St. Patrick's Church (Cumming, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Patrick’s Church
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | Southwest of Cumming, Iowa |
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| Area | 20 acres (8.1 ha) |
| Built | 1868 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001245 |
| Added to NRHP | December 12, 1978 |
St. Patrick's Catholic Church is a special church for Catholics in the Des Moines area. It was built a long time ago, in 1868. You can find it southwest of a small town called Cumming in Madison County, Iowa, USA. This church is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. A very famous person, Pope John Paul II, even visited it in 1979 during his first trip to the United States!
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History of St. Patrick's Church
St. Patrick's Church is important because it's linked to an area called "Irish Settlement." This was a farming community started in the early 1850s. Many Irish immigrants moved here to build new lives.
The community was founded by a priest named Rev. Timothy Mullen. He was sent by Bishop Mathias Loras to Fort Des Moines. His job was to help the small Catholic group there. He also wanted to create an Irish settlement in central Iowa.
Bishop Loras bought the first 40 acres (16 ha) of land for this settlement. Many early families came from Wisconsin. By 1860, Irish Settlement covered four large areas in two counties. Forty families lived in Madison County, and by 1870, there were 63 families.
Building the First Church
There was a friendly competition between settlers on the north and south sides of the North River. Everyone wanted the new church to be on their side! The church community officially started in 1852. The first church was built on the north side of the river. This was the very first Catholic church community in what is now the Diocese of Des Moines.
The first church building was made of logs. Rev. Mullen started it, and Rev. John Kreckel finished it. For a few years, different priests visited to lead services. In 1857, Rev. Francis McCormick became the first full-time pastor, but he didn't stay long.
The church building you see today was built in 1868. Rev. John Brazill from St. Ambrose Church in Des Moines oversaw its construction. It replaced the old log church. There's a monument in the church cemetery that marks where the old log church once stood.
Over the years, the church community changed. In 1881, St. Patrick's became part of the Davenport diocese. Then, in 1884, the community was divided by the North River. People living south of the river started a new church in Churchville. Other new churches also began in nearby towns like St. Mary's and Winterset. Finally, in 1911, St. Patrick's joined the Des Moines diocese when it was created.
Pope John Paul II Visits St. Patrick's
A very special event happened at St. Patrick's Church in 1979. Pope John Paul II visited! The idea for the Pope to visit a small, rural church came from Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, an American who worked at the Vatican.
Bishop Maurice Dingman of Des Moines brought Archbishop Marcinkus to see St. Patrick's while they were planning the Pope's trip. At the time, the church didn't have a regular pastor. So, Bishop Dingman assigned a new priest, Rev. John Richter, to lead the church.
The Pope's visit happened on October 4, 1979. Pope John Paul II led a prayer service for about 200 church members. He shared a special message based on the Acts of the Apostles, talking about people gathering for prayer and sharing food. He also encouraged everyone to stay united with their diocese and the larger Catholic Church. After visiting St. Patrick's, the Pope went on to celebrate a large Mass at Living History Farms near Des Moines.
Architecture of the Church
St. Patrick's Church is made of wood and is 66 by 34 feet (20 by 10 m) big. It has a smaller room attached to the back called a sacristy, which is 24-by-12-foot (7.3 by 3.7 m). This room is often used by priests to prepare for services.
The church has five sections, called bays, along its sides. Each section has a beautiful round-arch Stained glass window. Above the altar, there's a small, round window called a rose window.
The roof of the church is gently sloped, known as a gable roof. It has decorative edges called cornices that turn back slightly at the ends.
At the front of the church, there's a unique bell tower that gets narrower as it goes up. The part of the tower where the bell is kept has a round-arch louver (a slatted opening) on each side. The top of the bell tower has a hipped roof (a roof that slopes on all four sides) and a cross on top.
The church sits on 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land. This property includes trees, grassy areas, farm fields, and the church cemetery. Many of the first people who belonged to the church are buried in this cemetery.
