Dow City - St. Mary

It takes not only a great dedication of time, talent and treasure from those who wish to establish their own parish community, but it also takes wisdom and insight to start and see to its completion such an important spiritual goal. The wisdom and insight began with Father J. J. Hyland, who in 1947 was serving as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Manilla and the mission church of St. Joseph in Buck Grove.

Father Hyland brought his insight and enthusiasm to the Catholics living in and around Dow City. Father Hyland's goal, a new parish community built around a new church, was already taking form in the shape of St. Mary's Parish.

The Catholics around Dow City were very excited and Father Hyland celebrated Mass at the town hall in Dow City on March 17, 1947. With an improvised altar and confessional, Mass was celebrated each Sunday to a standing room only congregation. For such an important project, the Eucharist would need to be its foundation.

The commitment to a new parish was quickly made evident when Mrs. Frieda Muff and her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Putnam, purchased a large vacant lot on the south side of Highway 30 and donated it as the location for a new church and future building projects.

J. Leo Ahart offered the use of a new machine he had developed for erecting reinforced concrete walls without the conventional framework. The congregation voted unanimously to accept the offer and the very next day ground was broken for the church.

Under J. Leo Ahart's supervision, a 35-foot by 70-foot basement was completed. On Aug. 15, 1947, Father Hyland celebrated Mass for the first time in the new church basement, and the name St. Mary's was given to the church. It would take another five years before the superstructure of the church would begin construction.

During those five years the financial foundation was being set. In October of 1952, Father John Doherty launched a drive to enable the church structure to be built. Through the generosity of parishioners and many other donations, construction was able to be completed on March 17, 1953. In 1963, a new rectory was built connecting it to the church.

On July 8, 1993, 9.5 inches of rain fell during the night. The Boyer River overflowed and flooded the basement of the church and the rectory. The damages were estimated at $60,000. But even this would not dampen the spirits of the St. Mary's parishioners. On July 10 and 11, 116 volunteers were at the church to clean up the mess.

Pastoral leadership over the years has been provided by: Father Hyland, Father Doherty, Father Jensen, Father Terpstra, Father Schumacher, Father Nemmers, Father Fransco, Father Hyland, Father Cleo Seuntjens, Father Koester, Father Devine, Father Thomas, Father Leiting, Father Vakulskas, Father Cain, Father Jensen and the current pastor, Father Richard Ball.

Under their leadership, St. Mary's has celebrated the sacraments well for 53 years, provided children with a strong religious education program, called for the parishioners to respond to their baptismal calling and works with other parishes. St. Mary's is clustered with St. Boniface of Charter Oak, St. Mary's of Ute and St. Rose of Denison.