Fr. Kenneth Reichert OSB, 91, Brunswick native, laid to rest
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Benedictine Father Kenneth Reichert wouldn’t want to be remembered for once nearly dying in a puddle of his own blood in the monastery he called home for nearly 70 years.
The Brunswick native, who instead died peacefully on Dec. 19, 2024, at age 91 in the St. Stephen Infirmary at that same abbey, would likely rather be recalled as a priest, a friend, and a man of community and communion.
“But we have to remember the shooting, that he really worked at forgiving,” said Father Daniel Merz, a longtime friend and former colleague of Fr. Kenneth.
“All the other ways he would want to be remembered — that perseverance and commitment to community life and prayer — is ultimately how he found the grace to forgive the shooter,” Fr. Merz stated.
Fr. Kenneth’s Funeral Mass was celebrated on Dec. 23 in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at Conception Abbey, with Benedictine Abbot Benedict T. Neenan presiding.
“His hope was in Jesus Christ,” Abbot Neenan pointed out in his homily. “Jesus Christ gave meaning to the events of Kenneth’s life, including losing his brother as a teenager, leaving his dear family, being shot in 2002, and adapting to many changes.
“Jesus Christ also gave meaning to his longevity and his many relationships,” the abbot continued. “Because of his faith in Jesus Christ, he did not see his life as one of sacrifice but of privilege, which led to authentic gratitude for God’s grace and goodness.”
“He definitely leaves a big hole in the community,” stated Benedictine Father Pachomius Meade, a Palmyra native and fellow monk of Conception Abbey.
While Fr. Kenneth was recovering from heart surgery during his time as chaplain to the Benedictine Sisters in Norfolk, Nebraska, Fr. Pachomius went there to help him.
The younger priest covered Fr. Kenneth’s rounds at a nearby nursing home during that time.
“The people told me how much they loved Fr. Kenneth, how much they missed him,” Fr. Pachomius recalled. “He really brightened their day. They definitely felt cared for.”
Fr. Pachomius was the youngest monk at Conception in 2002 when a stranger entered the abbey, pointed a MAC-90 semi-automatic rifle at Fr. Kenneth and fired twice.
Two monks were killed that day before the shooter turned the weapon on himself.
Two others, including Fr. Kenneth, were critically injured.
Facing likely death, he prayed the Jesus Prayer — “Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner” — again and again.
“To hear about how he learned to forgive and how he came through it with renewed faith — greater faith — that was probably the most profound blessing I had,” said Fr. Pachomius.
Found his calling
Fr. Kenneth was born on July 7, 1933, in Brunswick, the fourth of five sons of Joseph and Alice (Gladbach) Reichert.
He received the name Maurice Peter when he was baptized by a Benedictine monk in St. Boniface Church in Brunswick.
Fr. Kenneth once said there was never a moment in his or any of his brothers’ lives that they didn’t know they were loved by God and their parents.
He was intrigued by the monks who often filled-in at his parish on Sunday.
They wore the hooded robes of their habit under their priestly vestments.
“I want to be one of those guys,” he remembered thinking as a young child.
He attended Catholic grade school, followed by a year of public high school before transferring to Conception Seminary High School in 1948. He was 15.
He graduated in 1953 and immediately entered the novitiate of Conception Abbey.
Living under the Rule of St. Benedict, the monks there maintain a daily cycle of prayer and work, welcoming guests, educating future priests and sharing the Gospel.
He professed first vows on Sept. 8, 1954, and was given the name Kenneth.
He began theological studies at Conception and professed solemn vows in 1957.
On May 16, 1959, in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at the abbey, Bishop (later Cardinal) John J. Cody of Kansas City-St. Joseph ordained him and four other monks to the Holy Priesthood.
“Prayerful and faithful”
Fr. Kenneth served the community in numerous capacities, both within the cloister and beyond its walls.
Aside from ministering to the Native Americans in Wakpala and McLaughlin, South Dakota, from 1970 to 1972 and serving as chaplain at Immaculata Monastery and the St. Joseph Rehabilitation and Care Center in Norfolk, Nebraska, from 2013 to 2020, he spent most of his seven decades in or near the abbey.
“His commitment to Conception Abbey was matched by his willingness to take on new assignments and challenges throughout his 70 years of profession,” Benedictine Father Patrick Caveglia stated in his eulogy for Fr. Kenneth.
For instance, he served for over 30 years as master of ceremonies at the abbey; and as prior, second-in-command to the abbot, from 1993 to 2007.
“He modeled perseverance,” said Fr. Merz. “He had a lot of jobs, some of which were very hard. He just kept such an even keel about him. Balanced — that’s a good word to describe him. Prayerful and faithful — someone who inspired by his faithfulness and his fidelity.”
Fr. Kenneth was a good friend to people because he recognized the importance of friendship.
“You could say he was a mensch,” said Fr. Merz, using a Yiddish word of honor and reverence.
During Fr. Merz’s junior year at Conception Seminary College, Fr. Kenneth served as his formator.
“He was very practical and down-to-earth,” said Fr. Merz. “He didn’t give you lofty theology, he gave you clear advice.”
Fr. Patrick talked about how Fr. Kenneth used his various roles at the abbey to promote forgiveness and reconciliation among the monks.
“I remember asking him when he was prior to help me sort out my differences with another monk,” said Fr. Patrick. “I wanted to righteously defend my side, and Fr. Kenneth kept saying, ‘But he’s your confrere.’
“I kept defending my side, and finally Fr. Kenneth said, ‘But Patrick, he’s your CONFRERE!’ I got the message.”
Making monastic life match family life was one of his goals.
“He always wanted to have more community time together,” said Fr. Pachomius. “He was a very joyful giver in whatever he did. He was going to love the people around him and love what he did, and manifest the joy of Christ in that way.”
Fr. Kenneth was already a man of peace and mercy, but the shooting added another dimension to that.
“I think that kind of honed everything, made it more alive, more refined in him,” said Fr. Merz. “He didn’t want to take anything for granted after that.”
Fr. Kenneth would say that every day, he had to express forgiveness for the man who shot him.
“It was a continuing process of saying, ‘I get up today, and I forgive this guy,’” said Fr. Merz. “It was like, ‘I’m missing part of my finger, I’ve got a bit of a limp. And those things remind me to forgive.’”
“God forgive me, I hope he’s in heaven!” Fr. Kenneth told The Catholic Missourian in an interview on the 20th anniversary of the shooting.
Fr. Kenneth took up residence at the infirmary at Conception in 2020 and entered the special Apostolate of Prayer engaged by senior monks.
He concelebrated Mass every day in the infirmary chapel.
“I have tried to be a faithful monk and priest during all these years,” he said during his jubilee celebration in 2019, “and I thank God for giving me this vocation and life.”
Friends and caregivers recall his abundant gratitude for all the kindness he experienced.
“On Thursday afternoon, Fr. Kenneth heard the Spirit and the bride call,” Fr. Patrick stated in his eulogy, “and he responded to God’s call to go home.”
“He had thirsted for God through 70 years as a monk, and now he could rest, filled with the gift of life-giving water,” Fr. Patrick stated.
Eternal love
Fr. Kenneth once asserted that the difference between heaven and hell is the presence of God, who himself is love and the source of all love.
“God loves us all, and we frequently experience that love through other people,” he said. “We have known God’s love because we have known it primarily through our family and those who are close to us.
“And we always have to remember that we show God’s love to other people by the way we treat them, as well,” he said.
Preceding Fr. Kenneth in death were his parents, his brothers and three sisters-in-law.
Surviving are a sister-in-law, Vera Marek Reichert of Brunswick; many nieces and nephews and their families; and his monastic confreres.
Burial was in the monks’ section of St. Columba Cemetery in Conception.
