Contributed Members of the Seven Sisters Apostolate at St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Davenport pose for a photo with the parish’s pastor, Father Bruce DeRammelaere, earlier this year.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
Several parishes in the Diocese of Davenport have started or continue to offer the Seven Sisters Apostolate that calls for women to pray one day a week for a specific priest or bishop.
Jeanne Wonio of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Davenport said her friend, and neighbor, Jill Kluver brought Seven Sisters to Holy Family Parish in Davenport. “She held an informational/commitment night a few years ago,” Wonio said. Kluver herself learned about the apostolate from her mother, who lives in western Iowa.
At the Holy Family meeting, Wonio committed to be a substitute for the Holy Family group. “Soon after that, I signed up to be a sub for a group started by Father Ben Snyder’s mom (Michelle Snyder) for the bishop (Bishop Thomas Zinkula at the time). I also committed to praying for an hour a week for the souls of the priests in purgatory.”
Christine Smith, is now the anchoress for the Holy Family and the Souls of the Priests in Purgatory groups. These are one year commitments of prayer for an hour a week, Wonio said. The anchoress commits to two years.
“As a parishioner at St. Paul’s, I would see Father Bruce (DeRammelaere, the pastor) several times a week. Although I prayed for him, I began to see how prayer every day, from those of us who loved and appreciated him, would be good support for him,” Wonio said. “I called Mary Jones, a friend and parishioner at St. Paul’s. She encouraged me and jumped right in to help and pray! We spread the word among friends and held an informational meeting. We received weekly prayer commitments from 11 people and three more consented to be subs. I heard from several people that didn’t know about the meeting but wanted to be involved. We’ve decided to hold another meeting for those who missed the first meeting and would like to join Seven Sisters to pray for Father Bruce.”
Jude Steil started a group for Father Rich Adam (pastor) and Father Tony Herold (senior priest) at St. John Vianney and Our Lady of Lourdes parishes in Bettendorf. “Jude has been overwhelmed with the amount of support she has received,” Wonio said.
Another group is at St. Wenceslaus Parish in Iowa City and a new group just started at St. Peter Parish in Buffalo.
“I feel Seven Sisters is divinely inspired and requires only an hour a week of voluntary prayer. We give our parish pastors and priests to Our Lord and the Blessed Mother in prayer and then get out of the way and let the Holy Spirit do his work.”
Each year on the Feast of Corpus Christi, Ss. Mary & Joseph Parish in Sugar Creek hosts a Eucharistic procession around the church and cemetery. This year’s celebrations took place indoors due to rain. In this contributed photo, Father Bob Cloos, left, and altar server Glen Trenkamp adore the Blessed Sacrament. -Lindsay Steele
Father Robert Lathrop’s 25th ordination anniversary
IOWA CITY—Byzantine Catholic Bishop Robert Pipta celebrated a Divine Liturgy recently as part of his official visitation to the Iowa Outreach called St Andrew of Crete. The service took place in the Sacred Heart Chapel at St. Patrick Church. Just over thirty congregants were in attendance. Bishop Dennis Walsh and Father Troy Richmond, pastor at St Patrick, joined the group at the meal afterwards.
Bp. Walsh
Bishop Walsh has close friends who are Byzantine Catholic from his days as a priest in the Toledo Diocese, according to Father Bruce Riebe, administrator of the outreach, and concelebrant at the liturgy. Father Riebe said Bishop Dennis has been extremely accommodating in the efforts of having a Byzantine presence in Eastern Iowa. Father Richmond said afterwards that “he is happy to host the Byzantine Liturgy monthly at his church.” The Divine Liturgy (which is how Byzantine Catholics refer to Mass) is offered every third Sunday at 4:30. The liturgy fulfills the obligation of any Catholic. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated on a weekly basis, 11:00 on Sundays, in Des Moines at All Saints Roman Catholic Church. St. Andrew of Crete is part of the Ruthenian Rite Church that covers twelve Midwestern states. Bishop Pipta’s Cathedral is located in Parma, Ohio (just outside of Cleveland.
(For information at either location go to iowabyzantine.org or contact Father Bruce Riebe at 440-227-5037.)
OFFICIAL
Diocese of Davenport
Bishop’s Office
Davenport, Iowa 52804
Appointments
Effective June 1, 2026 Rev. John Sterling, while remaining as Chaplain at MercyOne Genesis, assigned as temporary sacramental minister of Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish, Clinton. Effective July 1, 2026 Rev. Richard A. Adam, assigned as pastor of St. Joan of Arc Parish, Bettendorf. Deacon Kent E. Ferris, OFS, while remaining as deacon at St. Joseph Parish, Columbus Junction and St. Joseph Parish, West Liberty, and as Director of Social Action, Director of Catholic Charities, and Director of Propagation of the Faith for the Diocese of Davenport, assigned as parish life coordinator of St. Joseph Parish, Columbus Junction and St. Joseph Parish, West Liberty. Rev. James J. Flattery, assigned as pastor of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, Tipton. Rev. Dennis Martin, relieved of assignment as administrator of St. Joseph Parish, West Liberty and St. Joseph Parish, Columbus Junction. Rev. Alfonso Pizano, Jr., assigned as parochial vicar of St. Patrick Parish, Iowa City and sacramental minister of St. Joseph Parish, West Liberty and St. Joseph Parish, Columbus Junction, with residence at St. Patrick Parish, Iowa City.
Soon our diocese will take up a collection for the Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC). Please prayerfully consider supporting the collection this year. Half of the collected funds stay here in the Diocese of Davenport, and the other half support the communication activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and other projects across the United States and abroad.
Funding from the campaign provides for the ongoing development of the diocesan website www.davenportdiocese.org. It also funds our use of monthly newsletters and social networks, such as Facebook and YouTube, to share information within and outside the diocese.
Social media has revolutionized how Catholics present the timeless and hopeful message of the Gospel — not only the means and style of communication, but also the type of content that best reaches the public and creates lasting impressions. When people feel lonely or isolated, they seek personal connections, authenticity, and stories of hope that show how the Gospel is a living and transformative message.
Using support received through CCC, the USCCB’s Office of Public Affairs creates personal, informal videos in which bishops describe both their pastoral work and their daily lives as pastoral leaders. These short videos, produced specifically for social media, introduce the bishops and invite them to reflect on their favorite saints, the significance of liturgical seasons, and personal moments in their lives, such as their vocation stories and experiences of receiving the news that they were named a bishop.
These videos are an example of how CCC enables the bishops of the United States to bring their message of hope to the public in relatable ways that resonate and foster connection with the faithful. The CCC also supports the Daily Readings page on the USCCB website, which helps users follow along with the biblical texts proclaimed at Mass and aids their prayer and meditation on Sacred Scripture.
When you participate in your diocese’s collection for CCC, half of your gift supports these national efforts, and the other half stays in your own diocese to support local communication programs that bring the Gospel to you and your neighbors.
For more information about the collection and the projects it supports, visit www.usccb.org/ccc. To support the national efforts of CCC with an online donation, please visit #iGiveCatholic at igivecatholic.org/story/USCCB-CCC.
Sincerely in Christ,
Most Rev. Dennis G. Walsh
Bishop of Davenport
Ayuda a difundir el Evangelio
Queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo:
Pronto, nuestra diócesis realizará una colecta para la Campaña Católica para la Comunicación (CCC). Por favor, consideren en oración apoyar la colecta este año. La mitad de los fondos recaudados permanece aquí, en la Diócesis de Davenport, y la otra mitad apoya las actividades de comunicación de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos y otros proyectos en todo el país y en el extranjero.
La financiación de la campaña permite el desarrollo continuo del sitio web diocesano www.davenportdiocese.org. También financia nuestro uso de boletines mensuales y redes sociales, como Facebook y YouTube, para compartir información tanto dentro como fuera de la diócesis.
Las redes sociales han revolucionado la forma en que los católicos presentan el mensaje eterno y esperanzador del Evangelio; no solo los medios y los estilos de comunicación, sino también el tipo de contenido que llega mejor al público y genera un impacto duradero. Cuando las personas se sienten solas o aisladas, buscan conexiones personales, autenticidad e historias de esperanza que demuestren cómo el Evangelio es un mensaje vivo y transformador.
Utilizando el apoyo recibido a través de la CCC, la Oficina de Asuntos Públicos de la USCCB (Conferencia de Obispos Católicos) crea videos personales e informales en los que los obispos describen tanto su labor pastoral como aspectos de su vida cotidiana. Estos videos cortos, producidos específicamente para las redes sociales, presentan a los obispos e invitan a reflexionar sobre sus santos favoritos, el significado de los tiempos litúrgicos y momentos personales de sus vidas, tales como las historias de su vocación y sus experiencias al recibir la noticia de que habían sido nombrados obispos.
Estos videos son un ejemplo de cómo la CCC permite a los obispos de los Estados Unidos llevar su mensaje de esperanza al público de maneras cercanas que resuenan y fortalecen la conexión con los fieles. La CCC también apoya la página de las Lecturas Diarias en el sitio web de la USCCB, la cual ayuda a los usuarios a seguir los textos bíblicos proclamados en la Misa y favorece su oración y meditación de la Sagrada Escritura.
Cuando participas en la colecta de tu diócesis para la CCC, la mitad de tu donativo apoya estos esfuerzos nacionales, y la otra mitad permanece en tu propia diócesis para apoyar los programas locales de comunicación que te llevan el Evangelio a ti y a tus vecinos. Para más información sobre la colecta y los proyectos que apoya, visita www.usccb.org/ccc. Para apoyar los esfuerzos nacionales de la CCC con una donación en línea, por favor, visita #iGiveCatholic en igivecatholic.org/story/USCCB-CCC.
Do you find yourself clicking on social media videos with outrageous captions? I’m often intrigued by these, especially if the topic is controversial.
The other day a video popped up that asked what might happen if you stop praying to God. Okay, I’ll bite. What happens? I was so ready to bring out all of my theology books and my decades of Catholic education and church work to counter this obviously heretical content.
Instead, I found myself actually agreeing with the speaker, albeit an AI voice, that said that when you pray TO God, you immediately set yourself apart from God. But when you pray knowing that “the Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21), you bring yourself into a much more intimate place with God. I think St. Augustine would agree!
We believe that God is omnipresent, so, yes, God is “out there” as well, but only in the sense that God cannot be contained in any physical space. This idea follows my previous two columns on the presence of God, as we saw in the story of Moses and the Burning Bush, as well as the metaphors in the films “The Wizard of Oz” and “Wicked.”
This month, I focus on how our prayer is more about presence than relationship. If we compare God to the ocean and us as a wave, we see that the ocean contains the wave more than having a relationship with it. A ship or a whale is separate from the ocean and relates to it, but a wave is an aspect or feature of the ocean itself. When we pray imagining ourselves as waves, we simply experience God’s eternal being.
Words have meaning and they matter. Contemplative prayer helps us pray WITH God — in the presence of God — rather than TO God at a distance. As prayer is communication with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, we are in communion with God, we are one with God.
Practices to help us with this include centering prayer, meditating on the stations of the cross, making a holy hour, praying the fourth stage in lectio divina (contemplation) or Ignatian prayer (where you imagine yourself present in Scripture), walking the labyrinth, listening to instrumental music, rocking a baby to sleep, watching a sunset, sitting by a body of water, or walking in a forest. We simply are present to God’s holy being. These prayers use silence rather than words, so God is not separate from us, and there is no need to pray TO God. We are in deeper communion with God, aware of God’s presence in and around us.
Although the video I referred to above is from a non-Catholic source, truth can be found anywhere. Over the years I have gleaned seeds of wisdom from vast resources discovered in the world’s religions, literature, music, film, art, television, everyday experiences, and objects I happen upon. In so doing, I have expanded my theological and religious imagination. Like many of us, I grew up in a pre-Vatican II world, taught by faith-filled Sisters using the Baltimore Catechism (where I, too, memorized every answer to every question in that little blue booklet).
This larger notion of prayer can be helpful to those who feel distant from God, who say that they don’t think God hears their prayers, much less answer them. This is where a simple change in how we understand prayer can be transformative. I no longer pray as a child, asking God to do something or give me something, as if I am so powerful I can change God’s mind! Instead of praying, “God, draw me closer to you, grant this or that,” I find myself using different words, believing God is already with me, making prayer a more powerful spiritual experience.
Thus: “Dear God, may I be humbly aware of your presence in my life right now. May I rest in your infinite Being and feel your unconditional love surrounding me with peace. Amen.”
(Kathy Berken is a spiritual director and retreat leader in St. Paul, Minnesota. She lived and worked at L’Arche in Clinton — The Arch from 1999-2009.)
Anne Marie Amacher Bishop Dennis Walsh kneels to receive a blessing from Father Alfonso Pizano Jr. after ordaining the California native to the priesthood June 6 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport.
By Dan Russo
The Catholic Messenger
DAVENPORT — After his ordination Mass, a long line formed down the center aisle of Sacred Heart Cathedral as, one by one, people approached Father Alfonso Pizano Jr. Everyone from his closest family members and friends to people he hadn’t even met took turns kneeling while the newest priest in the Davenport Diocese gave his first blessings.
Smiling broadly, the 47-year-old was excited to meet the people he’d be serving. His assignment as parochial vicar of St. Patrick Parish-Iowa City and sacramental minister of St. Joseph Parish-West Liberty and St. Joseph Parish-Columbus Junction will begin July 1.
“(I feel) just complete joy and peace,” reflected the California native June 6 in between blessings. “It’s been a long journey. It’s amazing to see (my family) here.”
Father Pizano’s mother watched her son from a pew close to the steps that lead to the altar. She and the large group of family members that attended the event from out of state were full of pride, but not surprise. As early as age seven, there were indications the boy would grow up to be a priest.
“When my daughter was born, I took (Alfonso) and his brother to Toys R Us and you know what he picked out? A Bible for kids,” said his mom. “I’m just so blessed.”
The priest’s younger sibling, Augustine Pizano, also remembers the incident, recalling that he thought his brother ought to pick something else, like action figures.
“I’m proud of him,” he said. “It’s been a long time coming. My brother’s a very good man. He’s very compassionate.”
Father Pizano’s home parish is St. Gertrude the Great in Bell Gardens, which is part of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He attended Catholic schools there, was an altar server and had interactions with the Salesian sisters.
Alfonso Pizano Sr. gives the most credit to his son’s grandmother for influencing his vocation.
“It was his grandmother’s wish,” said the Pizano patriarch in Spanish. “She prayed for a vocation to the priesthood in the family.”
Pizano Sr. said witnessing the ordination in Davenport “was something beautiful” and his son’s vocation is “a gift from God for the whole family.” Belinda Alcazár, a first cousin who translated for Pizano Sr. and is around the same age as his son, echoed those sentiments
“It’s an absolute honor,” Alcazár said. “I always knew he’d become a priest.”
Anne Marie Amacher Priests of the Diocese of Davenport watch as Bishop Dennis Walsh anoints the hands of transitional deacon Alfonso Pizano Jr. with chrism oil during his ordination to the priesthood June 6 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport.
A Laborer Sent
In his homily, Bishop Walsh reminded Father Pizano that the “master of the harvest” had chosen him to be a laborer.
“But as you look out at the harvest field today, the area of your labor, you know as well as I do that the world you are stepping into — the world to which you are being sent is not a pristine field,” said the bishop. “It’s a world that is deeply broken, one that is heavily burdened; a world that is profoundly wounded. And in the Gospel, before Jesus sends out his disciples, something vital happens within him. Matthew tells us that when Jesus saw the crowds, Matthew says, ‘He had compassion for them because they were troubled and abandoned like sheep without a shepherd.’ Alfonso, this is where your priesthood must begin every single day, with the eyes and the heart of Christ — to be able to see the brokenness of the world and to suffer with it; to have compassion for the world.”
It took many years and there were many twists and turns in Father Pizano’s road to ordination. He first came to the Midwest from Los Angeles to discern a call to the priesthood with the Priests of the Sacred Heart. He studied at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology (in Hales Corners, Wisconsin), where he first met Diocese of Davenport seminarians who were also studying there.
Father Pizano originally began discerning his vocation in the Los Angeles Archdiocese. He earned a BA in education. He taught in Catholic Schools before returning to the seminary. Later, he spent time with the Jesuits and completed an MA in elementary education from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He also completed coursework toward an MA in philosophy at Fordham University in New York. Deacon Pizano took leave from the Jesuits and later resumed discernment in religious life with the Priests of the Sacred Heart. Later, he felt called to the diocesan priesthood and followed that path. He arrived in the Diocese of Davenport in 2023 and took a transformative pastoral year at Divine Mercy Parish in Burlington/West Burlington. He also taught Spanish at Notre Dame High School in Burlington. He then continued studies at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. On Aug. 2, 2025, he was ordained a transitional deacon by Bishop Walsh at Sacred Heart Cathedral. Deacon Pizano then served at St. Charles Borromeo and St. Roman parishes in Milwaukee for his preaching placement as a transitional deacon.
Not His Own
Bishop Walsh referenced Pope Francis’ teaching from his apostolic exhortation The Joy of the Gospel and his encyclical Fratelli tutti when giving the new priest guidance on being a shepherd “who must have the odor of the sheep.”
“You are called to be the one who stops, who binds up the wounds; pours oil, gives consolation, gives hope and carries the broken to the field hospital that Francis calls the Church,” said Bishop Walsh. “To do this, you will soon stand before me and the whole Church to make your ordination promises. You will promise to live the priesthood as a fellow worker with me. You will promise to preach the Gospel throughout the whole local Church and throughout the world. You will promise to celebrate the mysteries of Christ faithfully. The promises you make are not just professional duties and obligations. They are a complete surrendering of your life to Christ.”
The bishop also talked about the teaching of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, who will be beatified Sept. 24, when reflecting on the calling of a priest for Father Pizano. He said a priest is “an instrument through which Christ transforms the world.”
“Archbishop Sheen argued that Jesus wasn’t just a priest who offered a sacrifice,” Bishop Walsh said. “He was the victim who was offered. To be a priest after the heart of Jesus means you can’t just be a dispenser of sacraments. That is, you’re just not doing functions in the Church. A priest must always be willing to be the victim. He writes famously the line that ‘the priest is not his own.’ He is a tool of Christ. He must realize that he is the priest-victim. He is to offer Christ and he is to offer himself to Christ, with Christ. Alfonso, when you stand at the altar and say, ‘this is my body and this is my blood’ you are speaking in the person of Christ, but you are also pointing to yourself. You are telling the people of God, ‘I offer everything to you — my health, my time, my intellect, my heart, even broken, for you. This is my blood. My preferences, my comfort, my sleep — poured out so that you might live.’ You are a living reminder of the person of Jesus Christ. This kind of sacrificial priesthood isn’t a relic of the past. It is alive and it is desperately needed today.”
(Anne Marie Amacher, assistant editor, contributed to this article.)
OFFICIAL
By Kathy Berken
