HOLY FAMILY OF THE BLUFFS

In the extreme corner of Allamakee County, the state of Iowa, and the Archdiocese of Dubuque lies the parish of St. Joseph of New Albin. The Catholics of this community in the 1850’s and 1860’s attended mass in either Wexford (20 miles away) or Lansing ( 13 miles away), unless a wandering Missioner visited the humble log homes and offered the Holy Sacrifice of Mass. 

Father Cornelius, pastor of Lansing, came in 1857 and in the winter of that year Mssrs. Martin Moore, Patrick Kelly, Eugene Kerrigan, Fred Hardy, Edmond Burke, John Hurley, Dan and Peter Early, and George Wilson (who was not a Catholic), hewed and hauled logs to a plot of land three miles southwest of New Albin donated by John Hurley for the erection of a church and cemetery. This land is presently owned by Don Hitchens off to the north on A26 / Iowa River Road. Maurice Caughlin and William Wright were the head carpenters of the course log church building, altar and rude benches. The confessional consisted of a curtain hung across one corner. Father's Cornelius, McGown, Walsh, and Jacoby were at the dedication in June 1867, when the church received the name of Holy Cross Church. The first baptism took place on December 2, 1868 with the baptism of Mary Alice Gabbett by Father Cornelius.

Holy Cross Church was used until the erection of a frame building in the town of New Albin in the year of 1875, two years before the entrance of the railroad. The church was built under the guidance of Father Jacoby of Lansing, and was given the name of St. Joseph. That building stood on what is now the St. Joseph Church parking lot adjacent to the north side of the present brick church. After the present church was built the old structure was moved to where the Alley Kat bar / restaurant stood in 2010. Emilia Batteen, George and Mary Eck, Elizabeth O'Reilly Joyce were among the first ones to be baptized.

As the years went on Father Jacoby was succeeded by Father Urbany, 1877-1879. Father Pape was appointed pro tem from January to May of 1880. During these years the church fell into a large debt and was at the point of foreclosure. It fell upon Father Urbany and his successors to rescue the church from the hands of creditors. Funds were collected from all the people and finally Martin Moore and Mike Gabbett signed papers personally guaranteeing the payment of the $1,000.00 mortgage, and thereby ward off the foreclosure.

Father Haxmeier, resident and pastor of Immaculate Conception, Lansing, took over as  pastor on  June 5, 1880, and remained as  pastor until 1903. Father John F. O'Doherty was appointed as the first resident pastor in 1903 by Archbishop John Joseph Keane. Father O'Doherty purchased the house that is still standing on the corner next to the present church for a rectory. At one point that house was used as the Faith Formation Center until the Faith Formation programs merged together. 

The Rev. Edmund Ryan served as St. Joseph pastor from 1905-1922. Father Ryan lived in the house purchased by Father O'Doherty. In 1910 under the direction of Father Ryan the present brick structure of St. Joseph Church was built. The bell, dated 1877, was moved from the old frame church to the new one. We have a picture of the laying of the cornerstone in 1910 but we are not able to identify any of the priests who are there participating in that ceremony. 

In 1912 a site for a new cemetery was purchased from Thomas Reburn, and is located 1 1/2 miles south of New Albin on Cemetery Road. 

On April 7, 1922, Rev. L. Hayes was installed as the pastor succeeding Father Ryan. Father Ryan served the parish until his retirement in 1950. During his pastorate many improvements were made. For example, electricity replaced the  gas systems of lighting in the church and the rectory,  a new roof was put on the church and rectory, the church was frescoed and the tower and exterior trim were repainted along with other minor improvements.

Fr. Hayes was a real Irishman and loved to sing with his  beautiful Irish voice. His "High Masses" were really stunning . There was one Mass on Sunday, two weekends of the month and the other weekends there were two Masses - one at 8 a.m. and the other at 10 a.m. During these times (until Vatican II in the 60's) there was the strict disciplinary fast from all food and drink including water from midnight till Communion time if you were to receive Communion. 8 a.m. Mass would help observe that fast without undo thirst or hunger pressure on the body. There was Benediction at the end of each Sunday at 10 a.m. Mass.

It was the custom before and during Father's Ryan and Hayes' pastorate to have religious education classes on Saturday morning for an hour for those who lived in New Albin and for those who went to the country schools there would be religious education after Mass on Sunday. After the school year was completed for the New Albin school there would be two weeks of Catechism classes for students grades 1-8. At the time the Baltimore Catechism was the main textbook used. The classes were conducted by two sisters, one of whom was Father Hayes' sister who was a Presentation Sister from Dubuque. She and another sister would conduct the class from 8:00 a.m. till noon each day for two weeks. There were about 40 to 50 students in each of the two classes and  The Catechism would be memorized and the students would be asked the questions from the Catechism and then the student would respond by memory. There was also a class taught about the Bible. Due to the lack of the availability of the sisters during the regular school year, Father Hayes or the other pastors would conduct the classes.

In December of 1950, Father John Costello was appointed pastor and remained until his  health forced him to resign in 1955. During his pastorate an adjoining garage was added to the rectory and the kitchen in the church basement was modernized. From 1955 until now, under the watchful eye of many pastors, maintenance on the present church has helped keep the church building in wonderful condition. Renovation following Vatican Council II disposed of the ornate altars and the Communion rail. In 2010, the Communion railing was located and it was reinstated as the base for the altar and the shelf under the tabernacle.

During the year 2010 the parish changed the name of the Parish Council to St. Joseph Pastoral Council; rewrote the Pastoral Council Constitution to reflect the mission statement of the Archdiocese; combined the Faith Formation Committee with the neighboring parish of Immaculate Conception, Lansing forming one commission entitled "Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph Faith Formation Commission" with one commission and one constitution; and continued to offer Faith Formation classes in the old rectory building.

The Centennial year of 2010 began with a special "Opening of the Centennial Year Mass" on December 31, 2009 and the year closed with a special "Closing of the Centennial year Mass" on December 31, 2010. Various celebrations took place during the year such as the parish picnic,  the annual parish festival and  a special parish directory was printed. In addition, Archbishop Hanus was able to celebrate a special Mass on September 26 at which time the cornerstone of the church was re-blessed. 

We hope that you will come and visit and see the face of God in the people, events, and history of St. Joseph Parish.