About St. Patrick · Epworth, Iowa
St. Patrick Parish in Epworth, Iowa is one of five Catholic parishes that make up the St. Elizabeth Pastorate in western Dubuque County, alongside St. John the Evangelist in Placid, St. Joseph in Farley, St. John the Baptist in Peosta, and St. Clement in Bankston. The parish was founded in 1879 by Father James Commerford, an Irish-born priest who first celebrated Mass for three Catholic families in the O'Connor home, and it now meets Sunday Mass needs at 102 1st St SE under the care of pastor Fr. Steve Garner and the wider pastorate staff. The parish maintains its own parish and finance councils, a Liturgy Committee, a St. Patrick's Cemetery, and a church hall with pavilion that hosts parish events such as the St. Patrick $100 Supper.
- Established
- 1879
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Fr. Steve Garner
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. Patrick's offers an intimate rural-Iowa Catholic community where generations of the same families continue to worship in the parish founded for them in 1879. Sunday Mass is celebrated at the historic church at 102 1st St SE, with weekday Mass on Thursday mornings followed by Eucharistic Adoration and the sacrament of Reconciliation, and parishioners are served by a dedicated team of deacons, liturgy and finance committees, and a cemetery board that maintains St. Patrick's Cemetery next to the parish. Belonging here means joining a five-parish pastorate — with shared faith formation for children, online giving, weekly bulletins, and community events like the St. Patrick $100 Supper — while keeping a close-knit parish life in Epworth itself.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursdays – 8:30 AM at St. Patrick, Epworth
Adoration times
- Thursdays – 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM at St. Patrick, Epworth (following the 8:00 AM Mass)
History of St. Patrick's Parish
The parish was founded in 1879 by Father James Commerford for three Catholic families in Epworth — the O'Connors, the McCarthys and the Jennings, nineteen people in all — who first met for Mass in the O'Connor home and then in a room rented from the non-Catholic Finnessey family. The cornerstone of the first church was laid November 9, 1879 in a ceremony reported by the Dubuque Daily Herald three days later, assisted by Revs. Burke, Brady, Farley, Heer and Kelley. Rev. J. Brogan (1900–1905) and Rev. Patrick McNamara (1905–1930) shared ministry with St. John in Placid, until Rev. Mathias J. Meyerhofer was appointed as the first resident pastor of St. Patrick in 1935.
- Three founding families: O'Connors, McCarthys, Jennings — 19 persons total
- Cornerstone laid November 9, 1879; church blessed by Father Commerford after completion
- Rev. J. Brogan, 1900–1905 (shared with St. John)
- Rev. Patrick McNamara, 1905–1930 (shared with St. John)
- Rev. Mathias J. Meyerhofer appointed first resident pastor in 1935
- Parish history reprinted in The Catholic Daily Tribune, August 15, 1937
Worship in the St. Elizabeth Pastorate
St. Patrick is one of five parishes in the St. Elizabeth Pastorate of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The pastorate shares clergy, faith-formation staff, liturgy and communications so that every weekend Mass and sacrament is covered across the cluster, while each parish keeps its own identity, councils and local traditions.
- St. Patrick, Epworth — Sunday 7:30 AM
- St. Clement, Bankston — Sunday 9:00 AM
- St. John the Baptist, Peosta — Sunday 9:00 AM
- St. John the Evangelist, Placid — Sunday 9:00 AM
- St. Joseph, Farley — Saturday Vigil 4:00 PM
- Saturday 9:00 AM Mass at Peosta (1st Saturday of the month only)
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is served by the pastorate clergy and lay staff headquartered at the St. Elizabeth Pastorate office in Epworth. Fr. Steve Garner serves as pastor of the pastorate (welcomed in 2025), with Fr. Jangill Maime as associate pastor and a team of three deacons and two Ministers of Care supporting the parishes.
- Fr. Steve Garner — Pastor
- Fr. Jangill Maime — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Nick Elliott
- Deacon Jim Koetz
- Deacon Dan O'Connell — Minister of Care
- Mike Sullivan — Minister of Care
- Chad Lukes — Business Manager
- Krystal Smith — Director of Liturgy
- Kari Feldmann — Bookkeeper / Wedding Music Coordinator
- Geri Kalb — Marketing & Communications Coordinator
- Lynne McDermott — Administrative Assistant
- Julie Koopmann — Pastor's Administrative Assistant
- Jim Hammerand — Faith Formation (CRE)
- Mindi McDermott — Faith Formation Assistant
Parish Councils & Committees
Parishioners guide the life of St. Patrick through elected and appointed councils and committees whose meeting minutes and finance reports are posted on the pastorate website.
- Parish Council 2024–25: Billy Ostwinkle (Chair), Andy Kramer, Joyce McDermott, Tom Wilgenbush, Lori Smith, Melinda Burds
- Finance Committee: Bill Murray (2025), Ellie Wegmann (2025), Sandy Kass (2025)
- Liturgy Committee: Deacon Nick Elliott, Bonnie Hancock, Carol Heying, Kathy Lahey, Dianne McDermott, Mindi McDermott, Sheila Pitts, Connie Wilgenbusch, Linda Wolf
St. Patrick's Cemetery
The parish maintains its own cemetery under the St. Patrick's Cemetery Association (incorporated in Iowa as a Revised Domestic Non-Profit on December 2, 1938). A parish cemetery board oversees plot sales, headstone approval and ground rules, and posts annual updates on pricing and decoration guidelines.
- Cemetery Board contacts: Wayne Demmer (563-876-3094), Dave Bries (563-590-1072), Dan Wilgenbusch (563-599-8546)
- Effective November 1, 2025: parishioner plot $450, non-parishioner plot $800, additional cremation burial $200
- Headstones must be approved by the cemetery board before placement
- Decorations may remain on graves for Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, All Souls Day and Christmas Day
- Items on graves may not extend more than a 10-inch radius from the headstone during approved holidays
- Shepherd hooks must be set in the cement foundation if permanent, max 4 feet high, one per headstone
- No permanent trees, shrubs or landscaping without cemetery-board approval
Hall & Pavilion Rental — Parish Events
St. Patrick's Church Hall in Epworth is available for rent and is the venue for the parish's signature fundraiser, the St. Patrick $100 Supper. Reservations and event inquiries go through the St. Elizabeth Pastorate office.
- St. Patrick Church Hall rental: $50 rental fee plus $75 deposit
- Contact Lynne McDermott at St. Elizabeth Pastorate (563-876-5540)
- Annual fundraiser: St. Patrick $100 Supper
Faith Formation & Sacraments
Faith formation for children and adults is coordinated at the pastorate level, with a Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE) and assistant supporting First Communion, Reconciliation and ongoing faith growth across all five parishes. Sacramental preparation, weddings and Anointing of the Sick / pastoral care are coordinated through the pastorate office and its deacons and Ministers of Care.
- Faith Formation: Jim Hammerand, CRE; Mindi McDermott, Faith Formation Assistant
- First Communion and Reconciliation preparation
- Marriage preparation: Kari Feldmann, Wedding Music Coordinator
- Pastoral Care / Anointing: Deacon Dan O'Connell, Mike Sullivan (Ministers of Care)
Getting Involved & Staying Connected
The pastorate runs a Ministry Scheduler Pro (MSP) system that builds the rotating schedule for sacristans, acolytes (servers), lectors/commentators, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, hospitality (ushers/greeters) and musicians. Parishioners can also pray for one another through the pastorate's online Prayer Request page, sign up to give online, and follow announcements on the pastorate's Facebook and Twitter feeds.
- Ministry Scheduler Pro (MSP) — online enrollment for liturgical volunteers
- Online Prayer Request form on the pastorate website
- Online Giving available via the pastorate site
- Weekly bulletins and pastorate calendar online
- Facebook: facebook.com/stelizabethpastorate
- Twitter: @SEPastorate
Office Hours & Contact
The St. Elizabeth Pastorate central office, which serves St. Patrick's and the four other parishes, is open weekdays in Epworth and can be reached by phone, email or in person. Fr. Garner can also be reached directly at his pastorate line.
- Office phone: (563) 876-5540
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday 8:00 AM–4:00 PM; Friday 8:00 AM–12:00 PM (per 2024 bulletin)
- Fr. Steve Garner, Pastor: (641) 430-2796
- Mailing: P.O. Box 286, Epworth, IA 52045-0286
- Physical office: 104 1st Street SE, Epworth, IA 52045
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James Commerford1879–c.1900
Ordained in Ireland June 20, 1878; appointed to Placid April 5, 1879; founded St. Patrick's from Placid and laid the cornerstone November 9, 1879.
- Rev. J. Brogan1900–1905
Served both St. John (Placid) and St. Patrick.
- Rev. Patrick McNamara1905–1930
Served both St. John (Placid) and St. Patrick.
- Rev. Mathias J. Meyerhofer1935–
After five more years of shared ministry, appointed as the first resident pastor of St. Patrick Parish.
- Fr. Michael Schueller
Listed as Pastor in 2024 pastorate bulletin.
- Fr. Steve Garner2025–present
Welcomed as new pastor of the St. Elizabeth Pastorate; current pastor.