About St. Michael Catholic Church · Norway, Iowa
St. Michael Catholic Church is a small rural parish in Norway, Iowa, founded in the late 1860s by Czech and German Catholic settlers of Benton County. The parish is one of five churches united as the Queen of Saints Cluster within the Archdiocese of Dubuque, where weekend and weekday Masses rotate among the member parishes. Today's parish continues the 150-plus-year tradition of worship in the 1891 brick church at 512 Evergreen Street, currently shepherded by Rev. Jacob "Jake" Dunne as pastor. St. Michael hosts a Saturday Vigil Mass, two Sunday Masses, a Wednesday Mass, and a Friday Mass, and is known for its strong family, faith formation, and prayer-chain community.
- Established
- 1867 (first church built; first Mass celebrated in 1865)
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Rev. Jacob "Jake" Dunne
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. Michael offers a warm, family-sized Catholic community in rural Benton County with a Saturday Vigil Mass and two Sunday Masses, plus weekly Wednesday and Friday Masses, Eucharistic Adoration, and a cluster-wide prayer chain that reaches across multiple parishes. The Queen of Saints Cluster combines the intimacy of a small country parish with the resources of four neighboring parishes — shared faith formation from 2nd grade through Confirmation, OCIA (formerly RCIA) for adults, youth ministry, and a full sacramental prep program. If you are searching for an authentic, grounded Catholic home in east-central Iowa, St. Michael is a place where generations have worshipped since 1865 and where four men from this small parish alone were ordained to the priesthood.
Mass times at St. Michael Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:15 PM – 3:45 PM (before the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass at St. Michael)
- Sunday: 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM (before the first Mass at St. Michael)
- Anytime by appointment — call the cluster office at (319) 228-8131
Adoration times
- Monday 6:00 PM — Stations of the Cross with Adoration at Immaculate Conception, Van Horne
- Tuesday 9:00 AM — Stations of the Cross with Adoration at St. John Catholic Church, Blairstown
History of St. Michael Parish
St. Michael's story begins in 1865 with the first Mass celebrated in the Matthew Kuehn home by Father Anthony D. Urban. A church was built in 1867, the first resident pastor arrived in 1870, and the present brick church has stood since 1891. The parish built and ran a school staffed by the Dubuque Franciscan Sisters from 1892 until 1969, when the school closed due to a shortage of teaching sisters. The parish's deep vocation legacy — seven sisters and four priests from a single rural parish — is one of its proudest traditions.
- 1865 — First Mass celebrated in Matthew Kuehn home by Fr. Anthony D. Urban (mostly Czech parishioners)
- 1867 — First Catholic church in Norway built under Fr. Urban's direction while he was pastor of Vinton
- 1870 — First resident pastor appointed; parish eventually becomes predominantly German
- 1891 — Present brick church built at a cost of $13,000
- 1892 — First church remodeled as a parochial school served by the Dubuque Franciscan Sisters
- 1903 — Fr. Joseph Drexler arrives and builds a two-story brick school/convent
- 1906 — Frame church and rectory sold and moved off the property
- 1913 — New rectory added
- 1969 — Parish school closes due to shortage of teaching sisters
- 1986 — Cluster parishes begin informal cooperation
- 2003 — Queen of Saints Cluster formally established
Founding Priests and Clergy Legacy
The parish's two foundational pastors — Father Anthony D. Urban and Father Joseph Drexler — each shaped the parish in distinct eras. Urban planted the Czech-rooted community and built the first church; Drexler, son of Bavarian immigrants, arrived in 1903 and built the brick school/convent that served the parish for decades. The Drexler family itself gave two priests and a religious sister to the Church.
- Father Anthony D. Urban — celebrated first Mass (1865); directed building of first church (1867); first resident pastor (1870)
- Father William Emonds — came from Iowa City several times in 1865 to celebrate Mass in the public school
- Father Joseph Drexler — pastor from 1903; built the brick school/convent; born Delaware County, IA, 1856; ordained from St. Joseph's College, Dubuque, 1881
- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt — author of the parish profile published in The Witness (Dubuque), April 23, 1989
- Rev. Jacob 'Jake' Dunne — current pastor (installed September 17, 2023)
- Deacon Robb Pailthorpe — current deacon
Queen of Saints Cluster
St. Michael is one of five rural Benton County parishes united as the Queen of Saints Cluster within the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The cluster began informal cooperation in 1986 and was formally established in 2003. Today the five parishes share one pastor, office staff, faith formation program, and a rotating weekend Mass schedule — preserving the small-parish feel while pooling resources.
- Church of St. Patrick, Watkins
- Church of St. John, Blairstown
- Church of the Immaculate Conception, Van Horne
- Church of St. Paul, Newhall
- Church of St. Michael, Norway
- Cooperation began 1986; cluster formalized 2003
Becoming Catholic — OCIA (RCIA)
Adults interested in joining the Catholic Church, completing their sacraments, or simply learning more about the faith are invited into the cluster's OCIA process (formerly known as RCIA). Coordinated by Mark and Ann Frese, OCIA welcomes non-Catholics, baptized Catholics who have not received Communion or Confirmation, and inactive Catholics seeking to reconnect — with no obligation to join.
- OCIA / RCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Coordinators: Mark & Ann Frese — (319) 899-0468, [email protected]
- Open to non-Catholics, un-baptized adults, and baptized Catholics completing sacraments
- Sacrament typically received at the Easter Vigil
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
The cluster runs a unified Faith Formation program for children and youth. Second-graders prepare for and receive First Reconciliation together; high-school youth begin a two-year Confirmation journey in freshman year, with the sacrament conferred at the end of sophomore year. Youth are encouraged to serve as lectors, commentators, servers, gift bearers, and ushers during their preparation.
- First Reconciliation — 2nd grade (cluster program, fall preparation)
- First Holy Communion — cluster program
- Confirmation Year I — high school freshmen
- Confirmation Year II — high school sophomores (sacrament received in spring)
- Adult Confirmation — contact Dennis & Anita Kimm ([email protected])
- Youth Ministry — cluster-wide activities for teens
- Liturgical ministry opportunities for youth in formation
Prayer Chain and Pastoral Care
Beyond the Mass schedule, the cluster maintains a six-person prayer chain across its parishes so that anyone in need can request prayers. The pastor is also available for home visits, anointing of the sick, and individual appointments.
- Sandy Kaiser — (319) 560-8074
- Winifred Nolan — (319) 228-8256
- Darlene Ohlen — (319) 454-6275
- Karen Schulte — (319) 227-7294
- Alice Stramer — (319) 227-7858
- Rozella Lauterwasser — (319) 223-2117
Sacraments Offered
The cluster celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. Children receive Reconciliation and First Communion in the cluster's Faith Formation program; youth prepare for Confirmation across two high-school years; adults enter through OCIA. Vocations inquiries are directed to the pastor and the Archdiocese of Dubuque Vocation Director.
- Baptism — preparation through the cluster
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — 2nd-grade program
- Confirmation — 2-year high-school program; adult track through OCIA
- Eucharist — daily and Sunday Masses (see schedule)
- Reconciliation — Sat 3:15 PM, Sun 7:30 AM, or by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick — by request
- Matrimony — preparation through the cluster office
- Holy Orders — contact Fr. Jake Dunne or Fr. David Schatz (Vocation Director, Archdiocese of Dubuque)
Parish Staff and Office
The Queen of Saints Cluster is staffed by one pastor, one deacon, and a small lay staff that serves all five parishes. The shared office handles parish records, the weekly bulletin, web administration, and business operations.
- Rev. Jacob 'Jake' Dunne — Pastor — (319) 228-8131 ext. 303 — [email protected]
- Residence: (319) 227-7169 | Cell: (319) 389-2202
- Deacon Robb Pailthorpe — (319) 439-5327 — [email protected]
- Jaci Chambers — Business Manager / Webmaster — ext. 305 — [email protected]
- Kellee Jurgens — Secretary / Bulletin Editor — [email protected]
- Mark & Ann Frese — OCIA Coordinators — (319) 899-0468
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM; closed Friday
Returning to the Church
Anyone who has been away from the Church is warmly welcomed back. The parish encourages simply coming to Mass; for those wanting a refresher, joining the OCIA class is offered with no obligation. Fr. Jake is personally available to meet and help with a return to the practice of the faith.
- Psalm 122:1 — 'I rejoiced when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord.'
- Contact Fr. Jacob Dunne at (319) 228-8131 to set up a meeting
- OCIA class open to returning Catholics for refresher and discernment
Visiting and Getting Involved
St. Michael sits at 512 Evergreen Street in the small town of Norway, Iowa (population under 600), and serves a wide rural area of Benton County. The Queen of Saints Cluster website hosts an online form for anyone interested in joining a ministry — readers, ushers, servers, gift bearers, choir, prayer chain, council, or office help. Newcomers and returning Catholics are welcomed alike.
- Address: 512 Evergreen St., Norway, IA 52318
- Mailing Address: PO Box 250, Van Horne, IA 52346
- Office Phone: (319) 228-8131 | Fax: (319) 228-8800
- Capacity: 300
- Website: https://queenofsaints.dbqarch.org/st-michael/
- Online 'Become Active in a Ministry' form on cluster website
- Online 'Return to the Church' invitation
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Anthony D. Urban1865–1870 (mission founder; first resident pastor appointed 1870)
Czech-heritage missionary; celebrated the first Mass in the area in the Matthew Kuehn home in 1865 and directed the building of Norway's first Catholic church in 1867 while pastor of Vinton.
- Father Joseph Drexler1903–onward (1910 history)
Born in Delaware County, Iowa in 1856 to Bavarian parents; ordained 1881 from St. Joseph's College, Dubuque; came to Norway from Independence in 1903; built a two-story brick combination school and convent.