Basicilica of St. John

Welcome to the Basilica of Saint John!

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

  On behalf of the parish family of the Basilica of St. John, welcome to our Web site. You, your friends, and your family are invited to come home to the Basilica of St. John for the finest in Catholic Christian worship, faith formation and fellowship. Home is where the heart is so join your parish family in the heart of Des Moines.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Aquinas M. Nichols

Parish Mission Statement

We gather as a parish community to know, love and serve God by reaching out in love to others through our gifts of time, talents and treasure. Welcome!

The Basilica parish of St. John invites you to encounter the Living God by experiencing the grandeur of this magnificent temple. Dedicated to the "Beloved Disciple," St. John, the Basilica stands prominently and proudly amid the shops and dwellings of hundreds of inner city people. As a sign of God's presence, the builing invites you to come and see.

On the facade of the structure there is a large stone statue of Christ. With arms outstretched in invitation, he becons us to come forward and enter.