Perched on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River at 1 Bluff Street, St. Peter's Catholic Church is one of Council Bluffs' oldest parishes and a fixture of the city's German Catholic heritage. Founded in the late 1880s and still standing inside a late 19th-century Gothic Revival building listed on the National Register of Historic Places, St. Peter's serves the downtown bluff area with a steady rhythm of daily and weekend Masses, an extensive religious education program, and a deep bench of parish organizations rooted in the area's earliest Catholic families.
From a Ladies' Society to a Parish
The story of St. Peter's begins at a December 1884 social gathering, when a group of German women asked one another, "How would it be if we German women would begin collecting money for the purpose of getting a German church and parish at some future time?" Each member agreed to contribute twenty-five cents a month to a fund placed under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. After two and a half years of fundraising and site selection by the area's German Catholic men and women, the parish of Saint Peter was officially organized on April 25, 1887.
St. Peter's remained a German parish under the direction of the Benedictines for nearly nine decades, until 1975, when oversight passed to the Diocese of Des Moines. Generations of parishioners have carried forward the founders' spirit of generosity in time, talent, and enthusiasm for the Catholic faith.
A Gothic Revival Building on the National Register
The church building itself is an almost classic example of late 19th-century Gothic Revival design, and it has remained structurally unaltered except for the addition of an accessible entrance. The church and rectory were placed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 24, 1992.
In 2001, under the direction of Pastor Father Chuck Kottas, the interior was restored to recapture the spiritual ambiance of the original space, with the statues and frescoes that give the church its distinctive character carefully embellished. A new parish social hall, named the Father Kottas Social Hall in his honor, was completed in April 1999 and financed in part through memorial donations to the Father Michael H. Irwin Memorial Fund. Father Irwin, a former pastor, died in June 1993. An office addition was completed in the summer of 2006.
Mass and Reconciliation Times
St. Peter's offers a full weekly schedule of Masses in English. Weekend Masses are celebrated on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and on Sunday at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 12:00 p.m. Weekday Masses are offered Tuesday at 12:00 p.m., Wednesday and Friday at 8:00 a.m., and Thursday at 12:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
The sacrament of Reconciliation is heard on Saturday from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. and on Sunday from 7:00 to 7:45 a.m., or by appointment. The parish office is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and can be reached at 712-318-3030.
Preparing for the Sacraments
St. Peter's walks parishioners through each of the seven Catholic sacraments. Engaged couples are asked to contact the parish at least six months before the wedding date, with at least one partner or a family member an active registered member. Parents preparing for a child's baptism attend a pre-baptismal class and must be registered members of the parish. Children preparing for First Reconciliation and First Communion follow a two-year program beginning in first grade, with both the parish's Religious Education program and St. Albert Catholic School families celebrating the sacraments jointly. Confirmation is conferred at the end of the sophomore year of high school, with classes held every Wednesday from September through April.
Adults interested in full membership in the Catholic Church, whether unbaptized, baptized in another tradition, or baptized Catholic without the Eucharist and Confirmation, are invited into the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). Classes begin in September and meet at St. Patrick Catholic Church. The Anointing of the Sick is available to any baptized Catholic facing serious illness, surgery, or the struggles of aging, and men discerning the priesthood, diaconate, or religious life are encouraged to contact the parish office.
Religious Education for Children and Teens
The parish Religious Education program supports parents as the primary role models of faith and uses methods and materials approved by the Diocese of Des Moines, in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Classes are held at the St. Francis Worship Center, 238 South 6th Street. Students in grades K-8 meet on Wednesdays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and students in grades 9-10 meet on Wednesdays from 7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Heather Olson serves as Director of Religious Education and can be reached at 712-318-3030.
Children's Liturgy and Vacation Bible School
During the 10:00 a.m. Mass from late August through June, children ages four to eight, generally those who have not yet received Holy Communion, are invited to take part in the Children's Liturgy of the Word. The children are dismissed before the First Reading and rejoin their families after the Homily. No registration is required.
Each summer, the parish hosts Vacation Bible School, open to students from preschool (age four) through sixth grade. The week-long program runs in the evenings and includes games, crafts, skits, songs, Bible lessons, and a light meal. Teen and adult volunteers are central to making the week a success.
Fully Alive Youth Group
High school students from all three Catholic parishes in Council Bluffs gather for the Fully Alive Youth Group on the first and third Sundays of each month from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The group rotates among the parishes and is designed to help young people encounter Jesus Christ, grow in their Catholic faith, and build friendships with other young Catholics across the community. Throughout the year, Fully Alive offers prayer, service, discussion, retreats, social events, and faith formation, including themed evenings on discipleship, adoration, and the saints.
Women's Prayer Group and Book Club
The Women's Prayer Group provides a space for women in all stages of life to gather for fellowship, prayer, and spiritual formation. The group meets on the second Tuesday of the month (except during Lent) and in July, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with refreshments served. The Women's Book Club cultivates friendship and growth in Catholic faith and teaching through reading Catholic books together.
Parish Organizations with Deep Roots
St. Peter's is home to three longstanding parish organizations. The Knights of Columbus Council 1045, based on the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism, serves the parish and broader community through events such as coffee and rolls, breakfasts and dinners, Tootsie Roll drives for people with intellectual disabilities and the Special Olympics, and support for seminarians, the food bank, and pregnancy resource centers. Membership is open to Catholic men over the age of 18, and the council meets on the fourth Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m. in the social hall.
St. Anne's Altar Society, established in November 1888, is the oldest lay organization at St. Peter's. All women of the parish over 18 are automatically members, with annual dues of $5. The society meets on the first Thursday of each month from March through December at 6:00 p.m. in the social hall, beginning with the recitation of the Rosary and followed by a meal and meeting.
St. Anthony's Court #330 of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, established in Council Bluffs on October 31, 1920, welcomes Catholic women aged 18 and older from Council Bluffs and Carter Lake who wish to participate in religious, charitable, and educational apostolates. The CDA motto is "Unity and Charity."
Serving at Mass
Parishioners serve in a number of Mass ministries, all of which provide training. Lectors proclaim the first and second readings and may lead the Psalm and Prayers of the Faithful. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute Communion during Mass. Altar Servers assist the priest during Mass; youth in fifth grade or older who have received First Communion and Confirmation are eligible. Ushers and greeters create a welcoming environment, take up the collection, and distribute bulletins. The music ministry welcomes singers, pianists, guitarists, and organists to lead worship at all Masses.
Parish Committees and Outreach
The parish is guided by a Parish Pastoral Council of ten members serving four-year terms, along with committees for liturgy, finance, religious education, building and grounds, and parish life. The Social Concerns Committee coordinates the parish's outreach, supporting programs that include Feed the Children, a clothing drive for Bethlehem House, toy collection for Children's Square, a book drive for the local jail and prison, and the Angel Tree. The Knights of Columbus add their own service to the food bank, seminarians, and pregnancy resource centers.
Oktoberfest and Hall Rental
The parish's annual Oktoberfest brings the community together with carnival games, bingo, a polka band, a root beer station, cotton candy, and family attractions, all powered by parishioner sponsorships. The Father Kottas Social Hall is also available to rent for wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, bridal and baby showers, graduation parties, birthday and retirement parties, and other gatherings. The hall accommodates 250 guests with a dance floor or 300 without, and includes twenty-six eight-foot tables and nine sixty-inch round tables.
Faith Formation for Adults
Adults can grow in their faith through Bible Study, the Women's Prayer Group, the Women's Book Club, and OCIA. The parish Religious Education Committee also develops adult faith enrichment opportunities that aim to deepen the relationship of all parishioners with the Church and Jesus Christ.
Joining the Parish
Newcomers are invited to register through the parish registration form and to take part in any of the parish's organizations or committees. Online giving is available through Venmo, and prayer requests can be submitted through the parish's online form.