By Anne Marie Amacher
Five priests in the Davenport Diocese are celebrating anniversary milestones: one priest will celebrate his golden jubilee of ordination, one will celebrate his 40th anniversary and three will celebrate silver jubilees this spring.
50 years
Father Thomas Reilman, 83. Born in Indiana, Fr. Reilman graduated from St. Ambrose Academy and St. Ambrose College in Davenport. He completed theology studies at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque and was ordained a priest June 3, 1961, at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport by Bishop Ralph Hayes.
Fr. Reilman served on faculty at St. Ambrose College from 1961-66 and then at Assumption High School in Davenport from 1966-67. He served as an assistant pastor at St. Boniface Parish in Clinton from 1967-70 and as temporary administrator and then pastor of St. Mary Parish in Dodgeville and St. Mary Parish in Kingston from 1970-81. He served as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Lost Nation from 1981-83 and then at St. Mary Parish in Wilton from 1983-91. Fr. Reilman served as a chaplain at St. Francis Continuation Care and Nursing Home/Orchard City Apartments of St. Francis in Burlington from 1991-98. He retired in February 1998.
Fr. Reilman will celebrate his jubilee with a Mass on June 12 at 10:15 a.m. at Ss. Mary & Patrick Parish in West Burlington. A reception will follow in the parish hall.
40 years
Father Robert McAleer, 66. A native of Clinton County, Fr. McAleer graduated from St. Joseph High School in DeWitt, and then earned his bachelor’s degree at St. Ambrose College and his master’s degree at the University of Notre Dame. He did theology studies at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque and St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. On May 29, 1971, he was ordained a priest at Sacred Heart Cathedral by Bishop Gerald O’Keefe.
Fr. McAleer was an associate pastor at St. Mary Parish in West Point from 1971-75. He was on faculty at Notre Dame High School in Burlington and served as administrator of St. Mary Parish in Augusta from 1975-76. He served as an associate pastor at St. Mary Parish in Fort Madison from 1976-78, and as pastor of St. Elizabeth Parish in Harper from 1978-84 and as administrator of Ss. Peter & Paul Parish in Clear Creek from 1979-84. He served as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Fort Madison from 1984-96 and St. Joseph Parish in Fort Madison in 1996. He continued as pastor in Fort Madison at what became Ss. Mary & Joseph Parish, serving there until 1999. He is currently pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Bettendorf.
Fr. McAleer celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving May 22 at at St. John Vianney. An open house followed.
25 years
• Father Chuck Adam, 51, is a native of Richland and graduated from Pekin High School. He attended University of Iowa, graduated from St. Ambrose College and completed theology studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. On June 27, 1986, he was ordained at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church in Richland by Bishop O’Keefe.
He served as parochial vicar at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Davenport from 1986-90 and at St. Mary Parish in Iowa City from 1990-92. He then served as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Oskaloosa from 1992-96. Since 1996 Fr. Adam has served at St. Ambrose University. He was rector and vocations director from 1996-2004 and currently serves as rector, chaplain of students and director of campus ministry.
A Mass of Thanksgiving to celebrate his jubilee will be held at 3 p.m. June 26 in Christ the King Chapel on the St. Ambrose University campus in Davenport. A picnic reception will follow.
• Father Mansuetus Setonga, 56, is a priest from the Diocese of Same in Tanzania, Africa, currently in the Diocese of Davenport. He was born in Same and attended school in Kilomeni. He has a master’s in public administration from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn., and a master’s in economic development from University of Iowa. He completed theology studies at Kibosho and Segerea Seminary in Tanzania. On July 3, 1986, he was ordained at Same Cathedral by Archbishop Josephat Lebulu of the Archdiocese of Arusha.
After his ordination, Fr. Setonga served as rector of the minor seminary/high school at Chanjale Seminary in Africa from 1986-89. He then served as chancellor of the Diocese of Same from 1989-94 and again from 2000-09. In between he studied education in the United States. Since returning to the U.S., Fr. Setonga has been working on his Ph.D. in economic development at University of Iowa.
• Father Bernard Weir, 55, was born in Ottumwa and attended schools in Albia. He graduated from Briar Cliff College in Sioux City with a bachelor’s degree in religious education and psychology and graduated from Western Illinois University with a master of counselor education. He earned a master of social work license for the State of Iowa. He completed theology studies at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Ill. He was ordained June 21, 1986, at St. Mary Church in Albia by Bishop O’Keefe.
His first assignment was as parochial vicar at St. John Vianney Parish in Bettendorf from 1986-87, then as temporary administrator at St. Boniface Parish in Farmington and St. Mary Parish in String Prairie from 1987-88. He served as parochial vicar at St. Paul Parish in Burlington from 1988-91, then as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Columbus Junction and St. Mary Parish in Wapello from 1991-2000. During that time Fr. Weir went to Guadalajara, Mexico, to learn Spanish for a few months in 1992. He was sacramental minister, administrator then pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Muscatine from 1999-2004. He also served as parochial vicar at Ss. Mary & Mathias Parish in Muscatine and as sacramental minister to the Hispanic community at St. Joseph in Columbus Junction from 2000-04. In 2004 he was assigned as administrator and then pastor of St. Mary of the Visitation Parish in Ottumwa where he currently serves.
Fr. Weir will celebrate a bilingual Mass of thanksgiving June 19 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary of the Visitation in Ottumwa. A lunch and dance will follow.
