Sioux City - St. Joseph

SIOUX CITY - On a visit to Sioux City in the late 1800s, Bishop John Hennessey authorized the division of St. Mary's, the first Catholic parish in Sioux City, to three parishes. Father Michael Daly, then pastor of Salix, was given the assignment to organize one of these parishes. He chose the name St. Rose of Lima, celebrating the first Mass on Sunday, Aug. 14, 1887, in the home of a parishioner.

Father E. W. Fowler became the second pastor of the new parish and celebrated his first Mass in the parish on Sunday, June 5, 1890, at Wales Hall, Fourth and Virginia Streets. The name of the parish was then changed from St. Rose of Lima to St. Joseph's.

By July 13, 1890, a church building at 5th and Wall Streets was completed. When property at Eighth and Iowa Streets became available, arrangements were made for the purchase of three lots. The frame church was then moved from Fifth and Wall Streets and set upon the one-story brick building to accommodate both church and school.

In the summer of 1891, Father Fowler announced that the Sisters of Charity, B.V.M., were sending five sisters from their motherhouse in Dubuque to teach at St. Joseph's. Plans were presented on Dec. 18, 1891, for a church with a rectory to be built of Sioux Falls granite. Teams of horses completed the heavy work with pulleys to lift the heavy stone. Total cost for construction was $40,000.

Father Philip J. O'Connor (1902-1917), Father A. E. Zimmerman (1917-1932), Msgr. Martin T. O'Connell (1932-1934) and Father James A. Slattery (1934-1939) all served St. Joseph's.

On a visit to Rome in 1909, Father O'Connor consulted experts regarding new altars for St. Joseph's. An altar of pure white marble was commissioned and in the dome of the sanctuary a massive mural in full color was decided on. Italian artists came from Rome and spent a year reproducing Raphael's Disputa. At the top of the main altar stands a life-size figure of Christ. On the right side is St. Brigid of Kildare, on the left side is a statue of St. Anthony of Padua. At the base of the altar is a tableau of the Last Supper.

St. Joseph's was struck by fire on April 11, 1924, causing $35,000 worth of damages and almost destroying the sanctuary. In the center of the sanctuary ceiling was a gaping hole. Part of the rectory was water-soaked and many records were destroyed. Due to the hole in the ceiling, a skylight was installed providing the needed light in the sanctuary. The light was covered with a decorative glass showing a dove. The mural of the Disputa was restored to its original beauty. Four large cathedral stained glass windows were installed in the damaged walls.

Other pastors of the parish include Thomas M. Parle (1939-1942), Father Edward C. Lilly (1942-1979), Father Harold V. Cooper (1979-1986), Father John M. Thomas (1986-1992), Father Robert Schimmer (1992-2000) and Father Gary Snyder (2000-present).

St. Joseph's has been blessed with many vocations to the priesthood and religious life. There have been 14 vocations to the priesthood including Father John Brennan, Father Albert Grendler and Father Eugene Walding and 20 women religious from St. Joseph's.

St. Joseph Church was beautifully redecorated in 1999, with Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo presiding at a Mass of Thanksgiving and Blessing on Nov. 28, 1999. The parish kitchen, where the school children are served lunches and parish dinners are held, was completely renovated during the summer of 2001.