History of St. Joseph

The first Mass in Le Mars was offered at the home of Peter Gehlen on the first Sunday after Easter, April 24, 1870.  At this gathering, a collection was taken up to construct a new church. $150 was spent to purchase a block of land and the new church was completed by June of 1870 at a cost of $1,000.   Fr. B.C. Lenihan from St. Mary’s parish in Sioux City served the spiritual needs of the faithful for five years.

On Christmas day of 1875, visiting German-born priest Fr. Herman Joseph Meis celebrated Mass in the church.   The parishioners asked Bishop Hennesey of Dubuque to assign Fr. Meis permanently, and permission was granted.   Fr. Meis boarded with the Peter Gehlen family, who donated eight acres of land.  (Today, this donation makes up about half of the land upon which sits St. Joseph Church, Gehlen Catholic School and Calvary cemetery.)

By 1876, Catholics outnumbered all other denominations in the county and the church was expanded at a cost of $4,000 and included a dwelling for the priest and a schoolroom.   In 1879, the Sisters of Christian Charity from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania took charge of the school.

In May of 1884, the cornerstone for a new brick church was laid at a cost of $7,000.  In 1885, the rest of the church was completed for an additional cost of $23,000.  The high altar was constructed at a cost of $3,500, and each of the side altars cost $400.   This church building served the parish for the next 137 years until 2012.

Fr. Meis died in 1900 soon after celebrating his 25th anniversary.   He was succeeded as Pastor by Msgr. F.X. Feuerstein.

In 1907, the soft brick of the church was covered with a cement plaster, and hand-drawn brick lines were painted on the church.   At this time, a tower with illuminated clocks was also erected.

In 1916, Msgr. Pape became the new pastor.  In 1925, the church was remodeled at a cost of $20,000.   Msgr. Pape also purchased the local hospital from two local doctors, and named it in honor of the Sacred Heart, placing it under the supervision of the Sisters of St. Francis from Dubuque.    Construction of a new hospital (now Floyd Valley Apartments) was begun in 1921.

Msgr. Joseph Fisch, a native son of the parish, became Pastor of the parish in 1933, serving until 1966.  During his tenure, Calvary cemetery was consolidated and expanded, and ground was broken for Gehlen Catholic High School.  

Msgr. Dean Walker was appointed Pastor in 1966.  He guided the church during the reforms of Vatican II, and oversaw a restoration of the church at a cost of $33,000.  He also oversaw the construction of a new rectory.

In June of 1975, Fr. Francis Staber was appointed as the new Pastor.   During his term, the organ of the church was rebuilt, and much of the school staff transitioned from being religious sisters to being a lay staff.

Fr. Dale George became the Pastor in 1985, and oversaw the renovation of the church in 1986 and 1990 at a cost of $360,000.

Fr. Jerry Cosgrove became Pastor in 1995, followed by Fr. Andrew Hoffmann in 1999.

In 2004, Fr. Kevin Richter was assigned as the new Pastor.   

Construction of a new church building began in 2011.   A dedication Mass celebrated by Bishop Walker Nickless was held on October 21, 2012.   Total cost for construction of the new church (including razing of the old school building, new student parking lot, purchase of condominium for the priest residence, architectural fees, construction contract, etc.) was more than $10,000,000.   Remarkably, when construction was completed, the amount of the parish loan was only $2,300,000, and continues to be paid off ahead of schedule. (As of January 2015, the balance is under $1,000,000.)

On November 1, 2014, the two parishes in Le Mars were unified as All Saints Parish while maintaining the separate worship sites of St. James and St. Joseph.   Fr. Kevin Richter was assigned as the first Pastor of this new parish.