About St. Michael · Belle Plaine, Iowa
St. Michael Catholic Church in Belle Plaine, Iowa is a small rural parish in the Archdiocese of Dubuque that serves Catholic faithful in east-central Iowa between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. Founded in 1885 when Catholic families arrived along the Chicago & North Western Railroad, it is one of three parishes that today form the Circle of Saints Cluster alongside St. Patrick in Tama and St. Joseph in Chelsea. Worshippers gather on Sundays at 8:30 AM and on Thursdays at 8:30 AM for daily Mass, with Confession, Adoration, and parish fellowship in the social hall afterward. As part of the Archdiocese of Dubuque's Journey in Faith initiative, the cluster has joined the Marshalltown Area Pastorate, continuing a long tradition of sharing clergy and resources among small Iowa parishes.
- Established
- 1885
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. Michael offers a close-knit, rural Catholic community in the heart of Tama County where parishioners know one another by name. The parish gathers every Sunday morning at 8:30 AM and every Thursday for daily Mass, Confession, Adoration, and fellowship in the social hall downstairs — a rhythm that makes sacramental life accessible for working farm families. As part of the Circle of Saints Cluster, St. Michael shares resources with St. Patrick (Tama) and St. Joseph (Chelsea), so members benefit from a wider Faith Formation program for PreK through 12th grade, sacramental preparation, and Hispanic ministry, while keeping the warmth of a single small parish.
Mass times at St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 9:00 AM (after daily Mass until finished) at St. Michael, Belle Plaine
- By appointment — call the Cluster office at (641) 484-3039
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at St. Michael, Belle Plaine
Welcome to St. Michael Parish
St. Michael Catholic Church sits at 1302 9th Avenue in Belle Plaine, Iowa, and forms one third of the Circle of Saints Cluster serving east-central Iowa between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. The parish invites visitors to join Sunday Mass at 8:30 AM and Thursday daily Mass at 8:30 AM, followed by Confession, Adoration, and fellowship in the social hall downstairs. Carol Wonrau, the St. Michael Office Assistant and Faith Formation administrator, is the parish's main point of contact for newcomers.
- Sunday Mass: 8:30 AM (English)
- Thursday Daily Mass: 8:30 AM
- Confession: Thursday 9:00 AM, after daily Mass until finished
- Adoration: Thursday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- Parish Office open Wed & Thu, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Cluster Leadership & Clergy
The parish is currently in a transition period. Father Michael McAndrew, the cluster's priest, is on sabbatical, and on December 1, 2025, Archbishop Zinkula appointed Father Jim Secora (retired, Ames) as pastoral lead of the Circle of Saints Cluster, with Deacon Stan Upah named Parish Administrator overseeing daily operations. In January 2026, Father Peter Jia — a 35-year-old priest ordained in 2018 in the Archdiocese of Taiyuan, China, who most recently completed a Master of Theological Studies in Liturgy at the College of St. Benedict / St. John's — was appointed Parochial Vicar. Father Alan Dietzenbach of Marshalltown assists with Spanish-language Masses and Hispanic community needs, and retired Deacon Joe Behounek also serves the cluster.
- Father Jim Secora — Priest Supervisor / pastoral lead
- Father Peter Jia — Parochial Vicar
- Father Alan Dietzenbach — Priest, Spanish Mass support
- Father Michael McAndrew — on sabbatical
- Deacon Stan Upah — Parish Administrator
- Deacon Joe Behounek — Retired Deacon
Parish & Finance Councils
St. Michael's lay leadership includes a Parish Council that guides the local parish's life and Cluster Finance Council representatives who serve the wider Circle of Saints financial planning.
- Parish Council Members: Mike Argo, Janeen Wickwire, Kathy Fredericks, Andrea Dvorak, Pat McLeod, Nancy Roth
- Cluster Finance Council Representatives: Todd Shaull, Amy DeMeulenaere
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The cluster's Faith Formation program welcomes students from PreK (age 4) through 12th grade and runs on Wednesday evenings from 6:45 to 8:00 PM, beginning September 17 and continuing through the spring. At the Belle Plaine site, drop-off is at the North Doors on the parking lot side, and the parish office assistant Carol Wonrau serves as the on-site coordinator. The program focuses on prayer life, Scripture, and Catholic identity — with a refreshed high school curriculum designed to engage teens during their formative years. Walk-ins are welcome for junior high and high school programs.
- Grades served: PreK (age 4) through 12th grade
- Class time: Wednesdays, 6:45–8:00 PM
- Drop-off: North Doors (parking lot side)
- Registration Fee: $45 per child; Sacrament Prep Fee: $15 per child; $100 family maximum
- Financial assistance available — contact the parish office
- Forms and waivers deadline: Sunday, August 31
- Diocesan policy: students may not attend until all paperwork is complete
- Weather policy: classes held unless a cancellation text is sent from Circle of Saints
Confirmation Preparation
Confirmation preparation is available through the cluster's Faith Formation program for older youth who are ready for the sacrament. Families are encouraged to visit the cluster's Confirmation information page and submit required sacramental records early.
- Sacrament records required before first class
- Contact parish office to register
Hispanic Ministry & Spanish-Language Support
The cluster maintains a Hispanic Ministry led by Cynthia Guadiana, who also coordinates Sacramental Preparation and serves as a Faith Formation administrator. Father Alan Dietzenbach of Marshalltown assists with Spanish-language Masses, and a Spanish Mass is offered at St. Patrick in Tama on selected Sundays. A bilingual First Communion celebration is planned at St. Patrick Tama.
- Cynthia Guadiana — Hispanic Ministry, Sacramental Prep, Faith Formation Admin
- Father Alan Dietzenbach — Spanish Mass support
- Spanish Mass at St. Patrick, Tama (occasional Sundays)
Circle of Saints Cluster
St. Michael shares its clergy and staff with two neighboring parishes as part of the Circle of Saints Cluster — St. Patrick in Tama and St. Joseph in Chelsea — forming a community of three Catholic parishes clustered in east-central Iowa, between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. The cluster approach, which began in the late 1990s, allows small rural parishes to share priests, faith formation programs, and administrative resources. As part of the Archdiocese of Dubuque's Journey in Faith pastoral planning, the cluster has joined the Marshalltown Area Pastorate, with an interim Mass schedule covering July through January.
- St. Patrick, Tama — Sunday 10:30 AM; Tuesday 5:30 PM; Friday 8:00 AM
- St. Joseph, Chelsea — Saturday 4:30 PM; Wednesday 8:30 AM
- St. Michael, Belle Plaine — Sunday 8:30 AM; Thursday 8:30 AM
- Cluster Office phone: (641) 484-3039
Parish Staff & Office
Day-to-day parish operations at St. Michael are handled by Carol Wonrau, the Office Assistant and Faith Formation Administrator. Cluster-wide staff include Cynthia Guadiana (Hispanic Ministry, Sacramental Prep, Faith Formation Admin) and Lisandra Ordaz (Secretary, Bulletin, Cluster Admin).
- Carol Wonrau — St. Michael Office Assistant, Faith Formation Admin ([email protected])
- Cynthia Guadiana (Español) — Hispanic Ministry, Sacramental Prep, Faith Formation Admin
- Lisandra Ordaz (Español) — Secretary, Bulletin, Cluster Admin
- Office hours: Wed & Thu, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
A Brief History of the Parish
St. Michael traces its origins to the arrival of the Chicago & North Western Railroad in Belle Plaine and the influx of Catholic settlers and farmers into Tama County. By the early 1880s, the local Catholic community had outgrown home Masses and the use of the public school for worship. In 1885, Father Michael A. Meagher, pastor of Tama, directed the building of the parish's first church — a frame Gothic-style structure at the corner of 6th Avenue and 7th Street, built by Patrick McPhee and Joseph McPherson. That original building was later moved to 910 8th Avenue and is now used by the Faith Baptist Congregation. More than 130 years of parish records — including centennial documents, parish histories, correspondence, and financial papers — are preserved at the Loras College Center for Dubuque History.
- 1885 — first church built under Father Michael A. Meagher's direction
- Original frame Gothic-style church at 6th Avenue and 7th Street
- Late 1990s — entry into the Circle of Saints cluster arrangement
- December 1, 2025 — leadership transitions: Fr. Secora named pastoral lead, Deacon Upah as Parish Administrator
- January 2026 — Father Peter Jia appointed Parochial Vicar
Visit Us & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed to St. Michael Catholic Church. The parish office is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and Carol Wonrau is the best first point of contact for new families, sacramental questions, or getting involved. Flocknote text and email updates keep parents informed about Faith Formation schedules, weather cancellations, and parish news.
- Address: 1302 9th Ave, Belle Plaine, IA 52208
- Belle Plaine Office phone: (319) 444-3106
- Cluster Office phone: (641) 484-3039
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.cofsaints.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Michael A. Meagher1885 (founding pastor of Tama who directed building of St. Michael's first church)