Father Norbert Schappler, OSB

Fr. Norbert Schappler, a member of the Benedictine Monks at Conception Abbey in Missouri, recently shared her story with SOAR! 

This year, Fr. Norbert Schappler, OSB, celebrates his 98th birthday at Conception Abbey in northwest Missouri. Born in 1926 in Atchison, Kansas, he followed in the footsteps of his uncle, Abbot Stephen Schappler, when he came to Conception Abbey’s high school in 1940: “My uncle was the Abbot, and my father and brother had both attended school at Conception. It was like a second home to me.”

Feeling patriotic, he tried to enlist in the Navy after high school, but he wasn’t accepted. “Pretty soon I realized I was homesick for Conception. I liked the way of living here. I liked the prayer life,” he said. “I liked the monks. So I came back for college seminary, and eventually I joined the monastery.”

Adjusting to monastic life was easier for Fr. Norbert than for some, because he had a strong family connection and was friends with several of the monks. “Probably the biggest challenge for me was that I missed sports. I used to be a quarterback in football, and I also played basketball. Some of the other monks went for walks, but there wasn’t much opportunity for sports back then. That’s why I stayed a couple years in college before making up my mind.”

Fr. Norbert professed vows in 1946 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1952. He went on to study library science and served as Conception’s head librarian for several years, in addition to roles as art director at the Printery House and professor and spiritual director at the Seminary College. “I helped students work through their problems and discern if they were called to the priesthood. Sometimes that meant giving encouragement and sometimes helping them reflect more deeply on their strengths and weaknesses.” Fr. Norbert also served as a “monk on mission”, assisting nearby parishes in need of a priest. “It was a joy to serve others in the community,” he says.

Fr. Norbert’s life has been one of deep faith and loving service to his community, enriching the lives of seminarians, guests, and fellow monks. At the age of 98, he attends daily recreation, still joins his confreres for community meals, and participates daily in the Liturgy of the Hours. “I encourage everyone to be a devout person who takes their faith seriously,” he shares. “Ask yourself, what’s truly best for you, where you can do the most good in life, and what can make you holier. Surround yourself with others who are also seeking holiness.”

Recently, Conception Abbey was the recipient of a grant from SOAR! Foundation for a wheelchair accessible van. “I’m very grateful for the new van,” Fr. Norbert says. “I can stay in my wheelchair for traveling to doctor’s appointments, and it’s a lot easier to get around.”