St. Mary

Parish Overview

St. Mary of Dodgeville is a historic country Catholic mission church in Franklin Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. Its mailing and physical address is 13204 Dodgeville Road, Sperry, IA 52650, and it is one of several worship sites making up Divine Mercy Catholic Parish. The parish website and bulletin list the Dodgeville mission under the Divine Mercy Parish banner, sharing clergy and staff with the Burlington-area parishes of St. John, St. Paul, and SS. Mary & Patrick.

History

The Catholic presence in Dodgeville dates to the 1840s, when local Catholics built the original brick church just east of the present building under the direction of Bishop Mathias Loras. Served originally by the German Jesuit Fathers of St. John's in Burlington, the mission grew enough that by 1888 Bishop Hennessy appointed a resident pastor for the three Des Moines County missions: Augusta, Kingston, and Dodgeville. The cornerstone stone Romanesque church was built 1901–1905, dedicated in 1906, destroyed by fire in 1930 (with only the walls and the chalice surviving), and rebuilt and re-dedicated by Bishop Rohlman on July 7, 1931.

• 1840s — original brick church erected under Bishop Mathias Loras
• 1888 — Rev. J. B. Wilhelm appointed resident pastor for Augusta, Kingston, and Dodgeville
• 1901–1905 — stone Romanesque church built by the parish
• May 28, 1906 — first church dedicated by Bishop Davis
• February 16, 1930 — church destroyed by fire; chalice survives intact
• July 7, 1931 — rebuilt church dedicated by Bishop Rohlman
• Today — mission worship site of Divine Mercy Catholic Parish

Architecture & Building

The present church building — the same structure that has stood in Dodgeville since 1931 — was built on the stone walls that survived the 1930 fire. Its design preserves the Romanesque character of the 1905 predecessor: a 72-by-40-foot plan, walls nearly three feet thick faced with Bedford Stone from Colorado, twin towers rising 87 feet, and stained-glass windows originally made by the Pittsburgh Glass Company in Davenport. The Stations of the Cross mounted in the interior walls were donated by St. Paul's Church in Burlington after it replaced its own set.

• Style: Romanesque
• Construction: Stone, with walls ~3 feet thick
• Stone source: Bedford Stone blocks from Colorado
• Towers: Two, each 87 feet tall
• Windows: Originally by Pittsburgh Glass Company, Davenport

Clergy & Staff

St. Mary-Dodgeville is served by the pastor of Divine Mercy Catholic Parish, currently Rev. Jacob (Jake) Greiner, with Deacon Andrew Reif assigned directly to the Dodgeville mission site. Sue Nelson serves as Administrative Assistant for the Dodgeville parish office, and Cindy Pfeiff coordinates Religious Education specifically for Dodgeville children.

• Fr. Jacob (Jake) Greiner — Pastor
• Deacon Andrew Reif — Deacon assigned to Dodgeville
• Deacon Gary Johnson — Divine Mercy Parish
• Sue Nelson — Administrative Assistant ([email protected])
• Cindy Pfeiff — Religious Education, St. Mary-Dodgeville ([email protected])
• Sr. Peggy Duffy, SSND — Ministry to the Elderly (parish-wide)
• Mary Strausbaugh — Administrative Assistant / Safe Environment Coordinator
• Tony Miller — Finance
• Susan Crabb — Bulletin Editor

Religious Education & Faith Formation

Religious Education at St. Mary-Dodgeville provides catechesis and sacramental preparation for parish children, helping them 'discover God's presence in their daily lives and develop a friendship with Jesus,' in the words of the parish site. The Dodgeville program runs September through May and is coordinated locally by Cindy Pfeiff; it operates within the wider Divine Mercy Parish faith formation program directed by Tammy Bellrichard.

• Dodgeville Religious Education contact: Cindy Pfeiff ([email protected])
• Parish-wide Director of Religious Education: Tammy Bellrichard (319-850-1404)
• Sessions: Wednesday evenings, September through May

Liturgical Roles & Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus council at St. Mary-Dodgeville fills most of the principal liturgical roles at the Sunday Mass: lector, Eucharistic minister, usher, and gift-bearer. Designated altar servers — including Lara Reif and Rosalee Hobbs — assist at the altar. This single lay-led structure is typical of small mission parishes and gives the Dodgeville community a strong sense of ownership over the liturgy.

• Lector: Knights of Columbus
• Eucharistic Ministers: Knights of Columbus
• Ushers: Knights of Columbus
• Gifts: Knights of Columbus
• Altar Servers: Lara Reif and Rosalee Hobbs (and family teams)

Parish Outreach & Charity

St. Mary-Dodgeville participates in the wider charity and outreach efforts of Divine Mercy Parish. Parishioners regularly provide meals to families with loved ones in the local Hospice House, contribute to the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry in Burlington, and take part in seasonal garden and grounds work days to maintain the church's flower beds and grotto.

• St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry — 319-752-9332
• Hospice House meal ministry — rotating monthly sign-ups
• Annual garden / grotto work day
• Ministry to the Elderly — Sister Peggy Duffy, SSND

Sacraments

Because St. Mary-Dodgeville is a mission worship site, sacramental preparation is coordinated through the Divine Mercy Parish office. Preparation for First Eucharist and Confirmation takes place through the Religious Education program; marriage preparation, baptism, anointing of the sick, and funeral rites are arranged through the parish office at 319-752-8771.

• Baptism
• First Eucharist / First Communion
• Confirmation
• Marriage preparation
• Anointing of the Sick
• Funeral rites

Visiting & Contact

Visitors are warmly welcomed at the 8:15 AM Sunday Mass. The parish mailing address is P.O. Box 415, West Burlington, IA 52655, and the physical location is 13204 Dodgeville Rd., Sperry, IA 52650. The parish office is reachable at (319) 752-8771 or by email at [email protected]; parish offices are closed on weekends and observed holidays.

• Address: 13204 Dodgeville Rd., Sperry, IA 52650
• Mailing: P.O. Box 415, West Burlington, IA 52655
• Phone: (319) 752-8771
• Email: [email protected]
• Office hours: closed weekends and observed holidays
• Directions: from Burlington, take Hwy 61 south past Mediapolis ~0.5 mi, turn right onto Dodgeville Rd, continue 0.7 mi