Catching Up with Bob and Dave.

For those who know these two Curley grads, the connection is obvious—Dave married Bob’s sister, Peg.  But the connection goes a lot deeper.  After Curley, both men graduated from Loyola College with degrees in business.  After college, both migrated to Colorado, Bob in 1976 and Dave a year later.   Both found initial jobs in Colorado as youth ministers in Catholic parishes.  Bob then began working as a parish business administrator before becoming the first Finance Officer for the newly formed Diocese of Colorado Springs.   Dave moved on to Honeywell.  “In many ways, viewing Bob’s experience working for the Church in Colorado Springs got me interested in the possibility of Church Administration as a career,” explains Dave.  And he made that move by taking a job with the Archdiocese of Baltimore and moving back east in 1984.  He worked in various planning, budgeting and finance positions, including finance officer, for over six years.  A reorganization in the Archdiocese, along with a desire to stay in Church Administration, led him to the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in Kansas City, Missouri, where he has worked for the last 19 years as Chief Financial Officer and Director of Management Services.  

Bob and Dave are brothers-in-law with similar positions in different cities.   They see each other at the meetings of professional organizations to which they both belong, as well as at family gatherings.  And they both play guitar.

The experience of Bob and Dave illustrate the opportunities for the laity to serve in ministerial and leadership positions in the Church. Many can end up being professional careers. Their particular position  deals with the stewardship and management of the temporal goods and resources of the Church. Bob explains: “I see it as my job to work with the Bishop and Diocesan Finance Council to steward the temporal goods of the Church to allow the Diocese to carry out its mission of worship, formation, and service for the People of God.  My work includes oversight of the diocesan budget, financial reporting, investments, insurance and benefit programs, legal services, debt financing, property management and new church construction, and priest and lay employees pension plans.  I enjoy trying to carry out these areas of administration as effectively and efficiently as possible to provide as much funding as possible to the ministerial efforts of the Church.”  While this is a way to professionally work for the Church, it should not obscure the primary role of the laity, which is to make God’s Word and God’s Love visible in the world.

When asked about Curley’s influence in their lives, Dave said: “There is no doubt that the Curley experience –the example of St. Francis, the example of the priests and friars, the example of the very dedicated lay teachers, the caring environment – had a big part in my being led to what has been an interesting career in the Church and an opportunity to work with some fine bishops, priests, religious and lay women and men over 25 years.”  Bob related pretty much the same feeling. “Going to Curley allowed me to experience a Catholic culture and a Franciscan spirituality.  I try to share that experience in all of my relationships today.  The Prayer of St. Francis which I first learned at Curley is still a daily prayer for me today.  Lord, make me an instrument of your peace ...  I know I did not recognize how much of an influence Curley had on me until I look back at it today.”

Bob lives in Colorado Springs with his wife Shelly.  They have three children (Zach, Sara and Jon) and 4 grandchildren.  Zach and Jon reside in Kansas City.  rgdoerfler@msn.com.
Dave lives in Kansas City with his wife Peg.  Their three children, Dan, Chris and Kate, are out there with them.  malanowski@diocesekcsj.org

For other stories of Curley alumni, go to Curley's website (www.archbishopcurley.org) or click on ALUMNI.