Two priests celebrating 55th anniversaries of ordination in 2020

DUBUQUE – Two priests of the Archdiocese are celebrating their 55th anniversaries of ordination this year.

Father Paul McManus

Father Paul McManus, former chaplain of Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo was born Aug. 3, 1939, in Dubuque to Charles and Isabel (Kutsch) McManus. He graduated from Loras College and completed his theological studies at Mount St. Bernard Seminary, both in Dubuque.

He was ordained June 5, 1965, at St. Raphael Cathedral by Archbishop James J. Byrne.

He served as associate pastor of St. Patrick’s in Cedar Rapids, 1965-67; Holy Family in Mason City, 1967-70; Sacred Heart in Monticello and Holy Trinity in Baldwin, 1970-73; St. Ludmila’s in Cedar Rapids, 1973-78; and Holy Ghost in Dubuque, 1978-80.

He was resident chaplain at Mercy Health Center in Dubuque, 1980-86.

He served as pastor of Immaculate Conception in Fairbank, 1986-91, and St. Mary’s in Hazleton, 1986-89, and as part-time chaplain of the Mental Health Institute in Independence, 1989-91.

He was pastor of St. Patrick’s in Dubuque, 1991-95, and of Sacred Heart in Walker and St. Mary’s in Urbana, 1995-97.

In addition to his pastorate at St. Patrick Parish, he served as alcoholism counselor for the Substance Abuse Service Center in the Nesler Building in Dubuque, 1994-95, serving Dubuque, Delaware and Jackson Counties.

He was part-time chaplain at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, 1995-97, and full-time chaplain there since 1997.

He retired in 2009 from Covenant Medical Center and continued to celebrate a weekly Mass at St. Francis Chapel at Covenant until 2012.

From September 2012-2017 he served as the sacramental priest for Sacred Heart, Oelwein, and I.C. Fairbank, until Father Ray Atwood arrived. He aided in prison ministry for a year, but had to give it up for medical reasons. Since then, he continues to lead the support group at his home for recovering clergy.

Father McManus is appreciative of the opportunity he has had to serve as a priest. Early in his ministry, he struggled with alcoholism, but he went into treatment and has been in recovery for over 30 years.

Since retirement, Father McManus has spent his time as a sacramental priest serving several parishes. Now at 81, he can’t help out as much as in the past because of the interior steps of many churches.  He currently enjoys gardening, reading, and having time to pray and relax. Father McManus has lived in Winthrop since 2012 and lives two blocks north of St. Patrick Church.

 Father Donald Klein

Father Donald Klein is also celebrating 55 years as a priest this year. He was born June 29, 1940, in Waterloo to Henry and Mary (Smith) Klein.

He graduated from Loras College in Dubuque and completed his theological studies at Gregorian University in Rome.

He was ordained July 11, 1965, at the Church of the Twelve Apostles in Rome by Most Rev. Francis Reh, rector of the North American College.

His assignments have included:

• Associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish and faculty member of Newman High School, both in Mason City, 1966-69.
• Assistant principal of Regis High School in Cedar Rapids, 1970-74, and principal there, 1974-83.
• Campus pastor of St. Stephen Catholic Student Center, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, 1983-93.
• Pastor of St. Pius X Parish in Cedar Rapids (1993-2010) and pastoral coordinator of Regis Middle School in Cedar Rapids (1999-2010).

He served as archdiocesan coordinator of campus ministry, 1988-93, and as a member of the seminary board, 1987-89. He also served as archdiocesan consultor, 1989-99, a member of the Priests Council, 1986-99 (chairman, 1988-92), member of the Iowa Catholic Conference Board, 1988-92, and dean of the Cedar Rapids Deanery, 2001-2007. He has been a member of the Archdiocesan Finance Council since 2005, and a member of the Archdiocesan Personnel Advisory board since 2008.

He retired in the Cedar Rapids area in 2010.