RATES

1. PARISH MEMBERS:

• Hall - $50.00
• Deposit - $100.00

2. NON-PARISH MEMBERS

• Hall - $100.00
• Deposit - $100.00

• With Parish Roots: $50.00 deposit
• No Parish Roots: $100.00 deposit/$50.00 Rent

Proof of insurance, signed FACILITY USAGE/INDEMNITY AGREEMENT, and payment are due before use of the hall.

Contact the parish office for more information and/or to schedule and make arrangements.

ESTABLISHED 1874
Current church building built: 1921

610 S Gault St
PO Box 23
Arcadia, Iowa 51430-0023

Office Hours: Mon & Fri 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Phone: 712-689-2595
 

Daily Mass MONDAY through FRIDAY  8:00 AM

SUNDAY MASS 8:00 AM

Since 1874 the people of the parish of St. John the Baptist Parish have maintained a cemetery.

In 2018 the parish doubled the size of the cemetery with the purchase of 2.4 acres of farm ground south of the original cemetery [thanks to donations from parishioners] due to very limited availability of unsold graves.  Parish volunteers cleared and leveled the ground, poured the new concrete driveway, installed a new chain link fence, and staked out every Lot.  The new area was blessed on Sunday 28 October 2018 and the first burial took place on Saturday 24 November 2018: Larry Irlbeck, in Section B.

This sacred space has been blessed and serves as a place of honored rest for our beloved deceased, the final resting place here on earth for our departed family and friends.

The cemetery is divided into Sections which are divided into Lots divided into Lots (12’ x 10’) consisting of two [2] graves (spaces), each space being 12’ x 5’.

Number of burials per grave: one [1] casket OR two [2] cremains/urns OR one [1] casket and one cremain/urn with allowance for exceptions.  Previous burials may not be dug up to accommodate a second burial.  [i.e. an urn may not be dug up to make room for a casket and the previously buried urn.]

Cost: $300 per grave or $600 per Lot [two graves].

Contact the parish office to purchase, to make arrangements for burial, or for more information.

St. John's Parish in Arcadia celebrated Mass for the first time on Feb. 8, 1874. It was celebrated by Father John Kemper of Mount Carmel who, at the time, was the only resident priest in Carroll County. This Mass was celebrated in one of the first warehouses to be erected in Arcadia.

Father Kemper built the first frame church on the location of the present church in 1875. The cost was $3,200 and was built to seat 650 people.

In 1876, Father F. W. Pape from Carroll began to minister to the people of Arcadia. Father Pape bought land for a cemetery and built the first rectory for the parish.

From 1880 to 1881, St. John's was under the leadership of Father John Urbany from Carroll. It was at this time that the first school was built. The first teachers at this time were lay people. The parish had 90 families on its register during this time.

On Aug. 15, 1881, the first resident pastor of St. John's arrived, Father J. B. Fendrick. From May of 1886 until December of the same year, Father M. C. Lenihan from Vail took pastoral care of St. John's. It was during this time that the first recorded baptisms were written for the parish, all 11 of them.

Father H. J. Hemesath (1886-1887) succeeded Father Lenihan and Father Joseph Hellirigl (1887-1893) also followed. Father Hellirigl changed the plans of his predecessor who had laid the foundation for a new school building. He sold the foundation of the school and moved the original frame church to the southwest corner of the premises to be used for a school.

The first frame school was moved and joined to the old church for a Sisters dwelling. The amount spent to move and change the old frame church into a school and the original school into a Sisters dwelling did not exceed $900. In 1888, Father Hellrigl built a new brick church at a cost of $8,555.

Father J. A. Schultes (1893-1916) followed and Father M. Ruemmele (1916-1920) became pastor of St. John's.

In May of 1918, a tornado struck the church, completely destroying it. The school was used for services until a decision about a new church could be made.

Father M. J. Mallinger (1920-1921) took over St. John's and began to built a new church. A total of more than $75,000 was collected from the parishioners for the new church, school and convent. The new church was begun in 1921. Father J. G. Mallinger (1921-1929) continued the work of the new buildings.

Father Mathias Stork (1929-1956) was appointed the next pastor and Father Cletus Ahmann (1956-1984) followed. Father Richard Remmes (1984-1988), Msgr. James K. Lafferty (1988-1999), and Father William Schreiber (1999-2001) all worked at St. John's.

In July of 2001, St. John's began to share a pastor with St. Ann's Parish in Vail, Father John Thomas.

The Sisters of St. Francis from Dubuque served St. John's School from 1888 to its closing in 1995. In all, 100 sisters were appointed to serve St. John's during this time. At the closing of St. John's School, the children then began attending Kuemper Catholic Elementary in Carroll and Holy Cross in Vail.

Over the years, St. John's Parish had seven men become priests, two brothers, and 10 sisters.

In June of 2000, St. John's Parish celebrated its 125th anniversary. Bishop Daniel DiNardo closed the event on the Feast of Pentecost with a parish Mass and reception.