Emerentia Fleischhacker, OSB

Emerentia (Dorothy) Fleischhacker, OSB

Saint Benedict’s Monastery 

St Joseph, Minn.

April 17, 1922 – September 10, 2017 

The Eucharist of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, September 15, 2017, at the Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn., for Sister Emerentia (Dorothy) Fleischhacker, who died, age 95, on September 10, 2017, at St. Cloud Hospital, St. Cloud, Minn. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent on Thursday, September 14, from 1-6 p.m., or for a Vigil Prayer Service at 7 p.m. at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. Visitation continues at 9 a.m. until the time of the funeral on Friday, September 15.

Dorothy Fleischhacker was born April 17, 1922, to Joseph and Anna (Gully) Fleischhacker in St. Martin, Minn. She was an only daughter and the oldest of seven siblings. She attended St. Martin Public Grade School and received her high school equivalency from St. Cloud Technical High School in St. Cloud. She entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery on September 15, 1943, was received into the novitiate June 21, 1944, taking the name Emerentia, made first profession on July 11, 1945, and perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1948. 

S. Emerentia served as a homemaker in several parts of Minnesota. She was housekeeper at St. Joseph’s Home in St. Cloud, at Queen of Peace Hospital, New Prague, and at Redlake. At Redlake, she was also baker, assisted with school lunches, did the laundry and worked in the mission store. She served in the cafeteria and the dining room at the St. Cloud Hospital and was cook and homemaker at St. Joseph’s Orphanage in St. Paul, and at Luxemburg, Sobieski and St. Peter’s Convent in St. Cloud.      

As well as homemaking, S. Emerentia also served as activities director at St. Raphael’s Home in St. Cloud. At Saint Benedict’s Monastery, she worked in the rosary department and in the dining room. In 1981, she moved to Saint Scholastica Convent where she worked in the bakery for 11 years, sorted and mended laundry, and did craftwork for Monastic Enterprises. She was also involved in a ministry of prayer, especially for the prioress, for vocations and for younger members of the community.     

S. Emerentia is survived by her Benedictine community, her brothers: Ralph, Art, Mervin, and Father John, OSC, and by nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers: Brother Roman, OSC, and Richard.

Please direct memorial gifts to the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict Retirement Fund.