Obituary of Rev. William T. Liebert

Coffeyville - Father William Thomas Liebert, 81, died on the morning of Friday, May 6, 2011, in his home at Divine Word Missionaries, Techny, Ill. He was born June 10, 1929, Coffeyville, Kan. the second son of Albert L. and Mamie Jordan Liebert. On June 9, 1957, Fr. Liebert was ordained a Catholic priest, serving the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), and lived in Papua New Guinea ministering to the people of that country for 48 years until returning to Divine Word Missionaries permanently in 2005. He continued to provide direction and council to the successors of his many ministries in Papua New Guinea until he died. Fr. Liebert decided to become a priest when he was 14 years old. A missionary vocation director visited the 8th grade students at Holy Name Catholic School, and afterwards, Fr. Liebert decided to enter into religious life. After being ordained a Catholic priest in 1957, he requested to serve in Papua New Guinea in the Catholic Diocese of Wewak. On May 1, 1959, Fr. Liebert co-founded The Sacred Heart Brothers with Archbishop Leo Arkfeld, SVD. The Sacred Heart Brothers are an order of native brothers who helped Fr. Liebert minister to the people of Papua New Guinea and spread the teachings of the Catholic Church. Today, The Sacred Heart Brothers have 80 members in six dioceses with eight monasteries. On May 31, 1968, he founded Boys Town in Wewak (no affiliation with Boys Town in the United States). He opened two more Boys Town in Erap and Hohola. Boys Town operates an elementary school, high school, and trade school for delinquent and homeless boys ages 7-18. It serves as a rehabilitation home so that adolescent boys are not placed in adult prisons, and they can learn lifelong skills to be good and honest adults. According to Papua New Guinean laws, children as young as seven can be charged as adults. Fr. Liebert provided a second chance to many boys who came from deficient backgrounds. It was his intention to give his boys hope, love, and encouragement for the future. With the help of The Sacred Heart Brothers, Fr. Liebert built each home by hand and educated many boys in the skills of reading, writing, carpentry, motor mechanics, welding, plumbing, printing, baking, photography, and pastoral work. Fr. Liebert founded ReMan, a home in Port Moresby where arrested boys are cared for by The Sacred Heart Brothers as they await for trial. In Vanimo, he founded The House of Prayer, a retreat house for youth seminars. In Madang, he opened a home for disabled older men abandoned by their families. Many were left on the roadside with no one to care for them. He also established a school for associate members of his ministry work. Hundreds of young men have attended this school for a six month period to learn about Christian living, scripture, liturgy, parish involvement, and some have become Sacred Heart Brothers or considered vocational life. He served the Catholic Diocese of Wewak as chancellor and as head of the matrimonial tribunal. Fr. Liebert volunteered as second magistrate in juvenile court of Wewak in over 1000 cases, served on a government committee for the revision of the criminal code, and was asked by the prime minister to serve on a law and order task force. He investigated the juvenile detention system and found over 200 boys were held illegally. He organized the Bureau of Narcotics at the request of the government by coordinating drug awareness and rehabilitation. He represented the Papua New Guinea government at the United Nations Commission on Narcotics. He was not financially compensated for any work he did for the government. Fr. Liebert served in such capacity out of concern for the youth of Papua New Guinea who are so vulnerable to the drug movement. In retirement, Fr. Liebert authored two books: "A Retreat for Missionary Seminarians and Priests" and "Handbook of Faculties for Priests Serving the Mission Church." Fr. Liebert graduated in 1962 with a Masters in Cannon Law, Catholic University, Washington D.C., where he also received a Bachelors in Cannon Law in 1961. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1957 after receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Theology from St. Mary's Seminary, Techny, Ill. In 1947, he graduated from Holy Spirit High School, East Troy, Wis. after graduating from Holy Name Catholic School, Coffeyville, Kan. in 1943. Survivors include his brother Robert "Bob" L. Liebert, Coffeyville, KS, and sister-in-law Geraldine "Jerry" Liebert, Coffeyville, KS. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother John Liebert, infant, brother Albert C. Liebert, sister Lucille A. Liebert, and sister-in-law Patricia Liebert. Other survivors include Ann Marie and Tim Vannoster and Kari and Katie, Coffeyville, KS; Caroline and Brad Law, and Alayna and Megan, Lenexa, KS; Mary Liebert, and A.J., Will, and Jack Franklin, Tulsa, OK; and Jane Ellen Liebert, Lawrence, KS. Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at Divine Word Missionaries, Techny, Ill. Fr. Liebert will be buried on the grounds of The Sacred Heart Monastery in Wewak, Papua New Guinea. A rosary honoring the life of Fr. Liebert and his cousin, Richard Liebert, will be held on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Name Catholic Church, 408 Willow Street, Coffeyville, Kan. Fr. Liebert requests donations to "Divine Word Missionaries," P.O. Box 6099, Techny, IL 60082 or "Holy Name Catholic School," 406 Willow Street, Coffeyville, KS 67337. Please write "Fr. Liebert Memorial" in the memo line. Tagged as: Divine Word Missionaries, Holy Name Catholic Church, Holy Name Catholic School