St. Joseph

About St. Joseph Parish

St. Joseph Catholic Church serves the small town of Chelsea in rural Tama County, Iowa. Founded in 1867 by Czech immigrant settlers, the parish has worshipped at its 1904 church for more than a century and continues to celebrate its Bohemian heritage today. As part of the Circle of Saints Cluster, St. Joseph's shares pastoral staff and Sacramental life with St. Patrick in Tama and St. Michael in Belle Plaine. Following the Archdiocese of Dubuque's 2026 "Journey in Faith" restructuring, St. Joseph's is part of the Marshalltown Area Pastorate and offers Saturday-evening and Wednesday-morning Mass, along with Confession, Adoration, weddings, funerals, and ongoing community outreach.

History and Czech-Catholic Heritage

Czech families began settling the rolling hills around Chelsea in the mid-1800s, finding the landscape reminiscent of their Bohemian homeland. They formally organized St. Joseph Parish in 1867, and by 1904 they had erected the present church — a building whose interior walls still carry Czech-language inscriptions and the names of the founding families whose donations underwrote the stained-glass windows. The parish has endured floods, the 2020 derecho, and (in 2026) major Archdiocesan restructuring, while continuing to celebrate Czech traditions through events like the annual Labor Day Fall Festival.

• 1867 — Parish founded by Czech (Bohemian) immigrants
• 1904 — Present church building constructed
• Czech-language inscriptions and donor names still visible on the interior walls
• Annual Fall Festival on Labor Day weekend, featuring Czech cuisine and traditions, held for more than 100 years

Clergy and Pastoral Team

St. Joseph's is currently served by a clustered pastoral team. Father Michael McAndrew, the pastor, is on sabbatical. Day-to-day parish administration is led by Deacon Stan Upah as Parish Administrator, with Father Jim Secora serving as Priest Supervisor / Dean. Father Peter Jia serves as Parochial Vicar for the cluster, and Father Alan Dietzenbach assists with Spanish-language needs. Parishioners can reach the cluster office secretary Lisandra Ordaz for general inquiries.

• Father Michael McAndrew — Pastor (on sabbatical)
• Father Jim Secora — Priest Supervisor / Dean
• Father Peter Jia — Parochial Vicar
• Deacon Stan Upah — Parish Administrator
• Father Alan Dietzenbach — Spanish-language support
• Lisandra Ordaz — Secretary, Bulletin Editor, and Cluster Admin

Parish Council and Leadership

St. Joseph's lay leadership includes a Parish Council and representation on the Cluster Finance Council. These bodies help steward the parish's spiritual, financial, and community life and coordinate cluster-wide initiatives.

• Parish Council: Nathan Behounek, Jay Dvorak, Joe Dvorak, Doug Stadler, Sandy Supianoski, Jenelle Veit
• Cluster Finance Council Representative: Trish Stadler

Sacraments

Information about the seven sacraments — including Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Confession — is coordinated across the Circle of Saints Cluster. Confession is available at the posted times at St. Joseph or by appointment through the cluster office.

• Baptism — contact the cluster office to schedule
• Marriage — couples should contact the parish office in advance of any planned wedding
• Anointing of the Sick — available on request, especially for the homebound and hospitalized
• Confession — Saturdays 3:30–4:15 PM and Wednesdays after 9:00 AM daily Mass
• Funerals and Weddings — continue to be celebrated at St. Joseph even after July 2026 restructuring

Faith Formation

Faith formation across the Circle of Saints Cluster is coordinated centrally, with administrative support provided through the St. Michael office. The cluster welcomes inquiries about Religious Education, Sacramental preparation, and RCIA.

• Faith Formation Admin: Carol Wonrau (St. Michael office)
• Cluster-wide Religious Education and Sacramental prep
• RCIA — contact the cluster office

Community Outreach and the Fall Festival

St. Joseph's has long served as more than a Sunday church — it functions as a community hub in Chelsea. Parishioners organize ongoing collections for the local food pantry, stepped up to host library services after the 2020 derecho windstorm, and maintain the parish grounds (church and former school) for community use. The annual Fall Festival on Labor Day weekend is the parish's signature event, blending Czech food and traditions with broader community fellowship.

• Annual Fall Festival (Labor Day weekend, 100+ years running)
• Food-pantry collections
• Library / community-space hosting after 2020 derecho
• Cluster-wide Spanish-language ministry (Fr. Alan Dietzenbach, Fr. Michael McAndrew)

Journey in Faith — 2026 Archdiocese Restructuring

Under the Archdiocese of Dubuque's "Journey in Faith" pastoral plan, the Circle of Saints Cluster was grouped into the new Marshalltown Area Pastorate beginning in July 2026. For St. Joseph's, this transition means that the parish no longer hosts a regular weekend Mass; instead, the church offers a Wednesday 8:30 AM daily Mass with Confession and Adoration to follow, while Sunday Mass is celebrated at St. Patrick's in Tama or St. Michael's in Belle Plaine. An interim schedule runs through January 15, 2027, after which the Archdiocese will reassess.

• Circle of Saints joins the Marshalltown Area Pastorate (effective July 2026)
• St. Joseph's retains Wednesday 8:30 AM daily Mass with Confession and Adoration
• Weekend Masses moved to St. Patrick (Tama) and St. Michael (Belle Plaine)
• Full details: www.dbqjourneyinfaith.org/final-pastorate-plan