A funeral Mass for Father Alan Dominic Lenk, OSB, was celebrated May 8 at Saint Louis Abbey in Creve Coeur. Father Dominic died May 3. He was 66 years old.
Born on Dec. 26, 1959, to Joseph and Virginia (Havlik) Lenk, he was one of four children and grew up in Troy. He attended Sacred Heart School in Troy, Troy Buchanan High School and graduated from Central Methodist College in 1982 with a major in accounting. After college, he worked in several service-related jobs, including work for the Lincoln County Area on Aging and teaching computer science at Watterson College in St. Louis.
Hearing from fellow parishioners that he would make a good priest, he recalled a childhood inclination to a priestly vocation and decided to join the monastic community at Saint Louis Abbey, where he was given the name Dominic and professed as a monk in 1991. He received his master of divinity degree in theology from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, and was ordained to the priesthood on July 4, 1998. He taught theology at Saint Louis Priory School until 2025, with the exception of the years 2006-09 when he was sent to help the community of St. Anselm’s Abbey in Washington, D.C.
In addition to his teaching duties, Father Dominic served as sacristan, master of ceremonies, archivist and finally prior of the Abbey. He served for many years on the board of Visitation Academy as well as ministering to the Visitation community and school as a priest. He also served as chaplain to The Saint Austin School. His mild disposition endeared him to all who knew and worked with him. He wrote many religious poems, and his love for Christ and meditation on the Gospels bore fruit in the writing of a book, “Voices from the Upper Room,” which profiled several Gospel characters who experienced the healing gifts of Jesus.
Early in 2025, he was diagnosed with several forms of cancer. For over a year he battled the disease and received medical treatment with a good spirit until his death.
Father Dominic was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Virginia; and brother Larry (Ellen). He is survived by his sister, Jean (Kevin) Elliott, and brother Jerry. Burial was at Saint Louis Abbey.
