St. Irenaeus Catholic Church (Clinton, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Saint Irenaeus Church
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2811 N. 2nd St. Clinton, Iowa |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1871 |
| Architect | W.W. Sanborn W.W. Waldron |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96001589 |
| Added to NRHP | September 3, 2010 |
Saint Irenaeus Church is an old church building located in Clinton, Iowa, USA. It used to be a Catholic church parish. The church was first built in a town called Lyons, which is now part of northern Clinton. This historic building has been recognized and listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2010.
Contents
History of Saint Irenaeus Church
Early Beginnings in the 1800s
The very first Catholic Mass in Lyons was held in a log home in 1848. Bishop Mathias Loras from the Dubuque Diocese led this service. Over the next few years, different priests visited the area.
In 1850, Father Frederic Cyrille Jean became the first full-time priest for the community. He came from France and started building a church right away. This first brick church was finished in 1852 and cost about $1,500.
The church community grew quickly, so a bigger church was built in 1856. Then, in 1864, work began on the church building you see today. Parishioners (church members) helped build it without pay.
This church was designed in the Gothic Revival style. It was built using limestone from a quarry near the town. The building was completed in 1871 and cost $45,000. It was quite large, measuring 130 feet long and 60 feet wide, and could hold 450 people. The ceiling is 50 feet high.
The church has beautiful stained glass windows that show the Twelve Apostles. Two tall spires stand at the front of the building. The south spire is 166 feet tall, and the north spire is 136 feet tall.
Before the church was finished, Father Jean returned to France. While there, he received a special gift for the church: a fancy golden chandelier. It was shaped like the crown of France and given by the Bonaparte family to be used as the sanctuary lamp.
A school for the parish was also built at the same time as the church. It cost $4,000 and was taught by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
In 1861, some German members of the church started their own parish nearby, called St. Boniface. This meant Saint Irenaeus Church mostly had Irish members. Other Catholic churches were also built in Clinton over the years.
Changes in the 1900s
A big change happened to the church building in 1906. The main entrance used to face Fifth Street. However, North Second Street became a very busy road. To make it easier for people to enter, the main entrance was moved to the west side of the church on Second Street. The altar was moved to the east side, and the pews (church benches) were turned around to face the new altar. This change also removed the long staircases that led to the old entrances. A new gallery area was created on the west side of the church.
In 1911, all five Catholic churches in Clinton joined the Davenport Diocese.
The inside of the church got a major update in the 1940s. The walls were made to look like stone, matching the outside of the church. New Gothic-style lights were hung, and new Stations of the Cross were put along the side walls. The ceiling was decorated with fake beams. In the 1960s and 1970s, a parish hall, kitchen, meeting rooms, and restrooms were built in the church's basement.
The parish school joined with the St. Boniface school in the 1970s to form North Catholic School. Eventually, all the Catholic elementary schools in Clinton combined to create Prince of Peace School. Saint Irenaeus Church itself officially closed in 2006. At that time, the five Catholic parishes in Clinton merged to form one new parish called Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish.
The Church Today: 2000s and Beyond
The new Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish continued to use the old church buildings until 2008. That year, a brand new church was built for the parish on the west side of town. The special sanctuary lamp and an older set of the Stations of the Cross from Saint Irenaeus were moved to the new church.
Some of the other old churches in Clinton were taken down. St. Patrick's Church was removed in 2005, and St. Mary's in 2009. Sacred Heart Church is now part of the Prince of Peace School complex and is used for their school Masses. A group is working to save St. Boniface Church building and turn it into a religious history museum.
The last Mass at Saint Irenaeus Church was held on June 28, 2009. The church building was sold to the Clinton County Historical Society in June 2010. More recently, the Gabbard family bought the church for $1. They are now working to restore it to its original beauty. Their goal is for the church to once again offer the Traditional Latin Mass for the community.
