By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
Nine priests are celebrating milestones to the priesthood this year. Father Philip Ryan and Msgr. W. Robert Schmidt mark 60 years; Fathers Dennis Martin and Tom Spiegel, 50 years; Fathers Ken Kuntz, Jim Vrba and Ed O’Melia, 40 years; and Fathers Charles Fladung and Marty Goetz, 25 years.
• Fr. Ryan, 86, was raised in Brooklyn and graduated from St. Ambrose College-Davenport and completed theology studies at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary-Dubuque. On June 1, 1957, he was ordained by Bishop Ralph Hayes at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport.
Fr. Ryan served at St. Alphonsus-Mount Pleasant, Sacred Heart-Fort Madison, St. Irenaeus-Clinton, St. Anthony-Knoxville, St. Mary-Pella, St. Joseph-Bauer, Sacred Heart-Melcher, St. Mary-Sigourney, St. Joseph-What Cheer and Our Lady of Lourdes-Keswick. He retired in 2006.
• Msgr. Schmidt, 85, was raised in Ottumwa and graduated from St. Ambrose College and from the University of Iowa with a master’s, an education specialist degree and a Ph.D. He also did graduate studies at the University of Notre Dame. He completed his theology studies at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary. On June 1, 1957, he was ordained by Bishop Hayes at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
He served at St. Boniface-Clinton, Assumption High School-Davenport, Mercy School of Nursing-Iowa City, Carmelite Monastery-Bettendorf, Sacred Heart-Lost Nation, St. James-Toronto, St. Anthony-Davenport and St. Andrew-Blue Grass. Msgr. Schmidt served as diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools from 1970-97. He retired in 2006.
• Fr. Martin, 75, was raised in Burlington and graduated from St. Ambrose College, Loyola University-Chicago and completed his theology studies at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary. He also completed clinical pastoral education at Abbot Northwestern Hospital-Minneapolis. On June 3, 1967, he was ordained by Bishop Gerald O’Keefe at Sacred Heart Cathedral. He served at St. Mary-West Point, Marquette High School-West Point, St. Boniface-Farmington, St. Mary-String Prairie, St. Bridget-Nolan Settlement, St. Bernadette-West Branch, Mercy Hospital-Iowa City, Veteran’s Hospital-Iowa City, St. James-Washington and St. Joseph-West Liberty. He retired in 2012.
Fr. Martin will mark his jubilee by celebrating the 10:30 a.m. English Mass and 12:30 p.m. Spanish Mass at West Liberty on June 11. Receptions will follow both Masses.
• Fr. Spiegel, 75, was raised in Burlington and graduated from St. Ambrose College and completed his theology studies at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary. On June 3, 1967, he was ordained by Bishop O’Keefe at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Fr. Spiegel served at Sacred Heart-Fort Madison, St. Patrick-Iowa City, Sacred Heart-Kinross, St. Joseph-Wellman, St. Alphonsus-Mount Pleasant, Our Lady of Lourdes-Bettendorf and St. Mary-Oskaloosa. He retired in 2011. Fr. Spiegel also served in the Army Reserves for more than 20 years.
Fr. Spiegel will celebrate his jubilee along with his brothers, Msgr. Robert Spiegel and Father John Spiegel, at the 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Masses at St. Mary-Oskaloosa on June 4. Receptions will follow.
• Fr. Kuntz, 66, was raised in West Burlington and graduated from St. Ambrose College and completed his theology studies at St. Paul Seminary-St. Paul, Minn. On May 28, 1977, he was ordained by Bishop O’Keefe at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Fr. Kuntz served at St. Joseph-DeWitt, St. Anne-Welton, St. John Vianney-Bettendorf, St. Andrew-Blue Grass, St. Peter-Buffalo, St. Mary-Iowa City, and St. Michael-Holbrook. He is currently the pastor at Prince of Peace-Clinton.
Fr. Kuntz will celebrate his jubilee at the 10:30 a.m. Mass on May 28 at Prince of Peace. The Mass will also honor Deacon Dan Dorau who will be ordained to the priesthood May 27. A dinner will be served in the new parish hall to celebrate the ministry of both priests.
• Fr. O’Melia, 74, was raised in Oak Park, Ill., and graduated from St. Mary College-Winona, Minn., and the University of Iowa. He completed his theology studies at St. John University-Collegeville, Minn. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 28, 1977, by Bishop O’Keefe at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Fr. O’Melia served at Sacred Heart Cathedral-Davenport, Our Lady of Guadalupe-Muscatine, Aquinas High School-Fort Madison, St. Mary-Iowa City, St. Joseph-Fort Madison St. Mary-Augusta, St. Joseph-West Liberty, St. Bernadette-West Branch, St. James-Washington and St. Mary-Davenport.
He retired in 2015.
• Fr. Vrba, 65, was raised in DeWitt and graduated from St. Ambrose College and Notre Dame University. He completed his theology studies at St. Paul Seminary. On May 28, 1977, he was ordained by Bishop O’Keefe at Sacred Heart Cathedral. He served at Holy Family-Davenport, Assumption High School-Davenport, St. Mary-Clinton, St. Mary-Pella, St. Anthony-Knoxville, Sacred Heart-Melcher, Ss. Philip & James-Grand Mound, St. Patrick-Iowa City, Prince of Peace-Clinton, St. Mary-Wilton, Ss. Mary & Mathias-Muscatine and St. Mary-Solon. He currently serves as pastor at St. John Vianney-Bettendorf.
Fr. Vrba will celebrate his jubilee at St. John Vianney on May 28 following the 11 a.m. Mass in the parish activity center.
• Fr. Goetz, 50, was raised in Keokuk and graduated from Southeastern Community College-West Burlington and St. Ambrose University. He completed his theology studies at Mundelein Seminary-St. Mary of the Lake, Ill. On May 29, 1992, he was ordained at All Saints-Keokuk by Bishop O’Keefe. Fr. Goetz served at St. Patrick-Iowa City, Our Lady of Victory-Davenport, Prince of Peace-Clinton, Holy Trinity-Keota, St. Mary-Sigourney, Our Lady of Lourdes-Keswick, Holy Trinity-Richmond, St. Mary-Riverside and St. Joseph-Wellman. He currently serves as pastor of Ss. John & Paul-Burlington, Ss. Mary & Patrick-West Burlington and St. Mary-Dodgeville. He also served as director of vocations for the Diocese of Davenport from 2007-11.
Fr. Goetz will celebrate his jubilee with Mass on June 11 at 3 p.m. at St. John Church-Burlington with a reception to follow from 5-8 p.m. at Burlington Notre Dame.
• Fr. Fladung, 61, was raised in Keota and graduated from St. Ambrose University and completed his theology studies at Mundelein Seminary. On June 5, 1992, he was ordained by Bishop O’Keefe at St. Mary-Keota. Fr. Fladung served at St. John Vianney-Bettendorf, St. Anthony-Knoxville, Sacred Heart-Melcher, St. Mary-Pella, Assumption-St. Patrick in Charlotte, Ss. Mary & Joseph-Sugar Creek, St. Joseph-DeWitt, St. Joseph-East Pleasant Plain, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini-Richland, St. Mary-Albia and St. Mary-Centerville. He currently is pastor at Holy Trinity-Keota and St. Mary-Sigourney.
Fr. Fladung will celebrate his jubilee with a Mass at 5 p.m. on June 4 at Holy Trinity with a reception to follow.
