Sioux Rapids - St. Joseph

SIOUX RAPIDS - The Catholic way of life began here in 1886 when seven men - Henry Hughes, Henry Agnew, Peter Flanigan, Mike Flanigan, Mike Cain, John Hughes and Horn Clancy - gathered to make arrangements for a Catholic Church in Sioux Rapids. A lot was donated at the corner of Hillside Street and Second streets.

Soon the small-frame wooden mission church with 12 pews was constructed. Priests and parishes who spiritually serviced the mission church for 61 years included Fathers Patrick Smith of Storm Lake, Patrick A. Tiernney of Granville, Dennis McKeough of Rolfe, Joseph Murtagh (1904-1905) of Rolfe, Michael Bradley (1906) of Sutherland, Rene O'Clair (1906) of Sutherland, Magnus A. Schemel (1913-14) of Sutherland, Michael C. Carey (1914-1916) of Sutherland, Edward S. Maynard (1914-1915) of Sutherland, Bernard H. Loeffelholz (1916-1917) of Sutherland, Michael C. Wendl (1917-1924) of Sutherland. Gabriel D. Barry (1924-1927) of Royal, William J. Sellig (1927) of Laurens, Edmond J. Hayes (1928-1931) of Laurens, Clarence E. Farrelly (1931-1941) of Laurens and Arnold J. Ahlers(1944-1947) of Laurens.

Until 1902 Mass was said once a month in the Sioux Rapids church. From 1902-1927 Mass was said every other week, and from 1927-1947 Mass was offered every Sunday in the mission church.

According to parishioner Amos Simon's notes, in the winter people came to Mass in cold cars and were bundled up in blankets. When churchgoers arrived they huddled around the wood-burning, pot-bellied stove to get warm. Keeping the parishioners warm led to Father Farrelly's adventure. He went with a group of men to gather wood near the gravel pit and the Little Sioux River. The priest accidentally fell into the river and had to wear Firman Simon's underwear home.

In 1947 it was time to move St. Joseph's to its current location, 708 Thomas St. A block of land was purchased, and the construction of the brick structure was underway. Father Leo C. Harpenau, the first resident priest, had to rent a room from parishioner Nelle Cullen until the rectory was completed in 1949. The total cost for the church, rectory and land was nearly $55,000.

Many firsts were soon recorded in the new church. Father Leo Harpenau moved to town on July 4, 1947. Ronald D. Becker was the first baby baptized on Oct. 19, 1947. The church dedication by Bishop Joseph M. Mueller as well as the confirmation of Clarence Madsen, Jean Madsen and Phyllis Herzenach was on Dec. 1, 1947. The first funeral was on March 11, 1948 when Rose Martin was buried. In June 1948 Leo Jimmy Lang, Carol Simon and Ben Cremers received their sacrament of First Holy Communion. On June 15, 1948 Francis L. Launderville and Mary Maxine Madsen were united in Holy Matrimony.

Time moved forward and renovations needed to be done to keep the church looking its best. Under the direction of Father Clair Boes a $48,000 remodeling project began on May 1, 1978 and was completed in time for St. Joseph's open house on April 8, 1979.

Peter and Anna Graff donated the beautiful gates and the brick entrance wall at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.

St. Joseph's parish also contributed a spiritual leader to the Sioux City Diocese. Father Paul J. Kelly, son of Catherine and the late Louis Kelly, was ordained by Bishop Frank H. Greteman on May 28, 1983.

Several priests have served as resident pastors of St. Joseph's, including Fathers Leo Harpenau (1947-1953), Othmar Koester (1953-1954), Cletus Keleher (1954-1958), Henry Pick (1958-1960), Gabriel O'Rourke (1960-1967), William Devine (1967-1969), Josef Lisowski (1969-1971), Gerald Zeman (1971-1973), Clair Boes (1973-1984), Bruce LeFebvre (1984-1987), Jerome Koenig (1987-1988), R William Phillips (1988-1903), J. Charles Yetmar (1993-1999), John F. Cain (1999-present).

Women of St. Joseph's have historically made a good contribution to the life of the church. Pioneer wives of the early Catholic settlers must never be forgotten for their faith and preservation of religion on the prairie. Mrs. Clarence Niemeyer, not of Catholic faith, washed linens and cared for the sacristy for years. Then Margaret Treinen, who walked every day to Mass, washed and starched the altar linens and priests' laundry by hand without a washing machine or running water. Viola Skov of Rembrandt has done the sacred wash for 30 years.