Fr. Theodore Leuterman (1912-1980)

Perhaps one of the most colorful and storied members of St. Benedict’s Abbey, at least in modern times, Father Theodore died of a heart attack at a hospital in Kansas City, Mo., December 9, 1980.  He was pastor at St. Ann’s, Effingham, when first stricken.  He was a native of Milwaukee, Wisc., early on a member of the Catholic Central Verein, graduated from St. Benedict’s High School in 1930 and from St. Benedict’s College in 1935 magna cum laude in philosophy.  From 1935-1940 he earned a doctorate in theology at Sant’Anselmo and during that time was ordained priest at Monte Cassino!  

Before the involvement of the United States in World War II, he returned to the abbey in 1941 and began a 36-year teaching career at St. Benedict’s College, Mount St. Scholastica College, Benedictine College and at the former Abbey School of Theology.  He was Prior of the abbey for ten years and later chaplain simultaneously of St. Benedict’s College and Mount St. Scholastica College.  At his death he was also pastor at St. Mary’s, Purcell. 

When the monks who knew Father Theodore gather at Haustus or when his name comes up, the stories flow readily.  His language was colorful and often as earthy as his theology was celestial.  He was a dynamic teacher and went through boxes of chalk as though in a competition. 

To punctuate a statement he might, to get attention, say, “Here now, students!”  On one occasion he is supposed to have said, “God went to work and said, ‘Here now!’”  Or perhaps, St. Thomas Aquinas “went to work” and said…  He covered the blackboard in the theology classroom each class with multiple scratchings over scratchings!   Once, Father Bernard Sause followed with a canon law class after Father Theodore had finished and said, “Honest to John, what has that man been doing up here?”  That with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face.