About St. Joseph · Preston, Iowa
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Dubuque located in the small town of Preston, Iowa, in southeastern Jackson County. Founded in 1881 by German and Irish immigrant families, it is one of the older Catholic parishes in the area and today serves roughly 230 households. The parish is currently linked with Sacred Heart in Maquoketa and St. Lawrence in Otter Creek, sharing a pastor and offering Sunday Mass in Preston at 10:00 a.m. With a strong religious education program for grades K–12, an active Knights of Columbus council, and a longtime commitment to outreach (including a sister parish in Haiti), St. Joseph describes itself as 'a welcoming and vibrant community that brings Christ's presence to our families, community and our world.'
- Established
- 1881
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a small, multigenerational rural parish where about 230 families still know each other by name. Worship is centered on a Sunday 10:00 a.m. Mass and a Wednesday 8:00 a.m. daily Mass, with regular confession times and Monday morning adoration. The parish runs a K–12 religious education program serving 170 students, partners with Preston's St. John Lutheran Church for joint summer Bible school, hosts an active Knights of Columbus council (since 1993), and gives the first-Sunday loose collection to outreach causes — for 25 years running. For Catholics in southeastern Jackson County looking for a parish rooted in tradition but actively engaged in faith formation, outreach and ecumenical community life, St. Joseph is a clear choice.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM (1st and Last Sundays of the Month, or by appointment)
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Adoration times
- Monday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Parish History
St. Joseph Parish was formed out of the German and Irish immigrant wave of 1850–1870 in southeastern Jackson County. The first Mass was offered in the home of Mike Mahor in 1881, the first church was built in 1882, and Fr. Patrick C. Kenny became its first pastor after previously serving Sabula. From 1893 until the early 2000s, Preston had its own resident pastor; the parish then moved into shared-pastor and finally linked-parish arrangements in 2007 and 2011.
- First Mass: 1881 in the home of Mike Mahor
- First church built: 1882
- First pastor: Fr. Patrick C. Kenny (formerly of Sabula)
- Brick church construction began: 1920 under Rev. Patrick Malloy
- New parish facility built: 1982–1983 under Rev. Mel Hermann
- Dedication: November 27, 1983 by Archbishop Byrne ($1.2 million)
- Linked parishes created: 2007 (with Sabula, Springbrook, Andrew); 2011 (with Sacred Heart Maquoketa and St. Lawrence Otter Creek)
Mass & Liturgy
Sunday and Wednesday Masses are celebrated in English. The parish publishes a current liturgical schedule online, and confession is offered each Sunday and Wednesday. Eucharistic Adoration is held Monday mornings.
- Sunday Mass: 10:00 AM (English)
- Wednesday Daily Mass: 8:00 AM (English)
- Confession: Sunday 11:00–11:30 AM (1st & Last Sundays, or by appointment)
- Confession: Wednesday 8:30–9:00 AM
- Adoration: Monday 8:00–10:00 AM
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Joseph runs a K–12 religious education program with 170 students under the leadership of two coordinators. Each summer the parish partners with St. John Lutheran Church of Preston for a joint ecumenical Bible School Week staffed by many volunteers.
- Religious Education: grades K–12
- Enrollment: approximately 170 students
- Coordinators: two
- Annual joint Bible School Week with St. John Lutheran Church, Preston
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Ministry life at St. Joseph is built around faith formation, fraternal organization and outreach. The Knights of Columbus council, established in December 1993, has been an active force in many areas of parish life, while the parish has run its first-Sunday loose-offertory outreach collection for more than 25 years.
- Knights of Columbus (since December 1993)
- First-Sunday Outreach Collection (25+ years)
- Volunteer of the Month recognition
- Pastoral Associate (parish-wide coordination role)
Outreach & Mission
Cognizant of needs beyond the parish, St. Joseph gives generously in many ways. In 2011 the parish adopted a sister parish in Haiti, now jointly supported with Sacred Heart of Maquoketa. St. Joseph also actively participates in Food Resource Bank's 'Sharing the Harvest,' an ecumenical program that helps address the agricultural needs of underdeveloped countries.
- Sister Parish in Haiti (since 2011; shared with Sacred Heart of Maquoketa)
- Food Resource Bank 'Sharing the Harvest' program
- First-Sunday loose offertory given to an individual or group in need
Linked Parishes
Since 2011, St. Joseph has shared a pastor with the linked parishes of Sacred Heart in Maquoketa and St. Lawrence in Otter Creek. The three parishes cooperate on scheduling, sacramental coverage and outreach, while St. Joseph continues to operate day-to-day through its Pastoral Associate.
- Sacred Heart Parish, Maquoketa
- St. Lawrence Parish, Otter Creek
- St. Joseph Parish, Preston
- Shared pastor across the linked cluster
Parish Staff & Leadership
Day-to-day pastoral coordination is led by the Pastoral Associate, Phyllis, who has served in the role since August 2011. The parish website and the Archdiocese of Dubuque's online directory list St. Joseph as part of the linked Maquoketa/Otter Creek/Preston cluster, served by a shared pastor.
- Pastoral Associate: Phyllis (since August 2011)
- Two Religious Education Coordinators
- Linked pastor serving the cluster
Visit & Contact
The parish office and church are located at 250 South Faith Street in Preston, Iowa. Visitors can call (563) 689-5161 or consult the parish website for current schedules, bulletins, the liturgical calendar, online giving, and reflections.
- Address: 250 South Faith Street, P.O. Box 309, Preston, IA 52069
- Phone: (563) 689-5161
- Website: stjosephprestonia.com
- Diocese: Archdiocese of Dubuque
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Patrick C. Kennyfrom 1881/1882
First pastor of St. Joseph, previously pastor of Sabula. First Mass offered in the home of Mike Mahor in 1881; first church built in 1882.
- Rev. Patrick Malloycirca 1920
Pastor when work began on the brick church building.
- Rev. Mel Hermann1982–
Directed the construction of the complete parish facility, dedicated Nov. 27, 1983 by Archbishop Byrne at a cost of $1.2 million.
- Shared pastor (Sabula, Springbrook, Andrew cluster)from 2007
As priest numbers in the Archdiocese declined, the pastor was shared with Catholic parishes at Sabula, Springbrook and Andrew.
- Linked pastor (Sacred Heart Maquoketa / St. Lawrence Otter Creek / St. Joseph Preston)from 2011
After Sabula and Springbrook closed, Preston was linked with Maquoketa and Otter Creek — the first time St. Joseph was without a resident pastor. Phyllis serves as Pastoral Associate.