Assignment changes affect three deacons, four priests

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Bishop Thomas Zinkula has announced assignment changes for three deacons and four priests.

Deacon Matthew Levy now serves at Our Lady of the River Parish in LeClaire and Church of the Visitation Parish in Camanche. He previously served as a deacon in the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois. His new assignment took effect Dec. 12.

The following assignments took effect Jan. 1:

• Father Nicholas Akindele, 48, serves as parochial vicar of St. Peter Parish-Buffalo and Holy Family and St. Alphonsus parishes in Davenport in addition to assignments as Defender of the Bond for the diocesan Marriage Tribunal and parochial vicar of St. John Vianney Parish, Bettendorf. He continues working on his PhD dissertation.
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.

He also served as 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 previously served as parochial vicar at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in addition to his studies and tribunal assignment.

• Deacon Joseph Dvorak has been relieved as parish life coordinator at Immaculate Conception Parish in Colfax. He remains a deacon for the parish.

• Father Ron Hodges, 55, will become pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in Colfax. He was born in Des Moines and attended school in Indianola. He earned a BS in hotel restaurant management from Iowa State University. After working in food service, he attended classes at St. Ambrose University in Davenport and completed his theology studies at St. Meinrad School of Theology in Meinrad, Indiana.

On June 4, 2006, Archbishop Daniel Buechlein ordained Father Hodges at St. Meinrad Archabbey as an order priest. He served at the monastery from 2006-10. He moved to the Davenport Diocese and served at Our Lady of Victory Parish in Davenport and in diocesan service in 2011. He served as parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish in Pella and St. Mary Parish in Oskaloosa from 2011-13.

Fr. Hodges was incardinated into the Diocese of Davenport on March 3, 2013. He served as administrator, then pastor, of St. Mary Parish in Grinnell and priest moderator of Immaculate Conception Parish in Colfax. After a leave of absence for medical reasons, he assisted at St. Peter Parish in Buffalo and Holy Family and St. Alphonsus parishes in Davenport.

• Father Ross Epping, 30, has been relieved as priest moderator of Immaculate Conception Parish in Colfax. He continues to serve as pastor at St. Mary Parish in Grinnell.

• Deacon John Jacobsen will become the new diocesan chaplain for scouting. He is relieved from ministry in social action and pro-life/respect life ministries.

• Father William Reynolds, 69, is relieved as sacramental minister at Immaculate Conception Parish in Colfax. He remains pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Newton and deacon of the Grinnell Deanery.


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