Our Lady of Lourdes Campus

The history of the Our Lady of Lourdes Campus begins in 1902 when eleven Catholic families in the community then known as Gilbertville petitioned the Bishop of Davenport to send a priest to celebrate Sunday Mass. Travel to the nearest Catholic church in Davenport was difficult, so Masses were initially celebrated in the Siebengartner home, formerly known as the Gilbert home.

The young parish quickly began plans for a permanent church. A frame church was constructed at the corner of 15th and Brown Streets at a cost of $3,000, and the first Mass was celebrated there on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, 1903.

As the community grew, so did the parish. In 1908, under the leadership of Father Thomas P. Coleman, the parish exchanged property on the south side of Brown Street for land on the north side. Parishioners Pius Mohr and Joseph Kehoe famously sawed the church in half, moved it across the street, and expanded it to accommodate a growing congregation.

The history of Catholic education at Lourdes closely parallels the history of the parish itself. On February 11, 1919, the former Siebengartner home became the first Our Lady of Lourdes School. Sixty-seven students were taught by the Sisters of Humility during the first year, and enrollment doubled in the second year.

Continued growth led to the construction of a new school building. Work began on March 17, 1952, and the facility, known as Lourdes Memorial School, opened in May 1953. Originally built for approximately 330 students, enrollment quickly exceeded expectations. In 1955, four additional classrooms were added to the east side of the building.

In 1956, the original wooden church was vacated and Masses were celebrated in the basement of Lourdes Memorial School, now the Media Center. The former church then served as a parish hall until it was demolished in 1961.

That same year, Father H. J. Toher launched an ambitious campaign to construct a new church, rectory, and parish offices at a cost of $473,000. The project culminated with the dedication of the present church on May 30, 1963, by Bishop Ralph L. Hayes. The bell tower was built to house the original church bell, restored in memory of Peter Freund, while the tower itself was dedicated in memory of Mark Struve. Landscaping and the commissioning of the church’s stained-glass windows were also completed during this period.

A significant milestone came on September 13, 1981, when the parish mortgage was retired during the pastorate of Father Thomas Stratman. Through his leadership and the generosity of parishioners, the Parish Activity Center was constructed and dedicated in 1984. The facility provided much-needed space for parish activities while also serving the school’s lunch and physical education needs. In 1991, Lourdes Memorial School was renamed Lourdes Catholic School to more clearly reflect its Catholic identity. Father Stratman also helped establish the parish Endowment Fund in 1992, laying the groundwork for long-term financial support of parish ministries. This effort later evolved into the Catholic Endowment of Bettendorf, Iowa, Inc., incorporated in 2004.

Under the leadership of Father Thomas Spiegel, who became pastor in 1992, numerous improvements were undertaken to accommodate continued growth. Church and school office space was expanded, additional storage was added to the Parish Activity Center, and the parking lot was resurfaced. In 1997, construction began on the church’s Gathering Space and Eucharistic Chapel, along with four new classrooms and a fine arts area for the school. These projects were completed in 1998 and formally dedicated by Bishop William Franklin on January 31, 1999. Father Spiegel also led the successful “Raise the Roof” campaign, through which parishioners raised more than $70,000 to replace the church roof.

Father Timothy Sheedy became pastor in 2004 and focused on strengthening parish leadership through strategic planning and restructuring of the Pastoral Council and Faith Formation Board. In 2009, altar railings were installed in the church sanctuary to meet updated safety guidelines while enhancing the worship space.

Father Jason Crossen was appointed pastor in 2014 and continued to guide the parish through a period of growth and renewal.

A historic new chapter began in 2025 with the opening of the new St. Joan of Arc Catholic School on Hopewell Avenue. As part of this transition, Lourdes Catholic School relocated from the Lourdes campus to the new school, bringing together Catholic education in Bettendorf under one roof. This marked the conclusion of more than a century of Catholic education on the Lourdes campus while opening a new era for future generations of students and families.

Later that summer, Father Richard Adam, who had been serving as pastor of St. John Vianney Parish, was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes as well. With one pastor now serving both parishes, a period of prayer, consultation, and discernment began regarding the future of Catholic ministry in Bettendorf.

Following extensive consultation with parishioners, staff, councils, and diocesan leadership, Bishop Dennis Walsh approved the unification of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and St. John Vianney Parish. On July 1, 2026, the two parishes officially became St. Joan of Arc Parish of Bettendorf, Iowa.

Today, the Our Lady of Lourdes Campus continues as one of two worship campuses of St. Joan of Arc Parish, carrying forward more than 120 years of faith, worship, education, and service. Its rich history remains an important part of the story of St. Joan of Arc Parish as one parish family serving Bettendorf for generations to come.