About St. Cecilia · Sanborn, Iowa
St. Cecilia Catholic Church was a Roman-Latin rite parish located at 306 E. 4th Street in Sanborn, Iowa, part of the Diocese of Sioux City. It served the Catholic community of Sanborn in O'Brien County and was historically part of the parish grouping of Catholic churches overseen by Sacred Heart Parish. After the Diocese consolidated Mass locations in O'Brien County to St. Joseph's in Hartley and St. Anthony in Primghar in 2018, the parish held a Final Mass on February 16, 2025, and the church was sold in2025 to Sanborn Housing & Development, which is transforming the building into affordable studio apartments.
- Patron
- St. Cecilia
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux City
Why belong here
St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Sanborn served as a beloved worship space for generations of Catholic families in O'Brien County, Iowa, with roots stretching back to the railroad era. Though regular Mass ended in 2018 and the parish held its Final Mass on February 16, 2025, the church long stood as a spiritual and social hub for the small town. Catholic sacramental records for former St. Cecilia's parishioners are now maintained through St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Hartley, part of the Diocese of Sioux City.
History of St. Cecilia's Catholic Church
St. Cecilia's Catholic Church served the small town of Sanborn, Iowa, in O'Brien County, as part of the Diocese of Sioux City. Like other churches in Sanborn, Catholic worship in the community began informally — with residents taking turns hosting services in their homes before moving to the train depot waiting room and the first 1880 schoolhouse. The parish was established and named in honor of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music and musicians, whose feast day is celebrated on November 22. In 2018, regular Mass was consolidated in O'Brien County to St. Joseph's in Hartley and St. Anthony in Primghar. A Final Mass was held at St. Cecilia's on February 16, 2025, and the church was sold in June 2025.
The Final Mass of2025
On Sunday, February 16, 2025, a Final Mass was celebrated at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Sanborn prior to the church being put up for sale. Father Kevin Richter and Father Tim Hogan concelebrated the Mass and shared greetings from other priests who had served St. Cecilia's over the years. Historical photos were displayed, and a fellowship time followed the service with many memories shared. Among the attendees was a couple from out of town who had been married in St. Cecilia's over 50 years earlier.
- Date: Sunday, February 16, 2025
- Concelebrants: Father Kevin Richter, Father Tim Hogan
- Director of Faith Formation (Sacred Heart Parish): Megan Wagner
Closure and Sale of the Building
Following the February 2025 Final Mass, Megan Wagner, Director of Faith Formation for Sacred Heart Parish (which oversees Catholic churches in O'Brien County), confirmed that St. Cecilia's was for sale. On June 30, 2025, the building was sold to Sanborn Housing & Development (SHD) for $30,000. SHD is converting the former church into 10 new studio apartments as part of an affordable housing project, with completion anticipated later in the year. Local leaders expressed hope that the building would continue to impact many lives in its new form.
- Sold to: Sanborn Housing & Development (SHD)
- Sale price: $30,000
- Sale date: June 30, 2025
- Future use: 10 studio apartments
Diocese and Sacramental Records
St. Cecilia's was part of the Diocese of Sioux City, which serves the Catholic faithful in northwest Iowa. The parish was grouped under Sacred Heart Parish for faith formation and administrative oversight across O'Brien County. Following the consolidation of Mass locations in O'Brien County and the eventual sale of St. Cecilia's church building, sacramental records for the former parish are maintained at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Hartley.
- Diocese: Diocese of Sioux City
- Sacramental records: St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Hartley, Iowa
Faith Formation and Community Ties
Catholic faith formation in O'Brien County — including the parishes formerly served by St. Cecilia's — is coordinated through Sacred Heart Parish under Director of Faith Formation Megan Wagner. The 2025 Final Mass was followed by a fellowship time in which parishioners shared memories and hopes for the future of the building that had been a central worship space for the community.
- Director of Faith Formation: Megan Wagner
- Oversight: Sacred Heart Parish
Sanborn, Iowa — The Wider Community
Sanborn is a small community in O'Brien County, Iowa, founded in the late 19th century alongside the Milwaukee Railroad and named after George W. Sanborn, the first superintendent of the Iowa and Dakota division. St. Cecilia's was one of eight churches serving the town, which also includes Christian Reformed, Cornerstone Orthodox Reformed, First Reformed, Grace Evangelical Free, First Presbyterian, St. Andrew's United Methodist, and St. Johns Lutheran congregations. The town's population is approximately 1,400, and many Catholic families in Sanborn and surrounding rural areas were served by St. Cecilia's throughout its history.
- Population (approx.): 1,400
- Other Sanborn churches: Christian Reformed, Cornerstone Orthodox Reformed, First Reformed, Grace Evangelical Free, First Presbyterian, St. Andrew's United Methodist, St. Johns Lutheran
- Local newspaper: The Sanborn Pioneer