About St. Paul · Traer, Iowa
St. Paul Parish is a small Roman Catholic parish serving the rural farming community of Traer in Tama County, northeastern Iowa. It is one of three parishes in the Prince of Peace Cluster, alongside Sacred Heart Parish in La Porte City and St. Mary of Mount Carmel Parish in Eagle Center (rural Waterloo). Since 2026, as part of the Archdiocese of Dubuque's 'Journey in Faith' reorganization, St. Paul has been confirmed as a weekend-Mass-retaining site and will move into the newly formed Marshalltown Area Pastorate under Fr. Alan Dietzenbach. The parish remains a spiritual home for multi-generational Catholic families in the Traer area, many of them of Czech, German and Irish farming heritage, and it is known for active faith formation and a strong sense of community advocacy.
- Established
- 1912
- Patron
- Saint Paul the Apostle
- Rector
- Rev. Anthony 'Father Tony' Boahen Nketiah (current Prince of Peace Cluster pastor; from mid-July 2026, St. Paul will be served under the Marshalltown Area Pastorate by Fr. Alan Dietzenbach, pastor, with parochial vicars Fr. Andrew Awotwe-Mensah, Fr. Greg Bahl, and Fr. Michael McAndrew)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. Paul Parish is one of the smallest and tightest-knit Catholic communities in Tama County, where most parishioners are multi-generational farm families who know one another by name. The parish offers reverent, traditional weekend Mass, an active parish school of religion for children, the support of a cluster staff that includes a Coordinator of Religious Education (Sarah Kopriva) and a Director of Faith Formation (Jessica Ollinger), and the practical support of the Archdiocese of Dubuque's clergy. Worshippers who value a quiet rural setting, a pastor who visits the sick and leads Corpus Christi processions through nearby Czech-heritage cemeteries (such as the annual procession at St. Vaclav), and a parish that fought publicly to keep its weekend Mass will find a particularly meaningful home here.
Mass times at St. Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Confession is offered by appointment and on the cluster's published confession schedule (see the 'I'm New Here' / Confession Schedule page on princeofpeacecluster.com); specific Traer weekday slots were not published in the materials reviewed.
Adoration times
- Adoration is available across the Prince of Peace Cluster; published per-parish times were not specified at St. Paul in the materials reviewed (see the cluster calendar and bulletins).
Parish Identity & Location
St. Paul Parish is a Roman Catholic parish of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, serving the rural community of Traer, Iowa (pop. ~1,600), in eastern Tama County. The church sits at 1102 Walnut Street, in the residential core of town. The parish is one of three communities in the Prince of Peace Cluster, the others being Sacred Heart Parish (La Porte City) and St. Mary of Mount Carmel Parish (1435 E. Eagle Road, rural Waterloo / Eagle Center). Cluster phone (319) 478-2222; website princeofpeacecluster.com. Mission: 'to welcome and inspire the community to share and nurture our Catholic faith through prayer, sacraments, service, and love of God,' with core values of community, encouragement, excellence, and prayer.
- St. Paul Parish — 1102 Walnut Street, Traer, IA 50675
- Sacred Heart Parish — 1021 Poplar Street, LaPorte City, IA 50651
- St. Mary of Mount Carmel Parish — 1435 E. Eagle Road, Waterloo, IA 50701
- Cluster Phone: (319) 478-2222
- Website: princeofpeacecluster.com
History
Catholic families in the Traer area worshipped in their homes from the late 19th century, visited by priests from neighboring parishes such as the Blessing (now St. Mary of the Assumption) parish. In 1912 the pastor of Blessing, Father Sampson, directed the building of Saint Paul Church in Traer — the parish's formal founding. Annual parish histories (1951–1958), records of the St. Paul Altar and Rosary Society, and a 1985 parish constitution are archived at the Center for Dubuque History at Loras College. The current church building at 1102 Walnut Street was constructed in 1965; the St. Paul Cemetery was established in 1967, the same year a marble statue of the Resurrection was installed. The parish was subsequently grouped with Sacred Heart and St. Mary of Mt. Carmel into the Prince of Peace Cluster. In April 2026, Archbishop Thomas Zinkula's 'Journey in Faith' reorganization confirmed St. Paul would retain weekend Mass and join a new Marshalltown Area Pastorate effective mid-July 2026.
- Home Masses prior to 1912 (served from Blessing, Grundy Center, Clutier)
- 1912 — St. Paul Church built under direction of Father Sampson, pastor of Blessing
- 1965 — current church building constructed on Walnut Street
- 1967 — St. Paul Cemetery established; marble Resurrection statue installed
- Cluster era — joined Sacred Heart (La Porte City) and St. Mary of Mt. Carmel (Eagle Center) in the Prince of Peace Cluster
- 2026 — reassigned to the Marshalltown Area Pastorate under Fr. Alan Dietzenbach
Clergy & Staff
The cluster is led by a pastor and supported by cluster-level lay staff for faith formation and parish administration. The Archdiocese of Dubuque publishes the active-priest list, which lists Rev. Anthony 'Father Tony' Boahen Nketiah (DBQ025) as the priest assigned to St. Mary of Mt. Carmel, Eagle Center; Sacred Heart, La Porte City; and St. Paul, Traer. From mid-July 2026, St. Paul will be served under the Marshalltown Area Pastorate by pastor Fr. Alan Dietzenbach and vicars Fr. Andrew Awotwe-Mensah, Fr. Greg Bahl, and Fr. Michael McAndrew.
- Pastor: Rev. Anthony 'Father Tony' Boahen Nketiah
- CRE: Sarah Kopriva
- Director of Faith Formation: Jessica Ollinger
- Office Manager / Secretary: Heidi Corpman
- Future Pastorate (mid-July 2026): Fr. Alan Dietzenbach, pastor; Frs. Andrew Awotwe-Mensah, Greg Bahl, Michael McAndrew, parochial vicars
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Paul is delivered through the cluster-wide Parish School of Religion / Faith Formation program. The Director of Faith Formation, Jessica Ollinger, and the Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE), Sarah Kopriva, coordinate catechesis for children and youth across the three parishes, including sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation, as well as adult faith formation and RCIA for those preparing to enter the Church.
- Director of Faith Formation — Jessica Ollinger
- CRE — Sarah Kopriva (parishioner of St. Paul)
- Children's PSR / catechetical programs
- First Reconciliation / First Communion prep
- Confirmation prep (archdiocesan)
- RCIA (adult initiation) — cluster-wide
Sacraments
All seven sacraments are celebrated at St. Paul and throughout the Prince of Peace Cluster. The most common sacramental needs (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick) are scheduled through the cluster parish office at (319) 478-2222. Funeral Masses and memorial services are typically celebrated by Father Anthony Boahen Nketiah; recent examples include the March 10, 2023 Mass of Christian Burial for parishioner David Stanley Brezina.
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist (weekend and weekday Masses)
- Penance (Reconciliation — see cluster schedule)
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders (vocation discernment supported at cluster level)
- Matrimony
Ministries & Parish Life
Parish ministry at St. Paul is organized at the cluster level and welcomes all parishioners to volunteer. The cluster website maintains an active Ministry Sign-Up Form. The historical St. Paul Altar and Rosary Society was a mainstay of parish women's fellowship and service — its archival records are preserved at Loras College. Liturgical ministries (Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion) and parish service roles are filled by parishioners of all three parishes.
- Altar and Rosary Society (historical; records on file at Loras College)
- Lectors / Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Cluster-wide volunteer ministry sign-ups (form on website)
- Cluster office and CRE team supporting catechesis
Buildings, Cemetery & Grounds
The parish plant consists of the 1965 church building at 1102 Walnut Street and the adjacent St. Paul Cemetery, established in 1967 with a marble statue of the Resurrection installed that same year. The facility functions as both a place of worship and the spiritual heart of the rural parish community. The parish office (cluster-level) is staffed during posted office hours.
- St. Paul Catholic Church — 1102 Walnut Street, Traer (built 1965)
- St. Paul Cemetery — established 1967
- Marble statue of the Resurrection — installed 1967
- Cluster office hours: Monday 8:00 AM–1:30 PM; Tuesday–Thursday 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
Journey in Faith (2025–2026): What Changes
On Saturday, April 11, 2026, Archbishop Thomas Zinkula announced the final phase of the 'Journey in Faith' pastoral plan, reorganizing all 160 parishes of the Archdiocese of Dubuque into 24 pastorates. The plan preserves weekend Mass at St. Paul in Traer (one English Mass in the new Marshalltown Area Pastorate). Sacred Heart (La Porte City) and St. Mary of Mount Carmel (Eagle Center) lose weekend Masses and move to the Independence Area Pastorate. Parishioner advocacy — letters, emails, and phone calls to the archdiocese — was widely credited with helping St. Paul retain weekend Mass. The change takes effect mid-July 2026.
- St. Paul retains weekend Mass (one English Mass)
- Effective mid-July 2026, St. Paul joins Marshalltown Area Pastorate
- Cluster reconfiguration: Traer leaves, La Porte City and Eagle Center join Independence Area Pastorate without weekend Masses
- New parish buildings can still be used for weekday Masses, faith formation, adoration, funerals, weddings, and community service
- Pastoral leadership: Fr. Alan Dietzenbach (pastor), Frs. Awotwe-Mensah, Bahl, McAndrew (vicars)
Getting Involved
Parishioners and visitors can engage with St. Paul's life in several ways. The cluster website publishes weekly bulletins at princeofpeacecluster.com/bulletins and a live parish calendar at princeofpeacecluster.com/parish-calendar. Ministry sign-ups are coordinated through the cluster office (319-478-2222). Visitors and those new to the area are encouraged to use the cluster's 'I'm New Here' intake page, which lists the addresses of all three parishes and links to the Mass and Confession schedules.
- Cluster website bulletins and calendar
- Ministry Sign-Up Form (cluster-wide)
- Cluster office: (319) 478-2222
- 'I'm New Here' page for visitors
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fr. Sampson (pastor of Blessing/St. Mary of the Assumption)pre-1912 to at least 1914
Pastored the Blessing parish; directed the building of Saint Paul Church in Traer in 1912; continued to celebrate Mass at Traer as often as he could visit; served as sub-deacon at St. Paul funerals in 1914 (per Grundy County obituary for John Howard McGovern).
- Rev. Anthony 'Father Tony' Boahen Nketiahcurrent assignment listed on dbqarch.org as 2024–2025/26
Served as pastor of the Prince of Peace Cluster (St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Eagle Center, Sacred Heart La Porte City, and St. Paul Traer); previously parochial vicar in the Diocese of Rochester (Our Mother of Sorrows, Greece / Sacred Heart Cathedral, Rochester). Identified by the Archdiocese of Dubuque as the active priest DBQ025 of the cluster. Per the 2026 JIF plan, St. Paul transitions to the Marshalltown Area Pastorate under Fr. Alan Dietzenbach beginning mid-July 2026.