St. Patrick

History of St. Patrick Parish

St. Patrick Parish traces its roots to the early 1880s, when Father Patrick H. Ryan organized a Catholic community at Belmont, two miles south of today's Ryan, and built the first frame church dedicated to St. Michael (completed c. 1882). After a small St. Patrick's church was finished in Ryan in 1893, a larger brick church was constructed on a new site in 1910 at a cost of $45,000 — and it was only then that St. Michael, Belmont was formally divided into St. Patrick, Ryan and St. John, Coggon.

• 1880s – Father Patrick H. Ryan forms the parish from the Tom Magirl home; first church built at Belmont (~1882)
• 1893 – First St. Patrick church completed in Ryan
• 1910 – Larger brick church built in Ryan ($45,000); parish formally splits from St. Michael, Belmont
• 1913–1967 – St. Patrick School (formerly St. John School) in operation
• 1921–1974 – Rectory in use
• 1950–2003 – Convent and religious education center
• 1954–present – Gymnasium and parish hall
• August 12, 1974, 4:20 p.m. – Tornado destroys the church and damages the rectory
• July 25, 1976 – Rebuilt church dedicated
• 1998 – Manchester Area Cluster formed (St. Joseph Greeley, St. Mary Manchester, St. Patrick Ryan)
• 2005 – Cluster reorganized as Blessed Trinity Cluster with Immaculate Conception, Masonville added

Blessed Trinity Cluster

St. Patrick is one of four parishes in the Blessed Trinity Cluster, the Archdiocese of Dubuque's pioneering collaborative grouping: Immaculate Conception (Masonville), St. Mary (Manchester), St. Patrick (Ryan), and St. John (Delhi). The four share priests, staff, a bulletin, a business office at 119 W. Fayette Street, Manchester, and a rotating weekend Mass schedule. The cluster's mission statement commits it to 'form a welcoming trinity of Catholic communities to unite parishioners in joyful stewardship through sharing our resources to create a strong Christian experience proclaiming God's word.'

• Cluster Pastor: Father Joseph Schneider (retired July 10, 2024)
• Supply Priest: Father John Kremer
• Deacon: Dave Loecke
• Deacon: Roger Luensmann (ordained July 10, 2021)
• Business Manager: Ashley Jasper / Cara Heffernen
• Director of Faith Formation / Catechetical Programming: Kathy Oberreuter
• Youth Minister & Religious Education: Marcia Nachtman
• Bookkeeper: Diane Hammell
• Parish Nurse: Nancy Appleton
• Bulletin Editor: Jane Rubner
• St. Patrick Council Chair: Matt Price
• St. Patrick Hall Coordinator: Christy Kunze

Mission Statement

The Parish of St. Patrick of Ryan, a member of the Blessed Trinity Cluster, 'represents a warm, loving community of faith committed to providing a solid foundation of faith and through stewardship, spreading the good news of the Catholic Church.'

Faith Formation and Religious Education

Faith formation for children, youth, and adults across the cluster is coordinated through the Cluster Office. Kathy Oberreuter serves as Director of Catechetical Programming and Marcia Nachtman leads Religious Education, Confirmation preparation, and Youth Ministry.

• Director of Catechetical Programming — Kathy Oberreuter ([email protected])
• Religious Education Teacher / Confirmation Coordinator / Youth Minister — Marcia Nachtman
• Baptism Class — quarterly at St. Mary meeting room #2 (7:00 PM); register at 563-927-4710
• Totus Tuus summer youth program
• Cluster-wide Sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation)

Parish Life and Long-Standing Traditions

Despite its small-town setting, St. Patrick maintains a busy calendar of community life built around shared meals, service, and outreach. The parish's signature event — the monthly breakfast held on the first Sunday of each month — was begun by the Social Circle in 1951 and still draws parishioners and friends together as both a social gathering and a fundraiser.

• Monthly Parish Breakfast — first Sunday of every month since 1951
• Second Helpings — community meal served Mondays at the Methodist Church, 4:30–5:30 PM
• Annual Mission Trip to Sister Parish in Rutledge, Tennessee (week of September 12–18)
• Cluster-wide parish nurse visits to homebound and nursing-home parishioners
• Extraordinary Eucharistic Ministers bringing Holy Communion to the sick and homebound

Sacraments

Sacramental preparation is coordinated through the Blessed Trinity Cluster Office. Baptisms are scheduled after attendance at a quarterly Baptism Class; marriages, anointing of the sick, and first Communion preparation are arranged through the cluster staff.

• Baptism — quarterly class required; at least one confirmed, practicing Catholic godparent
• Reconciliation — Saturdays 3:15 PM at St. Mary, Manchester; by appointment; First Friday after 8:30 AM Mass
• First Holy Communion & Confirmation — cluster-wide preparation
• Marriage — coordinated through the cluster office
• Anointing of the Sick — on request via the cluster office

Contact, Staff, and Bulletin

Day-to-day operations for St. Patrick are handled by the shared Cluster Business Office at 119 W. Fayette Street, Manchester, Iowa 52057. The parish bulletin — printed under the title 'Welcome to the Blessed Trinity Cluster' — is the principal communication tool and is available online through the cluster website.

• Cluster Business Office — 119 W. Fayette Street, Manchester, Iowa 52057 — (563) 927-4710
• Bulletin Editor — Jane Rubner — [email protected]
• Bulletin email — [email protected]
• Pastor email — [email protected]
• Cluster website — https://blessedtrinitycluster.com
• Livestream Mass — Blessed Trinity Cluster YouTube Channel

Journey in Faith (2025 Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan)

In July 2025 the Archdiocese of Dubuque's 'Journey in Faith' pastoral plan ended regular weekend Masses at St. Patrick, as at more than 80 other parishes across the archdiocese. Parishioners gathered in large numbers — reportedly more than 400 people for the final regular weekend Mass — and filed an appeal with the Vatican after sending thousands of signed mandates to Archbishop Zinkula. The parish continues to be served by the cluster, with weekday Masses, devotional life, and community outreach continuing at the Ryan site.

• Final regular weekend Mass — Sunday before July 14, 2025
• Plan takes effect — Tuesday, July 14, 2025
• Pastoral appeal filed with the Holy See
• Archdiocese cites declining Mass attendance as reason for the change