Early Beginnings
The first Catholic settlers of Marion in 1883 had to travel down to Iowa City or to Dubuque to celebrate the Eucharist with other Catholics. Eventually, in the 1850s, Catholic services were held in Marion when Father Edmonds came up from Iowa City to offer Mass in the homes (usually log cabins) of the town's early settlers.

The small group of parishioners decided in 1867 to build a church, and two years later a 24' by 50' wooden structure was ready for use. This church building was located on the corner of 3rd Avenue and 8th Street and was named Saint Mary.

First St. Joseph
With the coming of the railroad to Marion and a great influx of Irish families, the church building on 3rd and 8th soon became too small. In 1905, it was replaced by a larger brick structure located on the corner of 5th Avenue and 10th Street and was named Saint Joseph.

In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the parish experienced rapid growth. Religious education classes overflowed from the chapel into the church and finally to the rectory kitchen where the housekeeper taught youngsters from the penny catechism and prepared them for the reception of the sacraments.

Current St. Joseph
Eventually, the people of Marion once again outgrew the size of their church building. Parishioner Alma Henderson donated the land for the construction of a new church building. In 1977, the new house of worship was complete with a seating capacity of nearly 800 people.

In 1995, the altar and sanctuary area underwent a major renovation and those changes exist to this day. We'd love to have you come in and see the parish in its current state and we look forward to what the future will reveal for our growing parish family.