Four priests of the Diocese of Davenport celebrated milestone anniversaries this year. Father Robert Striegel and Msgr. Drake Shafer celebrated 40 years of priesthood and Fathers Richard Adam and Apo Mpanda celebrated 25 years of priesthood.
Fr. Striegel, 66, born in Ottumwa, completed his theological studies at Gregorian University in Rome and was ordained to the priesthood July 14, 1973, by Bishop Gerald O’Keefe at St. Elizabeth Church in Harper.
He served as an associate pastor at St. Joseph Parish in DeWitt, St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Davenport and Sacred Heart Parish in Fort Madison. He then was pastor of St. John Parish in Houghton and administrator of St. James Parish in St. Paul. He completed clinical pastoral education at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines and then served as chaplain at University Hospitals in Iowa City.
Fr. Striegel served as pastor of St. Mary of the Visitation Parish in Ottumwa, and as parochial vicar at St. Patrick Parish in Ottumwa and St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Bloomfield. He served as parochial vicar at Holy Family Parish in Davenport and St. Mary Parish in Davenport. He currently is a part-time chaplain at Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Iowa City and sacramental minister and canonical pastor of Ss. Joseph & Cabrini Parish in Richland.
A Mass and dinner were held July 21 in East Pleasant Plain.
Msgr. Shafer, 66, born in Davenport, completed his theological studies at the American College of Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium and was ordained July 28, 1973, by Bishop O’Keefe at St. Alphonsus Church in Davenport.
He served as associate pastor at St. Mary Parish in Fort Madison, and did advanced studies in theology in Belgium. When he returned he served as an associate pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Clinton. He served on faculty and as chaplain of students at St. Ambrose College/ University in Davenport. He served as vicar general for the diocese. He has been pastor of St. Ann Parish in Long Grove since 2009.
Msgr. Shafer has served in many roles — at St. Ambrose, on the Priests Personnel Board, as dean of the Davenport Deanery, and on Priests Aid Society and the Presbyteral Council.
A parish celebration was held July 28 in Long Grove.
Fr. Adam, 54, born in Richland, completed theology studies at St. John Seminary in Collegeville, Minn. He was ordained June 17, 1988, at Sacred Heart Church in Fort Dodge by Bishop Lawrence Soens for the Diocese of Sioux City. In that diocese Fr. Adam was associate pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Fort Dodge and Blessed Sacrament Parish in Sioux City. He served as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Duncombe and on faculty at St. Edmond High School in Fort Dodge. During a leave of absence from the Sioux City Diocese, Fr. Adam served as a counselor at Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs. Fr. Adam came to the Diocese of Davenport and served as administrator, then pastor, at Holy Trinity Parish in Richmond, St. Mary Parish in Riverside and St. Joseph Parish in Wellman. He was incardinated from the Sioux City Diocese into the Diocese of Davenport in 2008. Since 2011, Fr. Adam has served as pastor and rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport. A celebration was held at the cathedral this past summer.
Fr. Mpanda, 55, was born in the Congo, Africa. He studied theology at Catholic University in Kinshasa, Congo. He was ordained July 31, 1988, by Bishop Emery Kabongo in Ilebo in the Congo, Africa.
Fr. Mpanda served as a head teacher and principal at a high school in Africa, then as a pastor. He studied at the University of London. In 1999 he came to the Diocese of Davenport. He served as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Victory Parish and Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport. He was incardinated from the Congregation des Josephites into the Diocese of Davenport in 2000. Fr. Mpanda then served as administrator and pastor at St. Boniface Parish in Farmington and St. Mary Parish in West Point. He currently serves as pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Davenport and as canonical pastor of St. Andrew Parish in Blue Grass since 2010.
On Aug. 4 an anniversary Mass was held at St. Anthony Church with a Congolese choir from Chicago providing music. Kim McDonald and Carol Boomershine played and sang the English part. Members of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus provided the guard and more than 30 priests concelebrated the Mass; three deacons assisted, and Bishop Martin Amos and Bishop Emeritus William Franklin participated. A reception was held in the parish center.
