Update on Iowa church sold for parts
The original story here.
The high altar from St. Mary's Dubuque has been installed in another German-Catholic church over in Freeport, IL (not sure what diocese that is in). Story from the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald is here. The church is all closed up now.
It's a real pity. I used to go to daily Mass sometimes there. The problem was that there was another Catholic church (St. Patrick's) two blocks away--they were built so closely together because St. Mary's was for the German speakers, St. Patrick for the English-speakers, and that's how they did things back in the 19th century.
St. Patrick stayed open, but was clustered with the Cathedral of St. Raphael--it's about 15 blocks away. Both parishes are financially strapped. Dubuque has a vast Catholic population, but not many attend church except for Christmas and Easter.
The Church of the Resurrection that you mentioned is over on the west side of town (about 15-20 minutes drive from St. Mary's). The parish there is HUGE, so they had the money to expand. I wish they could just farm out some of their parishioners to the older parishes instead. It's not like it is a far drive.
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FYI: 1 of the side altars has gone to St. Mary's in E DBQ to use for their new perpetual adoration chapel named in honor of St. Joseph.
Personally, I wish that St. Mary's had been saved. But it was in worse repair. I suspect it is a matter of time before they close St. Pat's as well. The hispanic population is the only reason it is still viable. Then there is the Holy Spirit Parish at the N end that still operates all 3 Churches of the 3 parishes it was united to make.
Res is huge, but it is also 1 of the money parishes. I'll leave it at that.
The rest of the St. Pat's St. Mary story.
They were both started out of territory from St. Raphael's parish. At that time the prayers after Mass were said in French. The Irish & the Germans felt left out. The Churches were built 2 blocks apart because sharing a Church was impossible. To put it mildly, ethnic barriers that prevented them from getting along.
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