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6300 42nd St NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52411

Diocese of

Davenport

In 1881, the Diocese of Davenport came into being on the South side of Iowa until the Diocese of Des Moines took over the southwest part of the state. Catholicism has a long history in Davenport, beginning with the fur trade in the French colony, who would later become Canada. The diocese split from the Diocese of Dubuque, after which the first bishop took over. Bishop John McMullen, former Vicar General of Chicago, died only two years after becoming bishop due to cancer. One of his major accomplishments was establishing St. Ambrose college. Ambrose Hall in Davenport, IA. Photo source: Wikipedia St Vincent’s home was an orphanage for kids in need. Formed in 1896, it first introduced to Bishop Cosgrove by a few sisters of the church who were later called back to Europe. Sisters of the Humility of Mary, Ottumwa, were asked to take over the orphanage in their absence. Through St. Vincents, kids went to school and were taken care of. During its operation, they took care of 2,358 children, gave 204 baptisms, 572 made their first Holy Communion, and 534 have been confirmed. When St. Vincent’s was converted to a home for retired priests in 1973.

The emblem of the diocese. It shows three dagger type crosses arranged above and below a castle tower. Its design is taken from the Davenport family crest of England for which the city is named. Photo source: Diocese of Davenport St. Vincent Center in the Diocese of Davenport. Photo source: kwqc news

Michael O. Jackels Ordained: May 30, 1981 Appointed Bishop of Wichita: January 28, 2005 by Pope John Paul II Appointed as Archbishop of Dubuque: April 8, 2013 Installed as Archbishop: May 30, 2013 Recently resigned for health concerns. He is responsible for unity in the local church and communion with the worldwide church.

The Church of the Archdiocese of Dubuque continued to grow over the next five decades to the power of God and the tireless work and faith of subsequent bishops, women and men religious and the laity. The diocese was elevated to an archdiocese on June 15, 1893 by Pope Leo XIII. The Church’s growth in Northeast Iowa is evident in the data from the Catholic Directory of 1894 which lists 222 priests, 250 Churches and 100 parochial schools educating 12,500 students. Contact them: 1229 Mt. Loretta Avenue Dubuque, Iowa 52003 Phone: (563)-556-2580 Toll Free: (800)-876-3546 Fax: (563)-556-5464

Today the Archdiocese has a Catholic population of just over 190,000 with 161 archdiocesan priests (82 in active ministry) and 166 parishes. The archdiocese encompases 17,403 square miles through out 30 counties in North Central and Northeast Iowa. Archbishop Jackels leads the nearly 70,000 registered Catholic households in continuing the mission of Jesus through the ministries of the Church. “We commit ourselves to lifelong faith formation and to the service of humanity because we believe in the Risen Christ, in the wisdom and kindness of God, the author of life and in the love the Holy Spirit bestows.”

page designed by Emma Arnold. Google images.

“St. Patricks is a lovely church to attend. The church as a community is able to bring a warm and inviting feeling to all who enter. Go St. Pats!” -Aimele Nguyen ‘26

St Patricks: A Church With Rich History

Mass Times: Saturday- 4:00 pm Sunday- 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00

The idea of a church on the WestSide was brought up in 1886 when Bishop John Hennesey saw a need for it. At that time parishioners were traveling via horse or buggy out to Fairfax for mass. The construction of the church began in 1891. By 1892 the church was completed along with another building behind it which offered schooling. This new building offered classrooms, an auditorium, and housing for priests and nuns. Eventually St. Patricks School closed due to merging with other schools in the area, making the Holy Family Schools. The previous school building was demolished and finished construction in 2005.The beautiful St. Patrick’s still has some of the original stone from the 1800’s.

A STRONG RECOVERY

Page Design: Victoria Gomez Images: St Patricks Website

With St. Patricks being right downtown, it was greatly impacted by the 2008 flood. The flood waters destroyed the church and the neighboring parish center. Over 1.1 million dollars was graciously donated by parishioners and the church was able to be restored. Present day there are beautiful stained glass panels. The stained glass dome above the altar portrays the Holy Spirit and the four gospels. Take time to visit St. Patrick’s and see the displays!

Diocese of Des Moines The Diocese of Des Moines is made up of 80 churches. Within the diverse culture of Des Moines there are many options for mass. Over half of the churches in Des Moines area offer masses in both Spanish, and other languages. For example, Our Lady of the Americas church in Des Moines offers a Spanish mass at least once weekly. Led by Bishop William Joensen, the Diocese offers many jobs, programs and opportunities. The Diocese of Des Moines is one of four dioceses in the state of

Indianola: St. Thomas Aquinas

Ankeny: St. Luke the Evangelist Des Moines: Our Lady of the Americas Iowa. Bishop William Joensen is the tenth bishop to be in the role as bishop of the Diocese of Des Moines, the first being Bishop Austin Dowling in 1911. The Catholic high school in Des Moines is named after the first bishop. Established in 1918, the all boys high school had an enrollment of 90 boys and was on an eight acre plot of land that was purchased by Bishop Dowling. Until 1935, it was called Des Moines Catholic high school, however then it’s name was changed to Dowling after its late founder. By this time the enrollment was up to 374, and accessible by both girls and boys. “We have lived in Ankeny since before we had our oldest son in 1972, all three of our kids grew up attending mass at St. Luke the Evangelist in Ankeny. They attended Dowling high school and Ankeny Christian for their earlier schooling. Having the base of faith in our children’s lives is very important, and now having grandchildren that are being raised within the same principals and even attending Catholic schools in Cedar Rapids is very important

to us” says Xavier grandparent and parishioner at St. Lukes. The communities and relationships that are made in Catholic schools and church communities are important to the development of children. Xavier and Dowling, both Catholic High schools in Iowa exemplify good leadership and support for the children to learn and space to grow into good stewards of the Earth. Catholic schools and communities made within the Diocese are very important to be a part of. “As a kid, going to mass was never an option, we always made it work even when we had weekend tournaments, my parents always found a way and I believe that it made my siblings and I better, and dedicated Catholics. While attending Dowling, we were able to freely speak about our God which helped make him a bigger part of our lives” says Dowling graduate and Xavier Parent, Matt Weiss. Article by Kate Weiss Photos from Google Images

Diocese of Sioux City Take a look at the history of the Sioux City Diocese!

The Diocese of Sioux City was established on January 15, 1902 by Pope Leo XIII when he divided the northeast region of Iowa from the Archdiocese of Dubuque. In 1902 there were 50,000 Catholics in Sioux City, 84 parishes, 95 priests, and 32 missions. The Diocese suit of arms has a gold background with three snakes forming rings due to the word Sioux meaning ‘little snake.’ On the top of the suit of arms there are red and gold crowns to represent the Three Wise Men. This symbolizes the epiphany, which is what the Cathedral in Sioux City is dedicated to.

The Diocese of Sioux City does many missions to help spread the Word of God. The Diocese is part of the international mission called the Society of the Propagation of the Faith in order to help people living in less developed countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Missionaries help with education, healthcare, and social services to help less fortunate people. The Sioux City Diocese helps Catholic charities and other missions in order to spread the Catholic faith. You can go to the Sioux City Diocese website to learn more about how they can support these missions. Photo Sources: Google Images

The Cathedral of the Epiphany was built in 1862 originally as St. Mary’s. In 1891, the church planned to renovate for the increased Catholic population present in Sioux City. The church was mostly German and Irish immigrants, and the renovated church planned to be home to diverse groups of worshippers. Due to an economic depression in 1892, this renovation was not completed until 1902 when the Sioux City Diocese was officially established. Masses are currently offered in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Latin to make sure Catholics of all backgrounds are able to worship.

Mount Mercy University is a private Catholic liberal arts university located in Cedar Rapids. It was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1928. The University’s Campus Ministry connects their diverse campus through faith and learning. Campus Ministry integrates Mount Mercy’s values and traditions through numerous experiences and opportunities, including class orientation programs, class presentations, service projects, and other special events. Mount Mercy’s masses are held at the Chapel of Mercy in Busse Center and in the chapel at the Sacred Heart Life Center. All people are welcome to attend Mass with the Sisters at Sacred Heart Life Center. Even with Mount Mercy’s Catholic roots and tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, they welcome people of all denominations and faiths. Their programs work on the promotion of faith development, worship, local and global service, and spiritual life. While around other Christ-minded peers, students will become increasingly eager to determine the commitments that will guide their life. Mount Mercy encourages their students to immerse themselves in experiences that range from liturgical ministries to retreats. There is also hands-on service work with those who live on the margins, from here in Cedar Rapids to other states like Texas, Mississippi, and more. Mount Mercy holds Mass regularly; you can see their schedule below.

Sacred Heart Life Center | 10:30 AM

Wednesday | Chapel of Mercy, 8:00 PM

Chapel of Mercy | 7:30 PM

Thursday | Sacred Heart Life Center, 9:00 AM

Monday | No Mass

Friday | Chapel of Mercy, 11:30 AM

Tuesday | Sacred Heart Life Center, 9:00 AM

Saturday | No Mass

Let us Rejoice! Easter is finally almost here! As a community Xavier students have a few traditions that have carried on for years. Keep reading to find out more about these Easter traditions.

Although the day before, on Holy Thursday, Xavier puts on a representation of the Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross are 14 stations that help Catholics devote their time to remember Jesus’ last days on earth. Every station focuses on specific events that happened. As the stations happen, it’s a time for everyone to reflect on the event that is currently happening. These stations are commonly found around churches, usually on walls or windows. Stations of the Cross will take place on April 6th of this year, and is taking place in the theater. Xavier does this to show the journey of Jesus and also is a good time for everyone to come together and celebrate Easter as a school before we are on Easter break. Photo Sources: Google Images

Every year Xavier and all the Xavier catholic schools are given Good Friday off, this also includes any activities and practices. Good Friday is on the Friday before Easter every year, it’s a Christian holiday and it’s a day that Christian’s remember the crucifixion of Jesus. This is given to students to allow them to remember the day that Christ was crucified and died.

Easter is celebrated Sunday April 9th this year. Many students go to church on this day to celebrate Jesus rising from the tomb, which ends Lent. Lent is a 40 day season that starts on Ash Wednesday up until Easter. Lent is a time for Catholics to prepare for Jesus’ rising. When the ashes are received on Ash Wednesday, it’s a representation of our sins and us grieving our sins. During Lent the three main things that are focused on are prayer, fasting, and charity. The prayer aspect is focusing on asking for forgiveness from God for the sins we have committed. Fasting, is giving up something that you are very greedy of, or is common for you to have in your everyday life. You fast from this and instead use the time to connect with God. Lastly, charity, charity is an act of doing something good for someone is God’s grace. All these key traditions prepare Xavier students for Easter, and Easter Day!

Here’s To Another Century of St. Matthew’s Seth Williams pictures

Easter Mass Times at St. Matt’s: 8:00 A.M. 10:30 A.M. 2:00 P.M. (Vietnamese)

W

hat is going on at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church? The parish just finished celebrating its 100 year anniversary of serving the Cedar Rapids area. While the parish has moved away from its all in one style of school, church and rector in the 1920’s, the parish has not lost its rich history. However, there are many new additions to the church and school on its way with the Capitol Campaign. Deacon Rich Wallace has been involved in planning what this campaign will go towards improving. “Improvements made so far include.. tuckpointing the brick of the school and church area, reroofing the 1920s school portion, finishing the front of the church facia, landscaping, repairing windows,” Deacon Rich said. “Two new classrooms were built in the school in a previous storage area and another reconditioned into a new art room. We added a new electronic sign on busy First Avenue and landscaped that area of the campus as well. Our church is being beatified

with framing of the stations of the cross and stained glass windows and side altars.” These updates to the church were all planned and debated by a committee of church staff, community leaders and parishioners. While the parish is proud of the improvements and updates to the buildings and landscape of the facilities, there is still more work to be done. “There will be more promises to come as we raise the additional money including a commons area for our community to gather with two meeting rooms and area for final visitation. A new cafeteria for school, ECC and at times other St. Matthew community group use on the other floor of this new build,” Deacon Rich added. “Additional roofs will be replaced on the school, rooms painted in the ECC, school and cosmetic updates to the church office. In the process, the original boiler will be replaced for much more efficient heating along with other mechanical updates.” Stop by St. Matthew’s on First Avenue to check out the new improvements to this historic parish.