About St. Peter/ Holy Rosary Cluster · New Haven, Iowa
St. Peter's Catholic Church in New Haven, Iowa is a small rural parish of the Archdiocese of Dubuque and one of five mission parishes that make up the Holy Rosary Cluster, formed in July 2005 across Chickasaw, Howard, and Mitchell counties in northeast Iowa. The parish gathers weekly for Sunday Mass at 10:45 AM under the pastoral care of Fr. Telesphore Dusabe, with the support of a lay staff and volunteer parish committees that run faith formation, liturgy, stewardship, and parish life. Its roots go back to 1877, when Mitchell County pioneers built the original frame church, and the present church on 360th Street was constructed in 1947–1948 to serve a community that remains rooted in the area's farming heritage.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- Saint Peter (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. Telesphore Dusabe
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
St. Peter's offers a faithful, family-sized Catholic community in which worship, formation, and parish life are genuinely shared across generations. Sunday Mass at 10:45 AM is followed by Religious Education classes right next door at the rectory, so parents and children are together at the heart of parish life. The parish is supported by an active Rosary Society, a Liturgy Committee, Parish Life, Social Justice, and Stewardship committees, and a Finance Council — meaning newcomers can plug into liturgical, social, charitable, or financial roles quickly and know their pastor, Fr. Telesphore Dusabe, personally. Joining or visiting St. Peter's means becoming part of a more than 145-year-old faith family rooted in the farming heritage of northeast Iowa.
Mass times at St. Peter/ Holy Rosary Cluster
Weekly Mass schedule
About St. Peter's Catholic Church
St. Peter's is the Catholic parish of New Haven, Iowa, a small rural community in Mitchell County in northeast Iowa. It is one of five parishes that make up the Holy Rosary Cluster of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The parish's worship life centers on Sunday Mass at 10:45 AM, supported by Religious Education for children in grades 1–12 and an active network of parish committees.
- Sunday Mass at 10:45 AM (English)
- Parish staff: Fr. Telesphore Dusabe (Pastor/RCIA), Meg Schutjer (Director of Faith Formation), Carol Sullivan (Music Director), Nancy Theis (Business Manager), Renee Burke (Secretary)
- Mailing address: 2985 360th Street, New Haven, IA 50461
- Phone: (641) 393-2520
Parish History
St. Peter's was founded in 1877 by Mitchell County Catholic pioneers who wanted to unite the Irish families to the north with the German families to the south and west. The first frame church was completed in October 1877 on land bought from James McCarthy for $100, with limestone quarried at the Albert Morse farm southeast of Osage. Although it was the third church built in Mitchell County, it was the first to have a resident pastor, anchoring Catholic life in the area for more than a century.
- 1877 — Original frame church built and named for Saint Peter
- 1903 — St. Mary's School built (razed 1979), staffed by the School Sisters of Notre Dame
- 1933 — Casper Toelle leaves seed money for a new church
- 1947–1948 — Present church built at a cost of $90,000; Masses held in the community hall during construction
- 1951 — Community hall donated to the parish and remodeled as a gymnasium
- 1958 — New rectory built
- July 2005 — St. Peter's joins the Holy Rosary Cluster with four neighboring parishes
The Holy Rosary Cluster
The Holy Rosary Cluster, formed in July 2005, is a Catholic grouping of five parishes spanning Chickasaw, Howard, and Mitchell counties in northeast Iowa. By sharing a pastor and lay staff, the cluster keeps rural Catholic life sustainable for small farming communities. Cluster leadership is provided through parish officers and Cluster Council and Cluster Finance representatives from each parish.
- St. Bernard – Alta Vista
- Our Lady of Lourdes – Lourdes
- Immaculate Conception – Elma
- Immaculate Conception – Riceville
- St. Peter – New Haven
- Cluster Pastor: Rev. Telesphore Dusabe
- Cluster Office/Business Manager: Nancy Theis
- Cluster Secretary: Renee Burke
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Peter's Religious Education Program serves children in grades 1 through 12, with classes held at the parish rectory (used as the Religious Education Center). The program runs from mid-September through March each year, with students expected to take part in monthly parish liturgies. Graduating seniors who have completed the program and attend Mass regularly are honored at the annual Senior Mass.
- Grades served: 1 through 12
- Class times: 9:25 – 10:45 AM (Sunday)
- Season: mid-September through March
- First Reconciliation & First Communion — 2nd grade
- Confirmation — begins 9th or 10th grade, confirmed the following year
- Director of Faith Formation (DRE): Meg Schutjer
- DRE contact: 641-713-3366 (home) / 641-832-8033 (cell)
Parish Committees & Organizations
Parishioners are invited to share in the life and mission of St. Peter's through a wide range of committees and organizations. The parish council includes officers, committee chairs, and cluster representatives, while the Rosary Society offers fellowship and devotional life in the Marian tradition of the cluster's name.
- Parish Council Chair: Joe Malecek
- Vice Chair: Frank Theis
- Secretary: Ellen Fox
- Faith Formation: Brenda Miller
- Parish Life: Frank Theis, Shannon Paulus
- Social Justice: Scott Niess
- Liturgy Committee: Ellen Fox
- Stewardship: Karl Theis
- Cluster Council Representatives: Frank Theis, Joe Malecek
- Cluster Finance Representative: Karl Fox
- Rosary Society: Amber Jacobs
- Finance Council: Karl Fox
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at St. Peter's is coordinated by Music Director Carol Sullivan in cooperation with the parish Liturgy Committee. The committee plans the liturgical celebrations of the parish and works with the pastor to support reverent and welcoming worship.
- Music Director: Carol Sullivan
- Liturgy Committee Chair: Ellen Fox
Parish Staff & Contact
Day-to-day operations of St. Peter's are shared with the other parishes of the Holy Rosary Cluster. The pastor also serves as RCIA Coordinator for the cluster, while the Director of Faith Formation and Music Director serve the parish locally. Business and office functions are handled at the cluster level.
- Pastor / RCIA Coordinator: Rev. Telesphore Dusabe
- Director of Faith Formation: Meg Schutjer
- Music Director: Carol Sullivan
- Business Manager: Nancy Theis
- Secretary: Renee Burke
- Phone: (641) 393-2520
- Email: [email protected]
St. Peter's Cemetery
The parish maintains a Catholic cemetery on the New Haven grounds adjoining the church, continuing its ministry to the wider community by providing a sacred resting place for the faithful of the area.
- Catholic cemetery adjoining the church property in New Haven