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beyond. He ultimately found that taking up the mantle of monasticism had only enriched his profound dedication to pastoral service in the care of souls. As both musician and liturgist, Fr. Timothy was an avowed perfectionist. This personal quality had been the occasion of some dissatisfaction as a pastor in his rural Missouri parishes, where practical concerns often necessarily outweighed aesthetic ideals. As a monk, Fr. Timothy had greater occasion to exercise his delight in beauty and precision in performance, but he continued to bear his own perfectionism as something of a burden—a burden which his confreres will admit having shared. Yet it too became an occasion for grace, giving Fr. Timothy an opportunity to cultivate the virtue of patience in a special way. This virtue he was further called upon to exercise in his later years, as diminishing health and mobility took their toll on his ability to live up to his own ideals in the performance of his monastic and priestly duties. His unexpected death, in the heart of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, allows us to reflect on the mercy of God in Fr. Timothy’s life, as he most certainly reflected on it himself. May he now enjoy the true perfection of the Heavenly Liturgy, where among the choirs of angels and saints he sings the praises of the merciful God whom he served with such dedication as both priest and monk. X
FOOTNOTES Fr. Albert Bruecken, O.S.B. and Fr. Pat York, December 2015, attended a celibacy conference at St. Meinrad Seminary. Karen Ceckowski of the Abbey Guest Center, completed her M.A. in Christian Spirituality from Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska. Br. Placid Dale, O.S.B. and Br. Luke Kral, O.S.B., February 3, gave presentations about monastic life at St. James School, St. Joseph, Missouri, and at the Church of the Ascension, Kearney, Missouri. Fr. Guerric Letter, O.S.B., January 6, gave a presentation to the Northwest Missouri Entrepreneur Leadership at “Cup of Joe”, in St. Joseph, Missouri. Fr. Daniel Petsche, O.S.B., January 18-21, was one of two visitators for the Benedictine monks and sisters located in Waialua, Hawaii. Also, February 15-19, he conducted the community retreat for the monks of St. Benedict’s Priory, Benet Lake, Wisconsin. Abbot Gregory Polan, O.S.B., December 6, 2015, spoke at one of the Healing Services in the diocese, St. Mary Parish, in St. Joseph, Missouri. In early February 2016, Abbot Gregory gave two conferences for the annual retreat of the Benedictine Prior-
esses, held at Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, Indiana. March 6-10, Abbot Gregory served as the lead visitor for the canonical visitation at the collegio of Sant Anselmo in Rome. Abbot Gregory Polan, O.S.B., Br. Jacob Kubajak, O.S.B. and Fr. Benedict Neenan, O.S.B., January 24-26, attended a workshop in San Antonio on retirement endowment sponsored by the National Religious Retirement Office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Fr. Victor Schinstock O.S.B., March 19, attended the regional meeting of the Catholic Biblical Association in Washington, D.C. Fr. Paul Sheller, O.S.B., February 3, celebrated Mass and gave a series of talks about monastic life to the students of Visitation Church and Visitation School, Kansas City, Missouri. On February 20, he also assisted with the F.I.R.E. Men’s Retreat, Williamsburg, Kansas. Fr. Peter Ullrich, O.S.B., February 12, was appointed pastor of St. Paul’s, Tarkio, Missouri and St. Benedict’s, Burlington Jct., Missouri. Fr. Pat York, January 2016, preached the Quo Vadis Retreat at the Spiritual Life Center in Wichita. He also preached a mission to Holy Trinity Parish in Springfield, Missouri in February.
OBLATE NEWS Final Oblation Paul Blotkamp, Lincoln, NE (November 4, 2015) Shannon Van Gerpen, Lincoln, NE (November 4, 2015) Lorie Sage, Kansas City, MO (February 15, 2016) John Ryan, Independence, MO (February 18, 2016) 24 | Tower Topics
Oblate Deaths Rev. Ronald Falotico, Cherry Hill, NJ (December 3, 2015) Charles Kemper, Conception Jct., MO (December 26, 2015)
"Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ, and may he bring us all together to everlasting life.” - Rule of St. Benedict 72:11-12