Decree Our Lady of the Plains, Lake City

OFFICE OF THE BISHOP

 Walker

By the Grace of God and the Favor of the Apostolic See

 Bishop of Sioux City

DECREE MERGING THE PARISHES OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI IN ROCKWELL CITY, IA, SAINT THOMAS IN MANSON, IA, AND OF SAINT MARY IN LAKE CITY, IA, AND AT THE SAME TIME, ERECTING THE PARISH OF OUR LADY OF THE PLAINS, LAKE CITY, 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 Calhoun County, as well to administrate the temporal goods of the   faithful  more efficiently,  we have determined that the parishes of Saint Francis of Assisi, located at 744 Main Street in Rockwell City, Saint Thomas, located at 1076 8th Street in Manson, and of Saint Mary, located at 205 N. Lloyd in Lake City, all in the state of Iowa, be merged canonically; and from the merger a new parish, to be called and named Our Lady of the Plains Parish, Lake City, 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 clergy assigned to the parishes and my representative, Deacon Mark Prosser, on February 29, 2024, and March 21, 2024;

And having ascertained from documents and deeds, and consulting 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 May

10, 2024;

And having determined that the good of souls requires it;

I have deemed it necessary and proper that the parishes of Saint Francis of Assisi in Rockwell City, of Saint Thomas in Manson, and of Saint Mary in Lake City, be merged, and from this extinctive union and merger, the Parish of Our Lady of the Plains, Lake City, 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 few decades at these parishes, and across the diocese;
2. The total population decrease in the parish territory, going from over 18,000 in

1900 toless than 10,000 in 2020, with less than 20% being Catholic;

1. The enhancement of collaborative ministry and to ensure the best utilization of clergy and lay personnel;
2. The already existing collaboration and sharing of resources between these three parishes;
3. That all three parishes have been under the pastoral care of the same pastor since

2017, and the administration has been centralized in Lake City;

1. 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 Francis of Assisi, Saint Thomas, and Saint Mary, 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 Francis of Assisi, Saint Thomas, and Saint Mary, the parish of Our Lady of the Plains, which shall be located in the city of Lake City, is hereto erected, established, and created with all the rights, obligations, and privileges accorded it by law.

The Parish of Our Lady of the Plains shall comprise the territory of the extinct parishes of Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Thomas, and Saint Mary, namely the entirety of Calhoun County and the city of Auburn in Sac County.

 The Parish of Our Lady of the Plains is assigned to the Southeast Deanery.

The intentions of the founders and donors regarding the temporal goods and patrimonial rights proper to the extinct parishes of Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Thomas, and Saint Mary must be respected. In addition, the patrimonial goods rights, and obligations of the extinct parishes of Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Thomas, and Saint Mary must be defined and allocated in accordance with norm oflaw. (cc 121 and 122).

All the parish and sacrament records of the extinct parishes of Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Thomas, and Saint Mary are to be properly preserved and safeguarded by the Parish of the Our Lady of the Plains, Lake City, in accordance with the norm of law.

This decree is to be effective on July 1, 2024.

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 Francis of Assisi, Saint Thomas, and Saint Mary at Masses on June 1 and 2, 2024. This decree is also to be published in the June 6, 2024, edition of The Lumen. It may be challenged within the peremptory time limit of ten days from the legitimate notification of the decree and accordance with the norm oflaw. (c. 1734 §2).

 Given in Sioux City, IA on May 20, 2024.

Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless
Bishop of Sioux City

Reverend Mark J. Stoll, JCL, Chancellor