By CHUCK OFFENBURGER JEFFERSON, Iowa, May 30, 2022 — When Michael Franken, the retired 3-star U.S. Navy admiral who is running for the U.S. Senate from Iowa, finished his presentation to a houseful of Greene County voters one evening last week, his host here Rick Morain told the old sailor, “I like the cut of…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER COOPER, Iowa, July 4, 2022 — You want new understanding of why Iowa farmers are like they are? Talk to couple of them, like I did yesterday with my great neighbors and friends Doug Lawton, 67, and Karen Lawton, 64, ask the right questions, and you get reminded what they’ve been through in…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER DUBUQUE & CUMBERLAND, Iowa, April 16, 2022 — Nobody told me, when I was starting to teach college kids, that a couple of them might actually turn out to be pastors of churches. Oh, I would occasionally hear more seasoned faculty talk about how satisfying and fulfilling it can be in later years…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER PEOSTA, Iowa, April 10, 2022 – Father Jim O’Connor, the best thinker and writer I’ve ever known, and for nearly 40 years my chief spiritual advisor, died in the wee hours Friday, April 8, at the age of 98. And I feel orphaned. Oh, I’m happy that Father Jim is happy, and…
PEOSTA, Iowa, April 10, 2022 – Following is the text of the sermon/eulogy that Rev. Brendan Freeman, acting abbot of New Melleray Abbey here in northeast Iowa, delivered on Saturday, April 9, at the funeral of Rev. Jim O’Connor, a monk who died very early Friday morning at the age of 98. Father Jim O’Connor…