The Ave Maria Study Club met in the St. Henry dining room at 1 p.m. on April 14 with 14 members and one guest, Bernice Diggins, attending. Hostesses were Thonia Chua and Marj Higgins. The program was arranged by Jean Miller and presented by her son, Fr. Dennis Miller, on his years as a priest.

Fr. Miller grew up in Marshalltown and has now served 20 years as a priest in the Archdiocese of Dubuque. He credits the influence of Sr. Anne Fiala as sparking his desire to become a priest after she asked him to help teach religion at St. Mary. Fr. Miller told of the various parishes he served and the variety of experiences he had, with each parish having its own unique challenges and blessings as he was moved to many different parishes during those 20 years, never staying longer than five years at one parish. His first assignment was at the Manchester–Ryan–Greeley cluster with Fr. Ralph Simington at the time Fr. Ralph was experiencing heath challenges, and then continued with various other assignments over the next twenty years.

Starting in 2020, he experienced the challenges of Covid 19, including losing his father to it. Currently, he is serving at busy inner-city St. Patrick Parish in Cedar Rapids where he conducted eight funerals in the last two weeks. Fr. Miller is one of 10 priests to enter the priesthood from Marshalltown.

Following Fr. Millers’ program, refreshments were served by the hostesses.

Rose Ann Jero reported that she had been sending out cards to priests during Covid. Fr. Daggett will offer a Mass for all priests, and also a Mass praying for leadership in ACCW. Fr. Daggett will retire in 2024.

Jean Miller spoke of enrolling new member Mindy McDonald in the Benedictine Golden Book and she will be prayed for by the Benedictines.

The next meeting will be on May 12 in the Madonna Room with McDonald and Carol Paxon as hostesses. The program will be given by Paxson on “Blessed Virgin Mary’s Attire,” as well as a May Crowning. The meeting closed with the Prayer for Priests and the Act of Faith.