St. Thomas Aquinas (Ames, Iowa)

St. Thomas Aquinas (Ames, Iowa)

"In 1899 the pastor of the Gilbert parish, Father Henry C. Eckhart, celebrated the first Mass in the Ames community. The Gilbert church and rectory were in the country, some miles from the town of Gilbert. Father Eckhart was followed by Father Francis C. Renier, who had charge of three Catholic congregations: Gilbert, Jewell, and Ames. Road conditions from Gilbert to Ames made Sunday Mass for the Ames Catholics uncertain. Because of this situation the college students petitioned the Archbishop in 1911 to appoint Father Renier resident pastor in Ames. In a letter to the Archbishop in response to the students’ petition Father Renier stated, “it has been my hope that some time in the future the authorities in the diocese would realize that the work done here for our students is not a parochial matter, but something which effects the whole diocese."

- Kurt, Rev. Msgr. Edgar, Parish Profile #212, The Witness, February 17, 1991.

The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.

Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.

Various primary and secondary sources.

English.

Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"

1899-
History of the parish over the span of 119 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.

Fundraising (2 documents)
Parish life (3 documents)
Parish history (4 documents)
Unknown author(s). "Mass of Dedication." Mass program. 29 April, 2000