Sebastian Menke

Sebastian G. Menke
Born	(1910-12-21)December 21, 1910 St. Paul, Iowa
Died	April 21, 2002(2002-04-21)(aged 91) Davenport, Iowa
Nationality	American
Known for	President ofSt. Ambrose College,Davenport, Iowa

Sebastian G. Menke(December 21, 1910 – April 21, 2002) was a 20th-centuryCatholicpriest in theUnited Stateswho served as the tenth president ofSt. Ambrose CollegeinDavenport, Iowa,from 1964 to 1973.

Biography

Early life and education

Menke was born and raised inSt. Paul, Iowa.He graduated from St. Ambrose in 1934, and was ordained a priest for theDiocese of Davenportin St. Paul in 1938.

St. Ambrose College

Menke returned to St. Ambrose and taughtLatin,German,Greek,ancient historyandastronomyon campus. He then became rector for East Hall (Rohlman Hall).While he studied for hisdoctorateat theUniversity of Iowahe served as chaplain atMercy HospitalinIowa City.Menke served as president during a time when struggles were high for private colleges. TheVietnam Warwas raging and there were protests against the war on campus. Dr.Edward Rogalski,who would eventually serve as the college's president, remembers, "He did a lot to help defuse the emotions. We would meet with students at any time of day and night. He even led a protest march here in Davenport — and that was a time when emotions were running very high."In 1964 he was named aDomestic Prelateby PopePaul VI,upon the nomination of BishopRalph Hayes.From 1970-1973 St. Ambrose andMarycrest Collegeplanned for a merger. They even chose a new name for the school, Newman College, before the effort was discontinued and both schools went their own way. During his presidency, South Hall (Cosgrove Hall), Hayes Hall, and Galvin Fine Arts Center were all constructed.

Sacred Heart Cathedral

After leaving the presidency Menke became thepastorandrectorofSacred Heart Cathedral.He served as a chairperson for one of the commissions during the diocesansynodin 1974. Msgr. Menke also chaired a board that was working on the consolidation of St. Luke’s and Mercy Hospitals in Davenport. Like the merger of the two colleges, the hospital merger did not happen either.He was involved in establishing theUnited Wayof the Quad-Cities Area. El Centro Cultural Hispano, an organization that cared for the needs of the Spanish-speaking people of theQuad Cityarea, was established at Sacred Heart in 1975. Two years later Mass in Spanish was added to the cathedral schedule.Msgr. Menke was instrumental in establishing a food pantry and a clothing center at the cathedral. He helped out at theCatholic WorkerHouse and the East Side Development Center. He was involved with other social service agencies and racial matters.

Msgr. Menke's grave in Mount Calvary Cemetery

Later life and death

In 1985 Msgr. Menke retired as the cathedral rector and took up residence atSt. Mary’s Churchin Iowa City. At the end of 1991 he left Iowa City and retired to St. Vincent Center in Davenport.He died in 2002 at the age of 91. Memorial Masses were held at Christ the King Chapel at St. Ambrose and Sacred Heart Cathedral. He donated his body to the Department of Anatomy at the University of Iowa, which was later buried in the Priests' Circle ofMount Calvary Cemeteryin Davenport.

Legacy

TheMenke Observatoryis anastronomicalobservatoryowned and operated by St. Ambrose University. It was named in honor of Msgr. Menke.