About St. Patrick · Waukon, Iowa
St. Patrick Parish is a Catholic parish in Waukon, Iowa, in the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dubuque. Founded in the mid-19th century by Irish Catholic settlers in Allamakee County, the parish serves Waukon and several mission churches, including St. Mary's in Hanover and Dorchester and the Oratory of St. Mary in Waukon. The parish complex includes a Byzantine/Spanish Renaissance-style church (built 1913–1915), a parish cemetery, an elementary school, and a rectory, and it remains an active worshipping community offering daily and Sunday Mass, confessions, adoration, faith formation, youth ministry, and a K–5 Catholic school.
- Established
- 1855
- Patron
- St. Patrick
- Rector
- Fr. Mark Osterhaus
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. Patrick offers the rhythms of a traditional Catholic parish in a small northeast Iowa town: weekend Masses in Waukon with rotating Masses at mission churches St. Mary's Hanover and St. Mary's Dorchester, daily Mass Tuesday through Friday, weekly confession times, and monthly Thursday adoration. Families can send their children to St. Patrick Catholic School, a parish K–5 elementary whose motto is 'Learning, Loving, Lighting the Way,' while older youth are served by Totus Tuus summer missions and a Coordinator of Youth Ministry. The parish keeps an active faith formation program, online giving, live-streamed Masses, and a Flocknote email list, making it easy for new parishioners and visitors to plug into the life of the church.
Mass times at St. Patrick
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:15 AM – 7:45 AM
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (First Thursday of the month)
Parish History
St. Patrick Parish traces its origins to 1851, when Fr. Thomas Hore arrived in Allamakee County with eighteen Irish families from County Wexford. The first church was a log structure on what is now Mount Olivet Cemetery, built in 1855 by Patrick Norton, Thomas Farley, and Richard Reddy. After an 1868 fire destroyed the church and parish records, a brick church was built under Fr. Dennis O. D. Brennan; it was enlarged twice and served until 1912. Fr. Michael K. Norton (1912–1921) raised the old church and erected the present Byzantine/Spanish Renaissance church, blessed October 6, 1915. Archbishop Keane declared St. Patrick's an irremovable rectorship in 1906.
- 1851 – Fr. Thomas Hore arrives with 18 Irish families
- 1855 – 'Church Forty' land purchased; first log church built
- 1868 – Fire destroys log church; brick church built
- 1883 – Presentation Sisters open parish school
- 1906 – Parish declared an irremovable rectorship
- 1913–1915 – Current Spanish Renaissance / Byzantine church built
- 1939 – New elementary/high school opens
- 1943 & 1944 – Iowa State Debate Championships
- 1970 – High school program discontinued
- 1991 – West Ridge territory absorbed
- 2006 – Lycurgus oratory territory absorbed
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Mark Osterhaus as pastor and is assisted by Deacon Jeff Molitor, with a staff supporting faith formation, youth ministry, school leadership, and parish operations.
- Fr. Mark Osterhaus – Pastor
- Rev. Mr. Jeff Molitor – Deacon
- Katherine Fahey – Principal (St. Patrick Catholic School)
- Michael Erickson – Director of Faith Formation
- Mandy O'Neill – Coordinator of Youth Ministry
- Sandi Drew – Business Manager
- Laurie Hatlan – Secretary / Bookkeeper
St. Patrick Catholic School
St. Patrick Catholic School is the parish's K–5 elementary school, with the motto 'Learning, Loving, Lighting the Way.' Classes include Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and grades 1–5, plus a Clover Patch preschool program for 3- and 4-year-olds. The school is supported by Iowa Educational Savings Accounts (ESA) and School Tuition Organization (STO) funding and emphasizes the integration of faith into daily academics, including Friday school Masses.
- Motto: Learning, Loving, Lighting the Way
- Programs: Transitional Kindergarten, K–5, 3K/4K Preschool (Clover Patch)
- Latchkey program available
- Scrip gift-card fundraising
- ESA / STO tuition assistance
- Friday school Masses with student participation
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith formation is directed by Michael Erickson, supported by downloadable Religious Education forms for parish families. Mandy O'Neill coordinates Youth Ministry, and each summer the parish hosts Totus Tuus, a week-long parish mission for Catholic youth entering grades 1 through 12, dedicated to proclamation of the Gospel and deepening the Catholic Faith.
- Director of Faith Formation: Michael Erickson
- Coordinator of Youth Ministry: Mandy O'Neill
- Totus Tuus summer catechetical mission (grades 1–12)
- Religious Education registration and downloadable forms
- Flocknote parish email list for updates
Parish Buildings, Cemetery & Missions
The parish complex includes the church, Mount Olivet Cemetery (the original 'Church Forty' land), the parish school, and the Indiana Ash Stone rectory. The parish also cares for two mission churches — St. Mary's in Hanover and St. Mary's in Dorchester — and the Oratory of St. Mary in Waukon, with Saturday evening Mass rotating among them.
- Church: Spanish Renaissance / Byzantine, 1913–1915
- Rectory: Indiana Ash Stone, built 1947
- Cemetery: Mount Olivet Cemetery on the original 'Church Forty' land
- Mission: St. Mary's, Hanover
- Mission: St. Mary's, Dorchester
- Oratory: St. Mary, Waukon
Get Involved
St. Patrick Parish invites parishioners and visitors to take part in liturgical ministry, faith formation, school life, and outreach. Volunteers can sign up for liturgical roles at Mass, register their children for Totus Tuus or the parish school, give online, or subscribe to Flocknote for parish news and bulletins.
- Liturgical Minister sign-up program
- Online Giving
- Bulletin and parish news via Flocknote
- Totus Tuus summer youth program
- St. Patrick Catholic School registration
- Facebook livestream ministry (facebook.com/stpatswaukon)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Thomas Hore1851
First priest to serve the area; arrived with 18 Wexford Irish families at Lafayette Landing.
- Fr. Michael Kinsella1855
First priest to live near Waukon; purchased 'the Church Forty' land for parish.
- Fr. M. O'Farrell1857–1859
Missionary priest.
- Fr. Walsh1860–1862
Missionary priest.
- Fr. Nagle1862
Missionary priest.
- Fr. Hannon1862–1863
Missionary priest.
- Fr. Clement J. G. Lowrey1863–1866
First priest to reside in Waukon.
- Fr. Dennis O. D. Brennan1868
Built the first brick church.
- Fr. James B. McGowan1869–1874
Enlarged the brick church twice.
- Fr. John Hawe1875–1885
Added bell tower and bell; began parish school in 1883.
- Fr. Patrick A. Walsh1885–1912
Added south wing to school in 1893.
- Fr. Michael K. Norton1912–1921
Built the present Spanish Renaissance/Byzantine church; named Domestic Prelate in 1921.
- Fr. John C. Stuart1921–1936
Former president of Columbia College (now Loras); named Domestic Prelate in 1932.
- Fr. E. J. McDonald1936–1953
Built new elementary/high school (1939) and current Indiana Ash Stone rectory (1947).
- Fr. John B. McDonald1953
Opened new grade school (1961) and Presentation Sisters' convent (1965).
- Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg1991
Guided incorporation of St. John the Baptist, West Ridge territory.
- Fr. Joseph Schneider2002
Also named pastor of St. Mary's Hanover and St. Mary's Dorchester.
- Fr. Mark Osterhaus
Current pastor.