Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-28
Permanent Pastor of ST. Mary's
to Be Appointed Wednesday.
MEETING TO Be HELD At DAVENPORT
Father kempker, the Present Pastor
Is Candidate for the Appointment
and Has Taken His Examination -
Passionate is Much Sought After.
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily
| Father ]. f. kempker, the present
pastor of st. Marys Catholic church in
this city, has taken his examination
before Bishop Cosgrove, for the per
manent paStorate Of the church, which
position he has been filing temporari-
| ly for the past few months. Father
Kempker is the only priest in the do
cese who is known to be a candidate
for the position, but there are doubt
less several others, as the priest who
is pastor of st. Mary's church holds
one of the highest and most desirable
places in the state. The appointment
carries with it the Office of dean and is
one of the six irremovable pastorates
in the state. The list of these six
with the pastors is as follows:
st. Mary's, Ottumwa-Rev. j. F.
Kempker temporary
ST. Ambrose, Des Moines-Rev. M.
Flavin.
st. Francis Xavier's, Council Bluffs
Father Smythe.
ST. Joseph's. Davenport-Rev. N.
lNiermann.
i st. Peters, Keokuk-Rev. Thomas
|O'Reilley.
st. Matthias, Muscatine-Rev. P.
Laurent.
The pastor of ST. Mary's church was
Very Father Hugh B. Kelly,
i V. F., whose death occurred little
more than a month ago. Dean Kelly
was between forty and forty-two
years of age and had been priest for
many years. Prior to his appointment
to st. Marys he was located at Par
nell. He came to Iowa from Massa-
cusetts, and it was in the latter state
he died Since his death Rev. Father
: Kempker, formerly of Winterset. has
been filling the place temporarily.
A concursus is to be held at st. Am
, brose college in Davenport next Wed
nesday for the examinations of priests
who are applicants for the vacancy in
the pastorate of. st. Mary's church
, The concursus will be presided over
, by Bishop Cosgrove and there will
doubtless be quite number of priests
from different parts of the diocese in
, attendance.
An Old Church.
st. Marys church is the Oldest OF
the three churches in Ottumwa and
l one of the oldest in Iowa. There are
, several applicants for the place, but
owing to the fact that some may with
: draw between now and the time fol
the concursus to be held, no oficia
: statement as to who the candidates
: are would be given out by the bishop:
q secretary. ~ -
The particular qualifications called
! for in the appointment OF a priest TO
g the Ottumwa church are such that thu
:. large majority OF priests in the dio
cese are barred. In the first place thu
appointee must be qualified in the
g German language. He must have beer
4 an ordained priest for at least tel
I years. He must be, too, diocesan
priest. There are altogether about II
S German priests in the state, but mos
: of them are in the northern diocese
$ presided over by Archbishop Keane o
: Dubuque. In the jurisdiction of Bishop
e Cosgrove there are not more than q
/ or 80 such priests. The Benedictin,
5 order of priests will not be considere,
: in the appointment. While the priest
S of this order in the diocese are unde
|. the Immediate supervision of Bishol
: Cosgrove, yet they may be recalled b
e the abbott, known as Innocent Wolf
g of Atchison, Kan.
t The secretary to the bishop, Rev
It Geo. Giglinger, when interview
ed at Davenport in regard t
the matter. was wholly uncommun
cative on the subject of who the al
}. plicants are.
II The examination at st. Ambros
d college will be conducted in accord
+. ance with the directions of the cou1
S. Gil at Baltimore, and it is not likel
g that the public will know who tn
k appointee is for day or two after tn
W examination has been held The +,
ID suit of the examination will be avail
y ed with great interest by members
le the priesthood in the diocese, an
le particularly by the priests of the &c
is man parishes in Iowa.
re