons, faith-formation staff, and liturgical scheduling (via Ministry Scheduler Pro) with the Cathedral of the Epiphany (1003 Douglas Street) and St. Joseph Church (1112 8th Street). The St. Boniface Center eventually closed in 2004, and the parish's main administrative offices are at the Epiphany Center, 1000 Douglas Street.
- Holy Family School formed 1987
- Three parishes clustered under one pastoral team
- St. Boniface Center closed 2004
- Parish offices at Epiphany Center, 1000 Douglas Street
St. Boniface Historic District
The St. Boniface campus was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 5, 1998 (NRHP #98001322) as the St. Boniface Historic District. The 2.3-acre district occupies an entire city block west of downtown Sioux City and contains three contributing buildings: the Romanesque Revival church and rectory (1910–1911), the Prairie School-influenced school (1924), and the residence / heating plant with its 98-foot smokestack (1924). The complex is regarded as a nationally significant, near-intact early-20th-century religious neighborhood.
- NRHP #98001322, listed November 5, 1998
- Three contributing buildings
- Architects: Brother Leonard Darschield, OFM (church & rectory) and William LaBarthe Steele (school & heating plant)
- 2.3-acre district
Clergy, Deacons, and Parish Staff
St. Boniface is served by the cluster's pastoral team. The Rector & Pastor is Rev. Jeremy Wind; the Very Rev. David Esquiliano, JCL, JV serves as Parochial Vicar (and is identified as Rector in marriage-preparation materials) and also as diocesan Chief of Staff / Special Assistant to the Bishop / Director of Pastoral Planning and Chancellor. Fr. Andrew Galles — a Remsen, Iowa native, Iowa State architecture graduate, and ordained June 3, 2017 at the Cathedral — serves as Parochial Vicar and diocesan Director of Worship and Episcopal Master of Ceremonies to Bishop R. Walker Nickless. Fr. Travis Crotty is also a Parochial Vicar. Deacons Bruce Chartier, Jorge Fernandez, and Mark Prosser assist across the cluster. Lay staff include Santa Fernandez (Director of Faith and Sacramental Formation), Julie Krogh (Parish Life Director), Carla Kramper (Bookkeeper), Edith Munoz (Director of Operations), Arcelia Lopez, a Director of Sacred Music, and Troy Olson (Maintenance).
- Rev. Jeremy Wind — Rector & Pastor
- Very Rev. David Esquiliano, JCL, JV — Parochial Vicar / Rector; diocesan Chief of Staff
- Rev. Andrew Galles — Parochial Vicar; Diocesan Director of Worship
- Rev. Travis Crotty — Parochial Vicar
- Deacons Bruce Chartier, Jorge Fernandez, Mark Prosser
- Santa Fernandez — Director of Faith and Sacramental Formation
- Julie Krogh — Parish Life Director
- Carla Kramper — Bookkeeper
- Edith Munoz — Director of Operations
Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation
Faith formation is led by Santa Fernandez, Director of Faith and Sacramental Formation, across the three-cluster parishes. Children's religious education is offered through the parish, while adults who have been baptized Catholic but have not received Confirmation or First Communion can complete their initiation through one-on-one or small-group sessions. The unbaptized and Christians baptized in other traditions are welcomed through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA). Instruction is available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
- Children's religious education (registration available through the parish)
- Adult Sacramental Preparation (Confirmation / First Communion)
- RCIA — Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
- Formation offered in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese
Liturgical Ministries
Servers, Lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion serve at weekend Masses across the cluster, including St. Boniface. Volunteers are trained by one of the parish deacons and scheduled through Ministry Scheduler Pro, which lets them request dates and trade times up to three months in advance. The system serves volunteers across all three clustered churches — Cathedral of the Epiphany, St. Boniface, and St. Joseph.
- Altar Servers
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Ministry Scheduler Pro scheduling
- Training by a parish deacon
Parish Life and Community Groups
The cluster's parish-life ministry emphasizes connection and involvement. The Emaus Charismatic Group of the Catholic Renewal (Renovación Carismática) is a primarily Spanish-speaking community that meets Sundays 2:00–6:00 PM in St. Boniface Hall, organizing spring and fall retreats, fundraisers, vigils, and other events. Knights of Columbus Council #743 hosts monthly Parish Breakfasts, Bingo Nights, and Taco Dinners, raising funds for the Perpetual Adoration Chapel, altar servers, and other parish needs. Bible studies are offered seasonally, including a recent Easter series 'The Power of the Resurrection' led by Fr. Jeremy Wind on Thursdays at 6:45 PM, and ongoing Bible study with Fr. Crotty.
- Emaus Charismatic Group — Sundays 2–6 PM at St. Boniface Hall
- Knights of Columbus Council #743 — monthly breakfasts, bingo, taco dinners
- Easter Bible Study 'The Power of the Resurrection' with Fr. Wind
- Bible Study with Fr. Crotty
Getting Married at St. Boniface
Couples wishing to marry in the cluster are asked to contact the parish 9–12 months before the proposed wedding date. After submitting an inquiry, couples meet with Fr. Esquiliano to plan preparation and confirm a realistic date. Couples may choose a preferred cleric from Fr. Esquiliano, Fr. Galles, Fr. Wind, Deacon Chartier, Deacon Fernandez, or Deacon Prosser, subject to availability and the Rector's approval.
- Contact parish 9–12 months before wedding
- Initial meeting with Fr. Esquiliano
- Preferred cleric may be selected from the priest/deacon staff
Visiting St. Boniface
St. Boniface Church is open for visits and prayer Saturday 3:00–5:00 PM and Sunday 7:45–11:30 AM. The parish office (Epiphany Center) is at 1000 Douglas Street, Sioux City, IA 51105; office hours are Monday 9–2, Tuesday 9–4, Wednesday 9–1 and 2–4, Thursday 9–4, Friday 9–2 (closed weekends). Phone (712) 255-1637, fax (712) 255-4194.
- St. Boniface Church open Saturday 3–5 PM and Sunday 7:45–11:30 AM
- Parish offices at Epiphany Center, 1000 Douglas Street
- Phone (712) 255-1637
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John A. Gerleman1886
First pastor of St. Boniface; appointed Christmas Eve 1886; celebrated first Mass July 17, 1887
- Rev. Seraphin Lampe, OFM1906
Franciscan friar who became pastor in 1906 and began plans for the present Romanesque Revival church
- Diocesan priests1986
Diocesan clergy assumed leadership of the parish following the 1986 centennial, ending a century of Franciscan service