Father Henry Bernard Anderl, OSB

Monk of Saint John's Abbey
Collegeville, Minnesota

Born: October 7, 1918

Professed: July 11, 1939

Ordained: January 27, 1945

Died: April 1, 2005

Monk, Priest and Pastor

Born on October 7, 1918, as the fifth child to Henry and Katherine (Schneider) Anderl, Bernard Albert, only six weeks old, almost died during the pandemic of Spanish influenza that swept America and the world that year. He recovered and attended school in his hometown of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

Bernard began study for the priesthood at Saint John's Preparatory School, Collegeville, where he graduated in 1936. After two years in college, he entered Saint John's Abbey and received his father's name, Henry, as his religious name. He made first vows on July 11, 1939. Henry Anderl earned his bachelor's degree from Saint John's University in 1941 and continued his theological studies there in the seminary. He was ordained on January 27, 1945, after a concentrated 11-month program of full-time study, a common practice during World War II that enabled divinity students to maintain exemption from the draft.

In 1946 Father Henry earned a master's degree in Economics and Business Administration in the graduate school of the University of Minnesota. He taught Accounting at Saint John's University from 1946 to 1960.

During this time he also served as prefect of students and photographer for the abbey and college. From 1947 to 1960 he was moderator of the student yearbook, The Sagatagan. For five years he moderated the three local YCS (Young Christian Students) groups in the college.

In 1960 Father Henry began a long career of pastoral work. He was chaplain at St. Mary's Hospital in Duluth from 1960 to 1963. In 1963 he became associate pastor of Holy Rosary Parish, Detroit Lakes, for two years. For another two years he was associate pastor of St. Clement's Parish in Duluth.

In 1967 he was assigned his first pastorate at St. John's Church in Grand Marais along Lake Superior and Holy Rosary Parish in Grand Portage that included care of the mission station at Taconite Harbor, Minnesota, until 1979. During this time he used his business and economic skills to retire the parish debt two years ahead of schedule. In 1973 as a member of the Cook County Historical Society, he helped to restore and rededicate St. Francis Xavier Church, the last remaining building of Indian Village, Chippewa City, the forerunner of the present city of Grand Marais.

The Grand Portage Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe made Father Henry an honorary member in 1979 giving him the name of "Ki wi-ta ge-shig" — "Around the World," the name of the late Indian Chief John Flatte. In April 1978 Brother John Anderl OSB, his brother, came to assist Father Henry in his pastoral ministry and stayed with him during subsequent assignments.

In 1979 Father Henry was named pastor of Holy Name Parish in Medina, Minnesota, for three years. After that assignment, he moved to Guardian Angels Parish in Brackett, Wisconsin, for eight years, from 1981 to 1989.

In 1989 Father Henry retired to St. Raphael's Hall, the abbey's retirement center, where he renewed a spirit of independence until his final illness and death on April 1, 2005. He was able to celebrate his 60th anniversary of ordination on January 27, 2005.

Father Henry is survived by his youngest sister, Mrs. Helen Zutter of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. His other siblings, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Stephen Anderl, Brother John Anderl OSB, Mother Mary Gabriel OP, and Mr. Arnold Anderl predeceased him

The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Father Henry at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, 2005, in Saint John's Abbey Church. He will be interred in the Anderl family plot after a memorial Mass at noon on Friday, April 8, in St. Charles Borromeo Church in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

We ask each community member to offer two Masses according to the manner of his participation in the priesthood of Christ. We commend our brother, Henry, to your prayers.

Abbot John Klassen OSB
and the monks of Saint John's Abbey