Small-Town Parishes Face Shift as Archdiocese Moves to Pastorate Model

Decorah Vikings win, City Council votes, New Referenda on the ballot — we're the one telling Decorah's story. Donate now. WINNESHIEK COUNTY — As the Archdiocese of Dubuque moved from discernment to decision following a "Journey in Faith" initiative, and Catholics across northeast Iowa are now seeing what the long-discussed changes will look like in practice. After more than a year of consultation, feedback and discernment, Archbishop Thomas Zinkula announced April 11 that the archdiocese will be reorganized into 24 pastorates, or groupings of parishes that will share clergy, ministries and resources, beginning as early as this summer. The announcement marks a transition from planning to implementation, and parishioners who once reviewed draft models are now beginning to understand how their local communities will be directly affected. "This is a Spirit-led invitation to renewal, vitality and growth," Zinkula said about the initiative. From Input to Final DecisionsZinkula said the final pastorate model reflects months of input from parishioners across the 30-county archdiocese, which includes more than 180,000 Catholics worshipping in 160 parishes. "Your voices, your stories, and your commitment to your parishes have shaped this process in meaningful ways," he wrote in a letter to the faithful. The changes are driven in part by long-term trends. Over the past 20 years, Mass attendance across the archdiocese has declined by 46%, while the number of available priests has also decreased. Church leaders say the pastorate model is designed to address those realities by encouraging greater collaboration between parishes and strengthening regional ministry efforts. Calmar Area Pastorate Brings Major Changes For many rural communities in Winneshiek County and surrounding areas, the shift will be significant.Parishioners in Spillville, Calmar, Ossian and neighboring towns will become part of the newly formed Calmar Area Pastorate, which includes 10 parishes: St. Wenceslaus Parish, Spillville Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Little Turkey Holy Trinity Parish, Protivin Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Lawler Our Lady of Seven Dolors Parish, Festina St. Aloysius Parish, Calmar St. Francis de Sales Parish, Ossian St. John Nepomucene Parish, Fort Atkinson St. Luke Parish, St. Lucas St. Mary Parish, Waucoma The pastorate will serve approximately 3,788 parishioners, with average Mass attendance of about 1,520. It will be led by the Rev. Tyler Raymond as pastor, alongside the Rev. Mr. Thiet Hoang, who is currently serving as a transitional deacon and is scheduled to be ordained to the priesthood in May. Two deacons, Deacon Dan O'Brien and Deacon Terri Wenthold, will also serve the pastorate. The region includes two Catholic schools: St. Teresa of Calcutta School and Trinity Catholic School. One of the most significant changes will be the consolidation of weekend Masses into a limited number of sites. Under the plan, weekend Masses will be held at: Holy Trinity Parish in Protivin (one Mass) St. Aloysius Parish in Calmar (one Mass) St. Francis de Sales Parish in Ossian (two Masses) St. Luke Parish in St. Lucas (two Masses) Several parishes, including those in Spillville, Little Turkey, Festina, Fort Atkinson, Lawler and Waucoma, will not host regular weekend Mass under the new structure. However, archdiocesan leaders emphasize that these churches will remain active for other purposes, including weekday worship, funerals, weddings, adoration, faith formation and community outreach. Spillville Mayor Paul Wermers said he raised early concerns during the "Journey in Faith" process and remains uneasy after seeing the final plan. In an open letter to Archbishop Thomas Zinkula during the discernment phase, Wermers urged church leaders to preserve small-town parish life by keeping rural communities grouped together rather than merging them into larger regional centers. He described Spillville, Calmar, Festina and Ossian as closely connected "clusters" of faith communities, arguing that parish life in rural Iowa is deeply tied to local identity, volunteer spirit and Catholic school stability. "When a church loses its regular Mass, it's not just a matter of scheduling — it's a deep wound to the heart of the town," he wrote in the letter. Following the release of the final pastorate plan, Wermers said his concerns remain, particularly about how decisions affecting rural parishes are made and how those communities will maintain a sense of connection without regular weekend Mass. OfSaturday's final announcement, Wermers said, "One of the recurring concerns is that our local parishes work incredibly hard to fundraise and support their churches, yet decisions about those resources are made at a higher level." He said rural communities like his own strongly value local stewardship and decision-making that stays close to home, even while recognizing the need for broader coordination across the archdiocese. "In small towns, the church is more than a place of worship — it's where people connect, check in on one another, and build relationships week after week," he said. "If regular Mass is no longer available, we risk losing that consistent touchpoint that helps hold the community together." "Church life is closely tied to community life," he said. "Without that central focus, there's a real concern about whether those traditions will continue and whether the next generation will have the same sense of connection and belonging." Wermers acknowledged the realities driving the restructuring, including priest shortages and declining Mass attendance, and said he understands the need for broader coordination. Still, he said, the long-term impact on rural parish identity remains uncertain. Decorah Area Sees Structural Shift, Fewer Immediate Changes In contrast, the Decorah Area Pastorate will experience fewer immediate changes to worship schedules, though it will still undergo structural shifts under the new model. The pastorate will consist of a collaboration between St. Benedict Parish in Decorah and Notre Dame Parish in Cresco, serving a combined 3,903 parishioners with average Mass attendance of 981. Both parishes will continue offering two weekend Masses in English at their current locations. However, the change comes in shared leadership and regional alignment. Under the new structure, the pastorate will be led by the Rev. Jon Seda as pastor, with the Rev. Francis Anane serving as parochial vicar. The two parishes will formally operate as a single pastorate, sharing clergy and working more closely in ministry and planning. The transition will also include new leadership, as current pastors collaborate with incoming clergy to establish an interim Mass schedule beginning July 15. While the immediate experience for parishioners may appear largely unchanged, the shift reflects a broader move toward regional coordination and long-term sustainability. Parish-Level CommunicationAlongside the broader announcement, Zinkula issued letters to individual parishes detailing how the changes will affect specific communities. In a letter to St. Wenceslaus Parish in Spillville, he acknowledged the emotional weight of the transition. "Our parish communities are places of deep meaning, filled with memories of faith, family and sacrifice," he wrote. "Change is not easy." At the same time, he framed the changes within the broader mission of the Church. "Entrusting this next step to the mercy of God, I invite us to move forward together — with hope, with courage, and with hearts open to the work the Lord is doing among us," he wrote. What Comes Next An interim Mass schedule for the Calmar Area Pastorate is expected to take effect July 15 and run through Jan. 15, as clergy work together to implement the new structure. Beginning this fall, each pastorate across the archdiocese will enter a guided planning process to determine how parishes will collaborate in ministry, worship and outreach. While many details will continue to evolve at the local level and parishes adjust to the new schedules and faces at Mass, the release of the final pastorate model marks a turning point for Catholic communities across Winneshiek County and well beyond. As Zinkula wrote, "I ask you to continue walking this journey with me — and with one another — with courage and trust." Get the inside scoop! Subscribe to the free DecorahNews.com newsletter and receive local news, expert analysis, and stories that matter most—straight to your inbox.