Immaculate Conception Church, Maloy IA

CULHANE, GRIFFIN, WARIN, SHAY, MULLEN, MALLOY, MALONE, BULGER, COOK, LOFTUS, CONDON, WHITE, WALDRON, BURKHEISER, POUGET, CONNLEY, MCILHON, LOREN, HOFFMAN, MCDONNEL, KEIRNAN, CHIODO, DALEKE, CIARO, ERESTAIN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 4/26/2010 at 04:28:09

Immaculate Conception Church, Maloy

On June 17, 1931 [1932 by some accounts], a fire swept through Maloy. Both St. Mary'sand the new Catholic church were destroyed. Almost immediately, Father M. J. CULHANE, an Irish immigrant and the parish's priest, organized the construction of a brick church building and rectory. During the construction of a new church, the parish accepted the offer of the Christian congregation to share their church building.

The new building, Immaculate Conception Church, was constructed in English Rural Architectural style with a steeply pitched roof suppored by heavy beams of steel which were encased in wood. The ceiling was constructed of accoustical tile; the floor of inlaid tile. The Gothic style altar and communion rail was constructed by the Daporte Studio of Chicago, a gift from the late Margaret GRIFFIN, a long-time Maloy resident.

The first Mass was offered by Father CULHANE on August 18, 1932. Later in the day, Father CULHANE officiated the marriage ceremony of John D. WARIN and Mary SHAY.

Those who served the Immaculate Conception Church were:
Father T. J. MULLEN, 1st resident pastor; Father Terence J. MALLOY; Father Henry V. MALONE;
Monsignor James Wm. BULGER; Father J. A. COOK; Father Thomas LOFTUS; Father J. J. CONDON; Father John C. WHITE; Father Charles WALDRON;
Father John BURKHEISER; Father Henri POUGET; Father M. J. CULHANE

After Father CULHANE retired in 1971, the parish became a part of the Leon Region, which included the parishes at Mount Ayr, Leon, Grand River, Osceola, Chariton, and Corydon. The first priests assigned to this region were:
Monsignor Paul CONNELLY; Father James McILHON; Father John LORENZ; Father Larry HOFFMAN; Father Joseph McDONNELL; Father James KIERNAN;
Father Jerry O'CONNER; Father Frank CHIODO; Father Donald DALEKE; Father John CIARO; Father Alphonso ERESTAIN; Father Robert BOHN;
Father Michael O'MEARA; Brother Emmanuel TECH-GIL

Members of the Leon Regional Team included:
Father James FREEMAN; Father Bernard GOTTNER; Father Michael McLAUGHLIN; Father John ZEITLER; Sister Bernadine PIEPER

March 21, 2009
MALOY PARISH TO BE CLOSED DOWN

At a meeting in Maloy, Ringgold County, Iowa, in January of 2009, Bishop Richard PATES informed the parishioners of the Immaculate Conception Church that the Catholic Diocese of Des Moines would be closing down the Parish. Final Mass will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, May 3rd, 2009. The church building and its contents are slated to be sold. The parishoners hope to use the proceeds from this sale to endow a fund for the upkeep of St. Mary's Cemetery.

The Catholic Mirror did not include a statement from Bishop PATES in its March 20th edition about the move, noting theat PATES had "consulted with the Presbyterial Council [an advisory group of priests] and looked at a study of the utilization of priests."

Since the early arrival of Irish immigrants, the Catholic Church experienced a strong presence in the Maloy vicinity. The first Catholic services were held in 1864 in the home of Luke SHAY, an immigrant from County Laois, Ireland. The first Catholic Church was build at St. Mary's Cemetery located east of Maloy in 1874. This building was moved in 1887 to the newly platted town of Maloy in 1887. A larger church was built in Maloy in 1903. This new church served approximately 50 parish families. On June 17, 1932, a fire destroyed both the 1887 and the 1903 church buildings. Father M. J. CULHANE, an Irish immigrant and the parish priest at the time, organized the construction of the brick church building and rectory which will close in May of 2009.

In recent years, the rectory has been home to several religious sisters, who have been involved with parish and community activities from religious education, to tutoring at Mount Ayr Elementary School, to working with hispanic families in Lenox. The current residents, Sisters Nan ROSS and Joanna RETTENMEIER, are planning to return in May to the BVM Mother House in Dubuque.

Following the final Mass on May 3rd, the parish will host a reception for members and friends of Immaculate Conception Parish. The event will be held at the Foxtown Music Hall in Maloy.

March 18, 2009
PRAIRIE CELEBRATION on SUNDAY, MAY 24th

On May 26th, 1989, Sister Bernadine PIEPER brought together several helpers and planted a one acre prairie on former railroad land acquired by the Immaculate Conception Parish. After 20 years of growth, the area is thick with tall prairie grasses and dotted with a variety of native wildflowers. This year, on Sunday, May 24th, there will be a 20th anniversary celebration for the prairie and its founder.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, April of 2010

Immaculate Conception Church, Maloy IA
 

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