In March, 1872, while a young priest, the monsignor was appointed pastor of Sioux City and during his fourteen years there he saw many changes in the city and the surrounding territory. The completion of new railroads had opened northwestern Iowa to settlement, and new settlers were coming in by thousands, many being Catholics. Sioux City was the nearest place where there was a church or a priest, and Father Lenehan was called on to attend to the spiritual wants of those settlers, scattered over an immense territory, including all that portion of Iowa west of the Little Sioux River and north to the Minnesota line, and consisting of about ten counties.
After several months of strenuous missionary work Father Lenehan was given an assistant in Sioux City in the person of Rev. John J. Cadden, who remained nearly two years, doing good work in city and country, wherever his services were needed. After leaving there he was sent to southern Iowa, and died several years later in the Davenport diocese.
In 1874 it became apparent that the congregation had outgrown the old frame church on West Seventh and Perry streets and that a larger and better building was needed. Father Lenehan erected a handsome brick church, which was dedicated under the patronage of St. Mary, Help of Christians, on the Sunday within the octave of the Assumption, on August, 1875, by Very Rev. John F. Brazil, of Des Moines, vicar general of the diocese. Rev. T. M. Lenihan, of Fort Dodge, was celebrant of the mass.
In February, 1886, after fourteen years of continuous and satisfactory service, Father Lenehan resigned his charge in Sioux City to the great regret of all, both Catholic and Protestant. He intended to become a Jesuit and took preliminary steps, but, the confinement not agreeing with his health, he returned to Iowa. A delegation was sent from Sioux City to Dubuque to make an effort to secure his return to Sioux City, but other arrangements had already been made for Sioux City, and Father Lenehan had been assigned to Denison. Later he was transferred to Boone, where he remained about sixteen years.
With the organization of the diocese of Sioux City and the appointment of Rt. Rev. P. J. Garrigan as its first bishop, there were several changes. At the close of the first diocesan retreat for the priests on August 22, 1902, the first diocesan synod was held, and diocesan officers were announced. Among the appointments was that of Father Lenehan as vicar general. In November, 1903, he was transferred from Boone to Corpus Christi Church, Fort Dodge, the oldest and one of the best parishes in the diocese.
During Father Lenehan’s long residence in Sioux City he endeared himself not only to his own flock, but to the people of every denomination and those of none at all. All admired him for his eloquence and his affability.
Honors only added to his natural and innate dignity of character. As Rt. Rev. Mgr. Lenehan, domestic prelate to the pope and vicar general of the diocese of Sioux City, he remained the same modest, unassuming priest, the same “teacher of the silver tongue,” the same genial, companionable, Christian gentleman, as when he was pastor of old St. Mary’s, and missionary teacher of half a diocese thirty years ago.
Mgr. Lenehan was a great friend of the younger priests, and his death will be sincerely mourned by many a clergyman who got much inspiration through acquaintance with this exceptional man.
JAMES McGOVERN.
BY MR. JOHN G. O’KEEFFE OF NEW YORK.