Epiphany Parish was founded by the merger of Mason City's two churches in 2013:
St. Joseph and Holy Family.
The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Dubuque.
1785 - Julien Dubuque, a French-Canadian, the first European settler
1833 - St. Raphael's parish established in Dubuque, the first Catholic parish in Iowa
1837 - Mathias Loras named first bishop of the new Diocese of Dubuque
1839 - Bishop Loras starts St. Raphael's Seminary which will eventually become Loras College
1853- first settlers arrive along the Winnebago River in what will become Mason City
1864- Mason City's Catholics organized. It offered Mass about once a year and was celebrated in homes, the public school building and the old court house. Mass was said by missionary priests.
1870- City of Mason City incorporated
1872- first Catholic Church built in Mason City: St. Columban
1873- Rev. Dennis Flannery appointed as first resident pastor
1880- St. Columban church re-named St. Joseph
1908- first Holy Family Church built in downtown Mason City
1909- Holy Family Church finished and first Mass was offered on Chirstmas Day
1917 - first St. Joseph church demolished and current church built on same site
1951- current Holy Family Church and rectory completed on North Adams Avenue
2013- Epiphany Parish formed by the merger of St Joseph and Holy Family Parishes
Picture: an old framed print located in Holy Family Church