Our
brother Norbert Manders was born in Chicago
in 1928. After graduation from St.
Willibrord Elementary and High School, and two years at DePaul
University
in Chicago, he joined the Order in 1948, after a year at the college.
He professed solemn vows in 1953.
In
1955, "Norb"
was appointed to Premontre, where he taught history and typing and was moderator
for the Key Club. In 1957 he was
school treasurer and in 1958, he became registrar.
Having
spent summers at Marquette
and Catholic
University
, Norb earned an M.A. in European History from C.U. in 1961.
That fall he was assigned to the college and from 1961 until 1967 was
registrar.
In
1967, Norb attended language school in Cochabamba
, Bolivia
, and the following year became assistant pastor at San Norberto in Lima
, Peru
and instructor at Reyna de las Americas
High School
.
From
1969 until 1974, he was pastor at San Norberto.
Taking
a sabbatical in 1974, he took a Clinical Pastoral Education program at Silver
Cross hospital, in Joliet
, Illinois
. He was re-appointed pastor of San
Norberto in 1976, and resigned in 1981, to become associate director of
formation at Holy Spirit House of Studies in Chicago.
In
1982, Norb attended the Institute for Spiritual Leadership in Chicago
, after which he became the superior at St. Michael Priory at Premontre and a
member of the staff at the abbey’s spirituality center.
Norb
was appointed master of novices in 1985, a post he held until 1990, when he
joined the community of Santa Maria
de la Vid.
Norb
was a deeply spiritual man, loved by his confreres and novices equally.
Troubled by heart disease, he died on
Thursday, August 14, 1997 at the
age of 69.
