Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-02-04
NEW PRIEST CHOSEN
Father F. w. Hoppman Will be
Pastor Of ST. Mary's Church.
he COMES FROM ST. PAUL IOWA
Announcement is Made Today by
Bishop Cosgrove of Davenport
New Pastor is An Able Priest-Will
Take Up His Work Soon.

Davenport, Feb. 3.-(SpeciaD-As
Bishop Cosgrove today named F. W..
Hoppman, of st. Paul, Lee county Qa.)
dean and irremovable rector of ST.
Mary's church at Ottumwa. Father
Hoppman was born in Burlington and
is about 43 years old and speaks Ger
man. Where Father Kempker goes is
not decided.
Rev. Father F. w. Hoppman of ST.
Paul, Lee county, was today announc-
ed by Bishop Cosgrove of Davenport,
as the new dean and irremovable pas
tor of ST. Mary's Catholic church in
this city, as told in the above telegram.
This is the result of the concursus
which was held in Davenport January
| 20, when several aspirants for the posi-
ton, which is one of the most impor-
tant in the state, took examinations be-
fore Bishop Cosgrove. The require
ments were strict. 1t was necessary
that the one to whom the place was to
be awarded should be an able scholar,
have considerable experience, be able
to talk German, etc. Father Hoppman
has filled the requirements satisfactor
lily and will become the dean here.
Will Come Soon.
Father Hoppman will take charge
of the church in a short time, taking
the place of Father j. F. Kempker,whc
is at present the temporary pastor
There will be no ceremonies attend
ant upon the installation of the new
priest. He will simply come to the
city and take up the work which ha:
been carried on by Father kempkel
since he took the place made vacant
by the death of Dean Hugh Kelly
who passed away at his old home neal
Boston, Mass, December s. Father
Kelly had been i'll for some time be
fore his death, and Father Kempkel
has been in the city for some time
long enough, in fact to have won The
Friendship and admiration of many, and
his departure from Ottumwa and from
ST. Marys will be cause for genera
regret. However, the laws of th-
Church are irrevocable. AS yet Bish
OPP Cosgrove has not announced where
Father Kempker will be sent.
The New Priest.
Very little is known in this city o
dlHei f1oppuldL, although MS udul
is familiar to many Ottumwa Cathc
lies. He has always been regarded a
a priest of high ability and worth, an
ST. Marys parishioners are to be cor
graduated upon having been sent
man who will bring credit to himsel
and to the church. Father Hoppma
is 43 years of age, and has been at S
: Paul for the past six years
,oq Succeeds Good Man.
The position as pastor of st. Mary
is one of the six life pastorates in tn
diocese, the others being at De
Moines. Keokuk, Muscatine, Counc
: Bluffs and Davenport. 1t carries wit
it the office Of dean, there being 81
churches in the Ottumwa deaner,
! Dean Kelly, the last permaner
pastor, was a general favorte not OF
l ly among his Pensioners, but anon
2 all who knew him. Protestants as we
as Catholics. Father Hoppman, the
has before him the task of filing sa
isfactorily the position recently vaca
5 ed by an excellent man-excellent i
every way. However, his friends al
i of the opinion that he will be able t
S prove a success. His coming will b
= waited with much interest