Saint Patrick's Church (Iowa City)
Encyclopedia
Saint Patrick's Church is a Catholic
parish
located at 4330 St. Patrick Drive in Iowa City
, Iowa
. The church is part of the Diocese of Davenport
. The parish was formally located at 228 East Court Street, near downtown Iowa City, before its church building was destroyed by a tornado in 2006.
, which was established in 1841. The Rev. M. V. Rice celebrated the first mass for St. Patrick's parish in the former Trinity Episcopal Church
on March 23, 1873. The building was on Dubuque Street, near Burlington, and had been remodeled for the parish's use. The parish's long-time home at Court and Linn Streets was obtained on August 31, 1876. The cornerstone for the new church was laid on June 13, 1878. Although incomplete, the first Mass in the new church was celebrated on February 2, 1879. The Gothic Revival
building was built for $18,000. The rectory was built in 1908, and a convent for the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
was built in 1910. Bishop Davis
formally dedicated the church on January 29, 1916.
Classes for the parish school were held in various locations until the cornerstone for its first school building was laid on March 14, 1885. The building was doubled in size in 1896. A new combination grade school and high school building was opened in 1922. In the 1950s Bishop Hayes
requested that the Iowa City parishes plan for a new central high school to replace those at St. Mary's and St. Patrick's. The result, Regina High School
, was built on Rochester Avenue and dedicated on August 31, 1958. In the fall of 1968 the Catholic grade schools were merged and formed the Iowa City Catholic Grade School in the St. Patrick's school building. The sisters moved into the St. Mary's convent. In 1972 the 7th and 8th grades were moved to Regina, and the remaining grades moved in the 1990s.
On April 13, 2006 the Iowa City, Iowa area was hit by a severe storm, including an EF2 tornado. During the course of the storm, St. Patrick's Church was heavily damaged. Most of the roof of the church building was torn off during the storm, and the 80 foot steeple was knocked over as well. The adjoining rectory also sustained damage. As Holy Thursday services had taken place on this date, there were people present at St. Patrick's during the storm. The Mass
of the Lord's Supper had finished just before the storm. People took shelter in the basement of the rectory. No one at the church at the time was injured or killed.
Because of the storm Mass for the remainder of Holy Week and Easter were held at Regina High School. The pastor, Rev. Rudolph Juarez stated at the time that the current church building was probably a total loss. He was not yet sure what form the new parish buildings would take, Juarez said that the parish would rebuild.
In September 2006, it was announced that St. Patrick's Church would be moved to the east side of Iowa City. The plans are to build a much larger church with a capacity of 1000 people (the old church could hold 300). On December 26, 2006, the rectory was torn down by Peterson Contractors In. of Reinbeck. The 130-year-old church building was torn down as well after asbestos removal delayed the demolition. The construction of the new parish church was completed in November 2009, with a dedication ceremony held on November 29, 2009.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
located at 4330 St. Patrick Drive in Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. The church is part of the Diocese of Davenport
Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport is a diocese of the Catholic Church for the southeastern quarter of the state of Iowa. There are within the diocese...
. The parish was formally located at 228 East Court Street, near downtown Iowa City, before its church building was destroyed by a tornado in 2006.
History
St. Patrick's is the second parish founded in Iowa City after St. Mary'sSt. Mary's Church and Rectory (Iowa City, Iowa)
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Davenport located at 220 E. Jefferson St. in Iowa City, Iowa. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Mary's Church and Rectory. The parish's first rectory, which is now a private home, is also listed on the NRHP as...
, which was established in 1841. The Rev. M. V. Rice celebrated the first mass for St. Patrick's parish in the former Trinity Episcopal Church
Trinity Episcopal Church (Iowa City, Iowa)
Trinity Episcopal Church is parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. The church is located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States, at 320 E. College Street. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-History:...
on March 23, 1873. The building was on Dubuque Street, near Burlington, and had been remodeled for the parish's use. The parish's long-time home at Court and Linn Streets was obtained on August 31, 1876. The cornerstone for the new church was laid on June 13, 1878. Although incomplete, the first Mass in the new church was celebrated on February 2, 1879. The Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
building was built for $18,000. The rectory was built in 1908, and a convent for the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known by their initials BVM, is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the United States by Mother Mary Frances Clarke. BVM Sisters work in twenty-five U.S...
was built in 1910. Bishop Davis
James J. Davis (Catholic bishop)
James J. Davis was a 20th-century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Davenport in the state of Iowa from 1906 to 1926.-Early life and ministry:...
formally dedicated the church on January 29, 1916.
Classes for the parish school were held in various locations until the cornerstone for its first school building was laid on March 14, 1885. The building was doubled in size in 1896. A new combination grade school and high school building was opened in 1922. In the 1950s Bishop Hayes
Ralph Leo Hayes
Ralph Leo Hayes was a 20th century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Helena in the state of Montana from 1933–1935, and as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Davenport in the state of Iowa from 1944-1966...
requested that the Iowa City parishes plan for a new central high school to replace those at St. Mary's and St. Patrick's. The result, Regina High School
Regina High School (Iowa)
Regina High School is the only Catholic K-12 Education Center in Iowa City, Iowa. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. It currently houses 450+ in the elementary, and 400+ in the Junior/Senior High School...
, was built on Rochester Avenue and dedicated on August 31, 1958. In the fall of 1968 the Catholic grade schools were merged and formed the Iowa City Catholic Grade School in the St. Patrick's school building. The sisters moved into the St. Mary's convent. In 1972 the 7th and 8th grades were moved to Regina, and the remaining grades moved in the 1990s.
2006 Tornado
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
of the Lord's Supper had finished just before the storm. People took shelter in the basement of the rectory. No one at the church at the time was injured or killed.
Because of the storm Mass for the remainder of Holy Week and Easter were held at Regina High School. The pastor, Rev. Rudolph Juarez stated at the time that the current church building was probably a total loss. He was not yet sure what form the new parish buildings would take, Juarez said that the parish would rebuild.
In September 2006, it was announced that St. Patrick's Church would be moved to the east side of Iowa City. The plans are to build a much larger church with a capacity of 1000 people (the old church could hold 300). On December 26, 2006, the rectory was torn down by Peterson Contractors In. of Reinbeck. The 130-year-old church building was torn down as well after asbestos removal delayed the demolition. The construction of the new parish church was completed in November 2009, with a dedication ceremony held on November 29, 2009.