About St John the Baptist · Houghton, Iowa
St. John the Baptist is a Roman Catholic parish in the small community of Houghton, in southeast Iowa's Lee County. Founded in the 1890s by farming families who had previously belonged to St. James the Less Parish in St. Paul, it is one of the oldest Catholic communities in the area and today serves about 188 families. The parish is part of the Diocese of Davenport and is currently linked with neighboring St. James the Less (St. Paul), St. Mary (West Point) and St. Boniface (Farmington), sharing a pastor, staff, and bulletin. Today the parish offers two Sunday Masses, several weekday Masses, and a staffed office with religious-education and liturgy staff.
- Established
- 1893
- Patron
- St. John the Baptist
- Rector
- Rev. Dan Dorau
- Diocese
- Diocese of Davenport
Why belong here
St. John the Baptist offers a small, family-sized Catholic community in southeast Iowa where parishioners still know each other by name, with two Sunday Masses and several weekday Masses celebrated in the parish's 1951 stone-and-brick church. Under the long combined pastorate of Fr. Dan Dorau, the parish shares a dedicated staff including a Director of Religious Education (Liz Linnenbrink), Deacon Mike Linnenbrink, a Liturgy Coordinator (Dixie Booten) and an office bookkeeper, and partners with three nearby parishes (St. James the Less in St. Paul, St. Mary in West Point, St. Boniface in Farmington) for shared bulletins and faith-formation support — making it a warm, rooted place for new families and longtime residents alike.
Mass times at St John the Baptist
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 9:15 AM – 10:15 AM (First Saturdays in February, April, June, August, October, December)
Parish History
Catholic families near Houghton were members of St. James Parish at St. Paul in 1890. After petitioning Bishop Cosgrove, six acres were deeded to him on February 28, 1893. The first St. John's church — a 37 x 66 ft. frame building — was built by local Catholic farmers from 1895 and completed in May 1896 at a cost of $2,800. The parish school opened February 1, 1897, and the church was dedicated on September 25, 1898 with Rev. John Kempker as first resident pastor.
- 1893 — Six acres deeded to Bishop Henry Cosgrove for a Houghton parish.
- 1896 — First frame church completed (cost $2,800).
- 1897 — Parish school opens with John Middendorf as teacher.
- 1898 — First Mass celebrated June 12; church dedicated September 25.
- 1901 — Father John Adam becomes pastor.
The Three Churches of St. John
The parish has built three successive churches on its Houghton property, the first two of which were both destroyed by fire. The first (1896) burned March 13, 1908; the second (1909) burned January 9, 1944. After the second fire, Masses were held in the school auditorium and basement while the present stone-and-brick church was planned and built (cornerstone laid December 1946; basement Mass in November 1950; full dedication June 1951).
- First church (frame, 37 x 66 ft.) — completed 1896, destroyed by fire March 13, 1908.
- Second church (brick, 44 x 108 ft., 100-ft. tower) — cornerstone 1908, dedicated Ascension Thursday May 20, 1909, destroyed by fire January 9, 1944.
- Present church (stone exterior, brick interior; 134 ft. long; 57-ft. tower) — cornerstone 1946, dedicated June 1951.
Parish School & Marquette
St. John's ran its own parish school from 1897, with Father John Adam inviting the Sisters of St. Francis to teach there in 1902. In 1914 the school was enlarged (with a chapel) and high school classes began in 1922. The school building was dedicated November 23, 1923. St. John's Catholic School merged into Marquette Catholic School in the fall of 1968; the Marquette school building in Houghton was demolished in 2005.
- 1897 — Parish school opens.
- 1902 — Sisters of St. Francis arrive to teach.
- 1914 — School enlarged; chapel added.
- 1922 — High school classes begin.
- 1968 — Merges into Marquette Catholic School.
- 2005 — Marquette school (Houghton) demolished.
Rectory & Property
Father Kempker erected a 28 x 48 ft. combined school/pastor's residence to the east of the first church. Father Adam built a brick rectory north of the church in 1902. A new rectory was completed October 20, 1963, after which the 1902 rectory was torn down; a glass-enclosed walkway connecting the new rectory to the church sacristy was completed in 1965. Father Van Waus acquired two additional acres for the parish in 1942.
- 1902 — Brick rectory built (Father Adam).
- 1942 — Two more acres acquired (Father Van Waus).
- 1963 — New rectory completed (Oct. 20).
- 1965 — Glass-enclosed walkway to sacristy completed.
Parish Staff & Leadership
The parish is staffed by Pastor Fr. Dan Dorau, Director of Religious Education Liz Linnenbrink, Deacon Mike Linnenbrink, Liturgy Coordinator Dixie Booten, and Administration/Bookkeeper Jen Merschman. Joan Holtkamp and Rebecca Hannum are also listed as parish staff contacts. Fr. Dorau also serves St. James the Less (St. Paul), St. Mary (West Point) and St. Boniface (Farmington) parishes.
- Pastor: Fr. Dan Dorau
- Director of Religious Education: Liz Linnenbrink
- Deacon: Mike Linnenbrink
- Liturgy Coordinator: Dixie Booten
- Administration / Bookkeeper: Jen Merschman
- Staff: Joan Holtkamp, Rebecca Hannum
Parish Ministries & Faith Formation
Day-to-day parish life is supported by a Director of Religious Education, a Liturgy Coordinator, and a deacon. The parish shares its bulletin and certain ministries with three nearby parishes (St. James the Less in St. Paul, St. Mary in West Point, and St. Boniface in Farmington), forming a regional Catholic community in southeast Iowa's Lee County.
- Religious Education / Faith Formation
- Liturgy Coordination
- Diaconate Ministry
- Parish Office & Bookkeeping
Visiting & Contacting the Parish
St. John the Baptist is located at 205 Denning Street, Houghton, Iowa 52631, with a mailing address of PO Box 100, Houghton, IA 52631. The parish office can be reached at 319-469-2001 and is open Tuesdays 9 AM–2 PM and Thursdays 9 AM–1 PM. The parish website is stjj.weconnect.com, and the parish encourages visitors to 'Friend us on Facebook.'
- Address: 205 Denning Street, Houghton, IA 52631
- Mailing: PO Box 100, Houghton, IA 52631
- Phone: 319-469-2001
- Office Hours: Tuesday 9 AM–2 PM; Thursday 9 AM–1 PM
- Website: stjj.weconnect.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Kempker1898–1901
First pastor assigned to Houghton; celebrated first Mass June 12, 1898; completed and furnished the first church; built combined school/pastor's residence.
- Rev. John Adam1901–1940
Served 39 years until his death Oct. 4, 1940. Built 1902 brick rectory, invited Sisters of St. Francis to teach, oversaw rebuilding after 1908 fire and expansion of school in 1914/1923.
- Rev. James Gookin1940–1941
Came to Houghton after Father Adam's death; brief tenure.
- Rev. Charles A. B. Van Waus1941–1944
Had Father Paul Budreau as assistant due to ill health; acquired two more acres in 1942; retired after 1944 fire.
- Rev. Albert R. Goetzman1944–1982
Installed Feb. 20, 1944; oversaw construction and 1951 dedication of the present stone church; built new 1963 rectory; retired Jan. 14, 1982; died July 6, 1982.
- Rev. Robert Striegel1982–1991
Feb. 19, 1982 – June 3, 1991.
- Rev. John Spiegel1991–1999
July 2, 1991 – July 6, 1999.
- Rev. Dennis Hoffman1999–2013
Appointed July 7, 1999; oversaw interior restoration blessed by Bishop William Franklin on September 12, 2001; preceded Father Gary Beckman.
- Rev. Gary Beckmanpre-2013
Served before Father Bruce DeRammelaere.
- Rev. Bruce DeRammelaere2013–2020
Replaced Father Beckman in 2013; served until 2020.
- Rev. Dan Dorau2020–present
Began July 2020; current pastor of the linked St. John the Baptist (Houghton), St. James the Less (St. Paul), St. Mary (West Point) and St. Boniface (Farmington) parishes.