Father Roderick Robert Fenzl, O. Praem., age 95, a Norbertine priest and member of St. Norbert Abbey, De Pere, WI, passed into God's eternal Kingdom on March 1, 2025.

Fr. Fenzl was born on March 30, 1929 in Park Falls, WI to the late Alois and Delia (Boyer) Fenzl. His home parish was St. Anthony Parish in Park Falls.

After three years at St. Norbert College, he entered St. Norbert Abbey on August 28, 1950 and professed Solemn Vows on August 28, 1955. He was ordained to the Priesthood on September 1, 1955.

Fr. Fenzl spent his first three years as a Norbertine priest teaching at what was then St. Norbert High School in De Pere (1955-1958). He received his Master's Degree in Science Education from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI in June of 1959. He then served as a faculty member at Abbot Pennings High School in De Pere where he taught Chemistry and Math for eight years.

In 1967 Fr. Fenzl volunteered to serve in the Abbey's mission in Lima, Peru and ended up staying for almost thirty-four years. During that time, he was one of several Norbertines who worked with St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) and her sisters –the Missionaries of Charity– as they ministered to the people in Lima and the surrounding areas. He served as a sacramental minister for the two Norbertine parishes there and taught at Reyna de las Americas –the high school, then under the direction of the Norbertines. He treasured his experiences in Peru and spoke about them very often. To the end, Fr. Fenzl still regularly received phone calls from students he taught in Lima, which brought him great joy.

Fr. Fenzl returned to the United States in 2000 and accepted an invitation from the Norbertines at Santa Maria de La Vid Priory in Albuquerque, NM to take up residence. While there, he was active in parish, prison, and hospital ministries. After ten years in New Mexico, Fr. Fenzl retired to St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere where he continued to help at St. Willibrord Parish in Green Bay, WI and enjoyed meeting with a small group at Casa Alba.

He is survived by the Norbertine Community of St. Norbert Abbey; one brother, James Fenzl; a sister-in-law, Pauline Fenzl; a brother-in-law, Richard Kramer; and his nieces and nephews.

Fr. Fenzl was preceded in death by his parents; siblings: Dorothy (Edward) Schwartz; William Fenzl; Lawrence (Kathryn) Fenzl; Mary Ann Kramer; sister-in-law, Cecelia Fenzl; and a nephew, Andrew Schwartz.

The Celebration of Vespers of the Dead (Evening Prayer) will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 7 followed by Visitation in the Chapter Room of St. Norbert Abbey until 8:30 p.m. On Saturday, March 8, Lauds of the Dead (Morning Prayer) will take place at 8:00 a.m. followed by Visitation until the Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 10:30 a.m., expressing our faith and hope in the promised glory of the Lord's Resurrection. The Rt. Rev. Dane J. Radecki, O. Praem., Abbot of St. Norbert Abbey, will be the principal celebrant.

Burial will be in the St. Norbert Abbey Cemetery at a later date.

The Norbertine Community would like to thank the nurses at St. Norbert Abbey and everyone at Unity Hospice who cared for Fr. Fenzl.

Ryan Funeral Home, De Pere, is in charge of the arrangements