Retirements, new assignments affect parishes

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By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger

Six priests in the Diocese of Davenport will take on new or adjusted assignments this summer while two other priests will retire and a priest from Africa will arrive to serve in a parish. Bishop Thomas Zinkula announced the appointments this past weekend.

•  Father Nicholas Akindele, 47, will continue serving as Defender of the Bond for the diocesan Marriage Tribunal, continue working on his PhD dissertation and serve as parochial vicar of St. John Vianney Parish in Bettendorf.

Fr. Akindele

Born in Egbe, Nigeria, he earned a BA in philosophy from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He completed theology studies at Urban University in Rome. On May 6, 2000, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Joseph Ajomo at Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Lokoja, Nigeria.

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He served as the bishop’s secretary from 2000-2004 and then as assistant pastor at Sacred Heart-Kalaba from 2004-05. He served as pastor at Holy Family-Odolv from 2005-09 and at St. Leo-Osisi from 2009-14.

Fr. Akindele also served as director of the Pontifical Mission Societies – Propagation of the Faith for the diocese from 2000-14, chaplain for youth in the Diocese of Lokoja from 2006-12, chaplain for youth of the Abuja province from 2007-14, member of the National Missionary Council of Nigeria from 2011-14, national secretary/coordinator of the Pontifical Missionary Union from 2011-14 and Defender of the Bond for the Diocese of Lokoja from 2013-18. He has a master’s degree in society law, a master’s in Canon Law, and licensure in Canon Law from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium.

In the Davenport Diocese, he has served as parochial vicar at St. Paul the Apostle-Davenport since last spring, in addition to his studies and tribunal service.

• Father Paul Appel, 41, will become pastor of Holy Family Parish-Davenport while remaining pastor of St. Peter Parish-Buffalo and St. Alphonsus Parish-Davenport as well as Judicial Vicar, Vice Chancellor and Delegate for the Bishop in matrimonial matters for the diocese.

Fr. Appel

Born in Ottumwa, he graduated from St. Ambrose University and completed his theology studies and Master of Divinity at the University of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Ill. He has a Canon Law degree from The Catholic University of America. He was ordained to the priesthood June 14, 2003, by Bishop William Franklin at Sacred Heart Cathedral-Davenport.

Fr. Appel served as parochial vicar at St. Paul the Apostle Parish-Davenport, 2003-06; Our Lady of Victory Parish-Davenport, 2004-06; Ss. Mary & Mathias Parish-Muscatine and St. Joseph Parish-Columbus Junction, 2006-08. He served as administrator and then pastor at St. James Parish-Washington, 2008-10. Following advan­ced studies in Canon Law, he was appointed a judge in the tribunal and Vice Chancellor in 2013. Fr. Appel served as pastor of St. Peter Parish-Buff­alo and St. Alphonsus Parish-Davenport from 2013-15 and again since last July. He served in solidum at those two parishes and St. Mary Parish-Dav­enport from 2015-18. He was appointed Judicial Vicar in 2015.

Fr. Brownfield

• Father David Brownfield, 62, will become pastor of All Saints Parish-Keokuk. Born in South Bend, Ind., he attended schools in Illinois. He completed a BS in engineering from the University of Illinois and a PhD in economics from the University of Iowa. He completed theological studies at the Catholic University of America. Prior to the priesthood, he worked as a systems programmer and taught economics. He was ordained to the priesthood May 25, 1990, by Bishop Gerald O’Keefe at St. Thomas More Parish-Iowa City.

Fr. Brownfield served as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Victory Parish-Davenport Parish, 1990-92 and St. Boniface Parish-Farmington and St. Mary Parish-String Prairie, 1992-93. He served as pastor at St. Joseph Parish-East Pleasant Plain and St. Frances Xavier Carbrini Parish-Richland and attended the University of Iowa part-time, 1993-96. He taught at Mount St. Clare College and its successors in Clinton. He was sacramental minister at St. Joseph Parish-DeWitt, 2001-05; Assumption & St. Patrick Parish-Charlotte and Ss. Mary & Joseph Parish-Sugar Creek, 2005-06; St. Joseph Parish-DeWitt and Ss. Philip & James Parish-Grand Mound in 2006. He served as pastor at St. Anne Parish-Welton, St. Patrick Parish-Delmar and Ss. Philip & James Parish-Grand Mound, 2006-12; and Holy Trinity Parish-Richmond, St. Mary Parish-Riverside and St. Joseph Parish-Wellman from 2012-18. He has been on a sabbatical for continuing education since last summer, which involved travels to Rome, Israel, Cyprus, Jordan and Egypt.

Fr. Cloos

• Father Robert Cloos, 61, will remain pastor of St. Mary Parish-Oxford and St. Peter Parish-Cosgrove, but will be relieved of his assignment as parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish-Iowa City. Born in Springbrook, Iowa, he graduated from Western Colorado State University with a BA in finance. Prior to the priesthood, he served in the U.S. Air Force and Navy Reserves, 1976-81 and worked as an accountant, electrician and in maintenance. He completed his theology studies at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis. He was ordained to the priesthood June 7, 2014, by Bishop Martin Amos at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Fr. Cloos served as parochial vicar at Ss. Mary & Mathias Parish-Muscatine, 2014-15; Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish, 2015-17. He has served as parochial vicar in Iowa City since 2017. He served as parochial vicar, then pastor, at Cosgrove and Oxford since 2017.

Fr. Fladung

• Father Charles Fladung, 62, will become pastor of St. Mary Parish-Solon. Born in Washington, Iowa, his home parish was St. Mary-Keota. After working on the family farm he attended and graduated from St. Ambrose University-Davenport with a bachelor’s in theology and history. He completed his theology studies at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. On June 5, 1992, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop O’Keefe at St. Mary-Keota.

Fr. Fladung served as parochial vicar at St. John Vianney Parish-Bettendorf from 1992-94; St. Anthony Parish-Knoxville, Sacred Heart Parish-Melcher and St. Mary Parish-Pella from 1994-97. He then served as pastor at Assumption/St. Patrick Parish-Charlotte and Ss. Mary & Joseph Parish-Sugar Creek, as well as sacramental minister of St. Joseph Parish-DeWitt from 1997-2000. He then served as pastor at St. Joseph Parish-East Pleasant Plain and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish-Richland from 2000-08, administrator at St. Mary Parish-Albia and St. Mary Parish-Centerville from 2007-08. He served as canonical pastor of East Pleasant Plain and Richland in 2008. Since 2008 Fr. Fladung has been pastor at Holy Trinity Parish-Keota and St. Mary Parish-Sigourney.

Fr. Lathrop

• Father Robert Lathrop, 60, will become pastor of Holy Trinity-Keota and St. Mary-Sigourney. He was born in Orlando, Fla., and moved around the country as his father served in the military. After high school he served in the military from 1977-1995 and took early retirement to pursue his undergraduate work. He graduated from St. Ambrose University and completed his theology studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake at Mundelein Seminary. On June 9, 2001, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop William Franklin at Sacred Heart Cathedral-Davenport.

Fr. Lathrop served as parochial vicar at Ss. Mary & Mathias-Muscatine from 2001-02, Our Lady of Victory-Davenport from 2002-04, and All Saints-Keokuk and St. Joseph-Montrose from 2004-06. He served as administrator, then pastor, of St. Patrick-Georgetown, St. Peter-Lovilia and St. Patrick-Melrose from 2006-09. Since 2009 he has been pastor at All Saints-Keokuk.

• Father Francis Mensah, 36, will become parochial vicar at St. Peter Parish-Buffalo, Holy Family Parish-Davenport and St. Alphonsus Parish-Davenport. He was born in Nkontrodo-Elmina, Ghana. He did philosophical studies at St. Paul Seminary in Accra, Ghana; theological studies at St. Peter Seminary in Cape Coast, Ghana; received a diploma in theology from University of Ghana; a bachelor of sacred theology from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome; and a licentiate in canon law from Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He is working on his licentiate in canon and civil law at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He was ordained a priest on Sept. 25, 2010, by Archbishop Matthias Kobena Nketsiah at St. Matthew at Moree in Cape Coast, Ghana.

Fr. Mensah served as a parochial vicar and priest in charge of secondary schools at St. Anthony Parish in Padua in the Archdiocese of Cape Coast, Ghana, from 2010-13. He served in radio evangelization for Agona Municipal Radio in the archdiocese from 2010-13. He then served as a parochial collaborate at St. Barbara Parish in Rome from 2013-16 while doing studies. Since 2016 Fr. Mensah has been a priest in residence at St. Barbara’s while continuing his studies.

Fr. Harness

• Father Robert Harness, 68, will retire from active ministry. An Ottumwa native, he graduated from Northeast Missouri State with a BS in biology education and an MS in biology. He completed his theology studies at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. On June 5, 1982, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop O’Keefe at St. Mary of the Visitation Parish-Ottumwa.

Fr. Harness was an assistant pastor at St. Mary Parish-Clinton in 1982, associate pastor at St. Joseph Parish-DeWitt and St. Anne Parish-Welton from 1982-84, then served as pastor at Ss. Peter & Paul Parish-Clear Creek and St. Elizabeth Parish-Harper from 1984-92, St. Mary Parish-Keota from 1988-92, Holy Trinity Parish-Keota (after merger) from 1992-94, St. Joseph Parish-DeWitt from 1994-2009, Ss. Philip & James Parish-Grand Mound from 1996-98, temporary administrator at Ss. Mary & Joseph Parish-Sugar Creek in 1997, administrator, then pastor at Grand Mound from 1999-06, administrator at Sacred Heart Parish-Lost Nation, St. James Parish-Toronto and Sacred Heart Parish-Oxford Junction in 2003 and again in 2004, canonical pastor at Assumption & St. Patrick Parish-Charlotte and Ss. Mary & Joseph Parish-Sugar Creek from 2005-06 and has served as pastor at Holy Family Parish-Davenport since 2009. He was on leave for a month and returned in 2013.

Fr. Sheedy

• Father Timothy Sheedy will retire from active ministry. A native of Ottumwa, he graduated from St. Ambrose College in Davenport with a B.A. in history and the University of Iowa with an M.A. in elementary administration. He completed his theology studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. On June 12, 1976, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop O’Keefe at St. Mary of the Visitation Parish-Ottumwa.

Fr. Sheedy served as an associate pastor at St. Paul the Apostle Parish-Davenport from 1976-81 and St. John the Baptist Parish-Burlington from 1981-84. He served as principal at St. Paul Elementary and St. John Middle School, both in Burlington, from 1981-84. He then served as pastor of Assumption Parish-Charlotte and St. Patrick Parish-Villa Nova from 1984-89. Fr. Sheedy served as interim principal at Holy Family School-Davenport from 1988-89. He served as pastor of Our Lady of the River Parish-LeClaire from 1989-94 and as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish-Fort Madison from 1994-2004. Fr. Sheedy provided pastoral management for corporate affairs for St. Mary Parish-Augusta through its closing. He served as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish-Bettendorf from 2004-2014 and has been pastor at St. Mary Parish-Solon since 2014.


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