St. Joseph  Church 
10270 Key West Drive 
Dubuque, Iowa

St. Joseph Parish and School History!

Key West was settled in 1834, a year after Dubuque’s inception. Like many small settlements, the
religious life of the settlers became its center. Mass was celebrated in the 1840’s by Father Samuel
Mazzuchelli and Bishop Mathias Loras in the homes of the Catholic Irish families who farmed, mined
lead and settled southwest of Dubuque in Mosalem and Table Mound Townships.
In 1872 the parish was established by Father Thomas J. O’Reilly, a priest from the Cathedral in Dubuque,
when Daniel Ryan of Mosalem Township and John Qually of Key West joined Father O’Reilly to gather
funds for the parish’s 30 x 50 ft. frame church to be built. St. Joseph Key West Parish began!
The first rectory was built in 1874 which Father James Ward did not live in since he turned it over to the
first sisters of a community of nuns who had arrived from Ireland as per invitation of Bishop John
Hennessy. That became the first motherhouse and convent in Iowa for the Sisters of the Presentation of
the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Presentation Sisters have had an influential part in our parish history. On February 5, 1875 they
began the first school in their convent parlor. From these humble beginnings they were on the faculty of
the school until 1998. After that the school was fully staffed by lay teachers and principals.
In 1888 a rectory was built while Father John Mortel was pastor. A large free standing bell tower was
constructed by Father John McNamera in 1899. The bell rang three times daily as a call to prayer. A
parish hall was built in 1915 by Father James Mulligan.
As the parish continued to grow, a new church was built in 1925 to replace the original frame structure.
Parishioners gathered for the first Holy Mass in the new brick church on the feast of the Immaculate
Conception, December 8, 1925. The new church was dedicated by Bishop James Keane on February 14,
1926. With that, the frame parish hall was no longer needed.
With the parish’s growth, so did the school’s enrollment. In 1927 a four-room school was built. This was
upgraded in 1951 with a new heating unit and restrooms. No more outhouses! Further expansion was
needed, so in 1963 four classrooms, a library, gymnasium, restrooms and office were added, as well as
the first lay teacher hired. By 1965 there were six Presentation Sisters and three lay teachers for 190
students.
On Saturday mornings, the teachers in the CCD program had been the Presentation Sisters until Father
John Sims began involving the laity as instructors in 1966. He also initiated the tithing program for the
parish. Father Louis Wendling had the sanctuary furnishings redone following the Vatican Council II by
removing the main altar and the communion rail.
In the spring of 1988, the parish hall underwent a major renovation, including new drywall, a drop
ceiling, countertops, wainscoting and a walk-in freezer and refrigerator. That was also the year that the
Renew program began in the parish.
The “Key to the Future” building campaign began in the fall of 1992 when Father John O’Connor was the
pastor. The goal was a new church, social hall and classrooms. Initial goals were revised and in 1993-
1994 a new rectory and convent were built south of the school campus. In this same time period, 1993,
St. Joseph Key West School and St. Catherine School formed St. Joseph Key West Catholic Consolidated School.

In preparation for a school addition, the original convent was displaced. Through 1994, four
classrooms, offices, a mechanical room, restrooms and a conference room were added for the newly
added kindergarten along with the grades 1st through 8th program with 203 students enrolled.
An early childhood program was added to St. Joseph Key West School in 1995, including daycare,
preschool and AM and PM extended care.

Straight-line winds literally opened the 1998-1999 school year with roof structural damage to numerous
classrooms. No one was injured. The whole community helped so that instruction could restart four days later with various classrooms set up in the gymnasium so repairs could be done.
In July of 2001, St. Joseph Key West School became part of the newly formed Holy Family School System. The school permanently closed in the spring of 2007 due to a Holy Family School System reconfiguration plan. The school building is now used by the Faith Formation Program and the privately owned Key West Early Childhood Center which has rented classrooms in the building since the school closure.

The present 1925 church building was renovated in late 1997 instead of being demolished. The parish’s
first paved parking lot was installed north of the church and along Key West Drive. The interior of the
church was recarpeted, painted, pews refinished and new windows installed. The roof shingles were
replaced and handicap accessibility was added, as well as new restrooms.
In the early 2000’s the front steps of the church were extended for an outdoor gathering space. The
church hall was tiled and air conditioning was added for the whole building. Mission style furnishings
were made for the sanctuary. Later, wood flooring was laid in the sanctuary. The large round windows
were repaired and painted in 2022. We are grateful for our parish family.

St. Joseph Key West Mission Statement:

Inspired by the virtue of service modeled by St. Joseph, we gather as a Catholic Christian community to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus and share His presence in the Eucharist. We are called to serve as an authentic example of Christ through our worship, charity, and fellowship. 

St. Joseph Key West Vision Statement:

St. Joseph Key West Parish envisions a welcoming community for all generations, that come together as an authentic example of Christ and in the virtue of service to.

We Worship

We worship with inspiration, involvement, spiritual growth, and joy.

We plan liturgies that people of all ages and backgrounds are drawn to, enriched by the Gospel of Jesus, and strengthened by the sharing of His Eucharist. 

We provide religious education for all ages, youth through adulthood, to strengthen our knowledge of God and our Catholic Faith.

We Work

We work for each other and for the needs of all God’s people. We value our physical church and environment, and work to make a welcoming and hospitable sanctuary.

We value the needs of our parish family, and work to serve each other in times of need, illness, joy, or sadness.

We strive for social justice in our community and world.

We Perform Charity

We value the needs of all God’s people, close or in foreign lands. As good stewards we recognize that all good gifts come from God. Out of gratitude,, we actively work to identify those needs and to share our abundant goods, labor, and finances. 

We Share Fellowship

We see our parish as a nurturing community where our children learn and grow in faith, young families are supported, and our elderly are vital and engaged.