Biographies | 1896 Bios
Rev. James Foley
At the completion of his course there he was ordained to the priesthood for the diocese of Dubuque, on the 10th of June. 1876. Though deeply imbued with the love of his native land, he bade farewell to .friends and home and sailed for America September 15, 1876. He was appointed by Bishop Hennessy as assistant pastor in Des Moines, where he remained until his promotion as pastor of Stuart, on August 25, 1877. As the pioneer pastor he came here in the days of his youth to a new and undeveloped location, to build it up and "to grow up with the country." There are few priests in the State who have grown up to so high a measure of esteem and reverence as Father Foley has attained amongst all classes in his mission; and whilst the land has rapidly progressed from wild prairie to highly cultivated fields, dotted everywhere with happy homes and prosperous hamlets and villages, Father Foley has also been assiduous in instructing and visiting his people, and largely instrumental in inducing many good Catholic families to build their homes in this favored spot.
At his arrival here in 1877 the mission comprised nearly all the counties of Guthrie and Adair. Mass was occasionally celebrated at different points, but the principal stations at which congregations were organized were: Stuart, Guthrie Center, Adair, Bridgewater and Bayard; and the number of Catholic families found here at that time comprised twenty-four at Stuart, sixteen at Adair, fifteen at Guthrie Center, twelve at Bridgewater, and eight at Bayard. In ministering to the spiritual wants of these people so widely separated the reader can readily imagine the amount of labor and exposure endured, and the extent of spiritual zeal which would prompt such an undertaking. The roads at this time in this new country were not permanently established, and in winter time were often obscure; yet the rigors of the wintry blast were not tempered, even to, one on a mission of humanity.
In 1877 Stuart had only a very small church, incumbered with some indebtedness. Renting a cottage for temporary residence, Father Foley began his pastoral duties amid many discouragements, yet in a short time the church was relieved from debt. The next step was the building of a parochial residence, which was admirably planned, and of such appropriate design that it is an honor to the parish and to the diocese. Year by year the efforts to embellish and improve were renewed; the church was twice handsomely enlarged and now measures 32X90 feet, with an additional large extension, having sacristy and gallery, the whole being neatly finished and artistically decorated. The altars, vestments and ornaments have been lavishly provided; there is seating capacity for the entire congregation; and a sweet-toned bell of 2,000 pounds daily reminds the parishioners of their spiritual necessities even though they may be engaged in a struggle to provide for their temporal wants. Ample and well selected grounds have been provided and tastefully improved with trees and verdure. A half square has been secured to provide for a Sisters' school site, when a school becomes feasible, and all this has been accomplished with the greatest harmony and good will, and with strictest attendance to instruction, prayer and all the most edifying spiritual ministrations of his holy vocation. Guthrie Center has always enjoyed the full measure of Father Foley's careful attendance. It is the county seat, a beautiful little city; they have a neat, well-kept church, and have their priest with them at regular intervals on Sundays and on many other occasions of extra feast days; but the congregation does not grow as rapidly as others, because the tendency of Catholic families in a new country is to choose their homes where the priest resides.
Adair, in Adair county, twenty miles west of Stuart, claims Father Foley as the first priest who came and said mass amongst them. The country is very rolling and looks almost mountainous as the eye sweeps from ridge to ridge in every direction, with an unobstructed view of five miles and more. Here Father Foley gathered his little flock in vacant rooms or residences, then took the public-school room, which on Sunday he divided with the Methodist congregation, the one celebrating the divine mysteries "up stairs," while the other conducted their meeting at the same time "down stairs," all in brotherly harmony. But in 1882, under the direction of Father Foley, the Catholics built their own church, at a cost of about $3,000.
This parish is the place where Father Foley can speak of sick calls. It is the congregation of magnificent distances, and his graphic description of a sick call 'mid blizzard or cyclone will equal the most thrilling incidents in the lives of the missionaries of fifty years ago. On July 4, 1893, Right Reverend Bishop Cosgrove kindly remembered the people of Adair and sent them Rev. John F. Kempker, as resident pastor, who is still with them, an able teacher and contributor to the literature of the church.
Bridgewater, under the direction of Father Foley, included all the southern half of Adair county and part of Cass county. Some forty families were scattered here and there over this vast field, the three principal points for celebrating mass being the German colony four miles north of the town of Bridgewater, Fontanelle and Greenfield; but within the last few years this field was detached and placed under charge of the Benedictine Fathers’ of Creston. Bayard congregation was relinquished in 1882 into the charge of the pastor of Perry.
All of these several fields of labor were attended faithfully by Father Foley until the extension of railroads or the building of new ones rendered it possible for others to reach the fields conveniently, and hence Father Foley is justly remembered by those people as the one who ministered to them in their dire necessities, and his name will ever be revered by them.
He has been a member of the Bishop's Council for six years, and is prominently connected with the Irish National League of Iowa. For the last ten years he has been treasurer of this .organization, and thousands of dollars have been faithfully transmitted by him to the parent society across the sea.
The wonderful growth and prosperity of the Stuart mission is therefore due to the indefatigable labors of Father Foley, whom the people of every nationality and every creed: recognize as a gentleman of boundless usefulness and purity of life. He is not only useful as a wise and trusted pastor, but in the ordinary affairs of life he always finds time for a friendly greeting and a helping hand. The influence of such a life spent in a community is of incalculable value to the rising generation, whatever their religious training may be.
A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company 1896, pg. 521.