About St. John the Evangelist / St. JPII Cluster · Independence, Iowa
St. John the Evangelist is a Catholic parish in Independence, Iowa, part of the St. John Paul II Cluster alongside St. Patrick's in nearby Winthrop. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Dubuque and traces its roots to 1856, when Catholics in Independence first built a frame church dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. Today the parish is served by Father David Beckman (since July 2016), a deacon, a pastoral associate, and lay ministers. The community worships in a historic gothic-style church that has been remodeled twice since a 1943 tornado, and continues to operate a K–8 school that grew out of a parish education program begun in the 1870s.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- St. John the Evangelist
- Rector
- Father David Beckman
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. John the Evangelist offers the rhythm of a historic small-town parish — Saturday evening and Sunday morning Mass in a downtown gothic church, weekly Reconciliation, and an active cluster of committees — paired with the breadth of a two-parish cluster serving roughly 1,000 families across Independence and Winthrop. Members can grow in faith through faith formation, RCIA, the Pro-Life and Social Concerns committees, and a music ministry that includes cantors, instrumentalists, a Jubilee Choir, and a Resurrection Choir, while supporting a thriving K–8 Catholic school. It is a place where lay people, a deacon, a pastoral associate, and the pastor share ministry side by side, in the spirit of the cluster's patron, Pope St. John Paul II.
Mass times at St. John the Evangelist / St. JPII Cluster
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15–3:45 PM (St. John's)
- Sunday 9:15–9:45 AM (St. John's)
Welcome from the Pastor
Father David Beckman, pastor since July 2016, greets visitors on the parish website, describing the cluster as a Catholic family that worships, learns, shares faith experiences, and supports one another on a lifelong journey with God. He frames parishioners as the servants of the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), each richly gifted and called to invest those gifts in others. Newcomers and those starting their own households are warmly invited to join by calling the cluster office at 319-334-7191.
History of St. John the Evangelist
From its 1856 frame-church beginnings under traveling priests, through the 1864 brick church built by Father John Gosker, the 1882 founding of the German-language St. Joseph Parish, and the construction of the present gothic church under Father Peter O'Dowd, St. John's has been a steady Catholic presence in Independence for more than 165 years. A 1943 tornado damaged the church; repairs and a 1984–1985 Vatican II redecoration shaped the worship space parishioners know today.
- 1856 – First frame church built, dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus
- 1862 – Father John Gosker arrives as first resident pastor
- 1864 – Brick church built facing 4th Ave NE; parish takes name St. John the Evangelist
- 1882 – German families form St. Joseph Parish
- 1884 – St. Joseph Church completed; Father Joseph Drexler appointed pastor
- 1881–1912 – Father Peter O'Dowd serves as pastor; present gothic church erected in his final years
- 1927 – All Saints, Rowley attached to St. John's
- 1941 – New rectory built under Msgr. Charles Miller
- 1943 – Tornado severely damages the church
- 1958 – St. Joseph Parish merges back into St. John's
- 1984–1985 – Remodeling and redecoration according to Vatican II guidelines
- 1989 – Parish high school closes
- 2005 – All Saints closes; St. John Paul II Cluster formed with St. Patrick's, Winthrop under Father Aloysius Vorwald
- 2008 – Father Donald Plamondon assigned to both parishes
- 2016 – Father David Beckman arrives as current pastor
Pastoral Mission
St. John parish seeks to support and intensify the vitality of its ministry, nurturing the faith of its entire church community and fostering an active practice of that faith among all parishioners. The mission is carried out through a sharing of resources, personnel, and programming with St. Patrick's in Winthrop, as well as coordination of ministerial activities. Today the parish is served by a pastor, deacon, pastoral associate, and lay people.
Music Ministry
St. John's music ministry offers opportunities for cantors, instrumentalists, the Jubilee Choir, and the Resurrection Choir, and welcomes anyone with a talent or desire to enhance liturgical celebrations. The Resurrection Choir in particular supports parish funerals. Inquiries can be directed to the parish office at 319-334-7191 or to Bonnie O'Brien. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) are invited by the pastor for training and commissioning and serve only the parish in which they are registered and trained.
- Cantors
- Instrumentalists
- Accompanists
- Jubilee Choir
- Resurrection Choir (funerals)
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC)
Faith Formation & RCIA
Religious Education is coordinated for both parishes by separate coordinators. The cluster's RCIA Core Team, led by Father David Beckman and coordinator Beth Flaucher, prepares adults for full initiation into the Catholic Church. The cluster Faith Formation Commission brings together the deacon, RE coordinators from both parishes, and a team of lay members to plan sacramental preparation and ongoing faith education.
- St. John Religious Education Coordinator
- St. Patrick Religious Education Coordinator
- RCIA Core Team
- Faith Formation Commission
St. John School (K–8)
Catholic education at St. John's traces back to 1854 and through the Sisters of Mercy's Notre Dame Seminary of the 1870s. The parish operated a combined grade and high school; the high school closed in 1989. Today the kindergarten through 8th grade school continues to serve the area and is governed by the St. John Board of Education, with Dewey Hupke as principal.
- Parish education program began in 1854
- Sisters of Mercy organized Notre Dame Seminary in the 1870s
- High school closed in 1989
- K–8 school currently serves the area
- Principal: Dewey Hupke
Parish & Cluster Committees
St. John's lay leadership is organized into four standing committees — Pastoral Council, Building & Grounds, Stewardship/Spiritual Growth & Liturgy, Finance Council — plus a Social Concerns Committee, all chaired or co-chaired by named parishioners and supported by the pastor. The wider John Paul II Cluster adds an RCIA Core Team, a combined Finance/Pastoral Council, a Faith Formation Commission, a Pro-Life Committee, a Bereavement Ministry, and the Catholic Order of Foresters officers.
- Pastoral Council (Chair: Jodi Grover)
- Building & Grounds (Chair: Scott Kleve)
- Stewardship, Spiritual Growth & Liturgy (Chair: Kathy Kitner)
- Finance Council (Chair: Ron Hearn)
- Social Concerns Committee (Chair: Kay Dolan)
- St. John Board of Education (President: Andrea Sauser)
- Cluster RCIA Core Team
- Cluster Faith Formation Commission
- Cluster Pro-Life Committee (Chair: Suzanne Gorman)
- Cluster Bereavement Ministry
- Catholic Order of Foresters Officers
Outreach & Social Concerns
The Social Concerns Committee and cluster Pro-Life Committee extend the parish's ministry beyond the church walls. The Bereavement Card Ministry supports those who have lost a loved one through cards and outreach during the first year of mourning, citing Matthew 5:4 and the Gospel account of Jesus comforting Martha and Mary at the death of Lazarus.
- Social Concerns Committee
- Pro-Life Committee
- Bereavement Card Ministry
Visiting & Contact
St. John the Evangelist sits in the heart of downtown Independence, Iowa, easily reached along Highway 150 and Highway 20. The cluster office can be reached at (319) 334-7191 or [email protected], and the parish shares a website with St. Patrick's, Winthrop at stjohnstpat.org. Visitors and those interested in joining the parish are warmly invited to contact the office.
- Address: 209 5th Avenue NE, Independence, IA 50644
- Phone: (319) 334-7191
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stjohnstpat.org
- Cluster office line for membership inquiries: 319-344-7191
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James Slatterybefore 1862
Traveled regularly from St. Martin's in Cascade to serve Independence Catholics.
- Father John Gosker1862–c. 1878
First resident pastor; built the 1864 brick church and began sacramental records.
- Father Joseph Drexler1884–
First pastor of the German-language St. Joseph Parish.
- Father Peter O'Dowd1881–1912
Built the present gothic church; died in office.
- Msgr. Charles Miller1939–1966
Built the 1941 rectory; died in office.
- Father James J. Dusterby 1990
Returned the parish to single-priest ministry.
- Father Aloysius Vorwald2005–
Formed the John Paul II Cluster (St. John's + St. Patrick's) in 2005.
- Father Donald Plamondon2008–
Assigned to both cluster parishes in July 2008.
- Father David Beckman2016–
Current pastor; arrived July 2016.