By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
Diocesan Administrator Father Ken Kuntz announced new assignments effective July 1 involving 17 priests and 2 deacons in the Diocese of Davenport. Because pastor assignments require the approval of the bishop and the diocese currently is without a bishop, priests assigned to lead parishes will serve as parochial administrators.
Among the changes, 3 priests will retire, 1 priest returns from canon law studies, 2 religious order priests have been assigned outside the diocese by their community and 1 priest has already begun an assignment as chaplain at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics-Iowa City.
Father Nick Adam, 73, is retiring. He was born in Fairfield and ordained to the priesthood May 29, 1976 by Bishop Gerald O’Keefe at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Church in Richland. Father Adam served at St. Thomas More Parish-Iowa City, St. Patrick Parish-Clinton, Sacred Heart Parish-Kinross, St. Joseph Parish-Wellman, Holy Trinity Parish-Richmond, St. Mary of the Visitation Parish-Ottumwa, St. Alphonsus Parish-Mount Pleasant, St. Mary Parish-Grinnell, and Ss. Joseph & Cabrini Parish-Richland. He currently serves as pastor of St. Mary Parish-Fairfield (since 2013) and as parochial administrator of St. Alphonsus Parish-Mount Pleasant (since January 2024).
Father Nicholas O. Akindele, 52, a native of Nigeria, Africa, remains an adjutant Judicial Vicar for the diocesan Marriage Tribunal and as pastor of Holy Family Parish-Davenport. He is relieved of his present assignment as pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish, Davenport.
Father Timothy Armbruster, C.PP.S., is being assigned outside the Davenport Diocese by his community, Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Currently, he serves as pastor of St. Mary Parish-Centerville and St. Patrick Parish-Melrose.
Father Terrill J. Ball is retiring. He was born in New Hampton, Iowa. Prior to discerning a religious vocation, he taught in Marshalltown community schools and in the Iowa City Community School District. He was married to Mona for 39 years before she died of cancer in 2012. Prior to her death and with her support, he had begun discernment to the diaconate. Following Mona’s death, he discerned a call to the priesthood and was ordained June 1, 2019 by Bishop Thomas Zinkula at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport. He served at St. Bernadette Parish-West Branch, with assistance to parishes in the Iowa City Deanery, and as chaplain at Mercy Hospital-Iowa City. Currently he serves as chaplain at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics-Iowa City.
Father David L. Brownfield, 67, is retiring. He was born in South Bend, Indiana and ordained to the priesthood May 25, 1990 at St. Thomas More Church-Iowa City by Bishop O’Keefe. Father Brownfield served at Our Lady of Victory Parish-Davenport, St. Boniface Parish-Farmington, St. Mary Parish-String Prairie, St. Joseph Parish-East Pleasant Plain, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish-Richland, St. Joseph Parish-DeWitt and Ss. Philip & James Parish-Grand Mound. He taught at Mount St. Clare/The Franciscan University of the Prairies/Ashford University-Clinton. He served St. Ann Parish-Welton, St. Patrick Parish-Delmar, Holy Trinity Parish-Richmond, St. Mary Parish-Riverside, St. Joseph Parish-Wellman and St. Joseph Parish-Montrose. Currently he serves as pastor of All Saints Parish-Keokuk.
Father Corey C. Close, 40, was born in Northbrook, Illinois. Upon completing advanced studies in canon law, he is assigned as judge for the diocesan Marriage Tribunal and as parochial administrator of St. Alphonsus Parish-Davenport. He was ordained to the priesthood June 23, 2012 at Sacred Heart Cathedral by Bishop Martin Amos. After assisting at parishes that summer, he returned to school to complete advanced studies in marriage and family life at John Paul II Institute in Washington, D.C. He then served at Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish-Clinton, St. Mary Parish–Iowa City, Newman Catholic Student Center-Iowa City, St. Patrick Parish-Brooklyn and St. Bridget Parish–Victor.
Father Hai D. Dinh, 61, was born in Saigon, Vietnam. He will serve as parochial administrator of All Saints Parish-Keokuk. He was ordained to the priesthood May 10, 2008 at Sacred Heart Cathedral by Bishop Amos. He served at St. Paul the Apostle Parish-Davenport, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Ss. John & Paul Parish-Burlington, Ss. Mary & Mathias Parish-Muscatine and St. Joseph Parish-Columbus Junction. Currently he serves as pastor at St. Joseph Parish-Hills, St. Mary Parish-Lone Tree and St. Mary Parish-Nichols.
Father Ross M. Epping, 34, was born in Rockford, Illinois. He will serve as parochial administrator at St. Mary Parish-Fairfield and St. Alphonsus Parish-Mount Pleasant. He was ordained to the priesthood June 6, 2016 at Sacred Heart Cathedral by Bishop Amos. He served at St. John Vianney Parish-Bettendorf, Assumption High School-Davenport, Immaculate Conception Parish-Colfax and St. Mary Parish-Grinnell. He served as diocesan director of vocations and currently serves as chaplain of St. Ambrose University-Davenport and pastor of St. Peter Parish-Buffalo.
Father Isaac Essel will serve as parochial administrator of St. Patrick Parish-Georgetown, St. Peter Parish-Lovilia and St. Mary Parish-Albia. No additional information was available at press time.
Father Martin G. Goetz, 57, a native of Keokuk and pastor of Sacred Heart Parish-Newton, will also serve as parochial administrator of Immaculate Conception Parish-Colfax. He was ordained to the priesthood May 29, 1992 at All Saints Church-Keokuk by Bishop O’Keefe. Father Goetz served at St. Patrick Parish-Iowa City, Our Lady of Victory Parish-Davenport and Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish-Clinton. After a leave of absence, he returned to active ministry in 2001. He served at Holy Trinity Parish-Keota, St. Mary Parish-Sigourney and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish-Keswick. He served as diocesan director of vocations, and later served at Holy Trinity Parish-Richmond, St. Mary Parish-Riverside and St. Joseph Parish-Wellman, Divine Mercy Parish-Burlington/West Burlington and St. Mary Parish-Dodgeville.
Father Ronald E. Hodges, 59, a Des Moines native, will serve as parochial administrator of St. Mary Parish-Centerville and St. Patrick Parish-Melrose. He was ordained to the priesthood June 4, 2006 at St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana. He served at St. Meinrad Monastery until moving to the Davenport Diocese where he has served at Our Lady of Victory Parish-Davenport, St. Mary Parish-Pella and St. Mary Parish-Oskaloosa.
He was incardinated in the diocese in 2013 and later took a leave of absence for health. Afterwards, he assisted at Holy Family and St. Alphonsus parishes-Davenport and St. Peter Parish-Buffalo. Currently, he serves as pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish-Colfax.
Father Dale E. Mallory, 32, who was born in Massachusetts, will serve as chaplain at St. Ambrose University-Davenport and parochial administrator of St. Peter Parish-Buffalo. He worked several years before discerning a call to the priesthood. He was ordained to the priesthood June 4, 2022 at Sacred Heart Cathedral by Bishop Zinkula. He assisted at St. Anthony Parish-Davenport and currently serves as parochial vicar of St. Mary of the Visitation Parish-Ottumwa, St. Patrick Parish-Ottumwa and St. Mary Magdalen Parish-Bloomfield.
Father David O. Paintsil, 45, a native of Ghana, Africa, will serve as parochial administrator of St. Joseph Parish-Hills, St. Mary Parish-Lone Tree and St. Mary Parish-Nichols. He was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Peter Turkson on Nov. 12, 2005 at St. Francis Cathedral at Cape Coast. Father Paintsil has served at Mary, Queen of Peace, St. Edward and Immaculate Conception of Mary Grotto parishes, all in Cape Coast. Currently he is parochial administrator of St. Mary Parish-Iowa City.
Father Andrew D. Rauenbuehler, 32, a native of Muscatine, will serve as parochial administrator of St. Mary Parish-Iowa City. He was ordained June 5, 2021 at Sacred Heart Cathedral by Bishop Zinkula. Father Rauenbuehler currently serves as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Victory Parish-Davenport and chaplain of Assumption High School-Davenport.
Father Benjamin G. Snyder, 28, of Richland, Iowa, is assigned as parochial vicar of St. Patrick Parish-Ottumwa, St. Mary of the Visitation Parish-Ottumwa, and St. Mary Magdalen Parish-Bloomfield. He was ordained to the priesthood June 4, 2022 at Sacred Heart Cathedral by Bishop Zinkula. He is serving as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish-Bettendorf.
Father Mark V. Yates, C.PP.S. of Kansas, is being reassigned outside the Davenport Diocese by his community, Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Currently he is pastor at St. Patrick Parish-Georgetown, St. Peter Parish-Lovilia and St. Mary Parish-Albia.
Father Christopher R. Young, 63, was born in California. He remains as diocesan delegate of the Bishop in Matrimonial Matters and delegate of the Bishop and assigned chaplain for the community celebrating the Pre-conciliar Liturgy. He is relieved of present assignments as parochial vicar of Holy Family Parish-Davenport and St. Alphonsus Parish-Davenport.
Deacon Dan E. Freeman, while remaining deacon and parish life coordinator of St. Mary Parish-Wilton, will be relieved of his assignment as deacon and interim parish life coordinator of St. Andrew Parish-Blue Grass.
Deacon Matthew J. Levy, will serve as deacon and parish life coordinator at St. Andrew Parish-Blue Grass. Currently he serves at Our Lady of the River Parish-LeClaire and Church of the Visitation-Camanche.
Father Bede Inekwere is the new chaplain at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics-Iowa City. His assignment took effect April 1. He was ordained to the priesthood Sept. 9, 1995 for the Okigwe Diocese of Nigeria, Africa. He served in parishes in Nigeria before arriving in the United States in 2006. Since then, he primarily served in pastoral care including at Genesis Health System-Davenport, Unity-Point Health-Des Moines and Bishop Drumm Retirement Center-Johnston, Iowa.
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Continued prayers for our beloved priests, deacons and for a new Bishop! Grateful for your ministry and care for Christ’s flock.
Thank you for sending..
I’m in Marion which is Archdiocese of Dubuque..
Do you have the list of updates for our area?