First-ever Rural Life Mass for Archdiocese of Dubuque to be hosted this Friday by Johanningmeier, Deering families at Distant View Farms in Allamakee County

This Friday, September 20 will feature a first-ever event in the Archdiocese of Dubuque, and it will be taking place in rural Allamakee County. The Johanningmeier and Deering families of Distant View Farms, located at 853 State Highway 76 South, Monona, nine miles southeast of Waukon and about a mile east of Rossville, will be hosting the Archdiocese’s inaugural Rural Life Mass, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Archbishop Thomas Zinkula, who grew up on a farm with his eight siblings, greatly appreciates rural life and is excited to celebrate this Rural Life Mass in rural Allamakee County. This first-of-its-kind Archdiocesan event recognizes the many people who work the land and live in Iowa’s rural communities.

Following the Mass, there will be a Blessing of the Animals and Farm Equipment for a successful harvest, a Recognition Program, and a free-will offering lunch hosted by St. Patrick Parish of Waukon. Tours of the farm will also be offered following the lunch. This event will be held rain or shine. Weather permitting, the Rural Life Mass service will be held outdoors in the backyard of the family farm or, in case of rain, indoors in a nearby machine shed.

All are welcome to attend, but seating will be limited. Those attending are encouraged to bring a lawn chair. Deacon Brian Zeman, the Archdiocesan Director of Life, Earth, and Social Justice, says this first-time event in the Archdiocese of Dubuque emerged out of “a desire to help recognize and promote rural life within our Archdiocese.” He says it is patterned after a similar event that has been held in recent years within the Archdiocese of Davenport.

Deacon Zeman said a meeting of the Decorah Deanery, which involves 26 parishes in the northeast Iowa area, furthered the conversation. From there, several family farms belonging to parishioners were identifi ed, further research was conducted to narrow the selection, and site visits were ultimately made to a fi nal small handful of farms. “We wanted this Mass to be hosted by a family active within one of our parishes at a location representative of farms across our Archdiocese,” Deacon Zeman explained. “Logistics also played a part in the selection process: the topography of the farm, the layout of the buildings, with close proximity to a highway and ample parking space. Distant View Farms fi t all of those qualifications, and we’re very much looking forward to the first of what we hope to be an annual celebration of rural life throughout our Archdiocese.” “It’s an honor to be chosen to host Archbishop Zinkula’s first Rural Life Mass in the Archdiocese of Dubuque and to share our gratitude for life on the farm with our church community. We are blessed to live this life every day, and although it is hard work and there are many sacrifices, it has many great rewards to be living, nurturing, and protecting the land and the animals of God,” the Johanningmeier family shared with the Archdiocese. “We want to demonstrate how our trust and faith guide us each and every day - to be witnesses to the glory of God in farm life. This is an opportunity to share God’s gift to us with others and possibly
even some who haven’t experienced God’s love for the farm.”

For more information about this event, contact Deacon Brian Zeman at b.zeman@dbqarch.org or by calling 563-556-2580, x257.