On Thursday, August 16, 2012, The Reverend Anselm Walker, S.T.L., went to be with his Heavenly Father. He was ordained on May 26, 1956 at St. John’s Cathedral in Milwaukee, WI and studied at St. Benedict’s Abbey, Benet Lake, WI under the Benedictine Order. Following ordination, he studied for a year at Grand Seminarie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
After he was ordained, he was assigned duties in Mexico and Costa Rica and after several years, he withdrew from the Benedictine Order. After 1959, he returned to Texas, becoming a priest of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston. He served as assistant pastor, pastor, and instructor at St. Mary’s Seminary. He also served in the corrections ministry and as a hospital
After 1991, he retired as an active priest of the Diocese but remained as Director of St. Basil’s Byzantine Catholic Center for Eastern Christian Studies in Houston, Texas.
He held the equivalent of a Master’s Degree in Eastern Christian Studies from John the XXIII Center at Fordham University.
He was born Harrison Collins Walker on April 6, 1926 in Polk County, Texas and was the son of William George Walker Jr. and Arminta Carrie Martin Walker. His brothers and sisters include the late Florene Walker Oliver of Woodville, Texas; the late Nina Alleen Walker Mickelwait Collier of Trinity, Texas; and, the late William George "Dick" Walker, III of Rosharon, Texas.
Father Walker is a veteran of World War II, where he served in the U.S. Army and participated in the Battle of Okinawa. Later, he was a member of the Army of Occupation in Japan. While in Japan, he studied Latin at Sofia University in Tokyo. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (Japan) and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Prior to entering the Benedictine Order, he attended the University of St. Thomas in Houston and was the first alumnus to be ordained as a priest.
Over the years, Father Walker dedicated his life to the Catholic Church and was enriched with an abundance of Heavenly gifts as he gave strength and comfort to others.
St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church
St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church
St. John Chrysostom Byzantine Catholic Church
Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery
On Thursday, August 16, 2012, The Reverend Anselm Walker, S.T.L., went to be with his Heavenly Father. He was ordained on May 26, 1956 at St. John’s Cathedral in Milwaukee, WI and studied at St. Benedict’s Abbey, Benet Lake, WI under the Benedictine Order. Following ordination, he studied for a year at Grand Seminarie in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
After he was ordained, he was assigned duties in Mexico and Costa Rica and after several years, he withdrew from the Benedictine Order. After 1959, he returned to Texas, becoming a priest of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston. He served as assistant pastor, pastor, and instructor at St. Mary’s Seminary. He also served in the corrections ministry and as a hospital
chaplain.
After 1991, he retired as an active priest of the Diocese but remained as Director of St. Basil’s Byzantine Catholic Center for Eastern Christian Studies in Houston, Texas.
He held the equivalent of a Master’s Degree in Eastern Christian Studies from John the XXIII Center at Fordham University.
He was born Harrison Collins Walker on April 6, 1926 in Polk County, Texas and was the son of William George Walker Jr. and Arminta Carrie Martin Walker. His brothers and sisters include the late Florene Walker Oliver of Woodville, Texas; the late Nina Alleen Walker Mickelwait Collier of Trinity, Texas; and, the late William George "Dick" Walker, III of Rosharon, Texas.
Father Walker is a veteran of World War II, where he served in the U.S. Army and participated in the Battle of Okinawa. Later, he was a member of the Army of Occupation in Japan. While in Japan, he studied Latin at Sofia University in Tokyo. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal (Japan) and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Prior to entering the Benedictine Order, he attended the University of St. Thomas in Houston and was the first alumnus to be ordained as a priest.
Over the years, Father Walker dedicated his life to the Catholic Church and was enriched with an abundance of Heavenly gifts as he gave strength and comfort to others.
Uncle harry/father anselm,I love you and I will miss you so very much. Thank you for all your stories of your grandparents(my greatgreat-grandparents). I know now that your journey is over here on Earth. My gratitude is to Sister Rafaela and Brother Anthony for their devotion to you. My thoughts and prayers are for them.
Father Walker, You did good things for people while you were on this earth, and we know that, through your intercession with the Almighty, you will continue to do so. Remember me and our family to God -- Alberta Vaughan, George Russell Vaughan, and all the rest of the family. Remember Sister Rafael and Brother Anthony. George Martin Vaughan
Priest Walker, You are an institution with our family. You have prayed for us daily in your Masses. You stood by my parents and by my sister, Mary Jane with all her disabilities and bondages, and you stood by all in my family. Most of all, you stood by the fallen Church and never left her side. I know you will stand by her now, as we prepare in prayer for the "Table of Restoration." Remember us always, and may your library be a source of inspiration to many. Love in Christ, Mary Agnes Kumar
Fr. Walker had the greatest and most positive influence on me than any other priest. His wisdom, insight and wit lead me along many unique and unusual paths and his minisity and friendship improved my experience of the Catholic Faith. Although we had out of touch for some time, I did speak with him by phone recently. I am so grateful to the Lord for sending him into my life. May his memory be eternal! I think I now have one more intercessor in heaven. May Father Anselm now gaze forever on the face of the God of life and light.
First, we were very sorry to hear about Father's passing away. May your soul rest in peace. Father, you were indeed a very special and holy priest. We are very blessed to have known you. Thank you for all you did for us. We will never forget you. Please pray for us, as you will always be in our prayers. We love, and will miss you dearly. Also,thank you Brother Antony, and Sister Raphael For being there for him always. God will give you the strangth to go on. God bless you.
Eternal Rest Grant Fr. Anselm Walker O Lord, Let Perpetual Light shine upon him. What a gift from God Father was to me. My whole life was changing at the time he came into it. He gave me strength to perservere in my learning and giving my heart to Jesus. He taught us so much and asked for little. I know that I will be keeping his soul in my prayers daily. He brought much joy into my life and I'm truly blessed for having known him.
Father Walker was a God sent to many people, especially our family. I went to the Mass for him, and on my way home, I went to my wife's grave and told her" to be on the look-out for Father as he is in your neighborhood now."
He was the instrumental factor in the Christian life of all my grandchildren by blessing them into Catholicism by way of Baptism. What a true spiritual leader. He will be truly missed. Rest in Peace!
It's been almost a year since you passed away, Father Walker. I would have invoked something of the sort "May God's angels prevail as they usher their charge, Anselm, into the Homeland of the Blessed", but I'm sure that's no longer necessary. The 40-day period of judgement is well passed and somehow I feel you made it through.
I just wanted to tell you that I finally, well I'm in the process of learning the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, and I see you realized your dream of having your own church in the country where you could regularly celebrate this liturgical work of art.
So Goodbye, Good Man. - Paul-Harvey Du Bois
Father Anselm will never be forgotten in my household. I first met him in the mid-1960s when he was Asst. Pastor at St. Thomas More parish in SW Houston. He was the sponsor/chaperone of our CYO group. We were his flock, whether accompanying us to the beach, carwashes in the church parking lot, dances after Mass, etc. Never failing to share his knowledge of the Church's history and other salient facts and observations. When I had bleached my hair during the surgery craze, he got on me and told me he was disappointed in me. I took his counsel. We moved away and lost touch for several years. After getting married in 1980, my wife and I encountered him saying Mass at Memorial City Hospital, where Gail worked as a nurse. We rekindled our friendship and we attended his Latin Rite Masses for a year or so. We moved away and lost touch for good. I have regretted ever since not keeping up with him. Father Anselm was one of the most memorable people I have ever known. Miss him.
You answered the St. Thomas More rectory door that spring day in 1963 and said you would take me, then19 years old , on my becoming-Catholic journey. And, you baptized me at Corpus Christi parish (as St. Thomas More's sanctuary was not yet built) that summer as I departed Houston for UT Austin. Knowing you them was both a treat and a mind-stretching experience.
Much water has passed under many bridges since then, but suffice it to say that you helped me begin a Catholic Christian path through life that has encompassed marriage and family and productive careers, and, for the past almost 20 years, service as a permanent deacon in the dioceses of Dallas and Austin.
You had a storied life with God leading you from deep East Texas through military service and combat to the Church and the presbyterate and deep spiritual understandings that bridged Catholic rites.
To this very day, I recall deep gravelly voice. You have my deep and forever appreciation.
On behalf of my entire family, I want to thank you and your staff for your excellent and caring service.
Thank you for all you did to make our mother's funeral special, dignified, and easy for us.
I just can't express to you enough how much we appreciated the kindness and professionalism my family experienced with you and your staff.
Thank you for treating my beloved mother with honor and respect all throughout the process.
Our family will be forever grateful to the owner and staff at Beresford Funeral Services for the excellent services they provided to our family upon the death of our loved one. Everything went smoothly. The planning was easy with everything needed for the funeral provided on sight at reasonable prices with no pressure to spend more than planned. They were flexible with our personal plans, very kind, and considerate from beginning to end. We would definitely recommend Beresford Funeral Services to anyone in need of funeral services.
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