Three clergy celebrating 60 years of priesthood
The following priests of the archdiocese are celebrating the 60th anniversaries of their ordination in 2020
Msgr. Richard Funke, who lives in South Pasadena, Florida, was born Oct. 27, 1934, in Dyersville to Anthony and Margaret (Ludwig) Funke.
He graduated from Loras College in Dubuque and completed his theological studies at Mount St. Bernard Seminary, also in Dubuque.
He was ordained Jan. 30, 1960, by Archbishop Leo Binz at St. Raphael Cathedral in Dubuque.
He served as associate pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Waterloo, 1960-66; and Nativity Parish in Dubuque, 1966-69.
He served as secretary of the Metropolitan Tribunal and secretary to Most Rev. Francis J. Dunn, auxiliary bishop of Dubuque, 1969-71. He was also director of the Archdiocesan Family Life Bureau.
He served as chaplain at Mount Carmel Motherhouse in Dubuque, 1970-71. He took graduate studies at the Catholic University in Washington, D.C., 1971-73.
He was spiritual moderator of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women, 1973-84; vice officialis in the Metropolitan Tribunal, 1973-79; and chaplain of Stonehill Care Center in Dubuque, 1976-79.
Msgr. Funke served as vice chancellor of the archdiocese, 1979-84. He was pastor of St. Mary Parish in Dike, 1984-91; St. Patrick Parish in Cedar Falls, 1984-93; and St. Columbkille Parish in Dubuque, 1993-2000. He served in special ministry from 2000 until his retirement in 2004.
He was appointed to the Archdiocesan Finance Commission in 1984. He was installed as a prelate of honor (monsignor) in 1991. He served as judicial vicar of the Interdiocesan Tribunal of Second Instance, Province of Iowa, 1993-95. Since 2000, Msgr. Funke has been assisting at St. Jude Cathedral in St. Petersburg annually October to May and assisting in the Archdiocese of Dubuque from May to October.
“I am grateful to God for all his many blessings and good health, for being a part of the presbytery of the Archdiocese of Dubuque and also assisting in the Diocese of St. Petersburg,” said the priest, while reflecting on his anniversary.
Bishop Gregory Parkes plans to recognize Msgr. Funke’s 60th anniversary of ordination at the chrism Mass on April 7 at the Cathedral of St. Jude in the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Msgr. Funke plans to celebrate Mass with his siblings and their many children and grandchildren at St. Mary Church in Manchester on Aug. 8.
Msgr. John Hemann, who was born Nov. 22, 1934, to Bernard and Olive (Halbach) Hemann, was raised in Stacyville. He is now retired and lives in Clear Lake and continues to provide priestly support in many parishes in northern Iowa on a regular basis as well as priestly support to the Newman Catholic School System and MercyOne Hospital, both in Mason City.
He graduated from Visitation Catholic School in Stacyville in 1952 and from Loras College in Dubuque in 1956.
He attended Mount St. Bernard Seminary in Dubuque where he studied dogmatic and moral theology, Scripture, liturgy and canon law.
He was ordained on Jan. 30, 1960, at St. Raphael in Dubuque by Archbishop Leo Binz. Since ordination, he has done graduate studies at Aquinas Institute of Theology in Dubuque and St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota.
Msgr. Hemann’s pastoral assignments were:
• Parochial administrator for St. Paul Parish in Traer and St. Joseph Parish in Dysart, June 12, 1960-Aug. 27, 1960.
• Assistant pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Cedar Rapids and faculty member of St. Patrick and LaSalle High Schools in Cedar Rapids, Aug. 27, 1960-Aug. 19, 1965.
• Assistant pastor of St. Anthony’s in Dubuque and a faculty member of Wahlert High School, Aug. 19, 1965-Aug. 11, 1970.
• Assistant pastor of St. Joseph Parish and a faculty member of Newman High School, both in Mason City, Aug. 11, 1970-July 12, 1972.
• Member of the pastoral team ministry serving St. John Parish in Waterloo and St. Nicholas Parish in Evansdale, July 12, 1972-July 8, 1980.
• Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Eagle Grove, July 8, 1980-Sept. 20, 1983.
• Pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Cedar Rapids, Sept. 20, 1983-July 10, 1990.
• Pastor of St. Boniface Parish in Garner, July 10, 1990-July 11, 2000.
• Pastor of St. Wenceslaus Parish in Duncan, July 9, 1991-July 11, 2000.
• Pastor of St. Boniface Parish in Ionia, St. Michael Parish in Nashua and Immaculate Conception Parish in North Washington, July 11, 2000-July 12, 2005.
• Pastor of St. Bernard Parish in Alta Vista, Immaculate Conception Parish in Elma and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Lourdes, July 9, 2002-July 12, 2005.
Msgr. Hemann served as dean of the New Hampton Deanery, Aug. 20, 2001-July 12, 2005, and parochial administrator of St. Patrick Parish in Clear Lake, March 20, 2006-July 11, 2006.
Pope John Paul II named him a prelate of honor (monsignor) in April 2003.
Msgr. Hemann enlisted as a chaplain in the U.S. Army on April 19, 1966, and served in the Iowa Army National Guard until his retirement from the military on Sept. 9, 1994.
His active duty assignments took him to Neu Ulm, Germany, in November 1987, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., in March 1980 and Nuernberg, Germany, from Dec. 10, 1990, to June 2, 1991, during the Persian Gulf War.
During the last eight years of his military career, he served on the Iowa Adjutant General’s Staff as the state chaplain for the Iowa Army and Air National Guard.
He retired after 28 years of military service with the rank of brigadier general.
He has been a licensed pilot since July 1963, with an instrument rating, and is a charter member of the National Association of Priest Pilots, which was founded in July 1964. In April 2017, the Federal Aviation Association presented Msgr. Hemann the “Wright Brothers Air Safety Award” for having flown airplanes for 50 or more years without an incident. Msgr. Hemann celebrated his ordination anniversary in January with the Hemann family at their annual family gathering. On Sunday, March 1, St. Patrick Parish in Clear Lake honored him with a special celebration liturgy and reception.
Father Walter Kleinfehn, who lives in Cedar Rapids, was born Aug. 23, 1933, in New Hampton to Walter and Agnes (Leitel) Kleinfehn.
He attended St. John University, Collegeville, Minn., 1952-54, and then transferred and graduated from Loras College and completed his theological training at Mount St. Bernard, both in Dubuque.
He was ordained Jan. 30, 1960, at the Cathedral of St. Raphael in Dubuque by Archbishop Leo Binz.
He served as associate pastor of Sacred Heart, Dubuque, 1960-61; Immaculate Conception, Fairbank, 1961-66; and St. Anthony’s, Dubuque, 1966-68.
He was a member of the faculty of Newman High School, Mason City, 1968-70, where he also served as assistant principal. He served on the faculty and as principal of LaSalle High School, Cedar Rapids, 1970-74.
He served as assistant pastor of St. Columbkille’s, Dubuque, 1974-76; and St. Pius X, Cedar Rapids, 1976-79. During this time, he was also administrator at Rockwell, Swaledale and Cartersville. He served in team ministry in Mason City, 1979-80.
In 1980, he was named pastor of St. Bernard’s in Alta Vista and to the faculty of the School of Religion in New Hampton. He served as pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Hampton and St. Francis Parish in Dumont, 1982-93. In 1993, he was named pastor of St. Michael Parish in Norway and St. Patrick Parish in Watkins until his retirement. He retired in July 2003.
