Diemert, Francis Michael

• Rev. Francis Michael Diemert, SFM

Born in Mildmay, Ontario on April 15, 1915 he was the son of Louis and Clara Diemert. Fr. Diemert was a graduate of St. Jerome’s, Kitchener and St. Francis Xavier Seminary in Toronto. Cardinal McGuigan of Toronto ordained him to the priesthood on December 17, 1938.

After some pastoral work in Brantford, Ontario he left for China in 1940 and began language studies in Peking. In 1941 he was interned by the Japanese. Toward the end of 1943 he was repatriated aboard the S.S. Gripsholm and arrived back in Canada on December 3 of that year.In November, 1944 he was commissioned to help the church in the Dominican Republic where he remained until 1949. In that year he was appointed to a teaching position at St. Francis Xavier Seminary, Scarborough. In 1950 he was appointed rector. In 1953 he was appointed to the General Council and six years later, in 1959, he was elected the third Superior General of Scarboro. He served the community in that capacity until 1968.

Beginning in 1969 he spent three years he as director of the Latin American Institute in St. Mary’s, Ontario. He returned to the Dominican Republic in 1972. Besides his pastoral commitment in the Dominican Republic and because of his expertise, he was called upon in 1973 to go to Nigeria to assist Our Lady’s Missionaries in their work there. In 1975 he also capably assisted at the Interamerican Cooperative Institute in Panama.

In 1980 he retired from his work overseas but continued to serve the community as Director of internal communications.

Fr. Diemert passed away on April 27, 1985 at Providence Villa Hospital.

Created by F Rousselle, 9 Dec 2024.
Revised by F Rousselle June 27, 2025.

Adapted from the Scarboro Foreign Mission Society Book of Life