Livermore - Sacred Heart

LIVERMORE - Sacred Heart Parish dates back to 1881 when it was organized by  Father James Zigrang of St. Joe. Before there was a Catholic church in Livermore, Mass was said occasionally in various homes in the area. The first church was built in 1882, a frame building costing about $2,000. For a time, services were held only on alternate Sundays as Father Zigrang lived at St. Joe and was also responsible for other missions.

Father Michael McNerrey, the first resident pastor, was appointed in 1889 and lived the first year at the Commercial House Hotel located near the railroad tracks in Livermore. In 1890, the congregation purchased a rectory near the church. Father McNerrey also had a mission church in Dakota City. Each Sunday he said Mass in each church, driving back and forth by horse and buggy, or on a railroad hand car. This double duty continued for other pastors until 1917.

In 1895, Father McNerrey started a new church of pressed brick with stone trimming. The church cost $10,000. The church was dedicated on Dec. 10, 1896, and was named Sacred Heart Church. There were about 80 families in the parish at the time.

In 1905, Father Maurice Costello became pastor and set about building a modern rectory. This rectory was partially destroyed by fire in 1918 but was once again rebuilt and modernized. Stained glass windows were installed in the church in 1911.

On May 19, 1919, disaster struck and the beautiful Sacred Heart Church was completely destroyed by fire. Only the bell was salvaged. With very little insurance, and costs very high during the post WWI period, Father Costello did not hesitate to immediately start raising funds for the erection of a new church. It was not until the fall of 1922 that the new church was dedicated. It was not completely paid for until 1944 at a cost of $85,000.

Father James Duhigg (1943-1950) succeeded Father Costello. Father Laurence Greteman (1950-1951), Father Gabriel Barry (1951-1954) and Father Peter Sturm (1954-1963) all served their pastorate at Sacred Heart.

Over the years, many Dubuque Franciscans and Presentation Sisters taught CCD classes at Sacred Heart, coming from St. Mary's Humboldt and St. Joe, Bode.

Father Gerald M. Fisch (1963-1966), Father Gerald Skahill (1966-1971) and Father Edward Fandel (1971-1984) were all appointed to work at Sacred Heart.

Father Gerald Wingert (1984-1990) came to Sacred Heart and started the first parish council. In 1990, history repeated itself in the diocese due to an increasing shortage of priests. Sharing a priest with other parishes began again and Sacred Heart shared Father Leo Reisburg until 1993 with St. Joe, Bode. Continuing to share with St. Joe, Father Paul Eisele assumed the double responsibility.

Sister Ruth Holtzbauer PBVM came to the parish as pastoral minister in 1992. Her job description included several tasks that the priest was unable to accomplish as he was now tending to more than one parish.

In 1995, the church council adopted a new constitution and in July the parish was clustered with St. Mary's, Humboldt. Father Michael Larkin, Father Eugene Ulses and Father Lynn Bruch all served their pastorate at Livermore.

In the summer of 2000, Father Bruch was given a new assignment and Sister Ruth Holtzbauer retired. Father Daniel Greving became pastor of Sacred Heart, St. Benedict and St. Joseph, Wesley. Currently Sacred Heart is part of the Algona cluster.