Br. Emmanuel Perez (1893-1971)

Brother Emmanuel was a marvel in so many ways.  He led a marvelously and utterly simple life as a monk with respect to room, clothing, and diet.  He was a self-taught artist in stone sculpture, wrought iron work and wood.  Out of window sills and other stone left over when the construction on the abbey ceased in 1929, he carved statues of the Blessed Virgin and others.  There were the wooden statues of Sts. Maur and Placid, the wrought iron decorative gates around the arches opposite the prior’s office and the former cloister grill.  Some smaller artistic carvings are in the present chapter room.  Brother Walter built some altars and Brother Emmanuel did the carved lettering and images, and textured the background.  The altar in St. Joseph’s Chapel is an example.

Emmanuel came to the United States from Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico, where he was born on October 20, 1893.  He initial was a pattern maker for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.  He then came to the community and made his first vows at the abbey April 13, 1932.  Brother Emmanuel was forced to spend some years of his life at the State Tuberculosis Hospital, Norton, Kan., because of his lungs weakened by years of welding and grinding of stone.