Warren County Iowa Genealogical Society

 

 

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    Cumming St John's Catholic Church

    Cumming Saint Johns Catholic Church, 213 North 44th St., Cumming, IA. 50061.

         

    This church was sold to be a wedding chapel in 2009, while St John’s Parish moved to 720 Orchard Hills Drive, Norwalk, Iowa and changed its name to St John the Apostle Catholic Church [see the new church listing under Norwalk St John the Apostle Catholic Church].

    History of Cumming St Johns Catholic Church copied from “Data on Warren County Churches” at the State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, IA, film # War-56 (LDS film # 1034022)

    The Irish Catholic families who settled in this area formed a parish from Irish Settlement in 1892. St. Johns church was built in 1893 and was served as a mission of Sacred Heart, West Des Moines until 1911. West Des Moines History states that Sacred Heart was served as an out mission of Cumming by Father H. J. O’ROURKE. This historian feels that they were both from Irish settlements. Father James QUINN was the first resident pastor and he built the parish house. Father’s GLEASON, McDONALD, McEVOY, ZUCH, and Cyprian NORDHUS, O.S.B., are some of the pastors who have served St Johns since.

    In 1958, a new parish hall was dedicated, built under the direction of Father Zuch.

    The Catholics of Norwalk call St Johns their parish church. In the last few years, Norwalk has been growing so that today there are more than 150 families served by Rev. John RYAN.There have been four girls enter religious orders from the parish and one young man ordained into the priesthood.

    Parish Portrait – August 1958, St Johns Parish, Cumming, Iowa

    A few miles from Iowa’s largest city, the 107 families of St Johns in Cumming combine a strong love of the land and a fervent love of the Church to preserved the traditions of a truly rural parish under the zealous pastorship of Father Frank Zuch. An area settled by Irish farmers, St Johns was formed from the north half of St Patrick’s Irish settlement in 1892. The church was built in 1893 and enlarged in 1903.St Johns was a mission of West Des Moines until 1911. Named first resident pastor then, Father James QUINN served until his death in 1911. He built the attractive nine room brick parish house. Father James McDONALD was pastor for 30 years following Father QUINN. Father McDONALD was succeeded by Father William McEVOY. Following Father McEVOY's death in 1953, Father Frank ZUCK, the present pastor was appointed. Under Father ZUCK direction the church and rectory were remodeled and redecorated and a $35,000.00 parish hall erected. In the garden between the rectory and church stands a five foot shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary erected in 1955.

    History of St John Church of Cumming, Iowa 1892-1992; “A Journey of Faith” by the Centennial Committee, May 1992 (in the library of St John the Apostle Catholic Church, Norwalk, Iowa, which was previously the St John Church of Cumming, Iowa)