About St Joseph · Wellman, Iowa
St. Joseph Catholic Church is a small, family-oriented parish located at 210 11th Street in Wellman, Iowa, in the northwest corner of Washington County. The parish was founded in 1912 and, like its neighbor churches, was built largely by the labor of its own parishioners — a heritage still proudly proclaimed on the cornerstone of the present brick church: "St. Joseph's Church. Built by parish labor." On July 1, 2021, St. Joseph merged with St. Mary Parish in Riverside and Holy Trinity Parish in Richmond to form Holy Family Parish, with the pastoral team and faith-formation programs now serving all three worship sites together. Today St. Joseph remains an active weekend Mass site, with about 100 families, a Saturday vigil Mass, a Wednesday morning Mass, and a busy parish life that includes religious education, Vacation Bible School, youth ministry, and an annual fall dinner that has been a community tradition for generations.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Ben Snyder
- Diocese
- Diocese of Davenport
Why belong here
St. Joseph's is a small, close-knit Catholic community of about 100 families that has worshipped and built together for more than a century. As part of Holy Family Parish, its members share staff, faith formation, and ministries with the neighboring parishes of St. Mary in Riverside and Holy Trinity in Richmond, while keeping the Saturday vigil Mass and Wednesday morning Mass in Wellman itself. Active programs include K–8 religious education, Vacation Bible School, youth ministry for grades 7–12, RCIA/OCIA, Bible studies, and a beloved annual fall dinner — a tradition so important that the parish expanded its basement specifically to host it. Visitors are warmly welcomed by a parish that still lives out Fr. Peiffer's 1913 vision of families "educating our children in Faith and love for all posterity."
Mass times at St Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment — contact Fr. Bill at (319) 430-6888 to schedule a time (per parish bulletin)
History of St. Joseph Parish, Wellman
Founded in 1912 after Father H.J. Peiffer of St. Mary's in Keota was approached by four local men about the need for a Catholic church in Wellman, St. Joseph's was formally incorporated on May 7, 1912. The cornerstone was laid September 4, 1912; the first Mass was celebrated on Christmas Day 1912 in the unfinished red-brick church; and formal dedication followed on June 26, 1913. The parish has been served by multiple generations of priests and laypeople, with its members building both the original and present churches by their own labor.
- May 7, 1912 — Church corporation completed under the title 'St. Joseph's Church'
- Sept. 4, 1912 — Cornerstone laid
- Dec. 25, 1912 — First Mass held in the not-quite-finished church
- June 26, 1913 — Formal dedication of original church
- June 26, 1961 — Groundbreaking for the present church on the north side of Wellman
- June 26, 1962 — Dedication of the present 40x80 brick church, Fr. Martin Manning presiding
The Present Church Building
The current St. Joseph Church was built in 1961–1962 by parishioners who donated their time, labor, and materials. The 40-by-80-foot brick and concrete building seats 275 and includes a full basement with kitchen, dining hall, and religious-education classrooms. The cornerstone reads 'St. Joseph's Church. Built by parish labor.' The building has been steadily updated to serve the parish's growing programs: four basement classrooms and a large multi-purpose room were added in 1978, the kitchen was remodeled and a handicap-accessible walkway added in 2003, and the vestibule was enlarged with an upstairs restroom added in 2014.
- Seating for 275
- Full basement with kitchen, dining hall, and classrooms
- 1978 — basement classrooms and multi-purpose room added
- 2003 — kitchen remodeled, handicap-accessible walkway added
- 2014 — vestibule enlarged, upstairs restroom added
Merger into Holy Family Parish
On June 10, 2021, Bishop Thomas Zinkula of the Diocese of Davenport signed a decree joining St. Mary Parish in Riverside, Holy Trinity Parish in Richmond, and St. Joseph Parish in Wellman into a single new juridic person, Holy Family Parish, effective July 1, 2021. The three parishes had already shared staff, services, and faith-formation programs for roughly twenty years and were informally known as the 'Highway 22 Cluster.' St. Joseph continues to host the Saturday vigil Mass and Wednesday morning Mass as a worship site of Holy Family Parish, with parish records preserved at St. Mary Church in Riverside.
- Decree signed by Bishop Thomas Zinkula, June 10, 2021
- Effective July 1, 2021
- Former informal name: 'Highway 22 Cluster'
- Parish records now maintained at St. Mary Church, Riverside
- St. Joseph retains Saturday vigil and Wednesday morning Masses as a worship site
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Faith Formation Commission of Holy Family Parish develops, implements, and evaluates programs that enrich the faith life of children, youth, and adults. St. Joseph's representative on the commission is Angie Goodwin, who also serves as Youth Minister and Interim Director of Religious Education. Religious-education classes for students in preschool through 8th grade meet on Wednesday evenings throughout the school year, with volunteer catechists and classroom helpers supporting the program.
- K–8 Faith Formation classes on Wednesday evenings during the school year
- Vacation Bible School (VBS) for children ages 4–12
- Bible Study groups
- OCIA / RCIA — preparation for adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion (contact Deacon Derick Cranston, 319-936-0927)
- Sacraments preparation committee — coordinates education for all seven sacraments
- Contact: Angie Goodwin, Youth Minister / Interim DRE — 319-936-3386
Youth Ministry
Youth Ministry exists to introduce youth and teenagers to Jesus, nurture them in their faith, and equip them for a lifetime of glorifying God. The program includes Vacation Bible School and a Youth Group open to all students in grades 7–12, with service projects, trips, and fundraisers.
- VBS — open to children ages 4–12
- Youth Group — open to grades 7–12
- Service projects, trips, and fundraisers
- Led by Angie Goodwin, Youth Minister
Parish Life & Fellowship
The Church & Parish Life Commission plans ways to develop a sense of community within the parish through welcoming newcomers, parish socials, and dinners. St. Joseph's representative is Cathy Conway. A signature event is the annual Fall Festival/Fall Dinner/Labor Day Celebration, which includes a dinner, raffle, bake sale, craft sale, and silent and live auctions. The parish also plans funeral dinners, coordinates receptions for First Communion and other special occasions, and participates with the Mid-Prairie Council of Churches in ecumenical events such as Songfest, the Christmas Mission Market, Summer Picnic, and Baccalaureate.
- Annual Fall Festival / Fall Dinner / Labor Day Celebration (dinner, raffle, bake sale, craft sale, silent & live auctions)
- Funeral dinner committee
- Receptions for First Communion and other milestones
- Newcomer welcome and welcome baskets
- Mid-Prairie Council of Churches ecumenical activities
- St. Joseph's contact: Cathy Conway
Stewardship & Commissions
Holy Family Parish organizes lay life around several commissions that report to the Parish Council. Each commission has a representative from St. Joseph, Holy Trinity, and St. Mary. The Stewardship & Evangelization Commission recruits liturgical ministers and servers, the Liturgy Commission coordinates the celebration of the Mass, the Finance Council oversees parish finances, and the Justice, Peace & Social Action Commission directs outreach. A Family Life strand covers parish activities and ecumenical/interreligious dialogue.
- Stewardship & Evangelization
- Liturgy
- Faith Formation
- Church & Parish Life
- Justice, Peace & Social Action
- Finance Council
- Family Life
Parish Staff & Clergy
Holy Family Parish is served by a pastor and a pastoral associate, together with a business administrator, financial secretary, and youth minister who together minister across all three worship sites. The Holy Family Parish Office is located at 360 N. Washburn St., Riverside, IA 52327.
- Rev. Fr. Ben Snyder — Pastor
- Deacon Derick Cranston — Pastoral Associate (319-936-0927, [email protected])
- Jane Duwa — Business Administrator
- Tami Plank — Financial Secretary
- Angie Goodwin — Youth Minister / Interim Director of Religious Education
- Parish Office: P.O. Box C, 360 N. Washburn St., Riverside, IA 52327 — 319-648-2331
Visiting & Contact Information
St. Joseph Church is located at 210 11th St. in Wellman, Iowa (the Iowa Secretary of State registration lists 235 11th St., PO Box 145, Wellman, IA 52356). Mass is celebrated in English on Wednesday mornings and Saturday evenings. The parish is part of the Diocese of Davenport.
- Address: 210 11th St., Wellman, IA 52356
- Parish Office (Holy Family): P.O. Box C, 360 N. Washburn St., Riverside, IA 52327
- Phone: 319-648-2331
- Diocese: Davenport
- Languages: English
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. H.J. Peiffer1912–1913
Pastor of St. Mary's, Keota, who was first approached with the idea of a Catholic Church in Wellman. He oversaw the founding of St. Joseph's parish, the laying of the cornerstone on Sept. 4, 1912, and the formal dedication on June 26, 1913.
- Fr. Martin Manning1961–1962 dedication
Pastor at the time the present brick church was built by parish labor; presided at the dedication on June 26, 1962.
- Fr. Bill Roushat least 2020–2022
Pastored the parish through its 2021 merger into Holy Family Parish; known for handmade pew-wood crucifixes he crafted for graduating seniors and parishioners.
- Fr. Ben Snydercurrent
Current pastor of Holy Family Parish (Riverside/Richmond/Wellman), succeeding Fr. Roush.