About St. Joseph · Farley, Iowa
St. Joseph Parish in Farley, Iowa is a Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Dubuque and a member of the St. Elizabeth Pastorate, which also includes St. Clement (Bankston), St. Patrick (Epworth), St. John the Baptist (Peosta), and St. John the Evangelist (Placid). Today it serves roughly 600 families and continues a Catholic presence in Farley that dates back to the early 1850s. The parish is known for its strong German-Irish heritage, its historic 1912 brick church and rectory (which still stand), and a busy parish life that includes weekly Mass, Adoration, Confessions, a Lenten Fish Fry, a Thanksgiving Breakfast, and the long-running Julyfest fundraiser begun in 1991.
- Established
- 1861
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Fr. Steve Garner
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers the rhythm of a classic small-town Catholic parish — Saturday Vigil Mass, Friday Adoration, Saturday Confessions, and a deep bench of community events such as the Lenten Fish Fry, the Thanksgiving Breakfast, and the wildly popular Julyfest. Its 600-family congregation is rooted in more than 160 years of Farley Catholic history, with strong Irish and German heritage (Kluesners, Schuellers, Simons), and its historic 1912 brick church and rectory still anchor the parish today. As part of the multi-parish St. Elizabeth Pastorate under Fr. Steve Garner, St. Joseph combines small-parish warmth with the stability of a shared pastoral team.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays – 3:15 PM at St. Joseph, Farley
Adoration times
- Fridays – 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM at St. Joseph, Farley
History of St. Joseph Parish
Farley's Catholic story begins in the early 1850s with Mass said in settlers' homes, then grows through an 1861 frame church, an 1867 stone church that was the grandest in Iowa outside Dubuque, and a bold 1912 relocation and rebuild. Through Irish pastors like Fr. David J. Slattery (1884–1912) and German-heritage families like the Kluesners, Schuellers, and Simons, the parish built a foundation strong enough that today it serves about 600 families as part of the St. Elizabeth Pastorate.
The 1912 Rebuild: Church, Rectory, and School
Faced with a stone church a mile outside town and 98 families eager to grow, the parish undertook an ambitious combined project: dismantling the stone church (reusing the rock as foundation), and building a new brick church, parochial residence, and school — all inside Farley — in just 8 months. The congregation paid it all off in 18 months, and priests across the Archdiocese of Dubuque cited it as a model of what a faith-prioritizing community could accomplish.
1956 School Addition and Seton Catholic
In 1956 parishioners added a modern, handicap-accessible school; the first class graduated in 1958. The building later housed St. Joseph High School until it closed, was rented by the Western Dubuque County Community School District for ninth-grade classes, and today operates as a middle school for Seton Catholic. The original 1912 school has been replaced, but the 1912 Church and Rectory still stand.
Parish Life and Annual Events
Beyond Sunday worship, St. Joseph maintains an active calendar that brings together longtime and newer members of the parish. Annual traditions anchor the year, while parish committees keep the operation of the church, cemetery, and grounds running smoothly.
- Julyfest – Oktoberfest-style fundraiser with games, food, an auction, and fellowship, started by Fr. John Ptacek in July 1991
- Lenten Fish Fry (annual)
- Thanksgiving Breakfast (annual)
- Parish Council, Finance Committee, Liturgy Committee, and Cemetery Board
- Hall and Pavilion rentals (contact Lynne McDermott at the Pastorate office, 563-876-5540)
Leadership and Pastoral Staff
St. Joseph is pastored as part of the St. Elizabeth Pastorate, which unites five parishes across western Dubuque County under shared leadership while preserving each parish's own identity and councils.
- Fr. Steve Garner – Pastor, St. Elizabeth Pastorate (covers St. Joseph Farley, St. Clement Bankston, St. Patrick Epworth, St. John the Baptist Peosta, St. John the Evangelist Placid)
- Lynne McDermott – contact for facility rentals at the Pastorate office (563-876-5540)
- Parish Council (members listed on the parish website)
- Finance Committee – Justin Phillip (Chair, 2025), Drew Dunkel (Vice-Chair), Ryan Stuntz (Secretary), Virgil Bourek, Steve Demmer
- Liturgy Committee – Beth Jarding, Stephanie Lake, Brad Kotz, Steve (Tonya) Kluesner, Toby Demmer, Breanna Lukes, Joe Demmer
- Cemetery Board – Dorothy Klostermann, Lynn Kluesner, Mary Kluesner, Sue Kraus, Breanna Lukes, Christine Murphy, Dorothy Schieltz, Connie Schueller, and others
Facilities: Church Hall, Pavilion, and Cemetery
St. Joseph's facilities — including the church hall and pavilion — are available for rental to support parish fellowship and community events. The parish also maintains its own cemetery with its own board.
- St. Joseph Church Hall and Pavilion rental – $50 rental fee plus $75 deposit
- Cemetery lot inquiries handled through the St. Elizabeth Pastorate Office at 563-876-5540
- 1912 brick Church and Rectory – still in use and a visible reminder of the parish's pioneer-era foundation
St. Elizabeth Pastorate
St. Joseph belongs to the St. Elizabeth Pastorate, a cluster of parishes in western Dubuque County that share pastoral and administrative leadership. The pastorate's stated mission is to proclaim the Gospel and nurture Catholic faith among all parishioners while respecting the individuality of each member parish.
- Member parishes: St. Joseph (Farley), St. Clement (Bankston), St. Patrick (Epworth), St. John the Baptist (Peosta), St. John the Evangelist (Placid)
- Pastorate office – P.O. Box 286, Epworth, IA 52045
- Pastorate phone – (563) 876-5540
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John J. Aylwardc. 1860
Pastor of nearby Bankston; began the original frame church at Farley Junction.
- Fr. Charles McGauranc. 1867
Pastor of Bankston; oversaw construction of the stone church (1867, $10,000).
- Fr. David J. Slattery1884–1912
Long-tenured pastor remembered for placing orphan children in parishioners' homes and caring for some in his own home.
- Fr. John Ptacek
Introduced Julyfest in 1991, an Oktoberfest-style fundraiser that remains a beloved parish tradition.