Fr. Victor Gellhaus (1897-1977)

One of the first Masses ever offered at what was to become St. Bede Parish, Kelly, Kan., was in the spring of 1902.  Father Victor was born in St. Benedict, Kan., and baptized at St. Mary’s Church.  He came to St. Benedict’s in 1910, graduated from both the high school and later the college with a bachelor’s in philosophy in 1919.  He also did his theology in Atchison and was ordained June 22, 1922, at St. Benedict’s, Atchison.  He had done his novitiate at St. Vincent Archabbey and was professed July 2, 1916

From 1924-27 Father Victor was principal of St. Benedict’s High School replacing Father Louis Baska.  In the years 1931-1934 he was a doctoral student at the University of Munich, Bavaria, Germany where he had a bird’s eye view of the rise of Adolph Hitler.  In 1934 he became Chair of the Department of History at the College and continued that office until September 1963 when Father Peter Beckman succeeded him.  He was on sick leave from 1943-1945 mostly at St. Benedict’s Parish, Kansas City, Kan.  He returned to the College to be student chaplain and, again, professor of history.  He lived in The Old Priory that housed the chemistry lab and adjoined the parish church.

In 1947 Father Victor retired, had an operation at the Atchison Hospital and really was unable to enjoy his retirement because of chronic illness that confined him to a wheel chair. 

He had planned on some leisure time at St. Mary’s Parish at Wildcat, for fishing on Lake Nemaha and smoking with his dear friend, Father Leander Scheier.  He spent some time at Cray Manor, at the Atchison Hospital, time at St, Margaret’s, in Kansas City, Kan., enjoyed a renewal of energy in 1970, came to the refectory and the church for Mass.  During his retirement he was honored with a one-man show of his delightful water colors.  He, Father Peter Beckman, and Dennis McCarthy frequently painted together.

Father Victor authored many book reviews for the Historical Review and wrote articles for the New Catholic Encyclopedia.  His chosen field was medieval history and was a fierce defender of the Church’s role in it contrary to professors at Harvard and Yale whom he considered inimical.  To him Pope Gregory VII was a hero and a confessor for Henry IV in the Investiture Conflict.  He, in Victor’s opinion, brought sacramental forgiveness to Canossa.  His aim not being to make Henry grovel.