By Maria Foss | On Mission
DE PERE — Norbertine Fr. Roderick Robert Fenzl, teacher and sacramental minister who worked in Lima, Peru, for nearly 34 years, died on March 1 at age 95.
Fr. Fenzl was born on March 30, 1929, in Park Falls, Wis., 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 in De Pere, Fr. Fenzl entered St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere on Aug. 28, 1950.
He professed solemn vows on Aug. 28, 1955. He was ordained to the priesthood on Sept. 1, 1955 — in September 2025 he would have celebrated 70 years in the priesthood.
From 1955 to 1958, Fr. Fenzl taught at St. Norbert High School in De Pere. He received his master’s degree in science education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1959 and then taught math and chemistry for eight years at Abbot Pennings High School in De Pere.
In 1967, Fr. Fenzl volunteered to serve at the Abbey’s mission in Lima, Peru, and remained there for almost 34 years. He was one of several Norbertines who worked with St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) and her sisters, the Missionaries of Charity.
He was also a sacramental minister for two Norbertine parishes in Lima and taught at Reyna de las Americas, the Norbertine high school.
Fr. Fenzl treasured his experiences in Peru and spoke about them often. He regularly received phone calls from the students whom he taught in Lima, which brought him great joy.
He returned to the United States in 2000 and accepted an invitation from the Norbertines at Santa Maria de la Vid Priory in Albuquerque, N.M., to take up residence. While there, he was active in parish, prison and hospital ministries.
After 10 years in New Mexico, Fr. Fenzl retired to St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere, but he remained active, helping at St. Willebrord Parish in Green Bay and meeting with a small group at Casa ALBA Melanie Hispanic Resource Center in Green Bay.
He is survived by the Norbertine Community; 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 and Mary Ann Kramer; sisters-in-law, Kathryn and Cecelia Fenzl.
The funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, March 7, at 10:30 a.m. with Norbertine Abbot Dane Radecki as principal celebrant. Burial will be in the St. Norbert Abbey Cemetery at a later date.