Fr. Gilbert Wolters (1907-2008)
Francis Wolters was born in Atchison, Kan., April 7, 1907. He attended parochial schools there and graduated from St. Benedict’s High School in 1926. As a student he knew Abbot Innocent Wolf and over the course of his life knew all of the first eight abbots of our community, and likely, would have known the ninth abbot as well.
Francis grew up along the Missouri River south of the railroad tracks. He considered himself a “river rat” as he used to swim the Missouri River before it was channeled. He swam all his life and made trips to the college pool or the local YMCA three times a week until after his centennial year. He swam 10 laps on his 100th birthday.
After high school Francis entered St. Benedict’s College. At the end of his sophomore year there he entered the novitiate for St. Benedict’s Abbey, which at the time was at St. Vincent Archabbey. He took the religious name, Gilbert. He professed first vows July 2, 1929, and was the last monk of St. Benedict’s Abbey to make profession at St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pa. Frater Gilbert continued studies at St. Benedict’s College and completing theology at St. Benedict’s Abbey’s School of Theology, being ordained to the priesthood May 26, 1934.
After ordination Father Gilbert earned a Doctorate in sociology from the Catholic University of America. Part of his work was to write a dissertation on “A Socio-Economic Analysis of Four Rural Parishes in Nemaha County Kansas.” Father Gilbert also studied at St. Xavier’s in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada, and the cooperatives founded there. Then followed studies at Harvard University and work as a certified marriage counselor for nine summers in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
Sandwiched amid all this work and study, Father Gilbert served as Dean of Students at St. Benedict’s College, was Chair of the Sociology Department, and was Athletic Director. He also introduced gerontology into the curriculum of the Sociology Department.
On his retirement from now Benedictine College, Father Gilbert served as chaplain to the Benedictine Sisters, Glendora, Calif., a foundation from Mount Saint Scholastica. He also served in parish ministry at St. Patrick’s Parish, Atchison, Co., St. Joseph’s, Wathena, Kan., and at Sts. Peter and Paul, Falls City, Neb.
Father Gilbert was truly one of the “giants,” eager to share in all aspects of community life, very willing to express his eagerly sought opinion. He liked people to speak up in Chapter, yet at times would rebut, “Too loud.” But not too loud either. Not especially endearing, his nickname among the students at St. Benedict’s College was “Slick,” a recognition of his well combed back dark hair.
Yet, another attribute, he knew the name of every student enrolled in the college when he was Dean of Students. Each day he would arise early from his bed in the Administration Building, now St. Benedict Hall, and go to the Abbey for Matins, which began on the regular schedule at 4:30 a.m. He would then come back to the Hilltop, the Seminary Department in the Administration Building, offer his private Mass and hear confessions during the Seminarian’s Daily Mass. Father Gilbert was, in every sense of the term a giant among giants in our community.