Basilica of St. John — Attraction in Des Moines

We went today for the first time for the lenten fish fry dinner. It was advertised as adults $12 and kids $5. Upon arrival we were met with two guys. We told them it was our first time and we asked if we start at the food line or get our water first One of the guys looked at our 8 year old daughter and said "you can't have the beer" which was very inappropriate and ridiculous. My husband and I were appalled that there were alchoholic beverages being served? Is this normal at a lenten church dinner? We got our waters and got our food. Our fried fish dinner consisted of two catfish nuggest not fillets but nuggets A cold spring roll, cold tablespoon of yellow rice, cold corn and cold potatoes and a rock hard hockey puck brownie. Needless to say we didn't finish our dinners. The food was awful. I feel bad leaving this terrible review but I wish we had known about the food before we went there. We truly just went there to eat fried catfish and it was a...

In early summer of 2003 while on break from choir at my parish, I attended a mass at the Basilica. My original plan was to circulate through other local parishes till school started. After just one mass, however, I knew I would not be going anywhere else in the future. Having been a military bride in my younger years i’d experienced liturgy all over the country and nothing up until that day compared to my experience at the Basilica. It wasn’t just the magnificent beauty of architecture and stained glass that drew me. It was the reverence of the mass, the music and the people worshipping with me, It was the Holy Spirit telling me I was home, as if I’d been on a journey there all my life. I felt like God was saying...

We were almost ready to move to Des Moines after attending mass at the Basillica! This is truly an old time Catholic community. You can feel the rich tradition of Catholicism in the ornate architecture and many statues that have not been removed, as other churches have done. Every action of the priests (3 were there for New Year’s Day mass) were devout and pious. We were very impressed that we had the option to kneel for communion and receive the host dipped in the chalice and placed upon our tongues by the Pastor. We are so glad to have picked this church to start out the...