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Parish Histories |
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Alvord - Sacred Heart ALVORD - Sacred Heart Parish was established in 1891 with a Mass celebrated
in a local bank building (which is still standing today) by Father Dullard of
Rock Rapids. A meeting was held after that first Mass to discuss fundraising A rectory was built later for the first resident pastor, Father McCormack. Sacristies and the sanctuary were added to the church building eight years later and land was purchased for the cemetery. Also in 1891 a parish was established in Doon, Iowa and dedicated to the protection of St Mary. Until its closure in 1965 it was served as a mission parish by the pastor of Alvord. The Catholic families of Doon are now served by the church in Alvord. The parish reached its high point in the 1930s and 40s with about 60 families. The present Sacred Heart Church and parish hall were erected in 1960 after the first wood frame structure was destroyed by fire. The new church was dedicated on Feb. 25, 1960 by Bishop Mueller. In 1970, Sacred Heart became a mission of St. Mary Church in Rock Valley. Sacred Heart currently serves approximately 30 families. Pastors who have served Sacred Heart are as follows: Fathers, J. McCormack, W.P. Desmond, L. Cooper, J. Fitzpatrick, F. LeBlond, F. Wren, P. Murphy, J.A. Roder, R. Graf, Wm. F. Buckholz, Leo M. Kelm, George Benjamin, Linus Eisenbacher, E.D. Thom, Vincent Beacom, Gabriel O'Rourke, E. Everett, Apt. R.W. Reinhart, Dale Koster, Charles Borman, Gerald Fisch, Jerome Loutsch, Richard Zenk, P.J. Nooney, Gerald Zeman, John M. Thomas, D.W. Wingert, Donald R. Smith, Dale George and now Father Gene Murray. |
efforts to build a church in Alvord. On that very day $850 was raised and
construction began soon thereafter.