Fr. William Thompson (1918-2009)

Father William was born on April 2, 1918, in Eaton, Colo., and entered the Holy Cross Abbey School in Cañon City for his 8th grade year.  He continued his studies at the Abbey School through his first two years of college.

Father William professed monastic vows at Holy Cross Abbey on August 31, 1939.  He finished his degeree at St. Benedict’s College, and from 1941-1945 completed his theological studies at Holy Cross School of Theology. 

During his diaconate year he was headmaster of the Abbey School and also served as its football, basketball and boxing coach during the war years.  He was ordained to the priesthood on May 17, 1944, then spending the academic year of 1946-47 as philosophy professor at St. Benedict’s and Mount St. Scholastica Colleges here in Atchison.

Father William studied Canon Law at Louvain earning his doctorate in 1952 and returned to teach in the Holy Cross Abbey School of Theology until 1964.  In addition to teaching Canon Law, philosophy, theology and Latin, Father William served as Prior, Procurator, Director of Clerics, Vocation Director, Oblate Director, camp counselor, coach, and in parishes in Cañon City, Pueblo and Boulder.  In his later years he maintained the Holy Cross Abbey Museum, which included a gun collection, Indian artifacts, and monastic memorabilia.

Holy Cross Abbey closed, Father William transferred his vow of stability to St. Benedict’s Abbey on March 21, 2006.  His years here, though brief, taught the monks well how to appreciate the daily life in the monastery.

Father William Thompson passed away May 30, 2009.