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1837 -- July 28. Archdiocese of Dubuque created.
-- Dec. 10. Most Rev. Matthias Loras ordained first bishop of
Dubuque
1854 -- First known Mass celebrated in Waterloo.
1861 – St. Joseph Parish founded as a mission of St. Mary Parish,
Waverly.
1863 – Original St. Joseph Church dedicated on East Third Street.
1869 -- Fr. Nicholas F. Scallan appointed first resident pastor of St.
Joseph Parish.
1872 – Our Lady of Victory Academy at St. Joseph Parish opens.
1880 – Aug. 4. Cornerstone laid for second St. Joseph Church on East
Third St.
-- Second St. Joseph Church dedicated on East Third St.
1893 -- June 15. Diocese of Dubuque made an Archdiocese.
-- June 16. Bishop John Hennessy promoted to first Archbishop of
Dubuque
-- Our Lady of Victory Academy adds grades 9-12.
1894 -- "German Catholic St. Mary's Building Association" formed to
organize St. Mary Parish.
1898 – St. Mary Parish founded.
-- Fr. H.J. Hemesath appointed pastor of St. Mary Parish.
-- Jan. 23. First Mass celebrated in the basement of the original St.
Mary Church at Lafayette & Park.
1899 – St. Mary School opens.
1900 -- Sept. 9. Cornerstone laid for third St. Joseph Church at East Third
& Mulberry Sts.
1901 – Oct. 6. St. Joseph Church dedicated.
– Oct. 27. Original St. Mary Church at Lafayette & Park dedicated.
1906 – Original St. Mary Church and School enlarged.
1908 -- West side Catholics petition Archbishop John J. Keane to
establish Sacred Heart Parish.
1909 – Sacred Heart Parish founded.
-- Fr. John J. Hanley appointed first pastor of Sacred Heart Parish.
– Aug. 24. Sacred Heart School opens.
-- Sept. 5. Cornerstone laid for Sacred Heart Church on West
4th St.
– Dec. 25. First Mass celebrated in Sacred Heart Church.
1911 – Oct. 8. Sacred Heart Church dedicated.
– New building for Our Lady of Victory Academy opens.
1917 -- Fr. Henry Kuester OFM appointed first Franciscan pastor of
St. Mary Parish.
-- Land purchased for new St. Mary Church at East Fourth & Parker
Sts.
1921 -- Fire damages original St. Mary Church.
1922 – Mar. 21. Construction begins on second St. Mary Church at East
Fourth & Parker Sts.
-- Nov. 12. Second St. Mary Church dedicated.
-- Nov. 22. New St. Mary School opens on East Fourth Street.
-- Planning begins for the creation of St. John Parish.
1923 – St. John Parish founded.
-- Fr. Nicholas J. Lenz appointed first pastor of St. John Parish.
1924 – Apr. 6. Cornerstone laid for St. John Church at 1701 Mulberry St.
-- Aug. 10. First Mass celebrated in St. John Church
-- Sept. 1. St. John Church dedicated.
– Sept. 3. St. John School opens.
1930 -- St. John Parish Credit Union established.
1935 -- Beginning of evangelization effort in African-American community.
1936 -- First Masses celebrated in private homes of African-American
Catholics by priests from St. Mary Parish.
-- Family Benefit Society founded at St. John Parish.
1940 -- Sept. 8. Dedication of St. Peter Claver Church at 1112 Mobile St.
1945 – St. Edward Parish founded.
-- Msgr. John M. Fischer appointed first pastor of St. Edward Parish.
-- Mar. 25. First Mass offered for St. Edward Parish in Kingsley
School (Palm Sunday)
– Oct. 1. St. Edward School opens.
1947 – First Mass celebrated in basement of St. Edward Church at
Kimball & Mitchell Aves.
– Blessed Sacrament Parish founded.
-- Fr. Louis Putz appointed first pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish.
1948 – Dec. 25. First Mass celebrated in St. Edward Church.
– First Mass for Blessed Sacrament parish celebrated in Edison
School Theater.
-- Temporary Blessed Sacrament Church on Falls Ave. opens.
1949 – Present St. Edward Church dedicated.
1950 – First St. Vincent de Paul Society conference in the city organized
at St. John Parish.
-- Sept. 17. Cornerstone laid for Blessed Sacrament church and
school at 600 Stephen Ave.
-- Dec. 1. First Mass in original Blessed Sacrament Church.
1951 -- St. Nicholas Parish founded.
-- July 19. Ground broken for St. Nicholas Church and School
building at Roosevelt Road and Central Ave. in Evansdale.
– Sept. 17. Blessed Sacrament School opens.
1952 -- Apr. 13/Easter. First Mass celebrated in St. Nicholas Church.
-- Fr. Alvan Heuring appointed first pastor of St. Nicholas Parish.
-- Sept. 2. St. Nicholas School opens.
-- St. Mary Parish organizes St. Vincent de Paul Society
conference.
1953 – Present St. Edward School building completed.
1954 -- Fr. Lawrence J. Klausen, a diocesan priest, appointed pastor of
St. Mary Parish.
1955 -- St. Nicholas Rectory completed.
1959 – Aug. 31. Columbus High School opens.
(Grades 9-12 transferred from Our Lady of Victory, Sacred Heart,
St. Edward and St. Mary Schools.)
1961 – Addition to Blessed Sacrament School completed.
-- New convent completed at St. Nicholas Parish.
1963 -- Sept. 3. New St. John School building opens.
1965 -- St. Peter Claver Church closed.
1966 -- Mar. 21. Cornerstone laid for present Blessed Sacrament Church
at 650 Stephen Ave.
-- Nov. 24/Thanksgiving Day. First Mass in Blessed Sacrament
Church.
1967 – April 9. Dedication of Blessed Sacrament Church.
1968 -- Our Lady of Victory Academy closed.
1971 – Team ministry appointed for St. John and St. Nicholas Parishes.
1975 – St. John and St. Nicholas Schools consolidated with attendance
centers in Waterloo and Evansdale.
1982 -- St. John Parish Credit Union opened to the public as Metro Credit
Union. (Later merged into Rath Credit Union, Heritage Credit
Union and John Deere/Verizon Credit Union.)
1987 – Team Ministry at St. John and St. Nicholas Parishes ends.
1991 – Sulentic Parish Center completed at Blessed Sacrament Parish.
1993 – Hispanic Ministry established in Waterloo.
2001 – St. John, St. Mary and St. Nicholas Schools consolidated.
2002 – Queen of Peace Parish founded.
(St. John, St. Joseph, St. Mary and St. Nicholas Parishes closed.)
-- Fr. James Goedken appointed first pastor of Queen of Peace
Parish.
-- St. John and St. Nicholas attendance centers closed.
-- Renovations completed on Sacred Heart Church.
2003 – Cedar Valley Catholic Schools system established.
2005 – Queen of Peace School closed.
2012 -- Blessed Maria Assunta Pallotta Middle School opens.
John Lazuum hired to innaugurate Burmese ministry at Sacred Heart Parish.
2015 -- Fr. Luigi Htya Ruh joins Burmese ministry as Associate Pastor at Sacred Heart.
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