Roman Catholic clergyman, educator, b. Gernert, Holland. He entered the Norbertine order in 1879, was ordained in the priesthood in 1886, and in 1893 migrated to the U.S. to help prevent the threatening religious defection of Belgian immigrants in the Green Bay area. Under Pennings' leadership and guidance the priory of St. Norbert was founded at De Pere in 1898, an abbey was created in 1924, and in 1925 Pennings was appointed abbot. He was also instrumental in founding St. Norbert College, serving both as abbot and as president of the college until shortly before his death. Milwaukee Cath. Herald, Nov. 23, 1933; Green Bay Press-Gazette, May 27, 1955; F. L. Holmes, et al., eds., Wis. (5 vols., Chicago, 1946); H. S. Lucas, Netherlanders in Amer. (Ann Arbor, 1955).

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[Source: Dictionary of Wisconsin biography]