Cindy Hadish of Homegrown Iowan visited St. Joseph’s Parish in Chelsea, among others, as they prepared to have a final Mass. The Archdiocese of Dubuque is engaged in a restructuring process, and the reduction in services and realignment of pastorates took effect at the end of June.
Technically, these are not closure closures, as there will be Wednesday morning services, and the churches will be available for weddings and funerals. (That means that there’s still going to be maintenance costs involved.)
St. Paul’s in Traer, somehow (a miracle?), escaped full closure, although all the proposals ended Mass there. Traer was noted as having one of the longest distances to another parish. Masses there are held on Saturdays.