About St. Mary · Avoca, Iowa
St. Mary Mediatrix of All Graces is a Roman Catholic parish in Avoca, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, belonging to the Diocese of Des Moines. The parish was established in 1875 — the first Mass in the area was offered in 1872 by Father B.P. (Bernard) McMenomy of Council Bluffs — and was originally a mission church before getting its first resident priest, Father Joseph Hanson, in 1898. The current church building dates to 1957, when it was blessed by Bishop Edward C. Daley on March 3 after the original wooden 1875 church was demolished in 1956. Today the parish is linked with nearby St. Patrick's in Walnut, sharing a pastor, parish staff, faith-formation program, and bulletin, and is led by Father Seth Nana Owusu, a Ghanaian-born priest ordained in 2001 who has served the linked parish since 2018.
- Established
- 1875
- Patron
- Mary Mediatrix of All Graces
- Rector
- Rev. Seth Nana Owusu (Father Seth Owusu)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Des Moines
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a faithful, multi-generation rural Iowa parish where newcomers are personally welcomed by a pastor who walks in from Accra, Ghana via Des Moines and a tight-knit lay staff who know each family by name. Visitors can worship at one of the oldest congregations in Pottawattamie County (Masses have been offered here since 1872), join a Parish Council with seven active ministry areas, enroll children in the parish's K–12 religious-education program, or simply stop by the rectory on Antique City Drive for a cup of coffee and a conversation. The parish is also deeply connected to its historic cemetery (founded 1871) and its linked sister parish, St. Patrick's in Walnut, making it a small but sturdy anchor of Catholic life in the rolling Loess Hills of southwest Iowa.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- One half hour before the Saturday 4:30 PM Vigil Mass
- One half hour before the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass (2nd and 4th Sundays)
- One half hour before the 8:00 AM Sunday Mass on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays
- Other times by appointment through the parish office (712-343-6948)
Parish Identity & History
St. Mary Mediatrix of All Graces is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Des Moines serving the small town of Avoca in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and is linked with St. Patrick's in nearby Walnut. The parish traces its origin to 1872, when Father B.P. (Bernard) McMenomy of Council Bluffs first offered Mass in the Avoca schoolhouse and in True's Hall at the Exchange Block. The first church, dedicated in 1874, was a 28-by-40-foot wooden frame on Maple and Crocker streets that served the parish until it was demolished in 1956 to make way for the current building, blessed by Bishop Edward C. Daley on March 3, 1957.
- Parish founded: 1875 (cornerstone laid 1871; church dedicated 1874; parish formally established with resident pastor 1898)
- Original church: wooden, 28' × 40', corner of Maple & Crocker streets, ~$2,000
- Current church: brick, blessed March 3, 1957, mortgage burned February 1, 1961
- Historical diocesan lineage: Dubuque (founding–1881) → Davenport (1881–1911) → Des Moines (1911–present)
- Name meaning: 'Avoca' is Gaelic for 'sweet vale'
Linked Parish with St. Patrick's, Walnut
Since 2010 St. Mary's, Avoca has shared a single pastor with St. Patrick's, Walnut, and the two parishes maintain a common parish secretary, faith-formation staff, and bulletin published from the Avoca rectory at 109 N. Maple Street. The relationship is a historical echo of the mission era (1883–1898 and again from 1915) when the two churches alternated as mission and mother parish; today they are full pastoral partners. Father Seth Nana Owusu serves as the pastor of both parishes.
- St. Patrick's first church: built 1874; current hall and church at 718 Antique City Drive, Walnut, IA 51577
- Walnut Sunday Masses (alternate weeks): 10:30 AM on 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays; 8:00 AM on 2nd and 4th Sundays (10:00 AM in summer)
- Mailing address shared: P.O. Box 38, Avoca, IA 51521
- Avoca phone (712) 343-6951 / rectory (712) 343-6948
Parish Staff
St. Mary's is pastored by Father Seth Nana Owusu and supported by a small but stable lay staff who coordinate liturgy, faith formation, finances and the parish office. The same staff team serves the linked St. Patrick's parish in Walnut.
- Pastor: Rev. Seth Nana Owusu (since 2018; ordained 2001 in Ghana; born July 19, 1969)
- Parish Secretary: Terri Naegele ([email protected])
- Bookkeeper: Jeanette Bartunek
- Catechetical Leader, grades K–6: Becky Rosmann
- Catechetical Leader, grades 7–12: Stephanie Geraghty
- Adult Faith Formation Coordinator: Mary Pearson
- Liturgy Coordinator: Heather Poore (Avoca)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Children and teens of the parish receive Catholic formation through a parish-based Religious Education program organized by grade band. Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation is woven into this program, in cooperation with the Diocese of Des Moines. Adult faith formation is also offered throughout the year.
- K–6 Religious Education: Becky Rosmann
- Grades 7–12 Religious Education: Stephanie Geraghty
- Adult Faith Formation: Mary Pearson
- Sacramental prep tied to RE schedule; Confirmation coordinated with the Diocese of Des Moines
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Lay leadership flows through a Parish Council organized around seven ministry areas — Liturgy, Finance, Family Life, Community Affairs, Ecumenism, Education, and Parish Relations — a structure preserved in the parish's published directories. Pastoral care to the homebound and sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation are recurring lay-led efforts.
- Parish Council (seven ministry areas)
- Family Life / Community Affairs outreach
- Liturgy Coordinator (Heather Poore)
- Cemetery Committee (parish cemetery founded 1871)
- Bulletin & communications team (parish blog at stmarysavoca.wordpress.com)
Facilities & Grounds
The parish plant is centered on two adjoining lots on North Maple Street in downtown Avoca: the church and parish hall sit at 113 N. Maple, while the rectory and mail/delivery entrance are at 109 N. Maple. The current church replaced the 1875 wooden structure in 1956–1957; a new foyer was added to the front of the church in 1976–77 and a side door with handicapped-accessible ramp was installed in a later renovation.
- Church and Hall: 113 N. Maple St.
- Rectory and Deliveries: 109 N. Maple St.
- Mailing: P.O. Box 38, Avoca, IA 51521
- Front foyer added 1976–77; accessible side entrance added later
Cemetery
St. Mary's parish cemetery was established in 1871 — four years before the first church building was finished — and remains an active Catholic burial ground on the edge of town. Pastor James Polich (1989–1995) is remembered for expanding and improving the cemetery grounds, and the parish continues to maintain the site as a ministry to families.
- Established: 1871
- Expanded and improved during Father James Polich's pastorate (1989–1995)
- Active burial ground for Catholic families of the Avoca area
Getting Involved & Visiting
Visitors are warmly welcomed at weekend Masses and can arrange pastoral visits, baptisms, marriage preparation, or anointings by calling the rectory at (712) 343-6948. The parish website publishes a weekly bulletin and homilies, including Year-of-Faith reflections, Eucharistic-themed homilies for Corpus Christi and weekday devotional writing by Father Seth.
- Office phone: (712) 343-6948 (rectory) or (712) 343-6951 (office)
- Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
- Website: stmarysavoca.wordpress.com
- Weekend Masses posted on the home page; weekday schedule available by phone
- Father Seth's homily blog includes reflections for Advent, Corpus Christi, the Trinity, Pentecost and other major feasts
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father B.P. (Bernard) McMenomy1872
Pastor of St. Francis Xavier, Council Bluffs; said the first Masses in Avoca and Walnut. Not a resident pastor of St. Mary's.
- Father Gaule of Atlantic, Iowa1883–c.1898
Early supervisor of the Avoca mission under the Davenport diocese (dates approximate).
- Father Richard Dollard1883–1898
Pastor of St. Patrick's, Walnut; during his tenure St. Mary's, Avoca was served as a mission from Walnut.
- Father Joseph Hanson1898–1904
First resident pastor of St. Mary's; built the rectory in 1900; added the choir loft, confessionals and electricity.
- Father Henry Malone1904 (brief)
Served briefly; per the parish's official priest list.
- Father Daniel McAllister1905–1908
During his brief tenure the main altar was brought to St. Mary's from Westphalia, Iowa.
- Father Herman Albers1908–1933
Long-tenured pastor; oversaw 1915 linking of St. Patrick's Walnut as a mission; added vestibule, furnace, stained glass and a Lyon & Healy organ.
- Father Valentine Cashman1933–1947
Resident pastor during the Depression and WWII years.
- Father Emil Schuman1947–1955
Succeeded Father Cashman.
- Father Jerome Schnitker1955 (brief)
Very brief tenure listed on the parish's official priest list.
- Father Joseph Schulte1955–1969
Oversaw the 1956 demolition of the 1875 church and construction of the present church; final mortgage burned Feb. 1, 1961.
- Father LaVern Wingert1969–1979
Built new parish house and CCD center; added the front foyer (1976–77); refurbished/redécorated church interior.
- Father Paul Monahan1979–1985
Later residing at Primrose Retirement Community, Council Bluffs.
- Father Phil Lawler1985–1989
- Father James Polich1989–1995
- Father Fred Reischl1995–2000
- Father John Frost2000–2010
Served as the linked-pastorate era began; later at St. Mary of Nazareth, Des Moines.
- Father Thomas Dooley2010–2018
First pastor formally appointed to the linked Avoca–Walnut pastorate; previously parochial vicar at St. Anthony, Des Moines and associate at St. Joseph, Des Moines. Later at St. Joseph, Winterset.
- Father Seth Nana Owusu2018–present
Ghanaian-born priest ordained December 8, 2001; pastor of both St. Mary's, Avoca and St. Patrick's, Walnut; received a six-year assignment extension from Bishop William Joensen.
 "St. Mary")