About St. Mary · Guttenberg, Iowa
St. Mary Parish is a historic Catholic community in Guttenberg, Iowa, founded in 1851 by French and German immigrant settlers along the Upper Mississippi River. It was the first Catholic church — and the first house of worship of any denomination — in all of Clayton County. Today the parish is part of the Oelwein Area Pastorate within the Archdiocese of Dubuque, linked with neighboring Immaculate Conception in North Buena Vista and St. Joseph in Garnavillo. The parish continues to serve more than 300 families from its 1903 Gothic Revival church, which dominates the small river town with twin 146-foot spires and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Established
- 1851
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary (the church was 'dedicated by Rev. G.H. Plathe to the honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary')
- Rector
- Fr. Paul Kwaku Ameyaw
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. Mary offers the rare combination of a small-town river parish rooted in 175 years of Catholic life and a worship space of genuine architectural grandeur — the 1904 Gothic Revival church seats 800 beneath 146-foot twin spires and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Active groups welcome every member of the family: St. Anne's for women, M.A.S.S. (Men Actively Seeking Spirituality) for men, and the Knights of Columbus for men and their families. Weekday and Sunday Masses are celebrated in English, with Friday confessions, monthly all-day Eucharistic Adoration, and outreach that reaches beyond the parish to local care centers (Guttenberg Care Center, River Living Center) and pro-life clinics in Dubuque.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday: 9:00 am – 9:45 am at St. Mary, Guttenberg
Adoration times
- Last Wednesday of each month: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm at St. Mary, Guttenberg
Parish History
Founded in 1851 by French and German Catholic settlers on the Upper Mississippi, St. Mary is the oldest Catholic parish in Clayton County and the first church of any denomination in the county. The parish grew alongside the bustling river town of Guttenberg, which at one point saw 620 steamboats pass in a single year (1857). The original 1851 frame church was replaced by a brick church in 1853 (the frame structure becoming the first school), by a bluff-stone church in 1874, and finally by the present Gothic Revival church in 1904.
Founding and the First Churches
Missionary priests celebrated Mass for scattered French Catholic families in Clayton County as early as 1833. After German immigrants arrived in 1845, the parish was formally established in 1851 with land transferred from Ignatz Jaeger to Bernard H. Pelzer. The first resident pastor, Rev. G.H. Plahte, dedicated a 20-by-28-foot frame church that year to the honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1853 a 30-by-50-foot brick church was built and the old frame building became a school — at the urging of German immigrant Bernard Bierman.
Rev. Joseph H. Brinkmann and the Present Church Plant
The most transformative pastor was Rev. Joseph H. Brinkmann (pastor from 1889), who had earlier helped build the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville. Brinkmann personally designed the new Colonial Revival school (1894), the brick Colonial Revival rectory (1899), and the current Gothic Revival church, which broke ground in 1902 and was completed in 1904. A 1921 wing expanded the school to ten grades, and the parish high school — state-accredited in 1925 — closed in 1968 under an archdiocesan reorganization. Brinkmann died unexpectedly on October 11, 1925, and his successor Rev. Joseph A. Dupont completed a new $13,545 Tudor Revival convent in 1926 (designed by Dubuque architect Carimir Ignatius Krajewski) for the Franciscan Sisters.
175th Anniversary
In 2026 the parish is celebrating 175 years since its 1851 founding — having grown from a handful of French and German immigrant families to more than 300 families today. The anniversary was marked with a series of community events reported by the Clayton County Iowa News.
Architecture & Historic Campus
The 1904 Gothic Revival church is the visual and spiritual heart of the parish and the city of Guttenberg. Designed by pastor-architect Rev. Joseph H. Brinkmann, the cross-shaped brick structure is 152 feet long, 62 feet wide, and 74 feet tall at the transept, seating 800 worshippers beneath twin 146-foot spires. Its Gothic stained glass, rose windows, and buttresses are signature features. The full parish campus — church, rectory, convent, and school — is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the St. Mary's Catholic Church Historic District (NRHP #04000817, added August 12, 2004).
- 1904 Gothic Revival church — 152 ft × 62 ft, 800 seats, twin spires 146 ft high
- 1899 Colonial Revival rectory (with Italianate influences) — designed by Brinkmann
- 1894 Colonial Revival school (50 × 70 ft) — designed by Brinkmann
- 1926 Tudor Revival convent — designed by Carimir Ignatius Krajewski of Dubuque
- St. Mary's Catholic Church Historic District, NRHP #04000817, listed August 12, 2004
Parish Staff
The parish is staffed by a pastor, a deacon, and a parish secretary. All are listed on the parish website and may be reached through the rectory at 563-252-1247.
- Fr. Paul Kwaku Ameyaw — Pastor (563-252-1247 or 563-880-6017)
- Deacon James Pfaffly — (563-880-9696)
- Lisa Kies — Office Secretary (563-252-1247, [email protected])
St. Mary School
St. Mary School is one of the oldest Catholic schools in northeast Iowa. The original 1851 frame church was repurposed as a school in 1853, and a two-story school opened in 1860. The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) of La Crosse, Wisconsin began teaching here in 1870 and continued for 98 years. The current Colonial Revival school building was completed in 1894 under pastor Rev. J.H. Brinkmann, with a 1921 wing expanding it to ten grades. After the parish high school closed in 1968, the school consolidated with Immaculate Conception of North Buena Vista. Today the school continues to serve K-6 students.
- Founded 1853 (the first parish church repurposed as a school)
- Two-story school building opened 1860
- Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) taught here 1870–1968 (98 years)
- Current Colonial Revival school built 1894
- High school accredited 1925; closed 1968 in archdiocesan reorganization
- Consolidated with Immaculate Conception (North Buena Vista)
- Principal: Mrs. Joanne Hedemann
- Secretary: Mrs. Erin Schmelzer
- Address: 510 S. 2nd Street, Guttenberg, IA 52052
- Phone: 563-252-1577 | Fax: 563-252-1363
Parish Groups & Ministries
St. Mary has a small but active portfolio of parish groups organized around family life, men's spirituality, and Catholic fraternal charity. Newcomers are warmly invited to register with the rectory and join one of these communities.
- St. Anne's — women's organization; funeral dinners, kitchen care for Brinkmann Hall, charitable giving (Sue Bahls, 252-3253)
- Men Actively Seeking Spirituality (M.A.S.S.) — men's faith-sharing group meeting Tuesdays 6:30–8:00 pm
- Knights of Columbus — Catholic men's fraternity, charity, and parish service
- Parish Life Committee — parish socials and Christian movie events
- RCIA / How to Become a Catholic Christian — inquiry process for adults
- Monthly Ministry Schedules — lay liturgical ministry rotations
- Pro-life outreach — baby clothes and gifts for Clarity Clinic and Birthright in Dubuque
Sacraments
All sacramental arrangements are coordinated through the rectory. Marriages require at least six months of preparation beginning at the time of formal engagement, and the priest should be contacted as soon as a couple decides to marry. The parish also regularly visits the sick and homebound and celebrates Anointing of the Sick on request.
- Baptisms — arrangements at the rectory
- Marriages — six months preparation; contact priest at engagement
- Sick Calls / Anointing — call 252-1247
- Funerals — arrangements at the rectory
- Becoming Catholic (RCIA) — contact Fr. Paul Kwaku Ameyaw
Becoming a Member
New families and individuals are invited to register with the parish by calling the rectory at 252-1247. The parish also asks existing members to inform the rectory of any change of address or departure from the parish.
- Contact the rectory at 563-252-1247 to register
- Explore the Christian Initiation process (RCIA) by contacting Fr. Paul Kwaku Ameyaw
- Subscribe to the weekly bulletin (available on the parish website)
Linked Parishes & the Oelwein Area Pastorate
St. Mary is part of the Oelwein Area Pastorate established by the Archdiocese of Dubuque's 'Journey in Faith' plan. The parish shares pastoral leadership with Immaculate Conception in North Buena Vista and St. Joseph in Garnavillo, all under Fr. Paul Kwaku Ameyaw. Each of the three parishes celebrates one English Mass per weekend under the current arrangement.
- Immaculate Conception Parish — North Buena Vista (Sunday 8:30 am)
- St. Joseph Parish — Garnavillo (Saturday 4:00 pm Vigil; Tuesday 8:30 am)
- Archdiocese of Dubuque 'Journey in Faith' pastorate plan
- Fr. Paul Kwaku Ameyaw — pastor of all three parishes
Visiting & Contact
St. Mary is located in the heart of Guttenberg, Iowa, on the Mississippi River in northeast Iowa. The 1904 church's twin 146-foot spires are the tallest structures in town and serve as a natural landmark for visitors.
- Address: 518 S. 2nd Street, Guttenberg, IA 52052
- Rectory phone: 563-252-1247
- Pastor cell: 563-880-6017
- Deacon phone: 563-880-9696
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.maryicjoseph.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. G.H. Plahte1851–
First resident pastor of St. Mary; dedicated the first church to the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1851.
- Rev. Joseph H. Brinkmann1889–1925
Designed the 1894 Colonial Revival school, 1899 rectory, and the present Gothic Revival church (groundbreaking 1902, completed 1904). Also instrumental in building the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville. Died unexpectedly October 11, 1925.
- Rev. Joseph A. Dupontafter 1925
Brinkmann's successor; built the Tudor Revival convent in 1926 (designed by Carimir Ignatius Krajewski of Dubuque) to house the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.
- Fr. Paul R. Petersbefore July 1997
Musician-priest (organist, Master of Music Education); directed the consolidation of the Catholic school with Immaculate Conception, North Buena Vista, and added Kindergarten to the school curriculum. Moved to St. Joseph, Elkader in July 1997.
- Fr. Paul Kwaku Ameyawcurrent
Current pastor of St. Mary, St. Joseph (Garnavillo), and Immaculate Conception (North Buena Vista) under the Oelwein Area Pastorate of the Archdiocese of Dubuque.