Prior Gerard Heinz (1864-1946)
Prior Gerard Heinz passed away October 13, 1946.
The following is the first paragraph of what is entitled a Biographical Sketch of The Very Rev. Gerard Heinz, O.S.B.:
“Born on the feast of the Solemn Commemoration of St. Benedict (July 11), reared in a Benedictine parish (St. Joseph’s, Chicago, where the pastor was Louis Mary Fink), vowed into the Benedictine Order by simple and solemn profession on the above Benedictine feast Day (July 11), with two sisters members of the Benedictine Order – this in thumbnail sketch, might be said of the subject of this brief biography.”
John Heinz on the occasion of his first communion.
Father Suitbert Des Marteau, a member of St. Benedict’s Abbey, but then a monk of St. Vincent and stationed at St. Joseph’s, Chicago, convinced the then John Heinz to come to Atchison where Abbot Innocent Wolf had just been blessed as the first abbot of the community. John Heinz was the first scholastic the new abbot received.
John Heinz became Gerard when he took his novitiate at St. Vincent, returned to Atchison, and taught and prefected while completing theological studies. He continued after ordination in 1887 to prefect and teach though he also became Director of the College.
Father Gerard began pastoral work, after the pattern of many monks of the community, at St. Mary’s, Des Moines, Iowa, and later began a long and notable pastorate at St. Benedict’s, Atchison. He was so involved and active in the Diocese of Leavenworth that in recognition of this contribution he was given an honorary L.L.D. by the Jesuit College at St. Mary’s, Kan.
Prior Gerard is a fabled member of our community. He apparently had no love for cats. Any love that had been there apparently was lost when, in Chicago, he was walking down an alley, and a cat jumped off a fence on to his head and began to claw. One monk mentioned that there was a standing order issued by Prior Gerard that he would give a carton of cigarettes to any monk who managed to take the life of a cat. This incident or policy cannot be corroborated at this writing.
Prior Gerard will forever be remembered as yet another of the truly great monks in the community of St. Benedict’s Abbey.
