- ST.
NORBERT ABBEY
- DE
PERE, WISCONSIN, U.S.A.
- Rev.
Francis X. Exler, O. Praem.
- b. Monday, Nov. 30,
1891 – d. Sunday, Sept. 18, 1966
-
Our
brother Francis Exler was born in Winssen, Holland in 1891. After attending a
Christian
Brothers School
and preparatory seminary in Holland, he immigrated to the United
States in 1906 and joined the Order in 1909. As
a novice he began teaching Latin and Greek at the college and to the frats at
the priory. He was solemnly
professed in 1914.
In
1915, Francis was appointed chaplain to Hickory Grove Sanatorium, a position he
held until 1939, except for the years he served as an Army chaplain during World
War I and while studying at Catholic University, where he earned a doctorate in
philosophy.
After
two years as master of novices (1916-1917), he began teaching moral theology and
was chaplain at St. Joseph
Academy. In 1932, Francis was appointed
pastor of St. Willibrord in
Green Bay
, with the additional burden of the directorship of the Columbus Club.
In
1939, Frannie became the pastor of St. Willibrord in Chicago, where he
made many
improvements to the church and
school until his retirement to the abbey in 1959,
where he died on
Sunday, September 18, 1966 at the age of 74.
