St. Anthony Catholic Church
Davenport, Iowa
Daily Email Newsletter
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A Little Bit About the New Pastor
Father Rudolph (Rudy) Juarez, 66, will serve as pastor of St. Anthony Parish Davenport and continue in his role as vicar for HIspanic Ministry. Born in Davenport, he attended St. Ambrose College, the University of Iowa and St. Mary University in San Antonio and the University of Notre Dame's Moreau Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood July 19, 1980, by Bishop O'Keefe at Sacred Heart Cathedral.

Father Rudy previously served temporary assignments and then as associate pastor of St. Anthony Parish Davenport; Our Lady of Lourdes Parish-Beffendorf; missionary vicar for Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission-Muscatine; completd graduate studies at Gregorian University in Rome; served as administrator, then pastor of St. Mary-Davenport. He has served as vicar for Hispanic ministry since 1991 and as pastor of St. Patrick Parish-Iowa City since 2004, St. Joseph Parish-West Liberty since 2018 and St. Bernadette Parish-West Branch since 2019.
Parishioner Sews to Help Others Fight the Coronavirus
Calling All Seamstresses!
by John Cooper
Parishioner Kathy Quinn called me yesterday to inquire if we needed any homemade masks to help protect ourselves from the coronavirus. I told her that we had started wearing masks in the kitchen at McAnthony Window on Monday.

Kathy says, "Over the years, I have sewn adaptive lounge wear for Sew Much Comfor t, a national volunteer organization of seamstresses providing adapted clothing to wounded service personnel during their recuperation. I’ve also sewn countless pillowcases for deployed sailors and soldiers through Molly’s Adopt A Sailor , a group created to provide care packages for deployed military personnel.  Fast-forward to this crisis. "I responded March 21st to a friend’s Facebook post, QC Masks for Healthcare , and started making masks then."

Last evening I received an email from new parishioner Captain Tina Manley, who I wrote about several days ago. She wrote asking, " Do you know anyone who knows how to use a sewing machine? If so, I'll buy the materials? My NCO who served with me many years ago in a MASH unit is making these in Jacksonville for the health care workers. Maybe, we can make them for people in our parish and those who come to McAnthony's Window." 

I asked Kathy, what she would suggest to anyone who would like to start sewing these masks. Kathy said, "I suggest interested seamstresses review the various posts on the QC Masks for Healthcare FaceBook page befo re they start. Quite a few tips, suggested patterns, fabrics, supplies, etc...are on there. You can view the video above for how to steps in making a mask. Click here to email Kathy with questions.

If you need supplies to sew masks or if you need masks to wear, please email me .
If you haven't responded, are you interested in the Zoom Prayer Service this Friday?
LOCATION
Via Zoom Audio Conference

DATE AND TIME
04/03/20 7:00pm - 04/03/20 8:00pm

Join us as we pray together during this coronavirus pandemic using Zoom audio conference.
Sign me up & send me call in info
Contact me as I have questions.
I can't make it.
Meet Meghanne Kendall
Candidate and Catechumens Entering the Catholic Church
Where are you originally from? I am from Canon City, Colorado. 

I have two children a daughter Haylee and a son Jayce. 

What has been your main line of work (inside or outside the home)? Or where are you currently working?
I currently go to St Ambrose I'm taking 19 credit hours. I work as a home health care aide, and as an activity assistant in a nursing home.

What led you to the Catholic faith? I have been praying a lot about where I fit in and for about a year and a half I have been thinking about becoming Catholic. it just has felt right and everything has led me that way. I finally decided that this is where I feel at home and where I want to be. I don’t know if I’ve ever been more sure about anything else in my life. 

What's the journey to becoming Catholic been like for you? My journey has been wonderful and I’ve been very fortunate to have John Cooper be able to do one-on-one sessions with me because without that I wouldn’t be able to do this otherwise with my work schedule and school. I’m just very appreciative and thankful to everyone who has been very nice and welcoming. It’s nice to feel like I’m welcomed. 

I am actually really really really really really really really sad about having to postpone coming into the Church because of the coronavirus. I feel like I just need it right now and I don’t want to wait. I feel like especially in the times we’re going through I just want to be that much closer to our Heavenly Father. Honestly, it’s kind of made me sick to my stomach thinking about having to wait but I understand why.  
To all the parishioners of St. Anthony’s:

In today's newsletter you read a short bio about Father Rudy who will be replacing me in July. I ask you to pray for both of us in this time of transition.

When I came into the office to pick up some paperwork I found a bag of homemade masks on my desk. The health professions have so far stopped short in having everyone wear masks when they are out and about, but I'm glad to see that our parishioners are concerned enough to join the effort to ensure that people who need them, have them.

In Christ’s Peace,
Rev. Apo Mpanda
Pastor
Leaving You with a Little Humor

One day Jesus was out for a walk, strolling near the walls surrounding heaven, when he heard an old man’s voice call from the other side.
“Hello? Hello?”
Jesus replied, “Who is it?”
“Just a poor, old carpenter searching for his son,” the old man replied.
Jesus’ heart leapt with joy and he called out, “Joseph?”
The voice answered back, “Pinocchio?”