St. Mary's Church
Humboldt, Iowa
Saturday 5:00 PM Sunday 9:00 AM
311 4th Street North, Humboldt, IA
Parish Office (515) 332-2856
Faith Formation Program (515) 332-2856
St. Mary's Weekday Mass Schedule:
Tuesday - 7:00 AM at St. Mary's
Wednesday - 8:00 AM at St. Mary's
Thursday - 8:00 AM at St. Mary's
1st Thurs. of the Month - North Care Center
2nd Thurs. - 10:00 AM at Long Term Care
3rd Thurs. - 10:00 AM at South Care Center
Friday: 8:00 AM at St. Mary's
About St. Mary's Church
St. Mary's Church of Humboldt, Iowa, is a community of God's people. We strengthen our focus on the Lord through the Gospels and the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. Through our ministries of liturgy, education and social service, we reach out to all people, as we seek to deepen our union with Jesus Christ.
Our mission is "Bringing people into a growing relationship with Christ and His One Holy Catholic Church."
Guided by the Holy Spirit, we celebrate in Word and Sacrament, our unity and diversity as the People of God. As Christians, we accept our role as stewards of the earth and our responsibility to care for one another, to bear one another's burdens and to share one another's joys.
History Of St. Mary's Church
Tradition has it that Catholic worship existed in the various communities of Humboldt County, Iowa, as early as 1875. The late Father Lenihan of Corpus Christi Parish in Fort Dodge, Iowa, who later was consecrated a bishop, offered the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Frank Owens home northwest of Dakota City in 1875.
The St. Mary Mission in Dakota City was served by priests from St. Joseph’s Church, Bode, and Sacred Heart Church, Livermore.
A small church was built in Dakota City in 1878 by Father Zigrang. In 1904, during the time of Father
McNerney’s presence, the new St. Mary Church was built on the corner of Third Avenue and Third Street North in the city of Humboldt. Articles of Incorporation were filed on September 4, 1912. The first directors were E. J. Kelly and Frank Owens. The first resident pastor of St. Mary in Humboldt was the Rev. Thomas J. Davern in 1916.
A parish house was purchased in 1918 and later sold. A second rectory which occupied the northeast corner of the parish property was struck by lightning and burned to the ground in 1938. The current parish office building was built as a rectory in 1948.
It was through the efforts of Monsignor Davern that St. Mary School was built in 1919. The cost of the school was $50,000 and was made possible through the generosity of the Dennis Hession estate.
Rev. Thomas Parle became the second pastor of the parish in 1923. During his pastorate, St. Mary Church was moved, and its capacity doubled. The cost of moving the building was about $1000; the remodeling $1500. The church was rededicated by the Most Reverend Edmond Heelan in June 1926. The current church building was completed in 1961.
A Sisters’ Convent was completed in 1962. The current St. Mary Elementary School was opened in 1983.
St. Mary Parish experienced remarkable growth during the 1950s. Its membership more than doubled.