Fr. Emmanuel Hartig (1830-1910)
Father Emmanuel Hartig passed away on September 1, 1910.
Father Emmanuel came from Bavaria in 1855 and joined St. Vincent Abbey, being ordained in 1860. While at St. Vincent he not only studied Theology but also taught Latin. One of his classes composed a tribute to him entitled, “Vivat Immanuel,” that is, “Long Live Emmanuel.”
In July 1861 he was sent to St. Benedict’s Abbey, transferred his stability here and began a long and legendary career as a missionary in what is now the Diocese of Lincoln. He completed the building of St. Benedict’s Church, Nebraska City, which is still in use today. He also built churches in Plattsmouth, Lincoln, Tecumseh, Palmyra, and was Administrator of the Diocese and in 1893 was named Vicar General.
Father Emmanuel, who was called “The Lone Ranger of the Lincoln Diocese” and “The crotchety apostle of Southeast Nebraska,” is characterized as one of the “saddle priests” among the early Benedictines. During the Civil War he was about to be arrested as a spy and saved himself by opening his saddlebag to produce vessels of the altar, a breviary and Missal. Father Emmanuel retired from ministry in 1909 and died a year later.
