About St Joseph · Columbus Junction, Iowa
St. Joseph Church is the only Catholic parish in Louisa County, Iowa, serving about 95 families in the small town of Columbus Junction. A Roman-Latin parish of the Diocese of Davenport, it welcomes worshippers in both English and Spanish, with Sunday Mass in each language as well as a Wednesday morning Mass. The parish shares leadership with St. Joseph in West Liberty as a clustered ministry and is rooted in a missionary tradition begun by Dominican Father Samuel Mazzuchelli in the late 1830s. Today's church building dates to 1958, built largely by volunteer labor using materials salvaged from St. James School in Washington.
- Established
- between 1835 and 1840
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Dennis C. Martin (administrator, effective Nov. 3, 2025; appointed following the unexpected death on Oct. 31, 2025 of the previous pastor, Father Guillermo Treviño Jr., who had served since 2021)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Davenport
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a small, family-sized Catholic community of about 95 households that is the only Catholic parish in Louisa County, making it a true gathering place for Catholics across the area. Worship is genuinely bilingual, with Sunday Mass in English and in Spanish and religious education offered in both languages, so families of either background can feel at home. The parish is also part of a cluster with St. Joseph in West Liberty, sharing priests and the ministry of three religious sisters from the Misioneras Cruzadas de la Iglesia who arrived in October 2023, bringing new life to outreach and formation.
Mass times at St Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- First Fridays at 6:00 PM (before Mass)
- By appointment
Parish History
St. Joseph was founded by Dominican missionary Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli sometime between 1835 and 1840 when he celebrated Mass in a cabin near Columbus City. By the late 1870s, the small mission had to be replaced: Bishop John Hennessey bought two $45 lots in 1878 in Columbus Junction, and parishioners moved the Clifton Community Building onto the new site and transformed it into a church. Sunday worship was originally offered only once a month, with the priest often arriving by train from Sigourney.
- Founded c. 1835–1840 by Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, OP
- Two adjoining lots purchased by Bishop John Hennessey on Feb. 18, 1878 for $45 each
- Clifton Community Building moved into Columbus Junction and converted into a church
- Early monthly Sunday Masses with a priest arriving by train from Sigourney
Building the Present Church (1957–1959)
By 1956 the relocated wooden church sat on no foundation and was too costly to enlarge. Father Clifford A. Egert — pastor of St. Mary's in Lone Tree who also served St. Joseph's — became his own foreman and chief laborer when the parish could not afford contractors. He drew on carpentry skills taught by his father, Frank, and was aided by several volunteers. Lumber salvaged from St. James School in Washington (under Father Thomas Lew) was hauled the seventeen miles to Columbus Junction on parishioners' farm trucks and pickups; prefabricated roof arches came all the way from Tacoma, Washington.
- Construction began summer 1957; basement dug by contractor through clay soil
- Plan: 74 feet by 38 feet with full basement for parish hall, kitchen, restrooms
- Salvaged lumber hauled from Washington, Iowa; roof arches from Tacoma, WA
- First Mass Oct. 26, 1958; bazaar in new basement Nov. 23, 1958
- Total cost approximately $21,000 thanks to volunteer labor
- Bishop Ralph L. Hayes dedicated the church debt-free spring 1959 with 50+ clergy present
Renovations and the Rectory
The 1970s brought new pews, removal of the Communion rail and carpeting throughout. New kitchen cabinets were installed in 1992. In 2010 the church received interior and exterior updates including handicap accessibility. In 1986 the parish purchased a house in Columbus Junction for $60,000 to serve as a rectory, allowing Father Theodore Borger, then pastoring the cluster, to move in from Nichols. Resident priests served the parish until 1999 and again from 2003 to 2018.
- 1970s: new pews, carpeting, Communion rail removed
- 1992: new kitchen cabinets
- 1986: rectory purchased for $60,000; Father Theodore Borger moves in
- 2010: interior/exterior updates and handicap accessibility
Worship Schedule and Sacraments
St. Joseph offers Mass in English and Spanish to serve the bilingual community. Sunday morning includes an English Mass followed by a Mass in Spanish; a Wednesday morning Mass and a First Friday evening Mass round out the weekly schedule. Reconciliation is heard before Mass on First Fridays or by appointment.
- Sunday 8:00 AM (English)
- Sunday 10:00 AM (Spanish) — some listings note 10:30 AM
- Wednesday 7:00 AM
- First Friday 7:00 PM
- Confessions: First Fridays 6:00 PM, before Mass, or by appointment
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious education is offered in both English and Spanish, directed by parish religious education director Catalina Valdez. The parish shares its formation work with St. Joseph in West Liberty as part of their cluster ministry. Three religious sisters from the Misioneras Cruzadas de la Iglesia arrived in October 2023 to live in the Columbus Junction rectory and serve both clustered parishes for a five-year commitment.
- Religious education in English and Spanish, directed by Catalina Valdez
- Clustered formation with St. Joseph Parish, West Liberty
- Three sisters from Misioneras Cruzadas de la Iglesia arrived Oct. 16, 2023
- Bookkeeping shared between the clustered parishes (Maria Lopez)
Clergy and Cluster Leadership
As of November 3, 2025, the Diocese of Davenport has appointed Rev. Dennis C. Martin as administrator of both St. Joseph, West Liberty and St. Joseph, Columbus Junction. He succeeds Father Guillermo Treviño Jr., who died unexpectedly on October 31, 2025; Father Treviño had served the two parishes since 2021 and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Davenport on June 6, 2015 by Bishop Martin Amos. In 2021, Father Chris Weber was pastor (also of Ss. Mary & Mathias, Muscatine) with Father Hai Dinh as parochial vicar for both parishes.
- Rev. Dennis C. Martin — administrator effective Nov. 3, 2025
- Rev. Guillermo Treviño Jr. — pastor 2021 to Oct. 31, 2025
- Deacon Kent Ferris — diocesan director of Social Action and Catholic Charities, assisting Father Guillermo
- Miguel Moreno — diocesan director of Multicultural Ministry, supporting Hispanic ministry
Year of St. Joseph Devotions
During the 2021 Year of St. Joseph, the parish added the Prayer of St. Joseph to its Sunday Mass after the announcements and recited a nine-day rosary (April 23 – May 1) in anticipation of the May 1 feast of St. Joseph the Worker. Parishioner reflections highlighted St. Joseph as 'a watchful guardian and mighty protector of the Holy Family' and a model of obedience for children and grandchildren.
- Prayer of St. Joseph after Sunday announcements
- Nine-day rosary April 23 – May 1 ahead of St. Joseph the Worker
- Reflections by parishioners Ann Murphy and Fidencio Valdez
Contact and Location
The parish offices can be reached at (319) 728-8210 and by email at [email protected]. The mailing address is 815 2nd Street, Columbus Junction, IA 52738-1205. The church is listed in the Diocese of Davenport's parish finder under the Davenport cluster.
- Phone: (319) 728-8210
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 815 2nd St., Columbus Junction, IA 52738-1205
- Website: http://saintjosephcj.webs.com
- Jurisdiction: Diocese of Davenport (Roman-Latin rite)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, OPc. 1835–1840
Dominican missionary who founded the parish; first said Mass in a home near Columbus City on a trip to St. Louis.
- Father Clifford A. Egert1950s
Pastor (also serving St. Mary's, Lone Tree) who acted as foreman and chief laborer on the present 1958 church, applying carpentry skills learned from his father.
- Father Theodore Borger1986–
Pastored the cluster of parishes and moved from Nichols into the newly purchased Columbus Junction rectory in 1986.
- Rev. Chris Weberas of March 2021
Pastor of St. Joseph, Columbus Junction and Ss. Mary & Mathias, Muscatine.
- Rev. Guillermo Treviño Jr.2021 – Oct. 31, 2025
Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Davenport on June 6, 2015 by Bishop Martin Amos; pastor of the clustered St. Joseph parishes in Columbus Junction and West Liberty; died unexpectedly Oct. 31, 2025.
- Rev. Dennis C. Martineffective Nov. 3, 2025
Assigned by Bishop's Office as administrator of St. Joseph, West Liberty and St. Joseph, Columbus Junction.