Basilica of St. John (Des Moines, Iowa)
The Basilica of St. John is a Minor Basilica of the Catholic Church in the Drake neighborhood of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It is also a parish church in the Diocese of Des Moines. The church building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. History Bishop Henry Cosgrove of the Diocese of Davenport established St. John's Parish in 1905. Its territory had been taken from St. Ambrose Parish. On June 7, of that year fourteen lots were purchased on University Avenue for about $8,000 by the Rev. Daniel F. Mulvihil, the parish's first pastor. Two more lots were bought for $1,375 on July 20. These purchases marked the beginning of St. John's parish. The school was the first building built by the parish. A chapel on the second floor served the parish as its church. The first Mass was celebrated on Christmas Day in 1905. Between 1907 and 1918 the school included both primary and secondary programs. The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary taught in the school. The high school program was discontinued when citywide Catholic high schools for boys and girls opened. In 1911 the parish became a part of the newly established