By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
Nine priests mark milestone anniversaries this year. Fathers Wally Helms, William Kaska, Michael Phillips and Michael Spiekermeier celebrate 50 years of priesthood. Fathers Anthony Herold, Bill Hubmann, C.PP.S., David Steinle and David Wilkening celebrate 40 years and Father Joseph Wolf, 25 years.
50 years
• Fr. Helms is a native of Keokuk and his home parish was St. Francis de Sales in Keokuk. After completing his BA in philosophy from St. Ambrose College in Davenport, he completed his theology studies at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary and Aquinas Institute in Dubuque. On May 31, 1969, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Gerald O’Keefe at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport.
Fr. Helms has served at St. Mary Parish-Fairfield, St. Wenceslaus Parish-Iowa City, St. Mary of the Visitation Parish-Ottumwa, St. Mary Parish-Eddyville, St. Malachy Parish-Ardon, St. Joseph Parish-Columbus Junction, St. Mary Parish-Nichols, St. Patrick Parish-Burlington, St. Mary Parish-Muscatine, St. Peter Parish-Cosgrove, St. Mary Parish-Oxford and St. Thomas More Parish-Iowa City, then Coralville. He retired from active ministry in 2013.
An anniversary celebration will be held June 29 at the 5:15 p.m. Mass at St. Thomas More Parish-Coralville. The parish’s Knights of Columbus will provide a barbecue supper following Mass.
• Fr. Kaska is a native of Fairfield where his home parish of St. Mary is located. He graduated with a BA in philosophy from St. Ambrose College and an MA in religious education from Seattle University. He completed his theology studies at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary and Aquinas Institute in Dubuque. On May 31, 1969, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop O’Keefe at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
Fr. Kaska served at St. Paul Parish-Burlington, Sacred Heart Parish-Newton, St. Mary Magdalen Parish-Bloomfield, St. Aloysius Parish-Eldon, Our Lady of Victory Parish-Davenport, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics-Iowa City from 2003-13 and St. Mary, St. Patrick and St. Wenceslaus parishes-Iowa City. He retired in 2013.
• Fr. Phillips is a Burlington native and his home parish was St. Paul in Burlington. He graduated from St. Ambrose College with a bachelor’s degree, Loras College in Dubuque with a master’s in education and completed his theology studies at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary and Aquinas Institute in Dubuque. On May 31, 1969, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop O’Keefe at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
Fr. Phillips served at Assumption High School-Davenport, St. John Vianney Parish-Bettendorf, St. Joseph Parish-Davenport, Notre Dame High School-Burlington, St. Patrick Parish-Burlington, Holy Family Parish-Davenport and St. Wenceslaus Parish-Iowa City. He retired in 2013.
• Fr. Spiekermeier was born in Fort Madison and attended Assumption Parish in West Point. He earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Ambrose and completed his theology studies at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary and Aquinas Institute in Dubuque. On May 31, 1969, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop O’Keefe at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
Fr. Spiekermeier has served at St. Patrick Parish-Clinton, The Alverno-Clinton, Holy Family Parish-Davenport, Holy Family School-Davenport, Sacred Heart Parish-Clinton, Mater Dei High School-Clinton, All Saints Parish-Keokuk, St. Paul the Apostle Parish-Davenport, St. Mary Parish-Davenport, St. Joseph Parish-Hills, St. Mary Parish-Lone Tree and St. Mary Parish-Nichols. He currently serves as administrator at Hills, Lone Tree and Nichols.
To mark his jubilee, a Mass will be celebrated June 23 at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Church-Hills. A brunch will follow in the parish hall.
40 years
• Fr. Herold was born in Fort Madison and his home parish was St. Mary in Fort Madison. He attended Northeast Missouri College and graduated from St. Ambrose College. He completed his theology studies at the North American College in Rome. On July 14, 1979, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop O’Keefe at St. Mary Church-Fort Madison.
Fr. Herold served at St. Paul Parish-Burlington, St. Mary Parish-Clinton, and as spiritual director, rector and diocesan vocations director while based at St. Ambrose in Davenport. He served at St. Patrick Parish-Ottumwa, St. Mary Magdalen Parish-Bloomfield, St. Mary of the Visitation Parish-Ottumwa, Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish-Clinton, Immaculate Conception Parish-Petersville, Ss. John & Paul Parish-Burlington and St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Davenport. Currently, he serves at St. Paul’s and as vicar general for the Diocese of Davenport.
• Fr. Hubmann was born in Marshfield, Wis., and did studies at Marquette University in Milwaukee and Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Mo., earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. He did his theology studies at St. John University School of Divinity College in Collegeville, Minn. On June 9, 1979, he was ordained to the priesthood at St. Augustine Church in West Allis, Wis., by Archbishop Rembert Weakland, OSB.
Fr. Hubmann has served at St. Anthony Parish-Linton, N.D.; Sacred Heart Parish-Sedalia, Mo.; St. Anthony Parish-Park Falls, Wis.; Christ Hospital-Oak Lawn, Ill.; St. Joseph Hospital-Marshfield, Wis.; Sacred Heart Parish-Menard, Texas; St. Theresa Parish-Junction, Texas; Texas Army National Guard; St. James Parish- Kansas City, Mo.; St. Vincent Hospital-Indianapolis, Ind.; St. Francis Hospital-Evanston, Ill.; and Mundelein Seminary, where he served in deacon formation in Mundelein, Ill. He served at Sacred Heart-Guadalupe Parish-Kansas City, Mo., and as co direction for vocations for the C.PP.S. He also served at Ss. Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center-Chicago and now serves at St. Mary Parish-Centerville.
• Fr. Steinle is a native of Burlington and his home parish was St. Paul’s in Burlington. He graduated from the University of Iowa with a BA in business administration. He completed his theology studies at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. On June 7, 1979, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop O’Keefe at St. Paul Church-Burlington.
Fr. Steinle served at Holy Family Parish-Davenport, Assumption High School-Davenport, Assumption Parish-Charlotte, St. Patrick Parish-Villa Nova, Mater Dei High School-Clinton, Assumption-St. Patrick Parish-Charlotte, St. Alphonsus Parish-Davenport, St. Andrew Parish-Blue Grass, St. Peter Parish-Buffalo, St. Mary Parish-Wilton, Ss. Mary & Patrick Parish-West Burlington, St. Mary Parish-Dodgeville, Ss. Mary & Mathias Parish-Muscatine, St. Mary Parish-Wilton and St. Bernadette Parish-West Branch. He currently serves the Wilton and West Branch parishes.
• Fr. Wilkening is a native of Sigourney where his home parish of St. Mary is located. He graduated with a history degree from the University of Northern Iowa. He completed his theology studies at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. On June 9, 1979, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop O’Keefe at St. Mary Parish-Sigourney.
Fr. Wilkening served at Sacred Heart Parish-Clinton, St. Mary Parish-Iowa City, St. Mary Magdalen Parish-Bloomfield, St. Aloysius Parish-Eldon, St. Joseph Parish-What Cheer, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish-Keswick, St. Joseph Parish-North English, St. Mary Parish-West Point, St. Boniface Parish-Farmington, St. Mary Parish-Solon, Holy Family Parish-Fort Madison, St. Joseph Parish-Montrose, St. Mary Parish-Marengo, St. Mary Parish-Williamsburg and St. Joseph Parish-North English. He currently serves the Marengo, Williamsburg and North English parishes.
25 years
• Fr. Wolf was born in Pontiac, Ill., and moved to Davenport. He graduated from St. Ambrose University, He completed his theology studies at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. On July 2, 1994, he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop William Franklin at Sacred Heart Cathedral. He later completed degrees from St. Paul University in Canada (JCL), University of Ottawa in Canada (MCL).
Fr. Wolf has served at Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish-Clinton, St. Alphonsus Parish-Davenport, St. Andrew Parish-Blue Grass, St. Peter Parish-Buffalo, St. Mary Parish-Wilton, St. Vincent Center-Davenport as judicial vicar and vice chancellor, Our Lady of the River Parish-LeClaire and Church of the Visitation Parish in Camanche. He currently serves the parishes in LeClaire and Camanche.
