December 3, 1991
Father Albert Esswein
Father Esswein was born in St. Louis, MO on June 26, 1911 where he later attended Kenrick Seminary. “At the time of Fr. Esswein’s ordination, the Archdiocese of St. Louis had an excess of priests and (he) asked to serve in the Diocese of Wichita.” (The Catholic Advance, Dec. 12, 1991) Bishop Winkelmann ordained him for the Diocese of Wichita in the St. Louis Cathedral on June 11, 1938. Before becoming a pastor he worked at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita and as an assistant at St. Joseph Parish in Ellinwood. As pastor he was assigned to Fredonia in 1940, to Loretto in 1942, to St. Leo in 1947, to Clonmel in 1958, to McPherson in 1962, and to Lyons in 1969. Father Esswein retired to his hometown of St. Louis in 1983 after serving in the Diocese of Wichita for forty-five years. Bishop Gerber celebrated his funeral Mass in St. Louis at Our Lady of Sorrows Church.