Our Church
St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church is a multicultural parish located in Ottumwa, Iowa in the Diocese of Davenport.
History of St. Mary of the Visitation Church
St. Mary's Catholic Church has been identified with the Catholic faith in Ottumwa since 1849 when a missionary priest, Fr. Jean Baptiste Villars, was sent to the pioneer community in Wapello County. He directed the building of a small wooden church known as St. Nicholas Church that stood in the vicinity of what is now Court & Fourth streets.
Fr. Alexander Hattenberger succeeded Fr Villars in 1850 and a new larger church was built to accomodate the growing parish. This small brick building was the first St. Mary of the Visitation Church.
In 1853 Fr. John Kreckel replaced Fr. Hattenberger. Fr. Kreckel directed the building of a second St. Mary of the Visitation Church, again necessitated by the growing congregation. This church was built of native limestone in the old Romanesque style and finished in 1861. It stood as a landmark in Ottumwa until 1929 when it was razed to make room for the current church building.
Fr. F.W. Hoppmann came to Ottumwa in 1902 and is credited with the planning and financing for a new building, the current St. Mary of the Visitation Church. He died in 1924 and was succeeded by Fr. J.M. Walsh who undertook the building of the new church.
According to a description of the new St. Mary of the Visitation Church, it was built in the English perpendicular Gothic style with the general outline designed to suggest a Roman Cross. It was built of Bedford stone to give it a rustic appearance and the brick interior corresponded to the style of the exterior. The bell tower was 105 feet above the ground, 12 feet square, and housed 3 bells. It was built to match the tower of the courthouse across Court Street from the church. (NOTE: The clock tower of the courthouse was removed in 1950.) The stained glass windows were inspired by those of the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries and were described as the most elaborate and artistic in the central west.
The official dedication of the current Church of St. Mary of the Visitation took place on May 10, 1931 with Bishop Henry Rohlman of Davenport officiating.
Our Pastor
FATHER JOSEPH M. SIA
Email: siaj@diodav.org
Father Joseph was born and raised in Manila, Philippines, and attended Catholic school all the way from kindergarten to high school. After that, he studied medicine at the state university. After graduation, he worked first as a full-time volunteer for a service organization, and then as a research assistant at a human genetics institute. He was sent to the University of Iowa for graduate studies. In his words, "that's how I came to the awesome Hawkeye State!"
While at Iowa, he discerned his vocation to the priesthood and applied to be a seminarian for the Diocese of Davenport. He studied one year of philosophy in Saint Ambrose University in Davenport, and then theology in Mundelein Seminary in Illinois. He was ordained by Bishop Martin Amos on May 10, 2008.
Ottumwa and Bloomfield are his fifth assignment as a parish priest. He states that he is "truly grateful for being here to serve the people of God in southeast Iowa."
The Parish Staff
