- ST.
NORBERT ABBEY
- DE
PERE, WISCONSIN, U.S.A.
- Rev.
John J. Kohnke, O. Praem.
- b. Thursday, Aug. 1,
1907 – d. Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1987
Our brother
John Kohnke was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in 1907, graduated from St. Norbert
High in 1929, and entered the Order that year.
He professed solemn vows in 1934.
Teaching
assignments found John at Southeast Catholic in 1935 and St.
Norbert High in 1938. In 1940, he
was appointed to Our Lady of Ransom in Hingham, Montana, and then to St. Joseph
in Oneida
in 1953. He returned to
Montana
in 1955, to minister at St. Thomas
in Sunburst.
During
the late 1950’s, John worked with Sr. Mary Huberta, O.P. of Bethany Mother
House in Venlo, Holland, selecting fabrics and approving designs for vestments
for the Premonstratensian pontifical rites for the new St. Norbert Abbey.
In
1960, John ministered as temporary pastor at St. Mary’s in Chester
, Montana
, where he finalized plans for a new church.
Later that year, he remodeled the convent, rectory and church in Shelby
.
In
1967, John became the chaplain and taught students at Incarnate
Word
College
in San Antonio
, Texas
. In 1969, he was chaplain of St.
Joseph
Hospital
in Burbank
, California
and St.
Luke
Hospital
in Pasadena
. In 1976, as chaplain for the
Benedictine Sisters of Boerne
, Texas
, he also taught religion classes at their grammar school.
In
1978, John returned to the abbey and assisted at St. Boniface in
Manitowoc, before his full retirement in 1982. He
died on
Wednesday, September 2, 1987 at the age of 80.
