St. Malachy Welcomes Westphal to Union County

Reverend Adam Westphal took over for Father Ken Halber and began his role as canonical administrator for St. Malachy Catholic School and as the Administrator to Holy Spirit and St. Edward parishes July 27 in Union County.

Westphal comes to Union County from St. Luke’s Parish in Ankeny, where he was the administrator.

Westphal’s career in the faith began when he was a senior in high school while on a retreat with his mother and family. What Westphal describes as a religious experience led him to seek a better understanding of the church and its teachings. Westfall was a student on his way to becoming an aerospace engineer, but after his experience he chose to pursue a degree in theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio in 2004.

After graduation, Westphal participated in mission work in Austria and when he returned he felt that he was being called to serve in the seminary. Following Westphal’s appointment as a priest, he served at Saint Anthony’s in southern Des Moines for two years. He was chosen to study canon law at the Catholic University of America, after which he was assigned to Saint Francis in West Des Moines. He was appointed pastor of St. Luke’s before coming to Union County.

“The process to priesthood was a gradual one. I didn’t’t realize until much later that this was where the lord was calling me,” said Westphal. “At first, I just wanted to know more because I had a friend that asked me some questions about the Catholic faith that I couldn’t answer even though I had been going to a catholic school for 12 years. So that is when I started delving deeper and I found that there was a lot more about the faith that I had never considered.”

Westphal said once he was accepted into seminary, he knew that he was exactly where he was supposed to be. After becoming ordained and taking on the duties of a priest, he found that confession was his favorite part of a life in the faith.

"It was something I didn't't realize was so powerful as a priest, until I was ordained," Westphall said, "I have heard it said, like in marriage, the thing you fall in love with is not what is going to keep you in love, that changes as the relationship develops. It is the same in priesthood. I had no idea how powerful confession was the ability to see people free. They come in and they are burdened with something, then they can lay it down and they can experience that freedom."

St. Malachy

In his new role Westphal will ensure the faith component of the school is functional, by praying with the kids, performing masses and teaching on occasion.

“It is to almost be a presence of Christ in the lives of the kids, the staff and the parents, showing that our faith is truly a beautiful and wonderful thing, giving them a good foundation for life in this world and the world to come.” he said.

Westphal was also assigned to be the administrator of the catholic churches in Union County and has spent the last three weeks getting to know staff and families who are involved with the church. Westphal has frequently met with members of the community seeking feedback on what the county needs from the church.

“In some way I have it in my heart that my role here is to help with the spiritual betterment of Union County,” Westphal said. “Whatever I can do to help lead people one step closer to encountering the joy of Jesus Christ, that is my responsibility.”