About Us :

Windthorst Council 1457 was chartered on January 9th, 1910 with 36 members as charter members. The Council name was chosen from Ludwig Windthorst, born January 17, 1812 near Osnabruck, Germany, to a family of lawyers of Lower Saxony. Following the family tradition, he studied to be a lawyer. His professional ability and his attitude in religion won him the confidence of the Catholic clergy. In the middle of the 1800's considerable unrest reigned in the governments of Germany concerning the Protestant and Catholic Religions. Windthorst, with his experience and ability as a leader was a powerful spokesman and a champion for the Catholic Church. He died March 14, 1891.This being predominately a community of German ancestry, it was decided, knowing his past as a champion of the Catholic Church to name our council in his honor.

Members of this council are located in much of Keokuk County, and are members of the Holy Trinity Parish, consisting of St. Mary's Catholic Church, in Keota, St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, in Harper, and Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, in Clear Creek, and St. Mary Parish, in Sigourney, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, in Keswick, and St. Francis Xavier Parish, in Richland.

Each year, the council provides scholarships to local high school students, supports a seminarian, provides funds for the mentally handicapped, and Special Olympics, supports the After-Prom parties at the local high schools, hosts a Clergy Golf Day providing green fees and meals for diocesan priests. The fifth Sunday of each month, the council provides all the ministers at the Sunday Mass, and the fourth Thursday of each month, it hosts a Mass and Holy Hour for vocations.