Fr. Thomas Bartl (1830-1885)

Truly a pioneer member of St. Benedict’s Abbey, Father Thomas Bartl was sent to Kansas in 1862 by Abbot Boniface Wimmer.  He had a friend in the community in the person of Father Emmanuel Hartig.  The conditions here, monastically, were a disappointment but he threw himself into the Missionary work. 

Prior Augustine Wirth sent Father Thonas to St. Cloud, Minn., to bring to Atchison seven Benedictine Sisters who  arrived in Atchison November 11 1863.  They opened St. Scholastica Academy on December 1.

In 1868 Father Thomas was pastor at St. Benedict’s Colony (Bendena), the first since Henry Lemke.  Notably Father Thomas was instrumental in building the church at St. Benedict, Kan. (Wildcat), and celebrated the first Mass there November 1865.  He and Brother Luke Zaeune lived there and served a number of missions from that center.  Father Thomas was later pastor at St. Benedict’s Parish, Nebraska City, Neb., but a bad heart condition forced him to retire to the abbey where he died November 30, 1885.

Father Boniface Verheyen painted the following portrait of Father Thomas, “Father Thomas was a loveable character, of a serious turn of mind, not much given to pleasantries, very zealous and devoted to his work, happy when he could be of service to others.  He was very unselfish, his own appearance, convenience, and personal comfort being the least of his troubles.”