About St. Malachy · Madrid, Iowa
St. Malachy Catholic Church is a small parish in Madrid, Iowa, part of Boone County in the Diocese of Sioux City. It is now one of three worship sites that together form Ascension Catholic Parish Boone County, alongside Sacred Heart in Boone (the parish's main center) and St. John in Ogden. The parish is led by pastor Fr. Tim Johnson and offers weekend and weekday Mass in English, Eucharistic Adoration, sacramental preparation, faith formation (FORMED), and active groups such as the St. Malachy Knights of Columbus. The church sits at 405 Gerald Street in the small town of Madrid and serves as a place of worship for area Catholic families, with longtime traditions like Lenten fish fries and the Extreme Way of the Cross pilgrimage rooted in the parish.
- Patron
- St. Malachy (Malachy of Armagh)
- Rector
- Fr. Tim Johnson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux City
Why belong here
St. Malachy is a small-town Iowa parish with a big sense of community: weekday and Sunday Mass in a close, intimate setting, weekly Tuesday Eucharistic Adoration (1:00–9:00 PM), a thriving Knights of Columbus council that hosts fish fries and men's events, an annual Extreme Way of the Cross pilgrimage, sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, and Marriage, and free access to the FORMED Catholic content library for all parishioners. Families seeking a welcoming rural parish with strong traditions will find St. Malachy an active, family-centered Catholic home.
Mass times at St. Malachy
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:00–8:25 AM (at St. Malachy)
- Offered each weekend at Ascension's church locations
- Additional in Advent and Lent; by appointment through the parish office
Adoration times
- Tuesday 1:00 PM–9:00 PM (St. Malachy, Madrid)
Parish Identity & Membership
St. Malachy Catholic Church in Madrid, Iowa is part of Ascension Catholic Parish Boone County, a combined parish that also includes Sacred Heart in Boone and St. John the Baptist in Ogden. Together the three sites share a single pastor — Fr. Tim Johnson — and a unified sacramental and faith-formation program. The parish is in the Diocese of Sioux City and serves the rural Catholic families of Boone County. The contact line for Ascension Parish Office is 515-432-1971, and St. Malachy maintains its own line at 515-795-2731.
- Address: 405 Gerald Street, Madrid, IA 50156
- Pastor: Fr. Tim Johnson
- Parish Office phone: 515-432-1971
- St. Malachy phone: 515-795-2731
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese: Sioux City
Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation
Ascension Parish walks families through every sacrament of initiation and healing. Baptism is arranged through the parish office with a one-time Baptism Class for first-time parents. First Holy Communion is celebrated the second Sunday after Easter at St. Malachy, with preparation the previous fall. Confirmation is celebrated in the spring by the Bishop (recently Bishop Keehner of the Diocese of Sioux City). Anointing of the Sick is offered monthly at St. Malachy's Thursday daily Mass on the Thursday before the first Friday of the month, with emergency requests handled through the parish office. Marriage preparation begins at least six months ahead of the wedding and includes a meeting with Fr. Tim Johnson.
- D.R.E. for St. Malachy: Kelley Grothus ([email protected])
- D.R.E. for Sacred Heart: Megan Ulrich ([email protected])
- Baptism: contact parish office + Baptism Class (first child only)
- First Communion: second Sunday after Easter at St. Malachy
- Confirmation: Bishop presides, Spring during Lent
- Anointing of the Sick: Thursday daily Mass before first Friday; emergencies via office
- Marriage: minimum 6 months notice; meet Pastor; complete marriage prep
- Holy Orders / Vocations: Diocesan contact Michelle Steinbach, [email protected], 712-233-7523
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith formation for children and youth at St. Malachy is coordinated with the rest of Ascension Parish. The Family Class serves K–5th grade students, and separate Director of Religious Education contacts cover St. Malachy and Sacred Heart. All Boone County Catholic parishioners receive free access to FORMED, an online Catholic content library of movies, children's programs, ebooks, audio, parish programs and Bible studies. Youth events such as the Sweet 16 Party (a basketball-watching night with the youth group) engage middle and high school students.
- Family Class for K–5th grade
- St. Malachy D.R.E.: Kelley Grothus
- Sacred Heart D.R.E.: Megan Ulrich
- Free FORMED Catholic streaming access for all parishioners
- Youth Sweet 16 Party (middle/high school)
Knights of Columbus
The St. Malachy Knights of Columbus council is an active men's group at the parish. Council members meet on the second Sunday of the month, beginning with a Rosary in the chapel at 5:30 PM, followed by a meal at 6:00 PM and the business meeting at 6:30 PM. The council hosts the popular Lenten Fish Fries at St. Malachy each Friday in Lent, 5:00–7:00 PM (fish $12, combo $13, shrimp $14, with carryout). Men's and father-and-son events like the Extreme Way of the Cross pilgrimage are organized through the council and its contacts.
- KC meeting: 2nd Sunday — 5:30 Rosary, 6:00 meal, 6:30 meeting
- Contact: TJ Schnieder, 515-210-4525, [email protected]
- Parish office line: 515-432-1971
- Lenten Fish Fries: 5:00–7:00 PM Fridays in Lent
Extreme Way of the Cross Pilgrimage
An annual Lenten pilgrimage, the Extreme Way of the Cross, starts at the St. Malachy Catholic Church parking lot. Pilgrims meet at 8:30 PM, carpool to the trailhead at 12087 Windsor Lane, Madrid, and begin the rugged 6-mile hike at 9:00 PM, praying the Stations of the Cross and the Rosary along the way. The night ends with Holy Mass back at St. Malachy's at midnight. All priests, men, and their capable sons are invited; confessions are available along the route.
- Friday in Lent event
- 8:30 PM meet at St. Malachy parking lot; carpool to start
- 9:00 PM: hike begins at 12087 Windsor Lane, Madrid
- 12:00 AM (next morning): Holy Mass at St. Malachy's
- Contact: TJ Schneider, 515-210-4525, [email protected]
Visiting & Practical Information
Visitors and newcomers are welcomed at St. Malachy, 405 Gerald Street in Madrid, Iowa. The church is part of the Ascension Catholic Parish Boone County umbrella; sacramental records and general inquiries are routed through the Ascension Parish Office. The parish offers the FORMED Catholic streaming library free of charge to all parishioners, along with daily and Sunday Mass, weekly Adoration, the Knights of Columbus, and seasonal events designed to keep small-town Catholic life vibrant.
- Address: 405 Gerald Street, Madrid, IA 50156
- Parish Office: 515-432-1971
- St. Malachy line: 515-795-2731
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: boonecountycatholics.org
- FORMED access: free for parishioners
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Tim Johnson
Current pastor of Ascension Catholic Parish Boone County (which includes St. Malachy). Welcomes Bishop Keehner for Confirmation; writes the pastor's message on the parish website.