Tag: Chancery Profiles

Name: Patrick Schmadeke
Job title: Director of Evangelization
Contact information: 563-888-4394; schmadeke@davenportdiocese.org

What is your role for the Chancery? My role is to collaborate with parish, school and chancery leaders to integrate evangelization into our efforts.
What do you find most rewarding about your position? Working with people in parishes and schools to think creatively about how to bring the joy of relationship with Jesus into everyday life. The calling of the Holy Spirit is ever anew and it is exciting to walk with people around our diocese on this journey.
What do you find most challenging about your position? The challenge has to do with the size of our diocese. This probably is a common reality in our country, but our diocese makes up the 22 counties of southeast Iowa. This is a large geography, within which there are many diverse needs. That variety is also part of what I find so rewarding about this role.
What question do people most often ask you? I tend to get clarifying questions about what “evangelization” does or does not mean. The term has become more commonplace, but a fleshed out understanding and integration into daily life is still in progress. That is a creative journey that lasts a lifetime, so there really is no end to that exploration.

Name: Deacon Kent E. Ferris, OFS
Job titles: Director of Social Action & Catholic Charities
Contact information: ferris@davenportdiocese.org
What is your role for the Chancery? Our office supports the Bishop’s Office with matters relating to Catholic Social Teaching, providing resources and information from a variety of Catholic outlets such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Iowa Catholic Conference, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Catholic Charities USA, Pro-Life Secretariat, etc. I also supervise the Immigration Office.
What do you find most rewarding about your position? I love meeting people all across the diocese who have passion for and knowledge of issues relating to Catholic Social Teaching (CST).
What do you find most challenging about your position? Our Catholic faith is not meant to be a passive faith. Fully living the Catholic faith means that Church teaching can inform our daily lives in many ways as we strive to be in right relationship with God, neighbor and as part of the created world.
What question do people most often ask you? “What is the update on the conflict in __________?” “What is the latest on legislative bill #____________?” “When do you think we will get a bishop?”

Name: Lynne Devaney
Job title: Superintendent of Schools
Contact information: devaney@davenportdiocese.org, 563-888-4231
What is your role for the Chancery? Superintendent
What do you find most rewarding about your position? Being present to the Catholic schools of the diocese, particularly to the administrators. Every single person involved in our Catholic schools contributes in a different way but the vocation of Catholic school administrator requires a special kind of person and set of skills. The principal serves as the center for the pastor, students, faculty, staff, parents, Board of Education, diocese and parish in a way that no other position does … principals matter! So the chance to collaborate with them to help them serve their community is a wonderful opportunity. 
What do you find most challenging about your position? Sometimes it does feel a bit like Whack-a-Mole. A person in this position has to be prepared to deal with everything from discipline to instruction to finances to faith formation to board organization. A little bit of everything!
 What question do people most often ask you? It depends on the time of the school year. At the beginning of the year, many questions are about access to resources and how to use them. In November and December, questions are about budgeting and finance. In January and February, there are questions about enrollment, faculty and staff contracts/job agreements and perhaps non-renewal of staff. In the spring, we talk about financial support for students with the ESA and STO.  I’m not sure I get one consistent question … maybe … where’s Lynne today?

Name: Lynnette Sowells

Job title: Database Coordinator
Contact information: 563-888-4364, sowells@davenportdiocese.org
What is your role for the Chancery? I help keep the diocesan database up to date. The database contains records for each household of parishioners from all the 74 parishes in the Diocese of Davenport. I also help support the Finance offices with various tasks.
What do you find most rewarding about your position? Getting to talk with the parishioners of the diocese makes my day! I have had wonderful and blessed conversations with so many individuals over the years. Many times some of those conversations lead to the lifting up of prayers for the parishioners and my own family. The diocese is full of caring people who live, love, laugh, cry and pray.  Prayer is so very powerful!
What do you find most challenging about your position? Remembering that even though I feel like there are not enough hours in the day, God has given all of us just the right amount of time for his purpose.
What question do people most often ask you? “Did you receive my gift?” So many generous parishioners throughout the diocese give straight from the heart. They want to know their donations have been received and are being put to good use.  Whether a part of sharing their treasure, their talents or their time, they are blessings to us all.

Name:  Nancy Karn        
Job title: Accounting Coordinator
Contact information:
karn@davenportdiocese.org, 563-888-4367.
What is your role for the Chancery? I serve as liaison for parishes, schools and entities for compliance with established diocesan financial policies and procedures and accounting practices.
What do you find most rewarding about your position?  Helping all the bookkeepers.
What do you find most challenging about your position? Getting the support that I need to convince bookkeepers and their parishes to follow diocesan guidelines and instructions.
What question do people most often ask you? Questions about accounting.