Thankful for Family
As the Harvest Season comes to a close throughout North America, we’re anticipating the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States. This tradition is far older than the federal holiday. The holiday we celebrate was adapted from Indigenous traditions of thanksgiving from before the precolonial era, going back hundreds of years (Hosts). Indigenous wisdom reminds us to be grateful for the bounty of the natural world, blessings we’ve received throughout the year, and all living things, including our family.
Today, we offer our gratitude to Friedrich A. and Eva Gertrude (Kern) Dietz. Their enduring family legacy includes two generations of Maryknollers with three vocations; Father, Brother, and Sister. One son and two grandchildren joined Maryknoll in mission, impacting countless lives across eight countries. Their individual decisions to emigrate from Germany to the U.S. during the 1870’s has delivered multiple blessings to Maryknoll, and for that we are thankful to the Dietz family.
We also offer our deep gratitude to the Dietz family’s Maryknoll missioners and the multitude of blessings they have shared during their service. Below you can find biographies of the following Maryknollers:
Fr. Frederick C. Dietz
Bro. Thaddeus Revers
Sr. Mary Stolz
Evidence suggests this is a portrait of Eva (Kern) and Friedrich Dietz, taken before 1920.
Click on Father’s portrait to see more photos in mission!
Fr. Frederick C. Dietz
July 5, 1892 – May 14, 1968
Frederick Conrad Dietz was born on July 5, 1892 in New York City to Friedrich and Eva (Kern) Dietz. He was blessed with an abundance of older brothers and sisters. One of those older brothers, Rev. Peter Ernest Dietz, may have inspired his interest in joining the priesthood. Fred followed his own path, however, and entered Maryknoll in 1915. He was ordained Fr. Frederick Dietz on September 11, 1916.
Fr. Dietz was initially assigned to teach at the Venard Junior Seminary in Clark’s Summit, PA and the Major Seminary in Maryknoll, NY. In 1920, he was called to serve in Kongmoon, China. Like many Maryknollers during this time, Fr. Dietz served in medical missions. He helped run medical dispensaries and provided basic care and first aid in rural communities that previously had no access. Father became Society Superior in the Kongmoon Vicariate from 1930 to 1932. Following his term, he continued serving in China until 1937.
After almost two decades missioned in China, Fr. Dietz was assigned as Maryknoll’s third Procurator General in Rome. Father suffered and prayed alongside the people as World War II raged across Europe. He was present throughout the German occupation of Rome which began on September 8, 1943. In 1946, he was elected to the General Council and returned to Maryknoll.
After his term on the Council, he returned to teaching. Fr. Dietz was reassigned to the Venard’s faculty in 1956. Two years later, he relocated to Maryknoll College in Glen Ellyn, IL. He continued educating the next generation of Catholic clergy from 1958 to 1968. Like many devoted missioners, only death could stop him from serving his community. His mission ended when he passed away on May 14, 1968 at 76 years old.
Bro. Thaddeus Revers
December 21, 1912 – August 29, 1987
Thomas Henry Revers was born on December 21, 1912 in Oberlin, Ohio to Henry and Eva (Dietz) Revers. In his application to join Maryknoll, he credited his uncle, Fr. Frederick Dietz, with inspiring him to become a Maryknoll missioner. Thomas was accepted, and entered Maryknoll after graduating high school in 1932. Like his uncle before him, he was influenced by family but walked his own path through life. He took the religious name of Bro. Thaddeus.
Brother quickly became known for his expertise in carpentry and construction; he had no shortage of work to fill his days. His skills were in high demand as Maryknoll spearheaded new construction for growing Catholic communities on multiple continents. His first mission assignment took him to Japan in 1937. By 1939, he was reassigned to Hong Kong.
Bro. Thad was still in Hong Kong when the Japanese imperial forces invaded during WWII on December 25, 1941. He was held at Stanley Internment Camp alongside thousands of British and American citizens, until his release in October 1942. Brother spent time recuperating at Bethany Retreat House, run by the Paris Foreign Mission Society, before leaving Hong Kong. In February 1943, he was able to reconnect with other Maryknollers and assist in evacuation efforts. Bro. Thaddeus was unable to return home until March 1945.
Brother’s next assignment was to Tepic, Mexico where he worked to improve the lives of local Indigenous people. The Cora and Huichol peoples he served included small communities of subsistence farmers. He labored beside them, learning to build clay tiles and bricks by hand.
In 1948, Bro. Thad returned to the United States. He traveled the length and breadth of the country, stopping at Maryknoll houses to make repairs or begin new construction. Brother continued sharing his gifts as a master carpenter until his retirement in 1983. Bro. Thaddeus passed away four years later on August 29, 1987. He was 71 years old.
Click on Brother’s portrait to see more photos in mission!
Click on Sister’s portrait to see more photos in mission!
Sr. Mary Stolz
February 1, 1923 – April 7, 2017
Mary Teresa Stolz was born on February 1, 1923 in Elyria, Ohio to William and Mary (Dietz) Stolz. Mary’s journey to joining Maryknoll was far different than her uncle and her cousin. She had multiple careers before she found her vocation. Her first career was with the U.S. Air Force Civil Service. During this time, she also volunteered with the Legion of Mary and the Crippled Children’s Society (now Easterseals).
Her second career was with another branch of the military. At 21 years old, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as Wave Yeoman First Class during the height of WWII from 1944-1946. Maryknoll proudly counts her among our numerous veterans that we celebrate every year.
Following her military service, Mary began her third career as Executive Secretary for Elyria Northern Savings and Loan. Discontent and wanting to do more, Fr. Fred Dietz arranged for her to visit the Maryknoll Sisters’ Valley Park Novitiate in Missouri in April 1953. With her uncle’s assistance, she entered Maryknoll at 30 years old and took the religious name Sister Mary Philomena.
Sr. Mary’s skills in business and administration served the Congregation well, no matter where she was assigned. Throughout her 40 years of dedicated service with the Maryknoll Sisters, she held various administrative positions, both in the U.S. and while missioned in South America. Please see her biography for a full listing of the many vital roles she held.
During her first assignment to the Bolivia-Peru Region from 1958 to 1972, she became the Coordinator of the Center House, Regional Bookkeeper, and secretary to the Maryknoll Society superior onsite. In 1977, Sr. Mary earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Executive Accounting. She took her newfound knowledge with her to support the Venezuela Pastoral Team, and was soon appointed Coordinator of the Region. From 1991 to 1995, she returned to the U.S. to serve on the Center Council.
Even after her retirement in 1996, her dedication to volunteer work and community service continued. Sister Mary passed away on April 7, 2017 at the age of 94.
Interested in learning more about Maryknoll?
You can contact the Archives at:
Maryknoll Mission Archives
PO Box 305, Maryknoll, New York 10545
Phone: 914-941-7636
Office hours: 8:30 am-4:00 pm Monday-Friday
Email: archives@maryknoll.org
Website: www.maryknollmissionarchives.org
References:
About the legion of mary. Legion of Mary. (2018, February 8). https://legionofmary.ie/about
Brother Thaddeus Revers, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (n.d.). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-fathers-bro/brother-thaddeus-revers-mm/
Cairns, M. (2024, October 9). Rome House – A brief history of maryknoll in Rome. Maryknoll Mission Archives. https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/rome-house-a-brief-history-of-maryknoll-in-rome/
Costello, D. (2022, November 24). Indigenous traditions teach us giving thanks is a circular motion. National Catholic Reporter. https://www.ncronline.org/earthbeat/viewpoints/indigenous-traditions-teach-us-giving-thanks-circular-motion
Di Silvestro, J. (n.d.). China missions, 1841-2008. Maryknoll Mission Archives. https://maryknollmissionarchives.libraryhost.com/index.php?p=collections%2Ffindingaid&id=96&q=china&rootcontentid=375772#id375772
Father Frederick C. Dietz, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2014, April 17). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-fathers-bro/father-frederick-c-dietz-mm/
Glen Ellyn College Collection, 1942-1973. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (n.d.). https://maryknollmissionarchives.libraryhost.com/index.php?p=collections%2Fcontrolcard&id=361&q=glen%2Bellyn
Halloran, J. (2020, May 12). Maryknoll Medical Bureau: Maryknoll mission archives. Maryknoll Mission Archives. https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/the-maryknoll-medical-bureau-medicine-and-mission/
Hosts. (2024, October 14). In the U.S. it’s Indigenous Peoples’ Day. it’s Thanksgiving in Canada. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/10/14/nx-s1-5147328/in-the-u-s-its-indigenous-peoples-day-its-thanksgiving-in-canada
Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers. (n.d.). Mission diaries, 1912-1969. Maryknoll Mission Archives. https://maryknollmissionarchives.libraryhost.com/index.php?p=collections%2Fcontrolcard&id=1&q=diaries
Maryknoll Sisters. (n.d.). Mission diaries, 1912-1968. Maryknoll Mission Archives. https://maryknollmissionarchives.libraryhost.com/index.php?p=collections%2Ffindingaid&id=4&q=diaries&rootcontentid=234527#id234527
New Catholic Encyclopedia. (2024, October 11). Dietz, Peter Ernest. Encyclopedia.com. https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/dietz-peter-ernest
Sister Mary Stolz, MM. Maryknoll Mission Archives. (2019, October 1). https://maryknollmissionarchives.org/deceased-sisters/sister-mary-stolz-mm/
The story of easterseals. Easterseals. (2024). https://www.easterseals.com/about-us/history/
Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, September 16). Stanley Internment Camp. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Internment_Camp
Wikimedia Foundation. (2024, October 1). German occupation of Rome. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_occupation_of_Rome#:~:text=The%20expression%20Failed%20defense%20of,and%20the%20immediate%20military%20reaction
Sr. Mary Stolz enjoys the scenery in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
(left to right) Bro. Thaddeus Revers, Fr. Patrick J. Byrne, and Fr. Clement Boesflug pose for a photo while missioned in Japan, Christmas Day 1938.
Fr. Fred Dietz poses with a group of children, China.
