Reverend Athanase "Edwin" Fuchs

Jody Hane2021-06-05T11:02:16-05:00

Name: Reverend Athanase "Edwin" Fuchs
Location of Birth: Langdon, North Dakota
Date of Birth: November 11, 1914
Date of Death: August 14, 2001 (86 years old)
Parents: Michael Fuchs and Elizabeth (Schmitt) Fuchs
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Branch: Army
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Military Highlights:
Edwin joined the United States Army as a chaplain. He served in the Pacific Theater of World War II in the Philippines from 1945 to 1947, during which time he published a Japanese Catechism for the prisoners of war.

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Civilian Life:
Edwin was educated at St. John's Preparatory School, University and Seminary. He made his initial commitment to the Benedictine way of life on July 11, 1935. He was ordained a priest on June 8, 1941 and became a teacher at St. Peter's Abbey in Saskatchewan, Canada from 1941 to 1943. Edwin was associate pastor at Holy Rosary Church in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota from 1943 to 1945.

After his chaplain service, he was associate pastor at St. Clement Parish in Duluth, Minnesota from 1947 to 1948, and of St. Joseph Church in St. Joseph, Minnesota from 1948 to 1949. From 1949 to 1953, he became associate pastor at St. Boniface Church in Cold Spring, Minnesota. There he also served as Superintendent of St. Boniface High and Grade Schools. He also designed the famous pilgrimage Assumption "Grasshopper" Chapel outside of Cold Spring. He returned to St. Clement Parish in Duluth as associate pastor from 1953 to 1966. He was appointed pastor of St. Joseph's Indian Mission in Ball Club for two years, 1966-1968, and then served as pastor to St. Mary's Church in Stillwater, Minnesota from 1968 to 1971. He returned to St. Joseph's Church of Ball Club in 1971. He helped develop a business venture, Indian Mission Enterprises. He served among the Ojibwe people for 30 years until he retired in 1999 to St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota. He would occasionally help out with priestly ministry and was in charge of the collection and distribution of Mass intentions and stipends.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Marcellus William Fox and Arnold Fuchs; and a sister, Sister Magdalene.

He is survived by two sisters, Sister Michaela Fuchs and Geneva Schreiber; as well as his monastic community.

He died in the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota and burial was in St. John's Abbey Cemetery in Collegeville, Minnesota.

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