Father Gerald M. Wickenhauser, MM

Born: November 16, 1934
Ordained: June 9, 1962
Died: February 4, 2024

Father Gerald M. Wickenhauser died on February 4, 2024 at OSF St. Anthony’s Health Center in Alton, Illinois. He was 89 years old and a Maryknoll priest for 61 years.

Gerald Martin Wickenhauser was born on November 16, 1934 in Alton, Illinois, son of Joseph and Margaret Dixon Wickenhauser. He grew up on a small truck farm with his parents, his grandfather Dixon, and his five brothers. There were always plenty of chores to be done, and he said he never worked harder in his life than when he lived on the farm. He attended St. Mary’s Grammar School run by the Sisters of Notre Dame, and graduated from Marquette High School run by the Ursuline Sisters, also in Alton. He studied Business Administration at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for two years before entering Maryknoll Junior Seminary (Venard), Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania in September 1954. He obtained a BA in Philosophy while at Glen Ellyn (1957) and a STB (1961) and a MRE (1962) from the Maryknoll School of Theology.

After ordination on June 9, 1962, Father Wickenhauser was assigned to mission in the Philippines. He served in five different parishes on the island of Mindanao, and worked mainly with farm families and fishermen there. He returned to the U.S. for studies and earned an MA in Spirituality from St. Louis University in 1975 and then went on to earn an STL from Gregorian University in Rome in 1978. In January 1980, he was assigned to Indonesia and worked with the Dayak indigenous people of Central Borneo. During his time there, loggers began cutting down the forest and the Dayaks were losing their homeland. Father Wickenhauser provided them medicines to treat malaria, leprosy and skin diseases, and visited the villages to offer the sacraments and help the sick.

Father Wickenhauser was assigned to the United States in August 1984 and worked as a Maryknoll developer in Washington, DC for two years before being appointed Director of the Maryknoll Regional Office in Houston, Texas. His work there covered the four states of Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. He fell in love with Texas. In 1993, he was recipient of the “Houston Peace Prize” for his promotion of justice and peace programs in that city. Father defined mission education as the experience and wisdom of the world’s poor which American missioners bring home to their fellow-citizens.

Father Wickenhauser was assigned to the Brazil Unit in July 1993, and in 1995 was appointed the Unit Coordinator for Brazil. He worked in parishes on both the eastside and the northside of the city of São Paulo with a team of Maryknoll priests, Sisters and lay missioners. The team called itself “The Brazil Mission Community,” and all members of the team worked together as equals sharing decisions and responsibilities. This was an important new concept for doing mission. In May 2001, Father Wickenhauser was chosen as Chapter Delegate for Brazil and Venezuela, and attended the opening of the Eleventh General Chapter in Bangkok, Thailand in 2002.

Father Wickenhauser continued working in Brazil until mid-2004 when, at the age of 70, he asked for and was granted permission to retire. In November 2004, he entered the Retirement Community (now Senior Missioner Community) and moved to Illinois. He lived at the United Methodist Village (now Asbury Village) in Godfrey, Illinois. For many years he said Mass for the residents there and helped out in nearby Catholic parishes and at the Ursuline Convent in Alton. He developed many friendships at Asbury Village over the years, and stated, “I love living with 220 residents of all churches; it makes me be more ecumenical.”

Father Wickenhauser was grateful for his family and friends who continued to surround him with the love and support he needed to live a healthy and happy retirement. He reflected, “No priest can do this job… without plenty of love and understanding from friends, and a lot of care, forgiveness and encouragement from the heavenly Father. I am indeed blessed.”

Father Wickenhauser is survived by his brothers, James and Richard, as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brothers Edward, Gene and Joseph.

A Wake service was held on February 8, 2024 at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Godfrey, Illinois.  Mass of Christian Burial took place on February 10, 2024 at St. Ambrose Catholic Church.  Father Steve Janoski officiated, along with Father Brian Barrons, MM. Burial followed at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Godfrey, Illinois.

A Memorial Mass was concelebrated at the Maryknoll Society Center on February 21, 2024 in the Holy Spirit Chapel. Father James Kroeger was the Celebrant and homilist. Father Clyde Phillips read the biography and Father Francis Felter read the Oath.