Rev. John F. Lorenz (2016)

LORENZ

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 11/7/2016 at 21:18:47

Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Iowa
Friday, November 4, 2016

Rev. John F. Lorenz, Johnston

Rev. John F. Lorenz, 88, died November 1, 2016 at Mercy Medical Center In Des Moines. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Augustin Catholic Church in Des Moines on Friday, November 11th at 10:30 a.m. Followed by a luncheon. There will be a visitation from 5 - 7 p.m. on Thursday November 10th at St. Augustin Church with a Vigil Service at 7:00 p.m. Burial will be at Glendale Cemetery on Saturday, November 12th at 9:00 a.m. due to the Veterans Day Holiday. Father Lorenz attended Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Conception College Seminary and St. Paul Seminary in Minnesota and was ordained to the priesthood on May 15, 1954 at St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines.

He served as Assistant Pastor at Neola and St. John's Basilica in Des Moines. He taught at Dowling Catholic High School until 1965. After a brief period at Sacred Heart in West Des Moines he was made Pastor of St. Bernard in Osceola. In 1971 he became Co-Pastor of team ministry in Clarke, Decatur, Ringgold and Wayne counties. In 1973 he became Co-Pastor of St. Ambrose Cathedral. He was given a sabbatical in 1980 after which he became Pastor of St. Patrick's in Council Bluffs. He moved to Westphalia as Administrator and in 1984 was then made Pastor in St. Mary's, Iowa with a cooperative ministry with Churchville and Irish Settlement. In 1991 he was Parochial Vicar of Holy Trinity in Des Moines and then St. Anthony's. In 1994 after a time at St. John's in Cumming he began as part time Parochial Vicar of St. Augustin in Des Moines where he continued even when he retired in 1998. In March of 2015 he moved to the Bishop Drumm Home.

In his early years he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Later, as a member of a Secular Institute he quietly devoted much time to their national and international efforts. He will be remembered for his economy of words, whether in the classroom, in a homily or in conversation. He was always most gracious whenever you met him. He was a devoted priest and was known for his hospitality to priests and parishioners.

Father Lorenz is survived by his two brothers, Fred (Marianne) Lorenz of Seattle, WA and Paul (Patty) Lorenz of Corvallis, OR and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, William who died as a young child. Special thanks to Dowling Catholic Priest Residence and the staff at the Bishop Drumm Retirement Center. Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.