Decree regarding St. Donatus of Alton

Desiring to provide as fittingly as possible for the spiritual welfare of the faithful and to promote more effective evangelization in southeastern Sioux County, while ensuring the prudent stewardship of temporal goods, we have determined that the parishes of Saint Mary, located at 609 10th Street in Alton, Saint Joseph, located at 528 Elm Street in Granville, and Saint Anthony, located at 500 Elm Street in Hospers, all in the state of Iowa, be merged canonically; and from the merger a new parish, to be called and named Saint Donatus, Alton, is to be created and erected. 
And having considered the law and the facts; 
And having observed the requirements of canons 50-52 regarding singular administrative decrees and having ensured that the rights of all the faithful were duly respected and their observations properly weighed; 
And having ascertained from documents and deeds and consulted 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 September 19, 2025; 
And having prayerfully discerned that a single, unified parish community will better serve the pastoral, sacramental, and evangelizing mission of the Church in this region; 
I have deemed it necessary and proper that the parishes of Saint Mary in Alton, Saint Joseph in Granville, and Saint Anthony in Hospers, be merged, and from this extinctive-union and merger, the Parish of Saint Donatus, Alton, be created and erected. 
The reasons motivating this decision are as follows: 
1) The sustained and measurable decline in sacramental participation and Mass
attendance over the past three decades at Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony, which renders the continued independent operation of each parish no longer viable; 
2) The demographic and economic shifts within Sioux County, which have resulted in population decline and the out-migration of younger families from the rural area; 
3) The deep historical and pastoral ties among these three parish communities, dating back to the late 19th century, when the faithful of Alton, Hospers, and Granville were served interchangeably by the same priests and shared in one mission of faith; 
4) The longstanding collaboration already existing among the three parishes - including shared clergy, coordinated ministries, joint catechetical programs, and financial cooperation which demonstrates both the feasibility and pastoral appropriateness of uniting them canonically; 
5) The need to ensure the most effective use of priestly and lay personnel, so that ministry may be offered with stability, continuity, and renewed vigor; 
6) The pastoral desire to strengthen evangelization, deepen communion among the faithful, and ensure the continued vitality of Catholic life in southeastern Sioux County under a single parish structure dedicated to Saint Donatus, an historic patron in the region. 
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 Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony, 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 Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony, the Parish of Saint Donatus, which shall be located in the city of Alton, is hereto erected, established, and created with all the rights, obligations, and privileges accorded it by law. 
The Parish of Saint Donatus shall comprise the territory of the extinct parishes of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony. 
The Parish of Saint Donatus is assigned to the West Deanery. 
The intentions of the founders and donors regarding the temporal goods and patrimonial rights proper to the extinct parishes of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony must be respected. Furthermore, the patrimonial goods, rights, and obligations of the extinct parishes of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony must be defined and allocated in accordance with norm of law. (cc 121 and 122). 
All the parish and sacrament records of the extinct parishes of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony are to be properly preserved and safeguarded by the Parish of Saint Donatus, Alton, in accordance with the norm of law. 
This decree shall take effect on November 10, 2025. 
In accordance with canon 532, it is to be communicated to the pastor, who serves as the legal representative of the parishes concerned, and to all other interested persons according to the norm of law. 
The decree shall be read publicly at all Masses celebrated on November 8 and 9, 2025, in the churches of Saint Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anthony. 
A copy of this decree is to be recorded in the diocesan archives and in the archives of the Parish of Saint Donatus for permanent preservation. 
In accordance with canon 1734 §2, this decree may be challenged by hierarchical recourse within the peremptory time limit of ten days from the legitimate notification of the decree. 
Given at the Central Catholic Offices of the Diocese of Sioux City, on October 30, 2025. 
Most Reverend John E. Keehner
Bishop of Sioux City
By mandate of the Bishop
Deacon Mark Prosser
Chancellor