About St. Patrick · Sheldon, Iowa
St. Patrick Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Sheldon, Iowa, part of the Diocese of Sioux City. The parish was founded by Irish settlers in the late 19th century, with the first Catholic church in Sheldon built in 1880. St. Patrick belongs to the Highway 60 Catholic Cluster, a collaboration of three northwest Iowa parishes (St. Patrick in Sheldon, St. Mary in Ashton, and St. Andrew in Sibley) that share pastoral and sacramental ministry. The parish runs St. Patrick School (since 1955) and is known in the community for its Spanish-language Sunday Mass, its longstanding presence of the Sisters of the Presentation (1956–2008), and its Knights of Columbus fish fry tradition.
- Established
- 1880
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Siby Punnoose (per Iowa corporate filing, serving as registered agent at parish address)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sioux City
Why belong here
St. Patrick is a faith community rooted in more than 140 years of Irish-Catholic heritage in Sheldon, with a parish-run school, a Spanish-language Sunday Mass that welcomes Hispanic families across the region, and a tight-knit Highway 60 Catholic Cluster that brings Catholics together from Sheldon, Ashton, and Sibley. Parishioners enjoy long-standing traditions like the Knights of Columbus Annual Fish Fry and the 'Fun and Fund Night' school fundraiser, alongside weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Friday afternoons. The parish is also known for the legacy of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose 52 years of ministry shaped the school's Christ-centered culture that continues today.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Friday 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
Parish History
St. Patrick Parish traces its roots to the Irish settlers who founded Sheldon, Iowa. The first priest to serve Catholics in the area was Msgr. Lennihan (1873–1876), and the first Catholic church was built in 1880. The parish was formally incorporated in 1912 under Iowa law as St. Patrick's Catholic Church. The 1973 parish centennial booklet noted that three young men from the parish had been called to the priesthood, and five young women had entered religious life. Today St. Patrick is part of the Highway 60 Catholic Cluster.
- First Catholic church built 1880
- Formally incorporated March 28, 1912
- Parish centennial booklet published 1973
St. Patrick School & the Presentation Sisters
St. Patrick School opened in 1955 under the leadership of Father J. J. Hyland, with five Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary arriving in August 1956 to staff it. Over the next 52 years, 49 Presentation Sisters served the school and parish, building a Christ-centered education that integrated faith into every subject. The last Presentation Sister in Sheldon, Sister Anne McCormick, served 19 years — the final 11 as the convent's lone resident — before leaving in 2008. The school continues today under dedicated lay faculty.
- School opened 1955–1956
- Five founding Presentation Sisters arrived August 1956
- 49 Presentation Sisters served over 52 years
- Last Presentation Sister departed 2008
Highway 60 Catholic Cluster
St. Patrick belongs to the Highway 60 Catholic Cluster, a collaborative of three northwest Iowa parishes in the Diocese of Sioux City. The cluster unites St. Patrick in Sheldon, St. Mary in Ashton, and St. Andrew in Sibley, sharing pastoral and sacramental ministry across the rural region. Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at St. Mary in Ashton, Sunday morning at St. Patrick in Sheldon, Sunday mid-morning at St. Andrew in Sibley, and Sunday afternoon in Spanish at St. Patrick.
- St. Patrick, Sheldon
- St. Mary, Ashton (Saturday Vigil 4:30 PM)
- St. Andrew, Sibley (Sunday 10:30 AM)
Parish Ministries & Community Life
St. Patrick maintains an active parish and school life rooted in long-standing traditions. The Sheldon Knights of Columbus host an Annual Fish Fry in the church basement, with proceeds supporting the Sheldon Ministerial Fund. The school and parish community sustain the 'Fun and Fund Night' tradition, which began in 1971 as a cake sale under Sister Mary Karen Jasper and has grown into a major fundraiser with handmade goods, a white-elephant auction, refreshments, and choral entertainment.
- Knights of Columbus Annual Fish Fry
- Fun and Fund Night (since 1971)
- School choir
- Mission outreach (India, hospice, nursing home visits)
Visiting & Contact
St. Patrick Parish is located at 310 10th Street, Sheldon, Iowa 51201. The parish office can be reached at (712) 324-0160, with the cluster email [email protected]. Office hours are typically Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Visitors are warmly welcomed, and the parish's Spanish-language Mass makes it a regional worship site for Hispanic Catholics in northwest Iowa.
- 310 10th Street, Sheldon, IA 51201
- Phone: (712) 324-0160
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–12:30 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Lennihan1873-1876
First priest to minister to Catholics in Sheldon; served Catholics in several surrounding counties from 1873 to 1876.
- Fr. J. J. Hyland
Fulfilled his desire for a Catholic school in 1955, opening St. Patrick School with the Presentation Sisters in 1956.