Suspended Catholic priest returns to lead Iowa church

A priest who was suspended by the Des Moines Catholic Diocese in 2020 after allegations of inappropriate conduct is now returning to guide an Iowa congregation. 

The diocese listed Father Jim Kirby as going from a depart of absence to function a pastor at St. Mary/Holy Cross parish in Elkhart, Iowa in its priest assignments launched April 25. In line with the discharge, the newest priest assignments can be efficient July 14.  

“This previous February, Father Jim Kirby accomplished a interval of administrative depart throughout which he was to not train public priestly ministry,” the Des Moines Catholic Diocese stated in a information launch April 28. “Father Kirby had beforehand fulfilled a set of circumstances that have been imposed on him as a part of suspension from priestly ministry in July 2020.”

Kirby additionally accomplished knowledgeable program addressing private well being points, the discharge stated. Earlier than receiving his new task, Kirby offered sacramental ministry and media-related work for the diocese as wanted. 

“It’s with nice humility and, hopefully, extra knowledge that I return to my priestly ministry within the service of the folks of Southwest Iowa,” Kirby stated within the information launch.

St. Mary/Holy Cross parish, the place Kirby has been assigned, consists of two church buildings in northern Polk County. St. Mary Church is in Elkhart, and Holy Cross Church is east of Elkhart close to Farrar, Iowa. Parishioners of St. Mary/Holy Cross come from Elkhart and lots of different communities within the space, together with Adel, Huxley and Nevada. 

The Des Moines Catholic Diocese declined to remark additional on the task and directed questions again to the information launch.

Who’s Father Jim Kirby and why was he suspended? 

Kirby beforehand served as longtime Dowling Catholic women’ cross nation coach and assistant coach for the Simpson Faculty cross nation program. 

In 2020, Simpson Faculty suspended Kirby after he allegedly made feedback via textual content message about his attraction to a 19-year-old scholar, whose sister then circulated the messages on Twitter. The Des Moines Catholic Diocese additionally suspended Kirby, who had served because the pastor at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Carlisle since 2009. 

Whereas suspended, Kirby was prohibited from contacting parish management, the complainant or her household, or any girl underneath age 30 except she was a member of the family, based on a July 2020 information launch from the diocese. He was additionally not allowed to enter bars and needed to keep away from bars in eating places.

Throughout his suspension, he remained a priest of the dioceseand was required to “full set circumstances and exhibit important reform with a purpose to return to lively ministry,” the 2020 information launch stated.

Two earlier complaints have been filed in opposition to Kirby in 2010 and 2019, which the diocese had stated shared similarities with the 2020 allegation. 

Grace Altenhofen is a information reporter for the Des Moines Register. She might be reached at galtenhofen@registermedia.com or on Twitter @gracealtenhofen.