. ▁Rap ha el ▁Par ish ▁in ▁Iowa , ▁Louisiana ▁celebrated ▁Mass ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁ ▁A ▁chap el ▁dedicated ▁to ▁St . ▁Joseph ▁was ▁built ▁about ▁ 1 9 0 0 , ▁and ▁served ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁destroyed ▁by ▁a ▁storm ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁found ing ▁past or , ▁the ▁Rev . ▁Math ias ▁J . ▁C ram ers , ▁arrived ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁to ▁get ▁things ▁moving . ▁A ▁hall ▁which ▁the ▁Alt ar ▁Society ▁had ▁built ▁to ▁hold ▁fund - ra ising ▁baz a ars ▁was ▁transformed ▁into ▁a ▁temporary ▁chap el ▁for ▁the ▁celebr ation ▁of ▁Mass . ▁First ▁item ▁on ▁Father ▁C ram er ' s ▁ag enda ▁was ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁rect ory , ▁which ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁project ▁was ▁a ▁church , ▁and ▁the ▁ground bre aking ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁Aug . ▁ 8 , ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁The ▁building ▁was ▁completed , ▁and ▁was ▁dedicated ▁by ▁Bishop ▁Jean m ard ▁on ▁Dec . ▁ 1 ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁The ▁first ▁parish ▁trust ees ▁were ▁Ferdinand ▁N une z ▁and ▁Harry ▁Ver ret . ▁The ▁first ▁official ▁parish ▁records ▁began ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁Ear lier ▁records ▁were ▁kept ▁in ▁Jenn ings , ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁in ▁Wel sh ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁and ▁Iowa ▁from ▁ 1