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THTOSDAY MORNING, MAT », 1151Five Pastors Serve St.Rev* A* Longfiislc the suauner of 1858, the small Catholic Bavarian group around Dyersviile decided to have their o»n parish church and pastor. According to a tentative reckoning, a Geimsn speaking Frenchman, the Rev* A* Longfiis was sent by the Bishop, to Ik? in charge of the new Dyers* tile parish. He took charge of the St. Francis Xa\ier parish in September.Father Longlils immedia-er' rented a frame building on the West hank of the river, near the present she of the Koelker Hardware Store* to be used for church and school purposes.Father Longfiis then plan sec and commenced the erection of * brick church, at the corner of Y/est Victoria and Vine Streets. Turing the erection which began in October 1S5S. some serious disagree^ meat arose between Father Loagfils and several of the lay leaders of the parish, ending after five months, in the departure of Father Longfiis, who was never heard of again. The congregation was then supplied from New Vienna.Second Pastor Rev* A. KortenkampInto this cold. bare, unfinished church, in February of 1SS2. came Father Konenkamp, as the first pastor of St. Francis Xavier parish. Father Kortenkamp v.as bom near Munster, Westphalia, Germany, March 13 1834. He was educated in Germany, coming to Dubuque in 1861, and was ordained a priest, in November of the same year, by Bishop Smith. About February 2nd, 1S62 he was sent to take charge of the Dyersviile parish.Under his unswerving energy and zeal, the poor little ^parish grew so rapidly that in 1$70, the church was enlarged to double its size. Again the necessity of building a larger church became obvious, and in 1887, he made the arrangements for building the beautiful and capacious, SL Francis Xavier Church, which now supplies one of the largest, industrious, and most faithful parishes in the Siate of Iowa.But not only was the good Father busy in his own parish, fee also ittended to missions around him [or fifteen years, a* tending to the thurch at Worthington and often at Delhi. He also established the church at Luxemburg, Iowa.In the fall of ISS7 Bishop Hennessy sent Father Kortenkamp the Rev. Joseph Brinkman, (who bad been ordained the year before it Dubuque.) to become the first assistant at Dyersviile.However Father Kortenkatsp, did not live to see the fullfillment of bis hopes to see the new church dedicated, oa December 3rd. 3S39.1st PASTOR2nd PASTORThe Late Rev. A. KortenkampThe Late Rt. Rev. Msgr. G. W. Heer jGod called him to bis reward on September 14, 1889, when be was fifty-five years and six months old. The Cornerstone of the church had been laid on June 8th, 1S8S.Second Pastor Father George HeerTo ease the heavy burden of Father Brinkman, which he se couiageousiy and efficiently bore, since bis assignment as the first assistant in lSSe. Bishop Hennessy. on November 3rd, 1889, appointed The Rev. George Heer as the second pastor of SL Francis Xavier Parish.Father George Heer was born on April 25, 1849 at Boke Westphalia, Germany, came to America with his parents fn 1S55, and settled at Fort Madison, Iowa. He was ordained to the Holy Priesthood at SL John's Cathedral Milwaukee in March, 1872 by Most Reverand Martin J. Henni for the diocese of Dubuque. He became assistant to Rev. A_ Travis at Keokuk, and after two years, served as pastor at Richmond in Washington County. In September 1875 he went to Centralia. Iowa, in Dubuque County, where he was pastor for five years. Again in September he was appointed to the pastorate of SL Paul’s church in Worthington. Upon the death of Father Kortenkamp, FatherHeer became his successor by appointment, and entered upon his duties in Dyersviile on November 3rd, 1889.Father Heer. immediately- behr his energies Toward reducing the heavy debt that weighed down the congregation, after the completion of the magnificent church.In IS94, he remodeled the old church and built additions to it, convening it into a parochial schooland halL During his pastorate j he encouraged the Sisters of SL j ^ Francis to begin an “Academy lot girls. Seeing the great need for educated Catholic men. Father Heer procured the Brothers of Mary from Dayton, Ohio, as the teaching staff and in 1902, established a j high school for boys.[ The Silver Jubilee of Father! j Heer’s ordination was celebrated j on April 28th and 29th. i$27 by the { entire parish with great joy ana j festivity. jFather Heer and Father B. For-kenbrock of New Hampton, made an extensive tour throughout Eu*, rope, in the summer of 18S9, and j22 returned with many plans and ideas j ca for decorating SL Francis Xavier j onChurch. While at Dyersviile, Father. yeHerr re modeled and enlarged the s rectory in IS01, and in 1904-1905, j he orutr^I the frescoing and decor-ating of the church.His appointment, as rectorro♦ iaLtoSL Mary's Church Dubuque in 1905 ! came as a surprise to his devoted j ^ flock. The energetic, zealous priest?^ continued his keen interests in “ church as well as public affairs and ?\ his kindnesses to fellow priests, will never be forgotten. rlO!The then Monsignor Heer. celebrated his Golden Jubilee at SL j Mary’s Dubuque, on March 16, 1922.; TTe He died in December. 1929. and was \ buned at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Dubucue.Hihr.in:verfo Fa{ veThe Rt- Rev. Msgr.Theodore WarningThe \ery kind, and saintly Fain- j ne er Warning w®'. also bora in j le: Wesphalia, Germany, on October 1 at
Newspaper Details
Dyersville Commercial
Dyersville, Iowa, US
Thu, May 28, 1959
Page 3
Full Page
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Robert K.
IA, USA 29 Jun 2018
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