Warren County Iowa Genealogical Society

 

 

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    Milo St. Augustine Catholic Church

    Milo Saint Augustine Catholic Church, 111 E. Belmont Street, Milo, Iowa, (641) 942-6395, (previously 304 North Washington Ave., Lacona, IA)

         

    History of St. Augustine's Church, Milo, Iowa, written by the Rev. A. L. DAVIDSAVER, copied from the History of Warren County, Iowa, by Gerard SCHULTZ and Don L. BERRY, The Record and Tribune Company, Indianola, Iowa, 1953, pages 119-151

    On May 18, 1915, Bishop Austin DOWLING, D.D., personally presided at laying of the cornerstone of St. Augustine's church in the presence of a large number of the people of Milo, including the local band. At the desire of ten Catholic families living in the vicinity of Milo, he had approved the building of the church. It was through the guidance and untiring labors of the Rev. Vitus STOLL, then pastor of the Rosemount parish and now pastor of the Immaculate Conception church in Creston, Iowa, that the church reached its completion in that same year.

    The plot of ground on which the church stands was purchased for $1,500 and the church itself was built at a cost of $15,000. The men of the parish dug out the basement. J. M. NACHTIGALL of Omaha, Neb., was the architect; J. E. TUSANT and Son of Des Moines were the contractors and builders. Within the year, the church was paid for.

    Soon after the church was erected, Father STOLL left Rosemount and took up his permanent residence at St. Mary's church, Lacona, but resided at Milo part of the time. He continued to serve the two parishes of Lacona and Milo till 1921 when he was succeeded by the Rev. Michael B. SCHULTZ, who is now the pastor of St. Mary's church in Panama, Iowa. In 1922 the Rev. N. A. GAUL became pastor. Father GAUL is the present pastor of Our Lady of Fatima church in Portsmouth, Iowa. The Rev. John P. BURKHISER followed and remained as pastor from 1924 to 1933 when he handed over the parish reins to the Rev. Edwin A. DONAHUE, who is today pastor of St. Patrick's church in Perry, Iowa. The year 1935 saw the arrival of the Rev. Rudolph SCHNELLER, who is but recently deceased, as of October, 1951. Two years later the Rev. W. J. DEVINE was appointed pastor and when he left in 1944 to become an army chaplain in World War II, Lacona became a separate parish and St. Augustine's MEIER was serving as pastor. The present pastor, the Rev. A. L. DAVIDSAVER, came to Rosemount and Milo in September, 1949. Father MEIER is now the pastor of the Immaculate Conception church at St. Marys.

    Much praise and credit is due Monsignor Vitus STOLL and those first ten families for their foresight and good judgment in erecting a church which would fittingly and adequately take care of all future needs in the community of Milo.

    Today there are some forty families in St. Augustine's parish. This beautiful brick church with complete basement stands as a monument to their zeal and vision.

    Note: The St Augustine church built in 1915 was burned down in 1976 and a new church completed in 1979.

    The new parish consists of Lacona St Mary of the Assumption, Milo St Augustine, and Rosemount St Mary of Perpetual Help and is known as the parish of Holy Trinity Church of Southeast Warren County.

    50th Parish Anniversary 1915-1965, St. Augustine Church, Milo, Iowa; booklet is at the Warren County Historical Society Library.