Regis Norbert James Barwig

Regis Norbert James Barwig OSB
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Born	(1932-01-16)January 16, 1932 Chicago
Died	December 31, 2022(2022-12-31) (aged 90) Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Education	Georgetown University
Occupation	Benedictine monk, Roman Catholic priest, theologian

Father Regis Norbert James Barwig OSB (born January 16, 1932 in Chicago, died December 31, 2022 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin) – Benedictine monk, Roman Catholic priest, theologian, retreat leader, author of religious publications, ecumenical activist, and long-time chaplain of the Sovereign Order of Malta, particularly distinguished in Polish communities in the United States.

Origin and youth

Norbert James Barwig was born on January 16, 1932, in Chicago, the second son of Ladislaus (Władysław) and Josephine (née Neugebauer) Barwig. His ancestors were political emigrants from Poland who arrived in the United States in 1862 and settled in Chicago. He was baptized on February 4, 1932, at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church in Chicago, one of the main parishes of the Polish community in Chicago. In his youth, he worked as a translator and editorial assistant for the Chicago Polish Daily News, which marked the beginning of his career in journalism.

Education and intellectual formation

He graduated from elementary school in 1945. He then attended Archbishop Weber High School in Chicago, where in 1948 he won the regional stage of the National Hearst Oratorical Contest, confirming his oratorical skills.

He studied at St. Procopius College in Lisle (now Benedictine University), earning a bachelor's degree in philosophy. He continued his studies at Georgetown University, the University of Notre Dame, and the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, gaining a comprehensive education in philosophy, theology, and political science.

From 1951 to 1954, he served as president of the National Federation of Catholic College Students, which was an important part of his early organizational activities.

Religious life and priesthood

In 1954, he joined the Order of St. Benedict at St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle, taking the religious name Regis. He was ordained a priest on May 30, 1959, at St. Raymond's Cathedral in Joliet.

Pastoral, academic, and organizational activities

After his ordination, he served in teaching roles, including as a lecturer and educator at Benedictine institutions. He led retreats and catechetical activities in the United States and abroad, and participated in ecumenical initiatives. He was also the author and editor of theological publications, collaborating with Catholic publishing houses and religious institutions.

Communities and organizational activities

In 1964, he co-founded Claremont Priory in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Four years later, in 1968, he founded the Community of Our Lady Monastery in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where he served as prior.

The Order of Malta and decorations

From 1972, he was associated with the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, serving as magistral chaplain and honorary conventual chaplain, achieving the rank of Chaplain of the Grand Conventual Cross ad honorem, and for many years he served as chief chaplain of the Association of Polish Knights of Malta. For his work, he was awarded the highest Polish state orders, including the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland and the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Polonia Restituta, as well as a number of ecclesiastical and foreign decorations.

Death

He remained intellectually and pastorally active until the end of his life. In his old age, he led retreats and published formative articles. In 2009, he celebrated his golden jubilee of priesthood, and in May 2022, the 63rd anniversary of his ordination. He died on December 31, 2022, the same day as Pope Benedict XVI. The funeral Mass was held on January 5, 2023, at the Monastery of Our Lady in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, presided over by Fr. Augustine H. Serafini, OSB. The funeral ceremony took place on January 7, 2023, at St. John Cantius Church in Chicago, in accordance with the wishes of the deceased; the liturgy was also presided over by Fr. Serafini. The ceremony was attended by, among others, Bishop Joseph N. Perry, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and Fr. Joshua S. Caswell, Superior General of the Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius.[.

The coffin was placed in the nave of the church and covered with the flag of the Order of Malta. During the liturgy, traditional Polish religious songs were performed: “Bogurodzica,” “Gaude Mater Polonia,” and “U drzwi Twoich stoję Panie” as well as Michał Kleofas Ogiński's “Polonaise.” A letter of condolence from Bishop Andrzej F. Dziuba of Łowicz was also read.

He was buried at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines, Illinois, in the mausoleum where his fellow monk, Father Eugene E. Kalinski OSB, rests.

Bibliography

1. A.F. Dziuba, Ojciec Regis Norbert James Barwig OSB (1932-2022), [w:] Studia Polonijne, T. 45, Lublin 2024, s. 333-339.
2. KNK, Order dla o. Regisa N. Barwiga, "Krzyż Maltański" 2015, nr. 6, s. 38. [access: 19.01.2025].
3. Nekrolog, Ojciec Regis N. Barwig 16 stycznia 1932 - 31 grudnia 2022, źródło: Father Regis N. Barwig Obituary December 31, 2022, [access: 19.01.2026].
4. Polska Agencja Interpress, w: Polak w świecie. Leksykon Polonii i Polaków za granicą, Warszawa 2001, s. 29.
5. W. A. Wierzewski, Mały leksykon 175 znanych Polaków w Ameryce, [w:] Archiwum emigracji: Studia, Szkice, Dokumenty, Zeszyt 4, red. S. Kossowskiej, M. A. Supruniuka, Toruń 2001. s. 230.

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