The church was built in 1868 and is located southwest of the town of Cumming in rural Madison County, Iowa, United States.

Timothy Mullen, who had been sent by Bishop Mathias Loras of the Dubuque diocese to Fort Des Moines to serve the small Catholic community there.

[5] A log structure served as the first church, which was begun by Mullen but finished by Rev.

[7] Des Moines Bishop Maurice Dingman brought him to visit St. Patrick's when they were planning the trip.

The parish had been without a pastor so Dingman named a recently ordained priest, Rev.

After his visit to St. Patrick's, the pope celebrated Mass at Living History Farms near Des Moines.

St. Patrick's Church is a frame structure that measures 66 by 34 feet (20 by 10 m), and it has a 24-by-12-foot (7.3 by 3.7 m) sacristy attached to the back.

The church is surrounded by 20 acres (8.1 ha) of property that includes, timber, grassland, cultivated fields, and the parish cemetery where many of the first parishioners were laid to rest.