About St. Boniface Spires of Faith · New Vienna, Iowa
St. Boniface Parish in New Vienna, Iowa is a historic Catholic parish founded in 1846 by Bishop Mathias Loras of Dubuque, making it one of the oldest congregations in northeast Iowa. It belongs to the Spires of Faith Cluster, a five-parish network that includes St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville, SS. Peter and Paul in Petersburg, St. Paul in Worthington, and St. Joseph in Earlville. The parish is renowned for its striking 200-foot Gothic spire and is the centerpiece of the St. Boniface of New Vienna Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Today the parish is served by Father David Schatz as pastor and shares staff and faith-formation resources with its sister parishes across western Dubuque and eastern Delaware counties.
- Established
- 1846
- Patron
- St. Boniface
- Rector
- Rev. David Schatz
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. Boniface is a small but deeply rooted rural Catholic community with more than 175 years of history and a stunning 200-foot Gothic spire that still draws visitors from across the region. The parish is part of the Spires of Faith Cluster, so members benefit from shared clergy (a pastor and two associate pastors), cluster-wide faith formation for children and adults (including RCIA / OCIA), the That Man Is You men's program, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage events, and one of the area's few intact historic pipe organs still in regular use. With daily Mass, a welcoming parish council and finance committee, and an active cemetery association, St. Boniface offers both a quiet, prayerful country parish life and the wider fellowship of five northeast Iowa Catholic churches.
Mass times at St. Boniface Spires of Faith
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Cluster-wide confession available — contact the parish office at (563) 875-7325 for the current schedule
Adoration times
- Eucharistic Adoration is offered across the Spires of Faith Cluster (specific St. Boniface times listed on the parish's Adoration page on spiresoffaith.com)
St. Boniface Parish — New Vienna, Iowa
St. Boniface is the Catholic parish church for New Vienna and the surrounding countryside in western Dubuque County, Iowa. Founded in 1846, it is one of the oldest parishes in the Archdiocese of Dubuque and is the visual and spiritual heart of the Spires of Faith Cluster. The church is open every day from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, and visitors are welcome to stop in for a self-guided tour or call the cluster office to arrange a guided visit.
- Address: 7401 Columbus St., New Vienna, IA 52065
- Cluster office phone: (563) 875-7325
- Parish secretary: Jane Knipper
- Hours: church open daily 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
History of St. Boniface
German-American settlers from Ohio celebrated the first Mass in the New Vienna area with Bishop Mathias Loras on January 6, 1846. A log church followed in 1848; a stone church replaced it in 1855; and the present Gothic church — with its 200-foot spire — was dedicated by Bishop Hennessy in 1887. The parish complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 as the St. Boniface of New Vienna Historic District.
- 1846 — First Mass in New Vienna at Hermann Wiechmann's home
- 1848 — First log church built (24 ft × 30 ft)
- 1855 — Larger stone church completed; first bells rung on Easter Sunday
- 1887 — Present Gothic church dedicated by Bishop Hennessy
- 1999 — Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (#99001207)
- 2025 — Additional documentation submitted to the National Register
The Church Building and Its Treasures
The 1887 church measures 172 by 62 feet with 35-foot walls and a 200-foot spire. Its stained-glass windows are 14 by 30 feet. Five carved-wood altars remain, including the high altar built by E. Hackner of La Crosse, Wisconsin. The parish's 1891 Schuelke organ — one of the few intact instruments of its kind — is still in use and was featured in a recording by the Organ Media Foundation.
- Architectural style: Gothic Revival
- Dimensions: 172 ft × 62 ft; walls 35 ft high
- Spire height: 200 ft
- Stained-glass windows: 14 ft × 30 ft
- Altars: five carved-wood altars; high altar by E. Hackner, La Crosse WI ($5,000)
- Organ: 1891 Schuelke Organ Company — one of the few intact Schuelke organs still existing
- 2010 sinkhole discovery during north-side entryway construction
Spires of Faith Cluster
St. Boniface is one of five parishes in the Spires of Faith Cluster, a network of Catholic churches spread across western Dubuque and eastern Delaware counties. The cluster shares clergy, staff, faith formation, and sacramental preparation, and members of one parish are welcomed at any of the others.
- St. Francis Xavier Basilica — Dyersville
- SS. Peter and Paul — Petersburg
- St. Paul — Worthington
- St. Joseph — Earlville
- St. Boniface — New Vienna
- Cluster office: 104 3rd St. SW, Dyersville, IA 52040 — (563) 875-7325
- Office hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Clergy and Staff
St. Boniface is served by a shared pastoral team that ministers to the entire Spires of Faith Cluster.
- Rev. David Schatz — Pastor
- Rev. Georges Midiangu — Associate Pastor
- Rev. Hung Le — Associate Pastor
- Deacon James Steger
- Jane Knipper — Secretary for St. Joseph, SS. Peter & Paul, and St. Boniface
Sacraments
The cluster prepares parishioners for the Sacraments of Initiation, Marriage, and more. Infant Baptism requires a one-time preparation class for first-time parents, offered every other month at the Dyersville Parish Rectory. Adults enter the Church through OCIA (formerly RCIA), with weekly gatherings three nights a month from 6:30–8:00 pm. Older children who have not been baptized are welcomed into the Order of Christian Initiation of Children (OCIC).
- Infant Baptism — preparation class required
- OCIA / RCIA for adults — three nights/month, 6:30–8:00 pm
- OCIC for children age 5+
- Marriage — contact Fr. David Schatz
- First Communion and Confirmation through cluster Faith Formation
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Cluster-wide Faith Formation classes for children meet weekly on Wednesday evenings from 6:30–7:45 pm during the school year. For 2025–2026, classes are held at St. Francis Xavier Elementary School in Dyersville. Registration is handled through the cluster office.
- Faith Formation: Wednesdays 6:30–7:45 pm, September – April
- Location: St. Francis Xavier Elementary School, Dyersville
- Contact: Casey McCarraher, Director of Faith Formation — (563) 875-7325
- Registration via spiresoffaith.com
Parish Life and Fellowship
St. Boniface maintains an active Parish Council and Finance Committee, publishes seasonal ministry schedules, and participates in cluster fellowship events such as the annual cluster pool party at the Dyersville Aquatic Center (jointly with the Blessed Trinity Cluster).
- Parish Council: Fr. David Schatz, Charlie Deutmeyer, Al Wente, Dave Krapfl, Gerry Schneiter, Michelle Klas, Amy Hageman, Bob Hageman
- Finance Committee: Fr. David Schatz, Al Wente, Bob Hageman
- Cluster pool party and other shared fellowship events
- That Man Is You (TMIY) men's program
- National Eucharistic Pilgrimage cluster events
St. Boniface Cemetery
The St. Boniface Cemetery is administered by the St. Boniface Cemetery Association, which was incorporated in Iowa on February 23, 1938 as a Revised Domestic Non-Profit. The association publishes regulations governing the cemetery and its monuments.
- St. Boniface Cemetery Association — incorporated Feb. 23, 1938
- Cemetery contacts: Pat Engelken (563-451-6475) and Wayne Brunsman (563-599-2675)
- Cemetery & Monument Regulations published on the parish website
Councils, Minutes, and Governance
St. Boniface publishes its Parish Council and Finance Committee membership on the parish website, along with council minutes from recent years (2022–2023) and combined pastoral council minutes across the cluster.
- April 2022 St. Boniface Council Minutes (PDF)
- November 2022 St. Boniface Council Minutes (PDF)
- May 18, 2023 Combined Pastoral Council Minutes (PDF)
- September 21 Combined Pastoral Council Minutes (PDF)
- October 19, 2023 Combined Pastoral Council Minutes (PDF)
Visiting St. Boniface
Visitors are welcome any day between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm. The cluster office can also arrange a guided tour by calling (563) 875-7325. The church stands in the northern section of New Vienna, divided by Iowa Highway 136, and is part of the St. Boniface of New Vienna Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 7401 Columbus St., New Vienna, IA 52065
- Open daily 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
- Self-guided tours welcome; guided tours by appointment
- Located on Iowa Highway 136 in northern New Vienna
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Frederick Papereturned 1882
Native son of the parish; directed the building of the present Gothic church, dedicated by Bishop Hennessy in 1887.