Rite of Election Reception hosted by St. Columbkille

bucky92761 — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:43:07 +0000

St. Columbkille has been asked to organize, provide food and serve at the Reception at the Rite of Election at the Cathedral on February 26, 2012. This Reception will be with the Archbishop and the Catechumens and their families, extended families, etc. We will be serving approximately 500 people. If more locations are organized for the Rite of Election, we will serve about 350. We will know about 1-1/2 weeks prior to the Rite of Election. As you can see, we will need quite a bit of food and your help! We need sign-ups right away..so we can plan.

The duties St. Columbkille are to fill are:

1) The parish is to provide all the food: cookies, brownies, bars, punch, nuts, pretzels. (enough for 500 people)
2) Set-up (all paper goods are provided; all coffee urns, punch bowls, and other necessary dishes are provided as well)
(We simply walk in and set-up) This will include putting all the food out, making coffee, making and filling the punch, etc). (Approximately 8 people are needed for this)
3) Serve at 3 different locations in the hall. (to keep traffic flowing) We will need to keep the food stocked, punch filled..etc.
4) Clean-up the Hall completely (about 10 people are needed for this) The Hall needs to be completely cleaned up by St. Columbkille AND put back in order. We need volunteers..men or women.

Appropriate attire is requested. (Please no jeans as requested)

Please use the google doc below to sign up to donate food (except nuts and pretzels..these will be purchased) or to donate your time.

(Please list your email address on the document as well so I can contact you to let you know a drop date and time for the food).

St. Columbkille is in need of your help with this wonderful honor!

Volunteer to help or donate food for the Rite of Election Reception hosted by St. Columbkille

If you have questions, please contact Patricia Derby at Click here to email Patricia Derby or feel free to call at 563-451-3557.

History of St. Columbkille

bucky92761 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:58:14 +0000

What Irishman is there that has never heard of the three great Irish Saints: Patrick, Brigid and Columbkille! St. Patrick brought the Catholic Faith to pagan Ireland in 432 A.D. In the year 453, St. Patrick himself baptized Brigid (Bridget). She consecrated her life to Christ and founded a powerful convent school in Kildare. St. Columbkille was born in Donegal, 521 A.D. He and 12 companions established a monastery on the Island of Iona in 563 A.D. From there they brought the Holy Gospel to Scotland and places far beyond. He died on Iona in 597 A.D.

The impact of their spiritual work resounds around the world even today! With this same Faith, the Irish came to America. Irish Catholic families of miners, mill and rail workers settled in Little Dublin of Dubuque here on West Hill. The Cathedral, built by Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli in 1835, was slightly over a mile away. Walking up and down the muddy hill, without modern streets or sidewalks, was a hardship for the Faithful to get to Mass or school. Bishop Hennessey and Mother Vincent were determined to help the people learn and live the Holy Faith in this new land of promise and freedom.

In 1879, the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, supported by the Bishop and many devout Catholics, built the convent school on Rush Street. Sunday Mass was offered there and children were allowed to assist. Parents were thankful that their children would learn to read, write and would grow up to love God in this world of trials and hardships. May we never forget the sacrifices of these pioneers.

On May 24, 1887, Bishop Hennessy established a new parish under the holy patronage of St. Columbkille. With the Feast Day of St. Columbkille on June 9, Fr. John Fogarty was named the first Pastor. Born and ordained in Ireland, Fr. Fogarty would serve here until his death in 1910. He first moved into a vacant house in what is now Msgr. Dunn Field. There were hordes of rats that swarmed from an old mine shaft nearby.

His plans for a church and rectory began immediately. This clapboard church called, Noah’s Ark or the Tabernacle on stilts, though simple and small, served the needs of the faithful for 17 years, some 8,000 Masses, 600 Baptisms and 100 weddings.

In 1903, continued growth of the parish prompted Archbishop John J. Keane, to hire architect Guido Beck. He designed the new church with towering vaulted ceilings, colorful stained glass windows and graceful Gothic lines. On June 19, 1904, the cornerstone, a gift of Bishop O’Donell of Ireland, was set. Beautiful St. Columbkille’s church as we see it today is a work of religious devotion, built through the hard work of an immigrant neighborhood, standing as testament of Faith in Jesus Christ through family generations.

Today, we joyfully give thanks to Almighty God for 120 years of sharing in Jesus’ Divine Life. As the Parish of St. Columbkille we continue our spiritual journey together. YOU are invited to participate in preparing for St. Columbkille’s 125th celebration in the year 2012! Our Five Year Plan will prepare us to be a Beacon of Hope and the Light of Christ for generations yet to come!

Father Gabriel Anderson
Pastor of St. Columbkille
May 24, 2007

We are the patience, the courage, the sacrifice of a long past,
We are the energy, the faith, the loyalty of a glorious present,
We are the devotion, the hope, the dream of a limitless tomorrow.

We are St. Columbkille Catholic Parish!

St. Columbkille Catholic Church

Rite of Election Reception hosted by St. Columbkille

History of St. Columbkille