Submitted by: Dan Rich

Rev. Peter F. Mueller, CSC

Dec. 3, 1914 - July 16, 1997

South Bend Tribune 7/19/1997

Rev. Peter F. Mueller, CSC, 82, died at Holy Cross House, Notre Dame, Ind., about 6 a.m. on Wednesday, July 16. Father Mueller was born to Peter and Magdalena (Hurth) Mueller in Nittel, Germany, on Dec. 3, 1914. He received his primary education in his hometown. Then, with the help of his great uncle, Most Rev. Peter Hurth, CSC, Father Mueller came to the United States and received his high school education at St. Edward's Academy in Austin, Texas.

In 1932, Father Mueller entered Holy Cross Seminary, Notre Dame. On July 1, 1933, he entered the St. Joseph Novitiate at Notre Dame and professed his first vows on Aug. 16, 1934, at the new Novitiate in Rolling Prairie, Ind. On Aug. 16, 1937, he professed his perpetual vows. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1938 and continued his theological studies at Holy Cross College in Washington, D.C. On June 24, 1942, at Sacred Heart Church, Notre Dame, Father Mueller was ordained to the priesthood by the Most Rev. John F. Noll, Bishop of Fort Wayne, Ind.

Father Mueller's first priestly assignment took him to the Mexican Mission in and around Austin, Texas, including being pastor at St. Helen's Parish in Georgetown, Texas, from 1943-45. In 1948, he taught for a year at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., after which he began his first of three different assignments at St. George's College in Santiago, Chile: 1949 to 1955, 1958 to 1965, and 1966 to 1971. He taught at the University of Portland from 1955 to 1957 and then, for a year, he worked with Father Patrick Peyton's Family Rosary Crusade in Madrid, Paris, London, and the Vatican Pavilion of the World's Fair in Brussels before returning to Chile.

During 1965-66, he studied for and received a Master's degree in Library Science from the University of Portland. Beginning in 1971, he put his library knowledge to effective use for the community, serving at Moreau Seminary, assisting at the National Seminary of the Archdiocese of Panama, Holy Cross Novitiate in Cascade, Colo., and Notre Dame High School, Niles, Ill. From 1988 to the time of his death, he was assistant librarian at Moreau Seminary.

He served as associate pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in 1981-82, and frequently traveled to Panama to assist in pastoral work there. He enjoyed spending large blocks of time visiting and working with Father George Highberger at St. Mary's Parish in Chandler, Ariz., and with Father Jaime Irwin, CSC, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Obregon, Mexico.

In the last few years Father Mueller became very adept at communication with many friends via e-mail. Although he kept active up to the day of his death, health problems required him to live at Holy Cross House, Notre Dame, since 1995. Father Mueller is survived by nieces and nephews in Germany, and many friends around the world.

A wake service will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 20, at Moreau Seminary, Notre Dame.

Visitation will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday at Moreau Seminary. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Monday at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame. Burial will follow in the Community Cemetery, Notre Dame.