Rev. Clement M. Thuente Golden Jubilee

THUENTE

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 7/6/2016 at 15:33:38

GOLDEN JUBILEE OF
THE VERY REVEREND CLEMENT M. THUENTE, O.P., P.G.
THE Very Reverend Clement M. Thuente, O.P., P.G., observed the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination to the Priesthood with a private celebration at Queen of the Rosary Convent, Amityville, New York, on December 20. The third of the seven children of Francis and Catherine Thuente, Father Thuente was born at Festina, Iowa, on July 12, 1867. Having attended grammar school at Festina, he received his high school education at the Campion College of the Sacred Heart, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. He spent three years at the Jesuit Seminary attached to Innsbruck When he expressed his desire to become a Dominican, the Very Reverend D. J. Kennedy, O.P., S.T.M., of St. Joseph's Province, who was then teaching at Fribourg, advised Father Thuente (who had already received the four Minor Orders) to go to Fribourg to meet the American Provincial, the Very Reverend F. A. Spencer, O.P. Father Spencer sent the aspirant to St. Mary's Priory, at La Sarte, Belgium, to make his Novitiate. He made his profession there on October 20, 1892, and after reviewing Thomistic philosophy at La Sarte, Father Thuente started his courses in theology at the Dominican House of Studies at Louvain, Belgium. Returning to the United States, he made solemn profession on October 20, 1895, at St. Joseph's Priory, Somerset, Ohio, where he continued his theological studies. The Most Reverend John Ambrose Watterson ordained him privately to the three Major Orders of subdiaconate, diaconate, and priesthood on three successive days, December 18, 19,and 20, 1895.

Assigned to St. Vincent Ferrer's Priory, New York City, Father Thuente was placed in charge of St. Catherine's Chapel, which was dedicated on Sunday, August 29, 1896. While in New York, the priest advised Mothers Alphonsa Hawthorne and Rose Huber to establish a community of Dominican Sisters for the care of destitute persons afflicted with incurable cancer, the institute now known as the "Servants of Relief for Incurable Cancer." With the permission of Archbishop Michael Augustine Corrigan, D.D., Father Thuente was made the first ecclesiastical superior. During the same period, Father Thuente advised Miss Marian Gurney, who had aided Father in the foundation of the St. Rose Settlement in Manhattan, to establish the Sisters of Our Lady of Christian Doctrine for the care and instruction of neglected Catholic children.

In 1900, Father Thuente was assigned to Holy Rosary Priory, Minneapolis, Minnesota. After acting as pastor and superior at St. Mary's Rectory, New Haven, Connecticut, he became prior at St. Vincent Ferrer's Priory, New York City, in 1903. Three years later, at the completion of his term of office, he returned to Holy Rosary Priory. During the years 1913-1916 Father Thuente was head of the Northwestern Mission band. In 1927 he received the title of Preacher General, and after further work from the Dominican House of Studies at River Forest, Illinois, and at St. Dominic's Rectory, San Francisco, California, Father Thuente was assigned to Holy Name Church, Philadelphia, Pa., from which center he gave retreats. For some six years previous to her death in 1945, he acted as private chaplain to Mrs. William Arnold, who had been helping him especially in the work at the St. Rose Settlement in Manhattan. He is at present at Queen of the Rosary Convent, Amityville, New York.

Among other literary works, Father has written numerous articles for The Rosary Magazine.

Dominicana joins with the Province in extending sincere congratulations to Father Thuente.

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