‘A difficult reality’
Moorland church will no longer be used for worship
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MOORLAND -- A Catholic church that once served generations of Moorland-area families is no longer designated as a sacred place for worship.
Bishop John E. Keehner of the Diocese of Sioux City issued a decree Tuesday relegating Our Lady of Good Counsel Church to "profane but not sordid use," following extensive damage to the building during a storm on May 17.
In Catholic canon law, the designation means the church is no longer considered a sacred place for divine worship and loses its dedication or blessing. It does not, however, mean the building must be demolished.
According to the bishop's decree, Catholic Mutual inspected the property and determined the roof to be a total loss after the May storm.
Monsignor Kevin McCoy, pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Fort Dodge, said the decision comes after months of discussion about a building that still holds significant meaning for many families.
"It's a difficult reality," McCoy said Thursday.
"Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Moorland was damaged as a result of a tornadic event in May 2026," McCoy said. "After months of conversation and deliberation by the Parish Council, Facilities Committee and Finance Council, and involving the various diocesan offices and canonical advisory bodies, Bishop Keehner has issued a decree relegating Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Moorland to profane but not sordid use."
According to the bishop's decree, Our Lady of Good Counsel had not been used for regular worship since approximately July 2016. Since then, the building had been used only occasionally, primarily for funerals and rarely for weddings.
According to the decree, the altar, sacred objects, and religious artifacts are to be removed.
Our Lady of Good Counsel was established as a mission in 1892, according to the book "150 Years of Faith: Catholic Team Parishes of Webster County, Iowa." It became a parish in 1902. The current building was constructed in 1918, with an addition in 1991.