From the Archives

Father Boniface Mandelaartz

The history of the Church in Oklahoma is jammed packed with interesting characters and even a few that invite puzzlement and head scratching. Others became known for accomplishments that had little to do with their priestly ministry. Such is the case with Boniface Mandelaartz.
 
Father Mandelaartz was a native of Stolberg, Germany, and immigrated to become a Benedictine monk of Saint Benedict Abbey in Oregon and functioned as a professor Mount Angel Seminary.
 
He arrived in Oklahoma in 1926 and served in various pastoral assignments. The how and why of his coming here is still somewhat a mystery. His claim to fame came in an unlikely field. As a botanist, while assigned to Bison, he developed a new hybrid strain of corn that was better suited to Oklahoma’s climate. Appropriately, he called his hybrid “Saint Joseph’s Corn.”
 
Becoming pastor of Hydro in 1943, he also ministered to the German prisoner of war camp located near Fort Reno. Prisoner of war camps dotted the Oklahoma landscape during World War II and the local church made sure of proper pastoral care. His ministry with the prisoners was fondly recalled in his obituary.
 
Father Mandelaartz’s lively mind and persistence in experimentation worked toward achieving his unique place in the field of botany. His love for his parishioners wherever he was assigned was equally as important and appreciated by those he served. After finishing his active ministry as chaplain of Mercy Hospital, Father Boniface Mandelaartz left this life in February 1966.