About St. Joseph/Part of Emmaus Pastorate · Elkader, Iowa
St. Joseph Parish is a historic Catholic church in Elkader, Iowa, and one of five parishes that make up the Emmaus Pastorate of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The parish traces its roots to the mid-1840s, when the first Mass was celebrated in a log cabin on the site where the Elkader Post Office now stands, and the first Baptism was recorded in 1855. Its present Gothic Revival church, constructed of local limestone and dedicated on Thanksgiving Day 1900, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places together with the original 1856–58 'Rock Church' that now serves as the parish hall. Today St. Joseph continues as a house of prayer and sacred worship, hosting weekend Mass on Saturday evenings, a Friday morning Mass with confession and adoration following, and a wide range of faith-formation, social-justice, and family ministries shared across the pastorate.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Paul Baldwin
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. Joseph Parish offers an unusually rich combination of historic Catholic worship, small-town pastoral care, and active lay community. The Gothic Revival sanctuary — with its 33 restored stained glass windows and three 19th-century bells — anchors a parish life that includes Saturday vigil and weekday Masses, weekly confession and adoration, faith formation for children and adults, OCIA (formerly RCIA), Confirmation preparation, the Knights of Columbus, That Man Is You, She Shall Be Called Woman, Little Flowers for girls, and a long-running Social Justice Committee that serves local families in Elkader and Clayton County year-round. As part of the five-parish Emmaus Pastorate, parishioners share resources and ministries with neighboring communities while keeping their own parish identity and historic home.
Mass times at St. Joseph/Part of Emmaus Pastorate
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 8:30–9:30 AM (following the 8:00 AM Mass)
- Following all daily Masses throughout the Emmaus Pastorate and by appointment
Adoration times
- Friday 8:30–9:30 AM at St. Joseph Parish (following the 8:00 AM Mass)
Welcome & About the Emmaus Pastorate
St. Joseph Parish is one of five parishes that make up the Emmaus Pastorate of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The other parishes are St. Patrick in Colesburg, St. Mark in Edgewood, St. Mary in Strawberry Point, and Sacred Heart in Volga. Together they share a pastor, staff, faith formation, and outreach ministries while retaining their own parishes, sanctuaries, and Sunday responsibilities.
- St. Patrick — Colesburg
- St. Mark — Edgewood
- St. Joseph — Elkader
- St. Mary — Strawberry Point
- Sacred Heart — Volga
History of St. Joseph Parish
Catholic life in Elkader goes back to the mid-1840s, before the town itself was laid out. Irish missionary priests rode in from Holy Cross to celebrate Mass on alternating Sundays, and the first Baptism was recorded in 1855. The first resident pastor, Rev. Peter McGinnis, arrived in 1856 and built the original Rock Church out of limestone quarried from the hill behind the site. After outgrowing the Rock Church in the 1890s, the parish erected its present Gothic Revival sanctuary, dedicated on Thanksgiving Day 1900. The Rock Church was remodeled into a parish hall and gym in the 1940s under the future Bishop Fitzgerald and renovated again in 2019.
- Mid-1840s: First Mass in a log cabin (now the site of the Elkader Post Office)
- 1855: First Baptism recorded (Julia Anna Barrett, March 6, 1855, by Father W. Emmonds)
- 1856: Rev. Peter McGinnis becomes first resident pastor
- 1858: Original Rock Church completed
- 1876: Three brass bells cast in Cincinnati, weighing 5,400 lbs
- 1897: Building committee formed; plans drawn by architect Guido Beck of Dubuque
- April 24, 1898: Cornerstone laid before 1,500 attendees
- Thanksgiving Day 1900: Present Gothic Revival church dedicated
- 1944–46: Rock Church remodeled into parish hall/gym under future Bishop Fitzgerald
- 1976: Church and parish hall listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- 2006–07: 33 stained glass windows removed, rebuilt, and rededicated July 17, 2007
- 2019: Rock Church renovated with new lighting and HVAC
The Present Gothic Church
The current church is a Gothic Revival structure built of locally quarried limestone, designed by architect Guido Beck of Dubuque and constructed by Thomas Byrnes, the same builder responsible for the Elkader Keystone Arch Bridge and the Hotel Bayless. Its 33 stained glass windows — installed in 1897–98 by parishioners of German, Luxemburgish, Irish, and Prussian descent — were completely rebuilt in 2006–07 by Kevin O'Brien of Rolling Stone, Minnesota, and rededicated on July 17, 2007. The original high altar was eventually cut down; the back high altar was moved to the back wall in 1998, and seating is now about 300.
- Architect: Guido Beck of Dubuque
- Builder: Thomas Byrnes
- Style: Gothic Revival
- Stained glass: 33 windows, originally 1897–98, fully rebuilt 2006–07
- Three historic brass bells, cast in Cincinnati in 1876, still in use
The Old Rock Church (Parish Hall)
The original 1856–58 limestone church — known for generations as the 'Rock Church' — still stands on the parish grounds and is actively used as the Parish Hall for dinners, social events, and meetings. It was remodeled in 1944–46 under the leadership of Most Rev. Edward J. Fitzgerald (then pastor, later Auxiliary Bishop of Dubuque) into a hall and gym, and received updated lighting and HVAC in 2019.
- Dimensions when built: 36 ft × 80 ft, 20-ft walls
- Quarried from the hill directly behind the church
- First roof completed in 1858; interior finished later
- Renovated 1944–46 by Father (later Bishop) Fitzgerald
- HVAC and lighting updated 2019
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation for children in grades 1 through 12 is offered pastorate-wide, with a kick-off Mass at St. Mark Parish in Edgewood each September. Confirmation candidates and their parents meet with Fr. Paul following Mass. St. Mary Parish offers Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for children ages 3–6. Adult faith formation and OCIA (the new name for RCIA) are coordinated across the pastorate, with a Faith Formation Commission guiding the program at St. Joseph.
- Children's Faith Formation (Grades 1–12)
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (ages 3–6, at St. Mary Parish)
- Confirmation preparation with Fr. Paul
- Adult Faith Formation & OCIA — Fran Zichal, Coordinator
- St. Joseph Faith Formation Commission: Caroline Erickson, Chena Deutmeyer, Fran Zichal, Danielle Becwar
- Iowa Catholic Youth Conference (ICYC) — middle school and high school events
Liturgy & Worship
Liturgical life at St. Joseph is supported by a Director of Music & Liturgy (John Uhal) and a Liturgy Coordinator (Mike Rentschler), along with a trained team of liturgical ministers. Hospitality ministers, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, homebound ministers, and lectors gather for training each September; sacristans and altar servers are trained on separate occasions.
- Director of Music & Liturgy / Webmaster: John Uhal ([email protected])
- Liturgy Coordinator: Mary Kay (Mike) Rentschler ([email protected])
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Lectors
- Hospitality Ministers
- Homebound Ministers
- Sacristans
- Altar Servers
Parish Ministries & Groups
Beyond Mass and formation, St. Joseph parishioners are active in a wide range of ministries. The Knights of Columbus is led locally by Grand Knight John Uhal; That Man Is You offers a Saturday-morning men's program with breakfast and brotherhood; She Shall Be Called Woman is a nine-week women's program; and Little Flowers offers a virtues-based program for girls. The St. Joseph Social Justice Committee runs an extensive year-round calendar of collections and outreach.
- Knights of Columbus — Grand Knight: John Uhal; St. Joseph Chair: Bill Erickson
- That Man Is You (men) — Coordinator: Jerry Ketoff, 563-581-2488
- She Shall Be Called Woman (women) — Coordinator: Lori Keppler
- Little Flowers Girls' Club
- Social Justice Committee — Chair: Colleen Moore
- St. Joseph Pastoral Council
St. Joseph Social Justice Committee
The Social Justice Committee at St. Joseph exists to serve the needs of local residents and passersby in time of need, including small amounts of gasoline or food, and help with utility bills, rent, transportation, or groceries (call the Parish Center at 563-245-2548). The Committee also runs a year-round calendar of collections benefiting children and families in and around Elkader.
- 1st Saturday of each month: food collection for the Clayton County Food Shelf
- 3rd Saturday of each month: loose change from Mass to the Pay-It-Forward fund
- Souperbowl Sunday: soup can collection
- March: cash collection for Easter hams
- May: summer snack collection
- July: school supplies, underwear, sock collection
- September: hats, mittens, scarves, gloves collection
- October: spud fund for Thanksgiving
- November: giving tree for Christmas gifts via Shepherd of the Hills Christmas Giveaway
Sacraments
Information about the seven sacraments is shared through the Emmaus Pastorate. Parents are required to attend one of four Baptism classes offered throughout the year before their child is baptized; the next class is scheduled for November 2 at St. Mark Parish Hall following the 10:00 AM Mass. Confirmation preparation includes a meeting with Fr. Paul after Mass.
- Baptism — parents must attend a class; register with John Uhal (563-245-2548 or [email protected])
- Confirmation — candidates and parents meet with Fr. Paul after Mass
- First Eucharist & First Reconciliation — through Faith Formation
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick / Pastoral Care — contact the parish office
Staff & Pastoral Leadership
The Emmaus Pastorate is served by Pastor Fr. Paul Baldwin, who succeeded Fr. John Haugen in 2025. Deacon Paul Dolan serves as Pastorate Business Manager. A team of lay staff and coordinators handles faith formation, liturgy, music, communications, adult formation, bookkeeping, and parish administration across the five parishes.
- Rev. Paul Baldwin — Pastor ([email protected], 563-928-7200)
- Deacon Paul Dolan — Pastorate Business Manager
- Danielle Becwar — Administrative Assistant / Faith Formation Coordinator
- John Uhal — Director of Music & Liturgy, Webmaster
- Janine Berns — Pastorate Bookkeeper
- Kim Warpinski — Parish Secretary & Bulletin Editor (St. Joseph)
- Fran Zichal — Adult Faith Formation & OCIA Coordinator
- Lori Keppler — Technology and Media Services
- Mary Kay (Mike) Rentschler — Liturgy Coordinator
Contact & Visit
St. Joseph Parish is located at 330 1st Street SW in Elkader, Iowa. The Parish Center phone is (563) 245-2548; the pastorate office can also be reached at (563) 928-7200. Visitors and parishioners are warmly welcomed at Saturday evening Mass, Friday morning Mass, and the many parish events held throughout the year in the historic Rock Church parish hall.
- Address: 330 1st St SW, Elkader, IA 52043
- Parish Center Phone: (563) 245-2548
- Pastorate Office Phone: (563) 928-7200
- Email: [email protected] (Fr. Paul Baldwin); [email protected] (office); [email protected] (Faith Formation)
- Website: http://www.vibrantcatholic.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Peter McGinnis1856–1861
First resident pastor; purchased the land and built the original Rock Church from limestone quarried on the hill behind the site.
- Rev. Michael O'Beirne1861–1867
Built a small dwelling behind the church and purchased the parish cemetery; died in office and was interred beneath the church.
- Rev. J.J. Quigley1867–1887
Twenty-year pastorate; oversaw purchase of the three Cincinnati-cast bells (1876) and built the parish home and convent for the Presentation Sisters.
- Rev. J.F. Reilly1887+
Transferred from McGregor; added a new sanctuary and sacristy, raising seating to 100.
- Rt. Rev. Msgr. James P. Takenc. 1917–1946
Born 1863 in Dubuque; 28 years as pastor of St. Joseph's; named Domestic Prelate with title of Rt. Rev. Monsignor by Pope Pius XI. Retired February 1946; died 1948.
- Most Rev. Edward J. Fitzgerald1940s
Later Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dubuque; as pastor oversaw the 1944–46 remodeling of the Rock Church into a hall and gym.
- Rev. B.H. Skahillc. 1949
Pastor as of 1949; assisted by Rev. J.W. Blackburn.
- Rev. John Haugenrecently retired
Former pastor of the Emmaus Pastorate; a retirement Mass was held in his honor in July 2025.
- Rev. Paul Baldwin2025–present
Current pastor; installed after Fr. Haugen's retirement.