Clementine Deymann

Clementine Deymann was a German priest and prison chaplain.

Biography

Born at Stavern, Oldenburg, Germany, 24 June 1844; died at Phoenix, Arizona, U. S. A., 4 December 1896. He came to America with his parents in 1863, studied at Teutopolis, Illinois, received the habit of St. Francis and the name Clementine at the same place, 8 December 1867, finished his theological studies, and was ordained priest at St. Louis, Missouri, 19 May 1872. Father Clementine was stationed as professor at the college of Teutopolis until July, 1879, when he was transferred to Joliet, to act as chaplain of the State prison. At Joliet he was also spiritual director of the School Sisters of St. Francis. In August, 1880, he was appointed superior and pastor of the German parish of Joliet, and in July, 1882, he received a like position at Chillicothe, Missouri. In 1885 and in 1891 Father Clementine was elected definitor of the Franciscan province of the Sacred Heart; in 1886 he was made superior of the boys' orphanage at Watsonville, California. He was appointed 22 July 1896, the first commissary for the newly erected Franciscan commissariat of the Pacific Coast, but died shortly after receiving this office and was buried at Santa Barbara. Father Clementine was a very industrious man, who in his spare time translated a number of useful works, some of which have been published. Among these are: The Seraphic Octave, or Retreat (1883); Life of St. Francisco Solano; Life of Blessed Crescentia Hoess; May Devotions (1884). His original writings are: Manual for the Sisters of the Third Order (1884); St. Francis Manual (1884). He also wrote for several periodicals, and left in manuscript translations from the Spanish of the lives of Father Junípero Serra and Father Antonio Margil.