Marvin Mottet
Encyclopedia
Marvin Mottet is a 20th and 21st century Catholic
priest in the Diocese of Davenport
in the US
state of Iowa
. He is noted as an advocate of social justice
causes.
. He received his bachelor's degree
from St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa
. While at St. Ambrose he was influenced by his professors, Fathers Bernard Kamerick, Edward and William O'Connor, Charles Griffith and Urban Ruhl, who fostered the lay apostolate, taught classes on labor relations, Papal social encyclicals and walked picket lines. Father Cletus Madsen
introduced him to the liturgical renewal movement. He studied for the priesthood at Mount St. Bernard’s Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa
and was ordained a priest at Sacred Heart Cathedral by Bishop Ralph Hayes
in 1956.
when it opened in 1958. He became involved with the Catholic Interracial Council (CIC) in the 1960s and brought his students into contact with the racial problems that existed in Davenport. In 1963 he and the CIC created the Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award
. He also organized the Young Catholic Students organization at Assumption. The program grew to include 400 students across the diocese from Notre Dame High School
in Burlington
, Hayes Catholic in Muscatine
and Aquinas in Fort Madison
.
In 1967 Bishop Gerald O’Keefe
sent Mottet to earn a master’s degree in social work
at the University of Iowa
. In 1969 he started the Office of Social Action, one of the first in the United States. The operating philosophy of the new office was an emphasis on systemic change for a more just society rather than simply providing direct service to clients. During this time Catholic Charities
, which had been a part of the diocese since 1929, was merged with a local social service agency. Mottet developed the “Two Feet of Christian Service” philosophy of social action: direct service that is accompanied by societal change. He was involved with organizations such as Project Renewal, working with migrant workers and the Catholic Worker Movement
. The diocese began a resettlement program for Vietnamese refugees after the fall of Saigon in 1975. He helped develop the Catholic Campaign for Human Development
on both the national and diocesan level. The organization is a domestic antipoverty and social justice program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
.
as the rector
and pastor
of the parish. He continued working with social justice organizations such as Project Renewal, Quad-City Interfaith, Interfaith Housing Corp. and Legal Aid. During his time as pastor the cathedral church was extensively renovated in the early 1990s. The parochial school
also became a concern. In the 1990s it merged with St. Alphonsus School in the west end to form John Paul Academy. That merger came to an end, but the school situation did not improve and in 2004 Sacred Heart, St. Alphonsus and Holy Family Schools formed All Saints School at Holy Family. In 2001 Pope John Paul II bestowed a Papal honor upon him with the title Reverend Monsignor
. In 2005 he retired to St. Vincent Center in Davenport.
in 2008 and continued to fight for social justice issues.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priest in the Diocese of Davenport
Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport is a diocese of the Catholic Church for the southeastern quarter of the state of Iowa. There are within the diocese...
in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. He is noted as an advocate of social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
causes.
Early life & Education
Mottet was born and raised on a farm near Ottumwa, IowaOttumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census. It is located in the southeastern part of Iowa, and the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River....
. He received his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
. While at St. Ambrose he was influenced by his professors, Fathers Bernard Kamerick, Edward and William O'Connor, Charles Griffith and Urban Ruhl, who fostered the lay apostolate, taught classes on labor relations, Papal social encyclicals and walked picket lines. Father Cletus Madsen
Cletus Madsen
Cletus Madsen was a 20th century Catholic priest of the Diocese of Davenport in the US state of Iowa. He was involved the Liturgical Movement in the Catholic Church in the mid-20th century.-Early life & Education:...
introduced him to the liturgical renewal movement. He studied for the priesthood at Mount St. Bernard’s Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
and was ordained a priest at Sacred Heart Cathedral by Bishop Ralph Hayes
Ralph Leo Hayes
Ralph Leo Hayes was a 20th century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Helena in the state of Montana from 1933–1935, and as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Davenport in the state of Iowa from 1944-1966...
in 1956.
Social Action
He was assigned to the teaching faculty at St. Ambrose Academy in Davenport, and then to Assumption High SchoolAssumption High School (Davenport, Iowa)
Assumption High School is a Roman Catholic high school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. Charles Elbert is the current principal of Assumption High....
when it opened in 1958. He became involved with the Catholic Interracial Council (CIC) in the 1960s and brought his students into contact with the racial problems that existed in Davenport. In 1963 he and the CIC created the Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award
Pacem in Terris Award
The Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award is a Catholic peace award which has been given annually since 1964, in commemoration of the 1963 encyclical letter "Pacem in Terris" of Pope John XXIII...
. He also organized the Young Catholic Students organization at Assumption. The program grew to include 400 students across the diocese from Notre Dame High School
Notre Dame High School (Burlington, Iowa)
Notre Dame High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Burlington, Iowa. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport.-Background:...
in Burlington
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
, Hayes Catholic in Muscatine
Muscatine, Iowa
Muscatine is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 22,886 in the 2010 census, an increase from 22,697 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Muscatine County...
and Aquinas in Fort Madison
Fort Madison, Iowa
Fort Madison, situated on the Mississippi River, is a city in and one of the county seats of Lee County, Iowa, United States. The other county seat is Keokuk. The population was 10,715 at the 2000 census...
.
In 1967 Bishop Gerald O’Keefe
Gerald Francis O'Keefe
Gerald Francis O'Keefe was a 20th century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of St. Paul in the state of Minnesota from 1961–1966 and bishop of the Diocese of Davenport in the state of Iowa from 1966-1993.-Early Life &...
sent Mottet to earn a master’s degree in social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
. In 1969 he started the Office of Social Action, one of the first in the United States. The operating philosophy of the new office was an emphasis on systemic change for a more just society rather than simply providing direct service to clients. During this time Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities is a network of charities whose aim is "to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire church and other people of good will to do the same." It is one of the largest charities in the United States...
, which had been a part of the diocese since 1929, was merged with a local social service agency. Mottet developed the “Two Feet of Christian Service” philosophy of social action: direct service that is accompanied by societal change. He was involved with organizations such as Project Renewal, working with migrant workers and the Catholic Worker Movement
Catholic Worker Movement
The Catholic Worker Movement is a collection of autonomous communities of Catholics and their associates founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin in 1933. Its aim is to "live in accordance with the justice and charity of Jesus Christ." One of its guiding principles is hospitality towards those on...
. The diocese began a resettlement program for Vietnamese refugees after the fall of Saigon in 1975. He helped develop the Catholic Campaign for Human Development
Catholic Campaign for Human Development
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is the domestic antipoverty and social justice program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops ....
on both the national and diocesan level. The organization is a domestic antipoverty and social justice program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
.
Pastor
In 1978 Mottet became the national director for the Campaign for Human Development in Washington, DC, the word "Catholic" was added to the organizations title at a later date. He stayed in the post until 1985, when he returned to Davenport and was assigned as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Cathedral. A year later he replaced Msgr. Sebastian MenkeSebastian Menke
Sebastian G. Menke was a 20th century Catholic priest in the United States who served as the 10th president of St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa from 1964-1973.-Early life & Education:...
as the rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
and pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of the parish. He continued working with social justice organizations such as Project Renewal, Quad-City Interfaith, Interfaith Housing Corp. and Legal Aid. During his time as pastor the cathedral church was extensively renovated in the early 1990s. The parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
also became a concern. In the 1990s it merged with St. Alphonsus School in the west end to form John Paul Academy. That merger came to an end, but the school situation did not improve and in 2004 Sacred Heart, St. Alphonsus and Holy Family Schools formed All Saints School at Holy Family. In 2001 Pope John Paul II bestowed a Papal honor upon him with the title Reverend Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
. In 2005 he retired to St. Vincent Center in Davenport.
Later life
Msgr. Mottet remained active in his retirement. He chaired the diocesan Catholic Campaign for Human Development and continued to assist social service agencies. He was honored with the Pacem in Terris AwardPacem in Terris Award
The Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award is a Catholic peace award which has been given annually since 1964, in commemoration of the 1963 encyclical letter "Pacem in Terris" of Pope John XXIII...
in 2008 and continued to fight for social justice issues.