Fr. John Acrea, A Legend Who Was Loved

September 16, 2025

Father John Acrea will be remembered as a priest who loved with gentle strength and who had a special gift for working with students. He died Sept. 4 at the age of 89.

“He will be remembered as a person who was, in the end, incredibly compassionate and humble,” said former student and close friend Mike Downey. “He loved young people and he had some kind of special ability to connect with young people.”

Father Acrea spent much of his life with students at Dowling Catholic High School, even in retirement.

“Father Acrea was an ambassador of Divine Mercy,” said Father Reed Flood, chaplain at Dowling Catholic. “In his many meetings with students, often at impromptu times of the day, Father Acrea practiced radical availability in the sacrament of reconciliation. He often spoke of his confessional as the most joyful place in the entire school.”

Born in 1936 and raised in Missouri Valley, Father Acrea had a conversion experience in high school that changed his life.

“It caused an explosion in my heart and that was it,” said Father Acrea.

Father Acrea studied at Mt. St. Bernard Seminary  in Dubuque and Creighton University in Omaha. He was ordained in 1962.

He taught at Dowling Catholic High School for nine years, served as principal for one year, then studied at the North American College in Rome for a year. He returned to teach for another three years before going to parish ministry.

Father Acrea served both urban and rural parishes, having been at St. Pius X Parish in Urbandale, St. Cecilia Parish in Panora and St. Mary Parish in Guthrie Center.

In 1980, he returned to the faculty of Dowling and the St. Joseph Education Center, serving students and adults for nine more years. He fondly recalled becoming a debate coach, having never debated before. His teams won four state championships plus earned fifth in the nation one year.

In 1989, Father Acrea returned to parish life, serving St. Ambrose Cathedral Parish, St. Mary/Holy Cross Parish in Elkhart, Holy Spirit Parish in Creston and St. Edward Parish in Afton.

Nine years later, he became the diocesan Vocations director. At the time, there were three seminarians. He pulled together a promotions committee and started looking for innovative ways to reach young men.

Just a few years later, Father Acrea made local and national news when he launched a website, vocationsonline.com, to recruit seminarians.

Father Acrea had a gift for working with the young.

“That’s what energized him,” said Downey.

“I think his greatest forte was with the young people,” said Father Frank Palmer, who was ordained the same day as Father Acrea.

Father Acrea’s ministry will be remembered as legendary, said Father Flood.

“Most priests spend at least one hour a day preparing for their ministry through prayer. Father Acrea spent 23 hours preparing for his one hour of ministry when he interacted with students at Dowling Catholic,” said Father Flood. “His solid witness will forever remain as a living cornerstone of our community.”