Decree announces merger of three parishes to St. Donatus

Decree merging the parishes of
 Saint Mary in Alton, IA,
Saint Joseph in Granville, IA
 and of
Saint Anthony in Hospers, IA,
 and at the same time,
 erecting the Parish of Saint Donatus, Alton, IA

         Willingly encouraging everything in our powers to provide more suitably for the good of souls; and in an effort to evangelize more effectively the faithful in Southeastern Sioux County, as well to administrate the temporal goods of the faithful more efficiently, we have determined that the parishes of Saint Mary, located at 609 10th Street in Alton, Saint Joseph, located at 528 Elm Street in Granville, and Saint Anthony, located at 500 Elm Street in Hospers, all in the state of Iowa, be merged canonically; and from the merger a new parish, to be called and named Saint Donatus, Alton, is to be created and erected.
         And having considered the law and the facts;        
         And having heard, in accordance with canon 50, all those whose rights might be injured by means of a meeting between my representative, Deacon Mark Prosser, and Father Greving, Pastor of all three parishes, on October 25, 2023; and a meeting 
among Deacon Mark Prosser and representatives from all three parishes on February 20, 2024;
         And having ascertained from documents and deeds and consulted those concerned that there are no major donors or heirs to be heard;
         And having heard the Presbyteral Council, in accordance with canon 515 §2 on September 12, 2024;
         And having determined that the good of souls requires it;
         I have deemed it necessary and proper that the parishes of Saint Mary in Alton, Saint Joseph in Granville, and Saint Anthony in Hospers, be merged, and from this extinctive-union and merger, the Parish of Saint Donatus, Alton, be created and erected.
         The reasons motivating this decision are as follows:
         1) The declining number of faithful attending Mass and the downward trend of additional sacramental experiences documented for the last 30 years at Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony;
         2) The recent and projected shifts in populations within Sioux County;
         3) The shared history of these parishes dating as early as 1883, when the Rev. Ulric Frey, Pastor of Saint Mary in Alton attended to the Catholic community in Hospers; and when in 1895 the Rev. Bernard Schilmoeller attended the Catholic Community in Granville while Pastor of the then newly erected Saint Anthony Parish in Hospers;
         4) The already existing collaboration and sharing of resources between all three parishes, including the sharing of one pastor;
         5) The enhancement of collaborative ministry and to ensure the best utilization of clergy and lay personnel;
         6) To better effect the preaching and spread of the Gospel.
         I, the undersigned Bishop of Sioux City, exercising my ordinary power and virtue of canon 515 §2, do hereby decree that the parishes of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony, be and are hereto united, joined, and merged together. I do herewith decree that from this extinctive union and merger of the parishes of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony, the parish of Saint Donatus, which shall be located in the city of Alton, is hereto erected, established, and created with all the rights, obligations, and privileges accorded it by law.
         The Parish of Saint Donatus shall comprise the territory of the extinct parishes of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony.
         The Parish of Saint Donatus is assigned to the Northwest Deanery.
         The intentions of the founders and donors regarding the temporal goods and patrimonial rights proper to the extinct parishes of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony must be respected. In addition, the patrimonial goods rights, and obligations of the extinct parishes of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony must be defined and allocated in accordance with norm of law. (cc 121 and 122).
         All the parish and sacrament records of the extinct parishes of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony are to be properly preserved and safeguarded by the Parish of Saint Donatus, Alton, in accordance with the norm of law.
         This decree is to be effective on January 1, 2025.
         This decree is to be communicated to the pastor, who is the legal representative of the parishes and to all interested persons, according to the norm of law. (c. 532). This decree is to be read to parishioners of the parishes of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony at Masses on November 2 and 3, 2024. It may be challenged within the peremptory time limit of ten days from the legitimate notification of the decree and accordance with the norm of law. (c. 1734 §2).
         Given in Sioux City, IA on October 15, 2024.
Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless
Bishop of Sioux City


Reverend Mark J. Stoll, JCL
Chancellor