Bishop Daly, Ordinary, of the Des Moines Diocese, announced in May of 1955 that a new parish would be erected in Glenwood, Iowa. Rev. O.L. Kaufman was appointed as its first pastor, in addition to his duties as pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Hamburg. The first mass was celebrated on Christmas Eve in 1955.

Some of those attending Mass from Mills County were: John and Betty Wilson, Raymond and Catherine Stevens, Art and Lucile Deitering, Jane and Anne Ford and Nellie Chantry. The Leicks, Walter, Laurence and William, living in the northern part of the county, the Frank Adams and Ed Jerovski’s of Glenwood, attending Mass in Council Bluffs.

The following known families were Fran Logan, Fred and Josephine Edwards, John and Josephine Bricher, James Bricher, Wilber and Lucille Tackett, Naomi Markel and son Timothy, Nell Harms and children, Edgar and Ione Cook, Helen Wheeler, Dorothy Harrison, Rita Grudle, Walter and Mary Flynn, Helen Fauquier and children, Marie Coppers and daughter, Joe and Ruth Bruce, Flo and Stella Lukowski, Rose Rhody, Troy and Evelyn Rhody, Frank and Veronica Beda, Agnes Goodman, Bill Burke, Vac and Luella Jedlicka, Harvey and Marcia Schwehr, Sylvia Fitzpatrick and children, Clarene and Annamarie Draeger, Margaret Hauschildt, Francis and Mary Rozmaizel, Mrs. Ed Gleason, Bud and Pat Hasselbach, Ethel Clark, James Barbour, Josephine Gilson, Walter Hermes, Ray McMahon and others.

First Trustees were John Bricher and Fred Edwards, first baptism was Mark Douglas Shelberg. The first communion class consisted of Rosemary Dragaer, Thomas Fauquier, Richard Fitzpatrick, Walter Leick , Timothy Markel, Howard Schwehr, Wayne Tackett, John Weisensee and John Wilson, Jr. The first wedding was Ferdinando Linza and Alvina Decker. The first funeral was Sarah Ann Moore, and first burial was David Harrison. First Extra ordinary Ministers were Marvyn Fernald, Cletus Lepeska and Richard Maiers.

Father Kaufman remained pastor until 1981, followed by Rev. LaVern Wingert and Rev. Frank Bognanno.

At this printing there is talk about needing additional facilities to accommodate such a rapidly growing church of over 275 families.

Source: adapted from History of Mills County Iowa, 1985~ transcribed by Lois Shaul