Fr. Emeric Fletcher (1933-1997)

One could write a book about Father Emeric rather than the few what will follow.  The glory of his life seems to have been the courageous manner in which he lived his final years.  Father Emeric was not only a brilliant person but was practically intelligent and capable.  He was able to take a complicated problem, see through it, and solve it. 

A brilliant student at St, Benedict’s College, he made his first vows as a member of the Abbey July 11, 1954, and was ordained May 26, 1960. He earned a licentiate in theology at the Catholic University at Louvain, Belgium in 1963; Father Emeric was a theologian who was a product of The Second Vatican Council.  He had been taught by Msgr. Phillips there, and imbued with the philosophy of Bernard Lonergan, S.J. 

On his return to Atchison he began a career of teaching theology at St. Benedict’s College where he occupied several administrative posts, the Abbey School of Theology, and at Benedictine College.  He was cleric master for the community and served as prior of the community from 1990-1993.

Abbot Ralph Koehler asked father Emeric to take upon himself the task of revision the books of the Opus Dei, the Divine Office, which were to be used daily by the monks.  Father Emeric said, “yes,” to the request and began reading everything he could find on practice and theory.  Finally he assembled a team to accomplish the work of revision. The team consisted of Fathers Joseph Guinotte, Blaine Schultz. Hugh Keefer, and Aaron Peters. They worked faithfully and diligently with the assistance of some other members of the community.  The product turned out so very well and the volumes are used to this day.

But perhaps the fortitude and courage of Father Emeric shone forth most brightly when he confronted, face to face, an addiction through a 12th Step program and cancer along with the usual therapies of chemo and radiation.   At the end he found what he had sought for many years.  It is fitting that he died on Christmas Day, fitting for one who made Incarnate, for all to see, a hope and trust in a Power Greater than himself.