About Sts. Peter and Paul · Springbrook, Iowa
Sts. Peter and Paul is a small Catholic parish in the unincorporated community of Springbrook, Jackson County, Iowa, organized in 1864 by roughly forty German-settler families. Today it is served as part of a four-parish cluster together with St. Joseph in Bellevue, St. Catherine (Dubuque County) and St. Donatus under the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dubuque, sharing a single pastor, staff and bulletin. Sunday Mass is celebrated at the Springbrook church once a week, and the parish also maintains faith-formation programs for the surrounding Catholic community.
- Established
- 1864
- Patron
- Saints Peter and Paul (Apostles)
- Rector
- Rev. Andy (Andrew J.) Upah
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dubuque
Why belong here
Sts. Peter and Paul offers the rare gift of a small, tight-knit rural Catholic community in Jackson County with a continuous worship life stretching back to 1864. Weekend Mass is celebrated in the Springbrook church at 7:30 AM on Sundays, the parish shares faith-formation programming for grades K–12 with neighboring parishes, and worshippers benefit from being part of a four-parish cluster that links them to wider sacramental, devotional and fellowship life in the Bellevue–Dubuque County area.
Mass times at Sts. Peter and Paul
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM at St. Joseph, Bellevue (cluster parish)
Adoration times
- 1st Friday 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM during the summer at St. Joseph, Bellevue
Parish Identity & History
Sts. Peter and Paul is the Catholic parish of the small Springbrook community in Jackson County, Iowa, founded in 1864 by about forty German-settler Catholic families. Originally part of a broader rural mission field served by priests visiting from Lyons and Bellevue, the parish gradually built a stone church, a school, and a rectory, and celebrated its 125th anniversary in 1989. Today the parish is part of a four-parish cluster under the Archdiocese of Dubuque.
- Parish organized 1864 with ~40 Catholic families
- Patron: Saints Peter and Paul (feast day June 29)
- 125th anniversary celebrated in 1989
- Archival records held at Loras College Center for Dubuque History
Cluster of Parishes (since 2011)
Since 2011 Sts. Peter and Paul has been formally linked with neighboring Catholic parishes for shared ministry. The cluster now includes four parishes served by one pastor and staff, with one central parish office.
- St. Joseph — 405 Franklin St., Bellevue, IA 52031
- Sts. Peter and Paul — 105 E. Main St., Springbrook, IA 52075
- St. Catherine — 5181 St. Catherine Rd., Dubuque, IA 52003
- St. Donatus — 97 E. 1st St., St. Donatus, IA 52071
Clergy & Parish Staff
The four-parish cluster is led by one pastor, supported by a deacon, a pastoral associate, faith-formation staff, a secretary/bookkeeper, and a pastoral council chairperson from each parish.
- Rev. Andy (Andrew J.) Upah — Pastor
- Deacon Loras Weber — Deacon
- Yvette Andersen — Pastoral Associate
- Angela Burken — Coordinator of Faith Formation & Youth Minister
- Mary Beth Wagner — St. Catherine Coordinator of Faith Formation
- Denise Michel — Secretary and Bookkeeper
- Kaitlin Till — Pastoral Council Chairperson, Sts. Peter & Paul
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education for youth in grades K through 12 is offered through the cluster parishes and hosted at Sts. Peter & Paul. Classes run from September through April each year, and registration is handled online.
- Coordinator: Angela Burken
- Classes hosted at Sts. Peter & Paul, Springbrook
- Program year: September – April
- Registration fee: $60 per student
Sacraments
The parish prepares Catholics for the sacraments of initiation and life milestones. Baptisms are scheduled by contacting the parish office, and Penance is available Saturday afternoons at St. Joseph.
- Baptism (preparation required)
- Eucharist (Sunday Mass)
- Penance / Reconciliation — Saturday 4:00–4:45 PM at St. Joseph
- Anointing of the Sick — on request
- Marriage — contact parish office for preparation
Contact, Location & Visiting
While Sts. Peter and Paul itself sits in the small community of Springbrook, the cluster's main parish office is located at St. Joseph Church in downtown Bellevue. Office hours run Tuesday through Friday mornings and afternoons.
- Sts. Peter & Paul address: 105 E. Main St., Springbrook, IA 52075
- Main parish office: 405 Franklin St., Bellevue, IA 52031
- Phone: (563) 872-3234
- Office hours: Tue–Fri 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM (closed Mondays)
Online Resources
The cluster maintains a unified website, a Facebook page, a YouTube channel, online giving, and a subscription to FORMED for Catholic video and reading content.
- Website: https://www.sjandspp.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stjosephbellevue/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCstxBm6w98N-91ZEpgO62Mg
- Online Giving available via the parish website
- FORMED Catholic media platform available to parishioners
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Heinbucher (of Lyons, Iowa)before 1868
Missionary priest who visited the Springbrook faithful from Lyons.
- Rev. W. Jacoby1868
Appointed by Bishop Hennessy as first resident pastor; served only about three weeks before being transferred to West Point, Iowa.
- Rev. Theodore Schiffmacher (of Bellevue)1868–1871
Cared for the Springbrook mission after Father Jacoby's transfer.
- Rev. Joseph Knaeple1871–1874
Second resident pastor; built the first frame parsonage/school in 1874.
- Rev. John Theobald Bitche1874–1878
- Rev. James J. Bassler1878–1881
- Rev. Gasper W. (H.) Knapstein1881–
Built the larger stone school (1883), placed the school under the School Sisters of Notre Dame (1884), remodeled and enlarged the church (1892), and erected a new brick-veneered parsonage (1901).