Br. Joel Damian

Charles L. Wilhelm was born on August 26, 1918, in Minneapolis. He attended De La Salle High School in his home town and it was from there that he entered the Juniorate on February 3, 1933, in Glencoe, at age fifteen. Three years later he entered the Novitiate on August 30, 1936, where he received the habit and the religious name of Brother Joel Damian. He completed his undergraduate degree at St. Mary's College in Winona, Minnesota in 1940 and was assigned to teach at St. Patrick High School in Chicago. He became Sub Director there in 1944 but in 1946 was transferred to St. Mary's College in Winona, where he remained for three years. For the next three years, 1949-1952, Brother Damian was assigned to Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis, Missouri, but was assigned in 1952 as Director of St. Mel High School in Chicago. He was appointed Auxiliary Visitor of the District and served in that position from 1954 to 1967. In that position, Brother Damian supervised the planning and construction of Catholic high schools throughout the Midwest, fifty-one buildings or major additions in all. In 1967, Brother Damian came to Lewis University in Romeoville to establish the national headquarters of the Christian Brothers and also to erect a novitiate and scholasticate. He was named Executive Secretary of Christian Brothers Conference and established employee benefit programs for Christian Brothers' lay associates. He was consulted by numerous Dioceses in establishing retirement plans for their priests and employees. Brother Damian was instrumental in creating Christian Brothers Services and Christian Brothers Investment Services. He died at age seventy-three, having been a De La Salle Christian Brothers for fifty eight years.