St. Patrick’s Catholic Church celebrates 50-year milestone

The congregation of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of its building, Sunday, Sept. 16, with a 10:30 a.m. mass,  followed by dinner at the Rice Lake Country Club. All current and former members, as well as former pastors, and present local pastors of the Lake Mills area, are welcome to attend.
The current St. Patrick’s building was constructed during 1968 by the Stan Pederson and Russ Appel Construction Company. Stan and Phyllis Pederson and their family were members of the church. In fact, they were the 13th family to join the church, increasing the number of youth by nine. Several of their teenaged sons assisted their dad as he needed them. Today, Steve Pederson and Ree Pederson-Moore, as well as Phyllis Pederson, continue as active members of St. Patrick’s.
While the older building was in need of repair, the parish was quite small, consisting of less than 15 families. When two Costello sisters passed away, their estate provided for a large sum to be used only for construction of a new parish building.
“St. Patrick’s members, Eugene Sarno and Bud Nerby had to go to the Archbishop to ask for permission to build the new building,” said Phyllis Pederson.
Su Evans added, “While the Archbishop in Dubuque did not feel the parish size could sustain new construction, he endorsed it, because of the gift from the estate.”
Although heavy snow halted many events in the Lake Mills area that Sunday in December 1968, the blessing of the new church was accomplished as planned. Archbishop James J. Byrne, Dubuque, conducted the blessing preceding the morning mass. The church, which had a capacity of 150, was nearly filled. Archbishop Byrne addressed the congregation briefly, congratulating the parishioners on their new church and urging them to continue in their faithfulness.
St. Patrick’s first wooden structure began in the 1870s near Bristol, relocated in Lake Mills with the building of their first white wooden church in 1890. For that one year, it was the main church for the Forest City, Northwood, Buffalo Center, Armstrong and Woden locations. The Catholic Church in Forest City began the following year with the pastor’s residence established there. St. Patrick’s has been associated with St. James, Forest City, since that time, sharing a pastor.
The wooden structure was located just south of the current building, in what is now the church parking lot.  Services continued in the old building until the completion of the current one. It was removed to make way for the parking area, and the old building was purchased by the Dahl family, northeast of Lake Mills. It continues to be used as their shop.
During the 1970s and 1980s, St. Patrick’s grew to 85 families and standing room only attendance was available at many masses.
Today, St. Patrick’s is part of a six parish cluster, with Forest City, Buffalo Center, Garner, Duncan and Britt. Two pastors provide for these six parishes: Fr. James Dubert and Fr. Paul Lippstock.

Lake Mills Graphic

204 N. Mill Street
Lake Mills, IA 50450

Office Number: (641) 592-4222
Fax Number: (641) 592-6397

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