St. Joseph

About St. Joseph Parish, Raymond

St. Joseph Catholic Church is the parish serving the small rural community of Raymond, Iowa, in eastern Black Hawk County east of Waterloo and Cedar Falls. It is twinned with Immaculate Conception Parish in nearby Gilbertville under the joint name Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph (ICSJ). The two parishes share one pastor, one parish office, one staff, one school system, and one sacramental preparation program, while each community keeps its own church building and a regular schedule of weekend and weekday Masses.

History of St. Joseph, Raymond

St. Joseph's roots reach back to 1905–1906, when Father John Nemmers — then pastor of Immaculate Conception in Gilbertville — celebrated the first Mass in the new Raymond church in the summer of 1906, almost certainly on July 4, the same day the parish's first baptism was recorded. The parish was formally incorporated under Iowa law on November 27, 1911. Through the 20th century it operated as a mission of Immaculate Conception with no resident pastor of its own. On May 5, 1972, the original church was destroyed by fire (reported by the Waterloo Courier as 'Raymond Church Destroyed'), and the present church on East Central Street was built in its place.

• First Mass: summer 1906, likely July 4 (Kurt, Msgr. Edgar, Parish Profile #208, The Witness, 1991)
• First recorded baptism: July 4, 1906
• Incorporation as 'St. Joseph's Church, Raymond, Iowa': November 27, 1911
• Church destroyed by fire: May 5, 1972 (Waterloo Courier)
• Joint ICSJ pastorate formed: 2021–2022

Leadership and Staff

The pastor of St. Joseph and Immaculate Conception parishes is Father Noah J. Diehm, who was ordained a priest on June 25, 2011. A Dubuque native and lifelong product of Catholic education, he served as associate pastor of the Spires of Faith Cluster (2011–2014) and then as pastor of the St. John Baptist de La Salle Pastorate (2014–2022) before coming to ICSJ in 2022. He is also a certified spiritual director (2020). Retired Father John Gossman, ordained May 28, 1971, has assisted the parishes in residence since 2021. Deacon Kevin Hagarty, ordained July 20, 2019, ministers alongside his wife Kristy; the parish secretary is Beth Wiebbecke.

• Rev. Noah J. Diehm — Pastor (2022–present)
• Rev. John Gossman — Retired priest in residence (2021–present)
• Deacon Kevin Hagarty — ordained July 20, 2019
• Beth Wiebbecke — Parish Secretary

Sacramental Preparation

ICSJ offers preparation for all seven sacraments. Children are typically prepared for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in 2nd grade, and for Confirmation in 8th grade (Confirmation classes run September through April, with the sacrament celebrated the following August, alternating between Immaculate Conception Gilbertville and St. Athanasius Jesup). Adults wishing to enter the Church join the OCIA process (formerly RCIA), which meets Sunday mornings 8:45–9:50 a.m. between Masses in the Heritage Room at Immaculate Conception. Baptism, Marriage, and adult Confirmation are all coordinated through the parish office.

• OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) — Leader: Sue Davis, (319) 830-2761
• First Reconciliation — 2nd grade
• First Communion — 2nd grade
• Confirmation — 8th grade (15 service hours + retreat required)
• Baptism — infant and adult via OCIA
• Marriage preparation — contact the parish office

Parish School — Bosco Catholic School System

St. Joseph is one of the founding parishes of the Bosco Catholic School System, an inter-parochial Catholic school serving Pre-K through 12th grade on two campuses in Gilbertville and Raymond. Don Bosco Central High School was formed as a joint project of Immaculate Conception (Gilbertville), St. Joseph (Raymond), St. Athanasius (Jesup), and St. Francis (Barclay), and the high school building was constructed to serve students from all four parishes. St. Joseph Pre-School is located on the Raymond campus.

• Immaculate Conception Grade School / St. Joseph Pre-School: (319) 296-1692 / (319) 296-1089
• Don Bosco Catholic High School
• Campuses in Gilbertville and Raymond
• Founding parishes: Immaculate Conception, St. Joseph, St. Athanasius, St. Francis

St. Joseph Cemetery

St. Joseph maintains its own parish cemetery adjacent to the church, serving generations of Raymond-area Catholic families. Cemetery plots and questions are handled through the St. Joseph Cemetery Board, chaired by Bill Johannes.

• St. Joseph Cemetery Board Chairperson: Bill Johannes — (319) 231-8451
• Office contact for cemetery questions: parish office (319) 296-1092

Get Involved — Ministries and Parish Life

The parish groups its ministries into Liturgical Committees, Community Life and Service, Prayer, and Parish Councils/Committees/Cemetery Boards. Parishioners can also serve through the sacramental preparation teams, OCIA team, Confirmation program, or by joining the volunteer network that supports the Bosco Catholic School System.

• Parish Liturgical Committees
• Community Life and Service Ministries
• Prayer ministries
• Parish Councils, Committees and Cemetery Boards
• OCIA team, Confirmation team, Religious Education volunteers

Visiting and Contact

Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to stop at the church at 313 East Central Street, Raymond, or to contact the shared parish office at 311 15th Avenue (P.O. Box 136, Gilbertville, IA 50634-0136). The office is staffed by parish secretary Beth Wiebbecke; voicemail and email are monitored for cemetery, sacramental, and pastoral needs. Father Diehm is available for hospital visits, homebound visits, follow-up with the grieving, and spiritual direction.

• Church address: 313 East Central Street, Raymond, Iowa 50667
• Mailing address: P.O. Box 136, Gilbertville, IA 50634-0136
• Parish office phone: (319) 296-1092
• Parish office fax: (319) 296-2087
• Email: [email protected]
• Fr. Diehm email: [email protected]
• Deacon Kevin Hagarty email: [email protected]