About St Mary · Fairfield, Iowa
St. Mary Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Fairfield, Iowa, belonging to the Diocese of Davenport. The parish describes itself as "a welcoming family of faith" and serves Fairfield and the surrounding southeast-Iowa community with weekend and weekday Mass, the sacraments, faith formation for children and adults, music and liturgical ministries, a homebound ministry, and Cursillo. The current church building was completed in 2009 on West Madison Avenue, and the parish is pastored by Fr. Ross Epping, who also serves St. Alphonsus Parish in Mount Pleasant.
- Established
- 1857
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Ross Epping
- Diocese
- Diocese of Davenport
Why belong here
St. Mary offers a full Catholic sacramental life in a smaller, family-sized parish setting: Vigil and Sunday Mass with weekday Masses on Wednesday and Friday, weekly Confession before the Vigil, and a Director of Religious Education coordinating Children's Sacramental Preparation (First Reconciliation/First Eucharist in second grade) along with Vacation Bible School. Adult formation opportunities include a 9:00 AM Sunday scripture study and the Cursillo movement, and outreach is provided through a Homebound Ministry coordinated by a lay parishioner. With a recently built worship space and a pastor supported by both an Office Manager and a Business Manager, the parish is a stable place to belong, worship, and serve in southeast Iowa.
Mass times at St Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:15 – 3:45 PM
About St. Mary Catholic Church
St. Mary Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Davenport located at 3100 W. Madison Ave., Fairfield, Iowa. The parish identifies itself on its website as "a welcoming family of faith" and is led by Fr. Ross Epping as pastor/parochial administrator, supported by Office Manager Roberta Danielson and Business Manager Joann Adam. The parish was founded in 1857 and the current church was built in 2009, making St. Mary one of the older Catholic parishes in southeastern Iowa with a relatively modern worship space.
- Founded 1857
- Current church building 2009
- Diocese of Davenport
- Tagline: "a welcoming family of faith"
Staff and Leadership
Fr. Ross Epping is the pastor of St. Mary in Fairfield while also serving St. Alphonsus Parish in Mount Pleasant; he was ordained June 6, 2016, and began his current assignment July 1, 2024. Day-to-day operations are handled by Office Manager Roberta Danielson and Business Manager Joann Adam. Jean Dorothy serves as Director of Religious Education, coordinating Faith Formation, Sacramental Preparation, and Vacation Bible School.
- Fr. Ross Epping — Pastor
- Roberta Danielson — Office Manager
- Joann Adam — Business Manager
- Jean Dorothy — Director of Religious Education
Faith Formation and Religious Education
St. Mary's faith-formation programming is led by Director of Religious Education Jean Dorothy. Children in second grade prepare for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist through parent-included classes, and a parish Faith Formation registration form is published each year ($75 per family, with financial-burrain accommodation offered through Jean Dorothy). A Vacation Bible School program is also offered. The parish welcomes children "as they reach the age of reason" into the sacramental life of the Church.
- Sacramental Prep — First Reconciliation & First Eucharist (2nd grade)
- Faith Formation Registration ($75/family)
- Vacation Bible School
- Contact: Jean Dorothy, Director of Religious Education
Adult Faith Formation
Adults can join a Sunday Scripture Study in the parish hall at 9:00 AM, before the 10:30 AM Mass. St. Mary also connects parishioners with the Quincy Cursillo movement — a three-day lay spirituality experience rooted in the Catholic faith. Quincy Cursillo, centered in the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, hosts eight weekends per year (four men's, four women's) at the Franciscan Retreat Center in Quincy; local contact for the Fairfield area is Esther Urban (641-919-4896).
- Sunday Scripture Study — 9:00 AM in parish hall
- Cursillo — three-day lay movement
- Contact: Esther Urban, 641-919-4896
Music and Liturgical Ministry
Music ministry and liturgical ministry scheduling are active at St. Mary, supporting the parish's weekend and weekday Masses. The parish maintains a Liturgical Ministry schedule (published on its website) and a separate Music Ministry page, indicating organized choirs and lay liturgical roles such as lectors, extraordinary ministers, and servers.
- Music Ministry
- Liturgical Ministry schedule (published)
Outreach and Pastoral Care
Pastoral outreach is centered on St. Mary's Homebound Ministry, coordinated by parishioner Jody Seeley. Anyone unable to attend Mass in person can be added to the homebound list via a form on the parish website, and the parish invites visitors to "check out our weekly bulletin" for ongoing announcements and information about ministries and devotions.
- Homebound Ministry — Coordinator Jody Seeley ([email protected])
- Weekly bulletin available via parish website
- After-hours pastoral line: 641-472-3179 (Fr. Ross)
Contact and Visiting
St. Mary Catholic Church is located at 3100 W. Madison Avenue, Fairfield, IA 52556. The main office number is 641-472-3179 and the parish email is [email protected]. Office hours are Monday through Thursday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday 8:00 AM to noon. Immediate after-hours assistance is available by calling the office number and leaving a message for Fr. Ross. The parish's website (fairfieldstmary.org) hosts the bulletin, Mass and Confession schedule, contact page, faith-formation registration, and ministry information.
- 3100 W. Madison Ave., Fairfield, IA 52556
- Phone: 641-472-3179
- Email: [email protected]
- After-hours: leave a message for Fr. Ross
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Francis Hendricksen
Listed in 1956 diocesan records as pastor of St. Mary's Parish in Fairfield; mentioned as concelebrant at Sts. Peter & Paul rededication at Clear Creek.
- Fr. Ross EppingJuly 1, 2024 – present
Parochial administrator of St. Mary Parish in Fairfield (and St. Alphonsus, Mount Pleasant) beginning July 1, 2024; ordained June 6, 2016.