- ST.
NORBERT ABBEY
- DE
PERE, WISCONSIN, U.S.A.
- Rev.
Leo L. Rummel, O. Praem.
- b. Friday, Mar. 2,
1894 – d. Tuesday, Apr. 30, 1985
Our brother Leo
Rummel was born in Ashland,
Wisconsin
in 1884. After graduating from
St.
Norbert High and a year at the college, he joined the Order in 1913 and was
solemnly professed in 1918.
Leo began
studies at the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1920, at the same time
became chaplain to St. Mary Hospital, a position he held until 1980.
In
1921, he earned an M.A. from
Madison
and was also the superior of the Norbertines attending the university there.
He earned another M.A. in 1926, in English.
Leo was a friend of the Mahoney family in
Madison
. After the death of their brother,
the two Mahoney sisters entrusted to Leo the care of the family property and
fortune. At their death, they gave
the
Monona Drive
property to the Order for religious use. This
became the novitiate from 1929 until 1959. The
funds realized from the Mahoney estate and its investments are still managed by
the abbey through the Augustine Stewardship Fund.
Leo was appointed prior of the Norbertine Novitiate in 1929 and in 1936,
began 31 years of teaching summer sessions at
St.
Agnes
School
of Nursing in
Fond du Lac
. To round out his education, Leo
earned a Ph.D. in history in 1945. After
retiring to the abbey, he died Tuesday,
April 30th, 1985 at the age of 91.
