Rt. Rev. Michael Wenta

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=26659375

Pastor at St. Stanislaus Parish and principal at St. Stanislaus High School from 1935 until his death. Prior to that time, he had been the pastor at a parish in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, and then, in 1912 pastor at St. Hedwig's Parish in Milwaukee.

Photograph of Msgr. Michael Wenta kissing the ring of Cardinal Stritch.

Photograph of (then) Rev. Wenta with Msgr. Bernard Traudt (far left), Cardinal George Mundelein (second from left) and Mgsr. Felix Baran (far right).

Relation to other profiles on the Milwaukee Polonia Project:

GEDCOM Note

Michael Wenta (1877 - 1940)

A first cousin to Michael Domachowski, the two priests led remarkably parallel lives. Although Rt. Rev. Michael Wenta did not garner quite the collection of medals as Rt. Rev. Domachowski, he was still one of the most loved and respected priests in Milwaukee.

Michael Wenta was born in Starogard Gdanski in Pomerania on September 20, 1877 (two years after Michael Domachowski had been born in the nearby village of Pinczyn.) He was the youngest of the 10 children born to Katarzyna (Radomska) Wenta and her husband, Anton Wenta.

In early 1883, Anton, Katarzyna and at least five of their children boarded the S.S. Maas in Rotterdam and headed to America. They arrived in New York City on March 9, 1883, and then made their way to Milwaukee.

Although Anton was listed as a merchant on the ship manifest, in Milwaukee he was a stone cutter. Katarzyna was a midwife. Meanwhile, young Michael studied at the St. Stanislaus and St. Josephat's schools. Like Michael Domachowski, he then went on to Marquette College (later Marquette University) where he graduated with a Master of Arts in 1898 before enrolling in St. Francis Seminary. He and Michael Domachowski both graduated from St. Francis in 1901.

Michael Wenta's first pastorate was at St. Michael's parish in Beaver Dam. He quickly determined that the parish was out-growing its present church, and he immediately set out to build a new one. The construction of the new St. Michael's (now privately owned as the Chapel of the Archangels) was begun in 1903. Eventually, a new rectory and school were also added.

After St. Michael's in Beaver Dam, Michael Wenta was appointed the pastor at St. Hedwig's in Milwaukee. (St. Hedwig's is now part of the Three Holy Women Parish.) From 1911 to 1935, the Rt. Reverend (he was elevated to Monsignor in 1925, almost 10 years prior to Michael Domachowski), Michael Wenta presided over the "Golden Years" of St. Hedwig's. The growth of the church during that time period is reflected by the fact that its school added six classrooms and reached its peak enrollment of 1129.

Michael Wenta was an accomplished and recognized orator. He was often asked to give sermons on special occasions, many times in Polish. Maybe because of these skills, and his "distinguished bearing," he was often chosen to represent the archdiocese on significant occasions. Here he is shown in the Milwaukee Sentinel as part of the greeting committee for Cardinal Mundelein, who came for the consecration of St. Josephat's in November, 1928.

From left to right: Mgsr Bernard Traudt, Cardinal Mundelein, Mgsr. Michael Wenta, Mgsr. Felix Baran.

In 1935, Michael Wenta was transferred from St. Hedwig's to St. Stanislaus where he became not only pastor, but the principal of the St. Stanislaus High School, the first Catholic high school in Milwaukee. He continued at St. Stanislaus until his death in 1940.

Michael Wenta's death on April 14, 1940 of a cerebral hemorrhage was sudden and unexpected. It was a shock to the community as he was one of the best-loved priests in Milwaukee. His funeral was thronged by those wishing to pay their respects. The large space of St. Stanislaus was filled to capacity, and hundreds more stood outside during the service. The attendees included Archbishop Kiley of Milwaukee, Archbishop (later Cardinal) Stritch of Chicago and more than 200 monsignors and priests from around Wisconsin. Secular dignitaries included Mayor Carl Zeidler, City Attorney Walter Mattison and City Comptroller William Wendt, among others. However, although well-regarded by all these important individuals, Michael Wenta was a humble man. It may be a mark of his humbleness that Michael Wenta, who had so often been asked to give sermons during funerals (including that for Michael Domachowski, who had died just two months previously) specifically directed in his Will that no sermon should be given during his own funeral. Instead, a simple rosary was said.

Undoubtedly, the most important contribution of Michael Wenta to Milwaukee were the many fine students that studied at St. Stanislaus High School under his leadership. However, the most recognizable contribution that he made was the memorial to his mother which is one of the main features of St. Adalbert's Cemetery.

The copper statue was designed by L. Panzeri of Milan, Italy. It is reportedly in the likeliness of Michael's mother. All this is notable enough. What is ironic about this statue is that Michael Wenta's brother Anton was a stone cutter and the founder and operator of the Wenta Monument Co., purveyors of fine monuments since 1896. Although Anton Wenta had predeceased his mother, the business was still in the family at the time of Katarzyna's death. It is rumored that the fact Michael Wenta went outside the family to order this elaborate memorial to his mother caused a little consternation in the family.

Michael Wenta and his mother, Katarzyna (Radomski) Wenta, probably at his ordination in 1902

Relation to Last Featured Profile (Michael Domachowski): First Cousin Path From Last Featured Profile: Michael Domachowski to his mother, Marjanna (Radomska) Domachowska, to her sister, Katarzyna (Radomski) Wenta, to her son Michael Wenta.

Sources:

"Msgr. M.J. Wenta, Beloved Cleric, Dies Suddenly," Milwaukee Sentinel, April 15, 1940, p. 1 (all page references are to pages on Google News.)

"Msgr. Wenta's Rites are Said," Milwaukee Journal, April 18, 1940, p. 29

The Pinkowski Files, quoting Who's Who in Polish America.

"Rites for Priest are Arranged," Milwaukee Journal, February 9, 1940, p.25.

Smallshaw, John M., Faith Cast in Stone, The Polish Churches of Milwaukee 1866-2000, published privately.

"Twenty-Five Years Ago Today," Milwaukee Journal, June 4, 1926, p. 22.