Fr. Stephen Wise (1873-1951)

Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., April 5, 1873, Stephen Wise entered St. Benedict’s College in 1888 after the family had moved to Topeka.  While in school he was active in debate and dramatics and was also the first editor of The Abbey Student literary magazine.  He entered the abbey and was professed in 1897 and ordained in 1903 after four years of study at San’t Anselmo, Rome. The Vicar of Rome, Cardinal Respighi, ordained him.

On his return to Atchison he taught Latin and Greek at the college until he was appointed pastor at St. Malachy’s, Creston, Iowa.  While on the college faculty he was known to have made extensive use of the library and was one of the first to organize the abbey archives. 

At Creston he built a new parish house and remodeled the parish school and the church, Bueronese style!  Father Stephen was named pastor at Sacred Heart, Atchison, when he left Creston.  In 1931 he was transferred to a post in California where he remained until 1941.  He had been in poor health for the last several years.

Father Stephen Wise passed away December 6, 1951.