Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-26
YEARS IN CHURCH
Oltumwa Priest Labors More Than
aQuarter of Century.
FATHER EENpHER AN IOWA PIONEER
High Mass Celebrated at St. Mary's in
Honor of Twenty-Ninth Anniversary
of His Observation-Disclosures Ad-
dress on Early Days of Church.
[Trom Mondays Daily.l

[From Mondays Daily]
The history OF the early days of
Catholicism in Iowa and more espe-
cially the spread of the faith through
out the state was the subject of Rev.
Father J. F. Kempker's discourse at
the service held yesterday morning at
st. Mary's church in celebration OF
the twenty-ninth anniversary of his or
dination into the order of the priest
hood. He spoke briefly of his ordina-
ton and the great joy that came to
him as he received the authority of
priesthood from the Bishop and said
Father Kempker 81 could not then
know what account | would be able to
give of the powers that were given
me, but | then determined to use my
greatest efforts in the upbuilding of
the church and if necessary give my
last breath in the advancement OF its
cause" In the sketch of the history
of the church which followed Father
Kempker told of the formation of the
diocese of Dubuque and of the appoint
ment OF Very Rev. Matthias Loras as
its bishop and of his conservation in
the Cathedral at Mobile, Alabama. He
also spoke of the conditions under
which the priests worked, of the long
and weary journeys they took for the
purpose of giving to a small number
of believers the privilege of attending
the services of the church or of ad-
ninistering the last rites to some dy-
ing member.
The Service.
The anniversary celebration was
held at the regular hour for the morn
ing service at which time high mass
was celebrated by Father Kempker
and Concone's mass was rendered by
the choir of the church, under the di-
rection of Professor Chas. Koett.
There was a large attendance of the
membership of the church present at
the service to join in the celebration
of the event No pomp or great dis
play was there made, but the service
consisted in the celebration of high
mass in most simple and impressive
manner. The music was especially in
harmony with the occasion and gave
to the service an air of sublime gran
deur.
Father kempker's Address.
Father Kempker spoke on the
Spread of the Faith in Iowa" and
said in part: Il rejoice on this occa
sion O1 Tie CSleDEGllOu I'll lie wv SHlS
ninth anniversary of my ordination
and l ask you to rejoice with me- Or
that day my young heart bounded
with Joy as stood in the little semin
airy chapel of Milwaukee on Decem
Der %, 1872, and received at thu
hand of Bishop j. Martin Hennes
sey the great powers of priesthood 70
the diocese of Dubuque. The periot
of preparation had been intense and
was we'll ready to accept the grea
dignity of the office. not on account o
my own ability, but by the munificenc'
and goodness of God. | received TIL
authority of the order of priesthoo'
with joy and though | did not the
know what account l would be able t
give of the powers then intrusted t
me, determined to render to tn
church a life of service and if neces
sary to give my last breath in tn
cause of it's advancement.
Early Service.
II began as assistant in Lee count
and for the first three months labor
ing in the country about Keokuk, F.
Madison and West Point, administer
ing the sacrament and performing tn
various offices of the church. I wa
then sent to Council Bluffs as assis
ant to Father B. P. McMenony wher
| labored for a considerable time i
missionary work in the seven countie
surrounding. l had thought that
would be impossible to celebrate TIL
sacraments of the church in any plac
but the temple of God, but as | sa'
the zeal of the people and their man
+ festation of JOY at the coming of
priest, a new feeling came over me an