William Menster

{{Infobox military person

| honorific_prefix =

| name = William Menster

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|mf=y|1913|02|10}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|mf=y|2007|04|14|1913|02|10}}

| placeofburial_label = Resting Place

| placeofburial =

| birth_place = Cascade, Iowa

| death_place = Dubuque, Iowa

| placeofburial_coordinates =

| nickname =

| allegiance = United States of America

| branch = United States Navy

| serviceyears = 1942–1967

| rank = Commander

| unit =

| commands =

| battles = World War II

| awards =

| relations =

| laterwork =

| module = {{Infobox Christian leader

| embed = yes

| church = Catholic (Latin Church)

| rank =

| ordination = June 11, 1938

| ordained_by =

}}

Father William J. Menster (February 10, 1913 – April 14, 2007) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Menster was best known as the first member of the clergy to visit Antarctica.

Early life

Born in Cascade, Iowa, Menster was the son of Joseph and Frances Menster. He attended St. Martin's School in Cascade and Loras College in Dubuque. Menster studied for the priesthood at St. Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. Menster was ordained a priest on June 11, 1938. Menster was then assigned to be the associate pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Waterloo, Iowa.

Active military service

Menster enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve in 1942. After completing chaplain's school, Menster first served as chaplain at Naval Base San Diego before being assigned to various Navy bomber stations in the Pacific theater.{{cite news |title=South Pole Padre to Show Films of Byrd Expedition |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/391257772/ |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=Mason City Globe-Gazette |date=Sep 20, 1947 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite news |title=Book By Corwith Priest Tells of Byrd Antarctic Voyage |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/9094029/ |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=The Algona Upper Des Moines |date=Jun 16, 1949 |url-access=subscription}}{{cite news |title=Plan Address at Memorial Field Mass |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/4263297/ |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=Globe-Gazette |date=May 26, 1955 |url-access=subscription}}

Following the Second World War, Menster briefly served at Naval Air Station Miami before being assigned to Operation Highjump – Admiral Richard Byrd's fourth expedition to Antarctica – in 1946. He was assigned to the USS Mount Olympus, and was the only chaplain in the five ship fleet. Upon landing, he became the first Catholic priest ever to set foot on Antarctica. On January 26, 1947 he led the first ever religious service of any denomination on the continent with a Mass offered for world peace. Throughout the expedition, Menster said Mass daily and also conducted ecumenical services for the 2,000 men of a variety of religious faiths.{{cite news |title=Dubuque priest who blessed Antarctica wants to return |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/552074179/ |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=The Gazette |date=Jun 22, 1996 |url-access=subscription}}

Two members of the expedition went on to enter seminary studies to become priests. Bill Beye was baptized by Menster on Christmas Eve, 1946, aboard the ship – believed to be the first baptism in the Antarctic Circle. He entered the Franciscans in Santa Barbara, California. Thomas Donnelley, who was the altar server for the historic Mass, later entered Maryknoll Seminary.{{cite news |title=Baptized in Antarctica, To Be Ordained in 1958 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/179467088/ |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=The Catholic Advance |date=Jan 27, 1956 |url-access=subscription}}

Menster presented the missal that he used on the expedition to Loras College.{{cite news |title=Missal with Unique Distinction |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.32151047 |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=The Catholic World in Pictures |date=May 9, 1947}}

Later years

After returning to the United States in 1947, Menster returned to reserve duty and was assigned to Saint Mary's Church in Corwith, Iowa. He also served as the national chaplain of the AMVETS organization. Menster was named the director of Catholic Charities in 1948, and held this posting until 1958. He wrote the book Strong Men South as a chronicle of his adventures in 1949. He later traveled to Hollywood where he served as a technical consultant when ABC made a documentary about Antarctica named The Secret Land, which was based in part on his book. In 1950 Menster and his father were granted a private audience with Pope Pius XII.{{cite news |title=Rev. William J. Menster |work=Telegraph Herald |date=April 16, 2007 |location=Dubuque, IA |page=D4 |url=https://www.newslibrary.com/newspapers/news/1188EC347835D0F8 |url-access=subscription}} Menster was assigned to be the pastor of St. Patrick's Church in, Monona, St. Mary's in Waverly, and St. John's in Clarion in 1958. While there, he was the chaplain of the U.S. Naval Training Center in Dubuque.{{cite news |title=New Pastor Named at Waverly Church |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/358628723/ |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=The Courier |agency=Courier News Service |date=Feb 2, 1967 |url-access=subscription}} By 1968, Menster had attained the rank of Commander.{{cite news |title=Navy Cities Area Man |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/359229240/ |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=The Courier |date=Mar 10, 1968 |language=en |url-access=subscription}}

Menster was named the pastor of the St. Donatus parish in 1978. After Menster retired from active ministry, he lived in Dubuque. At the time of his death on April 14, 2007, Menster was the oldest living priest in the Archdiocese of Dubuque.{{cite news |title=Menster, 94, popular priest, dies |work=Telegraph Herald |date=April 15, 2007 |location=Dubuque, IA |url=https://www.newslibrary.com/newspapers/news/118A4FAB66987E40 |url-access=subscription}} His funeral was at St. Raphael's Cathedral.{{cite news |title=Antarctica Mass presenter dies at 94 in Dubuque |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/549156273/ |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=The Gazette |date=Apr 17, 2007 |url-access=subscription}}

Legacy

Menster Ledge, a geological feature in Antarctica, is named after Menster in his capacity as chaplain, commander, USN of the flagship Mount Olympus.{{cite gnis | type = antarid | id = 18123| name = Menster Ledge | accessdate = 2013-09-18}}