Saint John's Magazine Winter/Spring 2025 by CSB+SJU

MAGAZINE | WINTER - SPRING 2025

JOHNNIE CATHOLIC

HIGH SCHOOL LEADERS 12

Blessings Inspire McIntee ’80 6

Pinestock Revisited 18

A Bible Fit for a King and Queen 25

WINTER/SPRING 2025 MAGAZINE

Features

Inspirations Abound for McIntee at Saint John’s P. 6

The natural beauty of Collegeville helps him connect with his departed son and renew relationships with family, friends, education and career motivations. Now, Tim McIntee ’80 is building a breakthrough environmental legacy for future generations.

8 Johnnies Honored for Collective Educational Leadership P. 12

Saint John’s graduates John Buethe ’09, Brian Edel ’03, David Fremo ’99, Mike Hagstrom ’81, Craig Junker ’90, Jon McGee ’84, Jeb Myers ’97 and Brian Ragatz ’02 all hold positions of leadership at Catholic high schools around the region. Now, in April, they will share the Colman J. Barry Award.

A Look Back at SJU’s Iconic Pinestock Festival P. 18

From 1979 to 2010, Johnnies and Bennies gathered to enjoy music, notable bands, community and camaraderie at an epic bash that celebrated the end of each school year. Fifteen years after the final festival, here’s a fond review of those memories.

A Jolly Good Time for The Saint John’s Bible P. 24-35

The Dec. 23 appearance on NBC’s Today Show capped a remarkable year for The Saint John’s Bible including a winding road from Collegeville to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Windsor Library, the British Embassy, Buckingham Palace, Lambeth Palace and a gift to King Charles III and Queen Camilla. It was indeed a fortuitous tour that seemed meant to be.

Share a story with a friend electronically at sjualum.com/saint-johns-magazine

SAINT JOHN’S MAGAZINE

PROJECT MANAGER

Sarah Forystek

EDITOR

Dave DeLand ddeland@csbsju.edu 320-363-3013

CREATIVE DIRECTION AND DESIGN

Gearbox Creative

CONTRIBUTORS

Kevin Allenspach

Rob Culligan ’82

Dana Drazenovich

Michael Hemmesch ’97

Ryan Klinkner ’04

Jim Kuhn ’02

Hannah O’Brien

Frank Rajkowski

John Young ’83

PHOTOGRAPHY

Tom Morris ’89

Thomas O’Laughlin ’13

UNIVERSITY ARCHIVIST

Peggy Landwehr Roske ’77

EDITOR EMERITUS

† Lee A. Hanley ’58

ADDRESS CHANGES

Ruth Athmann

Saint John’s University P.O. Box 7222 Collegeville, MN 56321 rathmann@csbsju.edu Find Saint John’s Magazine online at sjualum.com/saint-johns-magazine @2025 Saint John’s University SJU

Subscribe to blogs at sjualum.com

SJU’s Golden Thread: Our Catholic Benedictine Heritage

Each issue of Saint John’s Magazine features the threads that bind our community — one formed by the values, spirit and wisdom of our Catholic Benedictine tradition. As I reflect on the stories in this issue, I am struck by the ways Saint John’s continues to inspire leadership, foster creativity and connect us across the globe.

This year’s Saint John’s Day, titled “And with your Spirit,” highlights our Catholic Benedictine Heritage. That day we will honor eight remarkable Johnnies who exemplify the transformative power of a Saint John’s education. Each of these leaders — John Buethe ’09, Brian Edel ’03, David Fremo ’99, Mike Hagstrom ’81, Craig Junker ’90, Jon McGee ’84, Jeb Myers ’97 and Brian Ragatz ’02 — has answered the call to lead Catholic high schools throughout Minnesota or nearby.

Their shared experiences at Saint John’s shaped not only their careers but also their deep commitment to community, service and hospitality. As these leaders mentor the next generation, they embody the Rule of Benedict’s timeless wisdom: to “welcome all as Christ.” Their stories are a testament to the enduring impact of a Saint John’s education and the strength of our shared mission.

The power of Saint John’s also extends far beyond our region. This year, The Saint John’s Bible — a masterpiece of faith, art and Benedictine spirituality — found new homes in England and Wales. A fine art edition was gifted to Windsor Library in honor of the king and queen of England, symbolizing the universality of our mission and the profound resonance of God’s word across cultures. In the folios of this illuminated Bible, gold is often used to represent God’s presence — a shimmering reminder of the divine woven into the fabric of our lives. That golden thread runs through every story in this issue, connecting the sacred and the everyday, the local and the global.

And then there is the story of Tim McIntee ’80, whose journey

President Brian Bruess

This year’s Saint John’s Day, titled “ And With Your Spirit, ” highlights our Catholic Benedictine Heritage. That day we will honor eight remarkable Johnnies who exemplify the transformative power of a Saint John’s education.

is a moving example of how the Saint John’s experience cultivates a spirituality that transcends boundaries. His reflections remind us of the importance of finding God in the quiet moments of our lives and recognizing the sacred in our surroundings. Tim’s life, like the gold in The Saint John’s Bible, is a reflection of God’s presence — a light that shines through the ordinary and transforms it into the extraordinary. Together, these stories create a tapestry — a rich, interconnected Saint John’s spirit that inspires and unites us. It is a spirit rooted

in our Benedictine tradition and carried forward by members of this community. From Collegeville to Beijing, from Windsor Castle to the classrooms of Catholic high schools, Saint John’s leaves an indelible mark wherever it is found.

As we look to the future, may we continue to weave this golden thread of faith, service and leadership through our own lives and the lives of others. Thank you for being part of the extraordinary Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s community.

Tom Love ’59 Scholarship Fund

The family of Tom Love, along with Love’s Travel Stops, have made a generous leadership gift to Saint John’s University to establish the Tom Love Scholarship Fund.

“We are proud to make this gift to Saint John’s in memory and honor of our father,” commented Jenny Love Meyer, Chief Culture Officer at Love’s. “These scholarships will help more students accomplish their dreams.”

Tom Love Scholarships will be awarded to students studying entrepreneurship and firstgeneration college students. The scholarships will eliminate the gap between a student’s demonstrated financial need and a typical financial aid package, and minimize the size of student loans.

Tom Love spent one year (1955-56) at Saint John’s University and played football for legendary Hall of Fame head coach John Gagliardi. He went on to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps.

“I played football at St. Gregory’s Prep School in Shawnee, Oklahoma,” wrote Tom Love in a previous interview. “My coaches were Fr. Michael and Fr. David, and both of them had gone to seminary at

Saint John’s. They asked me if they could write to Coach Gagliardi to see if I would be welcome to come up to Saint John’s to try out for the football team, and I said ‘sure.’ So, a good friend and teammate of mine, Phil Nicholson, and I were invited to come and we did. It was a terrific year. There was something about Coach Gagliardi that left an indelible imprint on me, and we hit it off, and I even got to play a little bit for him. I’ll never forget the year I spent at Saint John’s.”

In 1964, Tom and his wife, Judy, received a $5,000 loan from family to lease an abandoned gas station in Watonga, a small rural town in Oklahoma. Within a few years, the company had 40 stations and began to open convenience stores alongside the pumps. The rest, as they say, is history.

Innovation and perseverance continue to lead the way for the family-owned and-operated business headquartered in Oklahoma City with nearly 40,000

team members in North America and Europe. The company's core business is travel stops and convenience stores with 656 locations in 42 states. Love's continues its commitment to offer products and services that provide value for professional drivers, fleets, four-wheel customers, RVers, alternative fuel and wholesale fuel customers. Giving back to communities Love's serves and maintaining an inclusive workplace are hallmarks of the company's award-winning culture.

Tom Love was a man of conviction who never wavered from the principles of honesty and integrity in the 59 years he and his wife spent developing the company. Together they had had four children: Greg, Laura, Jenny and Frank. They had nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

In 2015, the Tom and Judy Love Foundation made a generous donation to Saint John’s in honor of John Gagliardi. In making the donation, he stated: “If anyone asks, tell them that it’s from a player who was inspired by him at a very young age.”

Tom Love shared a laugh with John Gagliardi during a class in 2016.

Howell Zee ’74 Establishes Economics

Scholarships and Professorship

Saint John’s University is thrilled to announce a transformative gift from Howell Zee, a 1974 graduate who is generously funding scholarships for economics students beginning in 2025 and laying the groundwork for an eventual professorship and program fund in the economics department.

“All expenses of my studies at SJU were financed by generous scholarships, without which my enrollment would not have been possible,” Howell said. “I received a first-class liberal arts education at SJU, which in part enabled me to obtain my Ph.D. in economics from the University of Maryland (College Park) in 1980.”

Howell’s remarkable career spanned nearly three decades at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, D.C., where he rose to the position of chief of the Tax Policy Division and advisor to the director of the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department. Now retired, he is deeply committed to giving back to Saint John’s University and creating opportunities for future generations of economics students.

“I’m very grateful that I’m in the position to pay back Saint John’s for the education I received years ago. It’s an honor to support future students,” Howell said.

The scholarships, which will commence in 2025, are to be awarded to students pursuing a degree in economics on the basis of both merit and financial needs, thus ensuring that they too can benefit from the exceptional

at CSB/SJU

Benedictine-centered education that CSB+SJU offers.

Additionally, the establishment of an endowed professorship and internship program fund through an estate gift will enhance the academic experience for students by attracting and retaining outstanding faculty in the field of economics for years to come.

Soukup ’72/Carr Endowment for Principal Business Leadership

Greg Soukup and Mary Jo Carr are passionate about the value of exceptional academic programs that offer leadership opportunities and experiences beyond the classroom.

This passion inspired their extraordinary leadership gift to support the CSB+SJU Center for Principled Business Leadership’s featured programs, including internships, study abroad and travel, student research, guest presenters and student mentors.

Greg graduated from Saint John’s in 1972 with a B.A. in economics and history. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota and an Masters of Law from Georgetown University. Mary Jo graduated from the University of Minnesota and has a Ph.D. in psychology from the California Graduate Institute.

“We believe strongly in the importance of premier academic

centers of excellence,” Greg said. “The Center for Principled Business Leadership will educate and prepare students for management and leadership positions in the world of business, and they will learn effective business principles and practices and how to make ethical decisions based on Benedictine values.”

Academic centers, such as the Center for Principled Business Leadership, are interdisciplinary and they enhance the quality and reputation of educational programming at Saint John’s University and the College of Saint Benedict.

“We are most excited that our endowment gift will improve student learning by integrating knowledge and skills, and by extending this

understanding beyond classroom walls,” Greg added. “Our Johnnies and Bennies will partner on research, internships and service learning as they forge new relationships with citizens and organizations locally, regionally and internationally.”

Greg retired from Ernst and Young in 2008 after 32 years with them in various leadership positions. He is the retired chairman of Warrior Manufacturing and is a current member of the CSB and SJU Boards of Trustees.

Johnnies’ Legend Elliott ’03 Selected to College Football Hall of Fame

BY | RYAN KLINKNER AND FRANK RAJKOWSKI

Blake Elliott, the standout wide receiver who led Saint John’s University to the 2003 NCAA Division III national title and ended his career ranked among the receiving leaders in all divisions of college football, was named to the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 on Jan. 15.

The National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Hall of Fame made the announcement live during the “College Football Live” program on ESPN.

A 2019 inductee into the SJU J-Club’s Hall of Honor, Elliott joins his legendary head coach, Saint John’s John Gagliardi, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame’s 2006 class. Gagliardi is college football’s all-time wins leader and the namesake of the Gagliardi Trophy, presented annually to the top player in Division III.

Joining Elliott in this year’s class will be familiar names like Nick Saban, Urban Meyer and Michael Strahan.

“It’s incredibly humbling,” said Elliott, a three-time All-American, two-time MIAC Player of the Year and the 2003 winner of the Gagliardi Trophy.

“It’s still a little hard to believe. But something like this doesn’t happen without a lot of other amazing people doing amazing things alongside you. If Saint John’s had gone 5-5 every year I played there, none of this would be possible.

“I was lucky to play with incredibly talented teammates, and to play for a coach like John (Gagliardi), whose own accomplishments got so much deserved attention and acclaim.”

Elliott is the first College Football Hall of Fame inductee from the Division III level since John Carroll linebacker London Fletcher — a 16-year veteran of the NFL — earned the honor in 2019.

“I am extremely proud of Blake Elliott and his selection to the College Football Hall of Fame,” said current SJU head coach Gary Fasching ’81, an assistant on Gagliardi’s staff during Elliott’s career at SJU from 1999 to 2003.

“Anyone who watched Blake during his career at Saint John’s knows he was truly a special football player. No other player in the history of our program impacted a game the way he did. Whether it was catching passes, running the football or returning kicks, every time Blake touched the football, there was the potential for a big play. Blake had tremendous athletic ability and a fiery competitiveness that made him one of the most exciting college football players of all time.

“This is a tremendous honor for Blake and our football program as he joins our legendary coach John Gagliardi in the College Football Hall of Fame. Blake will now take

his place among the best to play college football. Our players and coaches congratulate him on this incredible accomplishment.”

The 18 first-team All-Americans and four standout coaches who make up the 2025 class were selected from the national ballot of 77 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 34 coaches from the divisional ranks.

They were officially inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9 at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Of the 5.78 million individuals who have played college football since the Princeton-Rutgers game on Nov. 6, 1869, only 1,111 players have earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame — that’s less than two one-hundredths (.0002) of 1 percent of those who have played the game during the past 155 years. From the coaching ranks, 237 individuals have achieved Hall of Fame distinction.

BLESSINGS INSPIRE

McIntee at Saint John’s

A Sense of Place, Community and Memories of His Son Launch Stellar Career and Environmental Legacy

BY | DAVE DELAND

Peace, beauty and inspiration greet Tim McIntee ’80 every time he returns to the Saint John’s campus to reconnect.

With his family and educational roots, and a deep love of a landscape and community that became home …

With the relationships that have inspired and guided his professional and personal path …

With the spiritual companionship of the son who died 40 years ago ...

They’re all right there, exactly where he knows they always will be.

“Saint John’s grounds me. It allows me to exhale. When I step onto campus, I feel I have come home. I belong,” said McIntee, whose family, friendships and fortunes all carry that common denominator.

“In almost all of these ventures, my career is built upon relationships that are connected to Saint John’s,” McIntee said from his home in St. Paul. “There’s just a strong nexus

to Saint John’s that has shaped and influenced every part of my life. The depth and breadth of my Johnnie relationship astonishes me.”

His personal and professional life has been filled with twists and turns, family fortuity and remarkable achievements. And now, at age 66, McIntee may be on the verge of an environmental breakthrough that has potential for monumental impact around the world for future generations.

“There are a couple classmates who are doing remarkable work,” said Franc Fennessy ’80, who met his lifelong friend in Tommy Hall as an SJU freshman in the fall of 1976. “Tim is one of them.”

These alumni friendships are just one of the things McIntee finds inspiration from on his return visits to Saint John’s.

“I frequently come up to campus on weekends for a number of reasons,” he said. “One is very personal: My son is buried there.”

Deep Family Roots

McIntee’s family connection to Saint John’s dates back nearly a century to tiny Towner, North Dakota (current population: 458), located 60 miles from the Canadian border, and the home of small-town lawyer Joe McIntee.

“My father actually went to Saint John’s in the ’30s and managed to get thrown out for partying back when there was an expectation — at least with his Irish mother — that he was attending for the singular purpose of becoming a priest,” Tim McIntee said. “He had other plans.

“His view of it was, ‘If Saint John’s was wise enough to throw me out, that’s where my kids are going to go to school.’ He thought they had excellent judgement.”

Joe refused to pay tuition for any of his kids who didn’t attend Saint John’s or Saint Benedict (“he was very insistent”), so most of them did.

Sisters Kathleen McIntee ’74, Jane McIntee Miller ’75 and Erin McIntee Lockwood ’78 all went to CSB, while brothers Tom McIntee ’86 (now married to Bennie Diane Backes ’86) and Dan McIntee ’88 went to SJU.

Tim’s daughter Catherine ’08 (now married to Johnnie Brian Strauss ’09) and niece Kathryn Lockwood ’06 also went to CSB, and son Connor ’09 went to SJU (son Sean and daughter Margaret chose the Jesuits of Boston College).

Meanwhile, McIntee met a group of close friends in Tommy Hall in the fall of 1976: Fennessy, Dan Garry ’80, Tom Brown ’80, Howie Gartland ’80 and many more.

Celebration and Heartbreak

Subsequently, McIntee made another connection: Jeanne Daly, CSB Class of ’80.

“We met our senior year while attending the first Greco/Roman study abroad program,” he said.

Tim and Jeanne married in 1983, when he also transferred to William Mitchell Law School in St. Paul. A year later, Garrett Joseph McIntee was born on March 5, 1984.

“Two months after his birth,” McIntee said, “we discovered blood in his urine.”

The diagnosis: Clear Cell Sarcoma, a malignant and rare cancerous tumor that develops in soft tissue. Treatment began immediately and continued for five months before Garrett relapsed.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve gone through, but it was also one of the richest experiences I’ve ever received.”

“These were lifelong relationships that were formed on fourth floor Tommy,” Fennessy said.

Said McIntee: “It felt very natural to me. That experience was so organic and fluid. It just felt … easy to come into that environment and become friends with people and experience them.

“I truly believe the location of campus facilitated deeper, broader relationships. This entire article could consist of a listing of Johnnie friends who have impacted me and whose friendship I cherish.”

“We were fortunate to have access to some of the best medical care available at that time,” McIntee said. “Children’s Hospital in St. Paul provided excellent care. In fact, his primary nurse was a Saint Ben’s grad. Garrett’s physician guided us through the process with wonderful compassion and respect.”

Garrett died Feb. 10, 1985, 23 days short of his first birthday.

“Garrett was a very happy baby. Even in the midst of the treatment he would smile. And whenever he reached out there was someone to pick him up, to love him,” McIntee said.

“Imagine going through your whole life, knowing absolute love and affirmation, every minute of every day. That’s what that little boy had until the moment he died. If you’re blessed — and again, I talk about that so often — we had a community of people who supported us through that process.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve gone through, but it was also one of the richest experiences I’ve ever received.”

Back row: Connor, Jeanne, Caroline, Maggie, Eileen, Tim Front row: Brian, Kate, Charlotte, Meredith, Sean

Keeping the Faith

Some parents would never recover from that experience. McIntee found hope, peace and inspiration in it, and has visited Garrett frequently since his body was moved from Rosemount to Saint John’s Cemetery in 2010, shortly after it began accepting alumni family members.

“He’s up there (in Collegeville), if he can, once a week,” Fennessy said. “It’s connected to Garrett, but also I think he does find a certain level of comfort in knowing he’s there. It is remarkable.”

Said McIntee: “When Saint John’s opened the cemetery to alumni, I knew that’s where I wanted to be. The decision to move Garrett was right for us.

“It would be at least twice a month, usually on a Saturday morning, early. Over the years I’ve become a familiar visitor to the monks on their morning walks. Often, I arrive as the sun is rising and begin my time walking in the woods behind the cemetery. I then sit with Garrett and center myself.

“His footstone has an Abraham Heschel quote:

‘Just to be is a blessing.

‘Just to live is holy.’

“For us, it captures the essence of our time with Garrett.”

A Professional Journey

The same qualities that helped McIntee deal with tragedy also have helped inspire his multifaceted career. He graduated from Saint John’s with a history major and accounting minor, but his subsequent professional path has taken him across the globe.

“My professional journey after Saint John’s led me from one adventure to another,” McIntee said. “I started with accounting and moved into law. I devoted my practice to corporate mergers and acquisitions, with a focus on financial institution transactions.

“Being curious and youthfully confident, I left my partnership and entered the corporate world as the CFO and general counsel for a small manufacturing firm with operations throughout Asia. That experience led me to my first entrepreneurial ventures. It was an exciting time to be working in Asia just as China was opening up.

“During that time I also organized a local bank with a number of my classmates as founding investors,” McIntee added. “It is currently headed by a Johnnie president.”

Added Dan McKeown ’85, former chair of the SJU Board of Trustees and McIntee’s friend and partner in the founding of Platinum Bank in the Twin Cities: “He’s pretty fearless about it. A lot of people would not even try. That’s the entrepreneur spirit about him.”

After graduating from Mitchell Law School, McIntee practiced law at Lindquist & Vennum LLP where within eight years he became a partner. He subsequently became a founder at Platinum Bank.

“We called it Saint John’s Bank because there were so many Johnnies that started it,” McKeown said.

With any of his positions at any of his endeavors, McIntee was known as the “go-to guy” who can solve virtually any problem, in connection with his long-time Saint John’s colleagues.

“I often think my true contribution is as a connector,” said McIntee, who has also been involved in an airline start-up (“that one never really got off the ground,” McIntee said with a smile), a consumer products company and others.

In many of his ventures, there’s a consistent thread: His Johnnie network.

“I feel truly honored when a classmate reaches out to me for assistance, be it personal or professional,” McIntee said.

“He’s super smart,” McKeown added. “He has just a great sense of persistency. I’ve always appreciated his perspective on that.”

But even with all of McIntee’s varied professional endeavors, there has been nothing with the enormous potential of his current one.

Tim and Jeanne McIntee relax at

Leaving an Environmental Legacy

Armed with a lifetime of diverse professional experience, McIntee sees the danger of an environmental catastrophe for future generations and desperately wants to do something about it.

“Our generation and the one before us have made a bit of a mess of things,” he said. “We’re leaving our children and grandchildren with too much government debt, unrealistic unfunded entitlements, on top of which we gifted them a polluted, unsustainable planet to restore.

“Given the opportunity — and I have been — I feel compelled to make a useful contribution to begin to address one of these challenges. That’s the goal of this adventure.”

It’s a legacy that could touch literally everyone on the planet. And that leads us to NuQuatic Advanced Water Technologies, a 9-year-old Lakeland, Florida-based company that describes its mission on its web page as “creating the technologies that make the possibility of clean water universal again.”

NuQuatic is tackling what the EPA claims are among the most challenging issues facing the nation — lakes, rivers and drinking water sources, excessive nutrients and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) or “forever” chemical pollution.

“This is huge. If you’re a business or a wastewater treatment plant, you have to figure out a way to deal with the phosphorus (and pollutants),” said Fennessy, who himself works in the same industry. “It affects every wastewater treatment works in probably every part of North America — particularly in areas that drain lakes and rivers. It’s a world-wide problem.”

What began as the creation of commercial-scale phosphorus and nitrogen to enable farms to feed the world and allow lawns to be lush and green has created an unintended consequence — raininduced chemical runoff which is choking off waters from Minnesota

down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico and basically around the world.

PFAS is a synthetically produced chemical used in thousands of products from clothing to semiconductors. It also poses grave health risks to animals and humans.

“That led us to starting this company,” McIntee said. “Both of these issues are going to become worse.

“With each growing season, these problems are increasing. Along the way, the nutrients suck all the oxygen out of the water, suffocating native plants and fish life.”

NuQuatic’s initial focus was to treat for excess nutrients but discovered along the way that its technology platform was also effective in removing PFAS chemistry from water. NuQuatic is working on a cost-effective process, leaving a legacy for future generations around the world.

“We think we’ve got an approach that would take that cost down by 80 percent and be effective,” said McIntee, who is getting positive feedback on test results. “They tell us, ‘We think you guys might have something here. If it works at scale, you can have a really meaningful, positive impact on this world.’ ”

At the very least, NuQuatic’s work could be a huge step in the right direction.

“There are 50 other start-ups looking at the same thing, and we may not be the one that gets there,” McIntee said. “But that’s not the point. The point is you’re trying. You can add your light to the sum of all light.

“For our children and our grandchildren, for us to solve these problems, technology is going to be the way. Invention is going to be the way.

“It led us into the swamp, and it’s going to have to lead us out.”

Inspiration By the Lake

McIntee attributes his roots at Saint John’s, as well as his campus visits to his son, for the strength to carry out his environmental legacy project.

“I have a strong, philosophical and religious construct which shapes and supports my cosmology of life as I walk through it,” he said. “As I’ve walked along the way, I’ve noticed relationships have stayed with me.”

Said McKeown: “I go back to the Saint John’s piece. You think about Saint John’s: You’re smart and you learn accounting and stuff, but you develop relationships and you put that together. You think about faith. You think about what he’s been through on a personal level.

“You have to have tremendous ability to be grateful and also have faith that things are what they are — they don’t always go well. The faith of the afterlife and the faith of Catholic Christian teachings, I think he brings that as well in what he’s doing there.”

All of that gets reinforced by McIntee’s visits to that little grave marker by the shore of Lake Sagatagan.

“When I get to Saint John’s, I consider that as my sanctuary,” McIntee said. “It has always been that for me. I’ve been blessed.

“As my wife said, you wind your way to fortune. And when I say fortune, it’s not financial fortune, although I have more than enough. But mostly, I wind my way, as she said, to the blessings you’ve had with these relationships, with these experiences.”

For McIntee, it’s always a peaceful, beautiful day in Collegeville. Garrett is always there to greet him, just as he has for all those visits along the quiet shore.

It’s all part of his life, part of his motivation, part of his inspiration. Tim McIntee wouldn’t be where he is now without it.

Tim McIntee walks down County Road 159, the road that separates Lake Sagatagan and Saint John’s Cemetery.

CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

A STONE’S THROW AWAY

BY | FRANK RAJKOWSKI

John Buethe, Brian Edel, David Fremo, Mike Hagstrom, Craig Junker, Jon McGee, Jeb Myers and Brian Ragatz all hold positions of leadership at some of the most prominent Catholic high schools in Minnesota and across the Red River in North Dakota.

But they share something else in common as well: They’re all Johnnies — a mutual history that’s a big part of how and why they’ve reached the roles they now occupy.

“Education is about service, and we know the importance of giving back because at Saint John’s, we were given back to,” said Brian Ragatz ’02, a former tight end on the SJU football team who in the summer of 2023 was named the 30th Head of School at Saint Thomas Academy High School in Mendota Heights, his alma mater.

“I think that probably had a huge impact on all of us.”

Indeed, similar sentiments were expressed by the rest of the group, including:

• Hagstrom ’81 and SOT ’94 , President of St. John Paul II Catholic Schools (a five-school system in FargoWest Fargo, North Dakota, including flagship Shanley High School) and director of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Fargo.

• Fremo ’99, President of Catholic Community Schools, a consolidated Catholic school system in the St. Cloud area that oversees St. Cloud Cathedral High School.

• Junker ’90, President of Totino-Grace High School in Fridley.

• Myers ’97, President of Cretin-Derham Hall High School in St. Paul.

• McGee ’84 , Head of School at Saint John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville.

• Edel ’03 , Principal of DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis.

• Buethe ’09 , Vice President of Saint Thomas Academy.

“It’s an understatement to say that coming to Saint John’s changed my life,” said Fremo, a graduate of Sartell High School. He held several roles at Saint John’s Prep before serving four years as superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of St. Cloud, then began his current position in January 2024.

“One of the things I really credit Saint John’s for is igniting a fire in me when it came to learning, pushing myself and never wanting to quit. If there’s a common thread I share with some of these other guys, that might be it.”

“That sense of being a difference-maker is something that’s grounded in you at Saint John’s,” added Junker, who has been in his current role since 2014. Prior to that he served as president of Winona Cotter High School, then as superintendent of Lake City Public Schools.

“When you leave, you don’t necessarily aspire to being a president of a school or a principal. But you do aspire to be somebody of substance who will go on to help others make their marks.”

Honored for Their Work

Their collective success in doing that is a major reason why the eight leaders have been named the winners of this year’s Colman J. Barry Award for Distinguished Contributions to Religion and Society, presented annually “to those who believe and demonstrate that service to others, in its expansion of human understanding and extension of social justice, comprises the best in human achievement.”

They will receive the honor as part of Saint John’s Day festivities April 25 in Collegeville.

“We were all mentored and advised at Saint John’s by people we admired and trusted,” said Edel, who was named principal at DeLaSalle in 2022 after spending 11 years as an administrator at St. Thomas Academy.

“Now we have the opportunity in our current positions to play that role for others. Every day,

John Buethe ’09

John Buethe’s parents both attended the University of St. Thomas, and his grandfather was a professor there. But the 2005 Saint Thomas Academy High School alum charted his own path and enrolled at Saint John’s, where he majored in English and served as editor-inchief of The Record, the student newspaper.

Next up was Chicago’s Loyola University, where he earned his master’s of education degree while teaching in an under-resourced Catholic school. He went on work at both public and charter schools before becoming the founding dean at Loyola’s Arrupe College, an associate’s degree program for students of limited means. He also earned a master’s degree in public policy and is nearing completion of a doctorate degree.

In 2022, his career path took him back to Saint Thomas Academy where he now serves as vice president.

we have the opportunity to take the lessons we learned at Saint John’s and apply them to the next generation of students.”

“Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s are both tremendous places,” added Hagstrom, who taught religion and served in a number of leadership roles at Fargo Shanley before moving into his current job in 2016.

“Those institutions form people and equip them with the tools they need to lead. There’s such a history there of commitment to education and working with young people. It started with the dedication of the sisters and the monks who got the schools started, and it’s continued on through successive generations.

“In a way, we’re just carrying on that tradition,” Hagstrom continued, “taking advantage of the outstanding educations we received there and passing along that knowledge to the students we’re fortunate to get the chance to work with.”

Mike Hagstrom ’81

Mike Hagstrom started his collegiate career at North Dakota State University, but the Morris High School product quickly realized he was looking for something else. That led him to Saint John’s where the 1981 graduate studied under such iconic names as Stephen Humphrey, Eila Perlmutter and Fr. Hilary Thimmesh.

With the encouragement of Fr. Roman Paur, Hagstrom applied for a job as director of youth ministry at a parish in Detroit Lakes following his graduation. From there, it was on to Fargo Shanley High School, where he spent 31 years as a teacher and serving in various leadership capacities.

In 2016, he was named president of St. John Paul II Catholic Schools and Director of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Fargo.

“Were it not for Fr. Roman’s invitation to think about that job, it wouldn’t have been on my radar at all,” said Hagstrom, who also played a year of JV basketball for the Johnnies, served as one of the editors The Record , and went on to receive his master’s degree in Systematic Theology from the Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary in 1994.

Value of Community

Myers — an all-conference performer in cross country and an All-American in track and field for the Johnnies — served 10 years as a president in the Cristo Rey Network of Schools and was a founding member of a Christian Brothers’ Lasallian school in Camden, New Jersey and on the Blackfeet Nation of Montana.

He was named to his current position at Cretin-Derham Hall last year, and said he regularly draws on the lessons he learned in Collegeville — including perhaps most importantly the value of community.

“If you look at almost any industry, you’re probably going to find a few Johnnies or Bennies in leadership roles,” Myers said. “There is a real focus on community and civic responsibility, as well as on being hospitable and persevering in the face of challenges. Those are all characteristics that serve you well as you move on in your life.

Jeb Myers ’97

Jeb Myers’ grandfather attended Saint John’s, but it was the encouragement of his social studies teacher at Shakopee High School that really put life in Collegeville on his radar.

“His name was Dale Vaughan and once a month he’d go around the class and ask what our plans were after high school and what we’d done to work toward that goal,” recalled Myers, who went on to become an AllMIAC runner in cross country for the Johnnies and an All-American in track and field (steeplechase).

“He was a Saint John’s graduate, and he pushed the place pretty hard.” Myers majored in social science with a minor in history and secondary education. He studenttaught at Monticello High School before serving as a founding member of Christian Brothers' Lasallian schools in Camden, New Jersey, and on the Blackfeet Nation of Montana. He went on to serve for 17 years with the Cristo Rey Network of Schools and 10 years as president before being named president of CretinDerham Hall High School in 2024.

“My friends who aren’t Johnnies like to joke that I’m part of the Johnnie Mafia,” Myers added with a laugh. “We all come from different places, but we’re formed in community with one another, and we stick together.”

Similar Challenges and Opportunities

McGee, who previously served as the vice president for planning and strategy at CSB and SJU, said there is also a lot of commonality between the challenges and opportunities facing Catholic high schools and those facing Catholic universities like Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s.

“Of course, we’re all different and each school has its own set of charisms,” said McGee, who was named the 30th head of school at Saint John’s Prep in 2019. He is the first not to be a monastic member of Saint John’s Abbey.

Brian Edel ’03

Brian Edel said Saint John’s felt like the right fit the moment the New Prague High School graduate first visited campus.

His four years in Collegeville only confirmed his original notion.

“At Saint John’s, I really learned the ability to relate to people and understand their wants and desires,” said Edel, a social science major with a minor in secondary education, “and to do it in a way that creates relationships and connections. There was an emphasis on community and the greater good there that still speaks to me in the work I’m doing now.”

After graduation, Edel — who coordinated a prison tutor program at SJU — was a teacher and coach at schools in Minnesota and Connecticut. He then worked for 11 years as dean of students and Upper School director at St. Thomas Academy before being named the principal at DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis in 2022.

“But there is a set of challenges we all face. Catholic and independent schools are a lot like Catholic and independent colleges and universities in that we each have the same pressure points. How do we create experiences people want and can afford, and how do we best provide them? None of us are guaranteed enrollment. We all continuously work hard for every student.”

The world of education is ever evolving — with new technology, demands and societal changes arising with each new school year. But all eight leaders say the importance and value of Catholic education remains as high as ever.

“Minnesota has arguably the strongest public school system in the nation, so families have a lot of options,” said Junker, who played soccer for the Johnnies and coached the sport at Winona Cotter.

Craig Junker ’90

Making a difference has always been important to Craig Junker.

That’s held true during his time teaching English and religion at St. Joseph’s High School, a Lasallian institution in Greenville, Mississippi; during his 14 years as a soccer coach, English teacher, principal and president of Winona Cotter High School; and during his tenure as the superintendent of Lake City Public Schools or at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley, where he has served as president since 2014.

“I think that’s something that was reinforced in me during my time at Saint John’s,” said Junker, who played soccer for the Johnnies during his time in Collegeville. “It’s that desire and motivation to help people and to be a person of substance.”

“But our why remains really clear. If we can continue to help folks feel loved, included and capable, that’s our secret sauce. And doing that comes from hiring great teachers, empowering them and keeping our class sizes low. Those are the big keys.”

“What I believe is that we can be firmly Catholic in both the uppercase sense of the word and the lowercase,” added Ragatz, who previously served as president of the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence, an organization dedicated to bolstering academics and admissions in Minnesota’s pre-school through eighthgrade Catholic institutions.

“That means understanding, accepting and loving all people and their faith journey, no matter what path they’re on and where they’re going while at the same time remaining firm in our Catholicity as an institution.”

Brian Ragatz ’98

Perhaps it was a Freudian slip or an epiphany, though Brian Ragatz firmly believes it was God’s plan that caused him to end up at Saint John’s.

“It came down to Saint John’s and Gustavus,” said Ragatz, a St. Thomas Academy graduate who was being recruited to play football at both schools.

“I told my parents I thought I was going to go with Gustavus, and at that moment the phone rang. It was the coach there and I took the call upstairs.

“I told him I had good news, and that I’d decided to go to Saint John’s. It just slipped out. He told me that wasn’t what he wanted to hear. So I tried a second time and — I’m not kidding — it happened again. He told me it sounded like something inside of me was leaning toward Saint John’s and I should probably follow that call.”

Ragatz did, earning his degree and going on to serve as a second lieutenant and chaplain candidate in the Army National Guard for four years after graduation as he began a career in education. That took him to a variety of leadership roles before he was named the 30th head of school of St. Thomas Academy High School in Mendota Heights in 2023.

Welcome All Guests as Christ

That’s another lesson each leader said they took away from their time at Saint John’s.

“The Rule of Benedict remains the wellspring of our values here, and one that is especially impactful is that all guests are to be welcomed as Christ,” McGee said.

“We welcome and embrace all our students for who they are and all that they can be.

“We have students from 28 different communities in Minnesota, 13 different countries and four different states. Our footprint is not constrained, which makes one of our challenges keeping that charism alive and thriving.”

Jon McGee ’84

Mankato native Jon McGee arrived at Saint John’s in 1980, and the place has had a hold on him pretty much ever since.

After graduating in 1984, he went on to get his master’s degree from the University of Minnesota’s Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs in 1988. He then held leadership positions at the Minnesota Private College Council and the Minnesota Department of Finance before returning to his alma mater, where he spent over 20 years as the vice president of planning and strategy at CSB and SJU.

In 2019, he was named the 30th head of school at Saint John’s Prep — the first lay leader to hold that position.

“These schools have meant a lot to me,” he said. “They’ve been an important part of my life, and now of my family’s life as well.”

Added Fremo: “We just had the 140th-year celebration of Cathedral, and one of the things that was really important to me was that we invited the Benedictines from Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s to celebrate with us.

“Holy Angels Parish, which later became Cathedral, was the first English-speaking parish school in this area, and the sisters of Saint Ben’s provided a lot of the workforce for more than half the school’s history. I call them the pioneers and their legacy is 100 percent engrained and embedded in the work we’re doing today.”

David Fremo ’99

David Fremo chose SJU because his mother worked in the education department here, making him eligible for helpful tuition assistance. But the Sartell High School graduate said the time he spent in Collegeville became life-changing.

“Some of that began with meeting the sisters who worked in the education department,” he said. “They were fascinating to me. Then I got to know some of the monks at Saint John’s as well. It all had a really big impact on me.”

Fremo had an internship with a Grammy-winning producer in Nashville following graduation, but education was the path that truly called him. He worked in a number of different roles at Saint John’s Prep and was the assistant director of campus ministry at CSB from 2009-11 as well.

In 2020, he was named superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of St. Cloud and director of its Catholic Education Ministries office. Four years later, he was selected as president of Catholic Community Schools, a consolidated school system in the St. Cloud area.

Johnnie Leadership

REVISITED PINESTOCK

A Look Back at the Music Festival That Spanned 3 Decades

BY | DANA DRAZENOVICH

THE VENUE WAS QUINTESSENTIAL COLLEGEVILLE:

A CLEARING AMONG THE NORWAY SPRUCE ACROSS A FOOTBRIDGE ON WATAB ISLAND.

The event was iconic Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s: an end-of-the-year bash, an epic concert headlined by high-profile musicians, a momentous date on the Joint Events Council’s calendar for more than 30 years.

Pinestock played its final beat 15 years ago this April, but its legend reverberates in the collective memory of three decades of Johnnies and Bennies.

There was no question where Pinestock ranked on the hierarchy of campus events.

“No. 1,” said Tom Nicol ’91.

“One hundred percent No. 1,” agreed Martha Young CSB ’91.

“It was huge. I remember just a lot of excitement for all of it,” said Tim Paul ’94.

“It was an energy and a vibe. We got good bands.”

That they did, from breakthrough Minnesota groups like Soul Asylum and the Jayhawks to national acts like Styx, Cake, Violent Femmes and Ben Folds. Nicol, Young and Paul were among the many JEC members who helped make the show happen.

One day each spring from 1979 to 2010, unless unfortunate weather pushed the music inside, Watab Island rocked.

“Watab Island was Madison Square Garden or Wembley Stadium. I am sure the sound was OK. It didn't matter. What mattered was that we were all out there drinking in the music,” said Kerem Durdag ’91, who worked on the ’89 and ’90 events.

To say that everybody went to Pinestock might be an overstatement, but not by much.

“On that day, Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s essentially landed in one space,” Durdag said. “There’s a handful of those all-campus, allhands-on-deck activities, moments, and this was one of them. In those days, that was it, in terms of one of those anchor events.”

Plenty of Cobbers, Gusties and Tommies typically joined in, too, Nicol noted.

“It wasn’t just a Johnnie-Bennie event. It was an MIAC event.”

PINESTOCK

Pinestock customs ran deep, from the annual T-shirts and posters to the parties before and after. The timing — which was mid-May until the January Term was discontinued after 2000 and spring semester ended earlier — was ideal.

“IT WAS A BUSY, BUSY DAY, VERY EXCITING DAY AND JUST A GREAT DAY. JUST EVERYTHING WAS COOKING.”

Tom Feehan ’79

“Pinestock was this rite of passage into summer, and the Saint John's campus was never prettier than it was in the spring when Pinestock happened,” Nicol said.

Those were different times, and a post-Pinestock conversation Durdag had with his professor and mentor

the late Fr. Rene McGraw, OSB, sums up the prevailing spirit:

“Fr. Rene asked, ‘Kerem, did you have fun? And were you safe?’

“I said, ‘Yes! And yes!’ To which he said, ‘Then the good Lord is happy.’

“There is much wisdom in that,” Durdag reflected.

“And I think his attitude to the event was representative of the grace that the administration offered — let’s call it the administration that, at least in those days, was dominated by the monks — ‘They’re just having fun, and we’re going to give them a place where they can make a stink ton of racket, and they’ll be fine.’

“And I think that’s what we did.”

However, not even Pinestock was immune to shifting cultural winds, and the JEC announced a change in format after the 2010 event. Other iterations have replaced it, but in its prime, Pinestock reigned supreme.

A ROUSING FIRST SET

The students who organized the original Pinestock had no idea what they were about to unleash.

“No, I didn't have any expectations that this would be going for 30 years,” said Tom Casey ’80. “Not at all.”

Luck definitely played a part.

Mike Urbik ’80 recalled walking out to Watab the night before that first show with Peter Merrill ’80, one of the organizers. It had rained that day, hard.

“We went out to the stage, I looked up at the sky and God parted the clouds. I said, ‘You know, Pete, tomorrow’s going to be beautiful.’ ”

He called it right. The sun was shining on May 12, 1979, as co-hosts Casey and Tom Feehan ’79 ushered in what would become an eraspanning SJU and CSB tradition.

“And you know, Watab, what a beautiful setting,” Casey said. “We put a stage in on a mat. I don't know how we got the power to it. And it was the way it just seemed to come together. You know, we got a lot of people, evidently volunteers, that helped out.”

Advance tickets were $4.50, the drinking age was 19, and an estimated 3,000 people hiked over the wood-and-metal footbridge to Watab Island to hear the Lamont Cranston Band, Heartsfield, James Walsh Gypsy Band and Raggs.

“People who didn’t want to pay a buck swam over and got leeches all over them,” Urbik joked.

“One thing I remember about it — this is when you could do it on campus — we brought in a semi trailer filled with kegs of beer, and I had the key to the beer. So I was the one who was responsible for making sure everything flowed,” Casey said.

“It did flow,” Feehan confirmed.

They booked Minneapolis blues group Lamont Cranston as the headliner, but the band had a gig later that day and asked to go on first.

“…They were a darn hurry to get out of there, and so I started introducing them, ‘Hey, here's a great band’ and stuff,” Feehan said. “And they started playing … and then my intro sort of went to their music. It was

Boom! ‘The.’ Boom! ‘Lamont.’ Boom! ‘Cranston.’ Boom! ‘Band.’”

“It worked, but it was very spontaneous.”

The newly formed JEC organized the event.

“The JEC had money, we had this budget. ‘Why don’t we have a concert, an outdoor concert?’ and we just brainstormed and it grew,” Casey said.

They called it Pinestock as a play on Woodstock, the famed music festival that had taken place 10 years prior.

“It was a great start, and I thought, ‘Wow, we'll do this again next year … ’ ”

A few years ago, a co-worker of Casey’s who graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison heard that Casey was a Johnnie and said he had been visiting friends in the ’90s and gone to Pinestock.

“I told him I was part of the council that created it,” Casey said. “Pinestock surely creates a lasting impact.”

A MICRO-CULTURE

Pinestock was a concert, it was a party and it was more.

It was a micro-culture where the students ran the show and the celebration came with expectations.

“CSB and SJU clubs did all of the real work,” said Mike Spanier ’83.

The student organizers on the JEC handled virtually everything.

They booked the bands.

“And the thing is, when you're on the JEC, you’re the steward of the student activity fees, and so you want to make sure that you're doing the right thing, and being able to look at what's popular right now — what is everybody listening to?” Young said.

They managed the venue.

Ask most JEC members, and they’ll say the day of the show was a blur.

“It was a busy, busy day, very exciting day and just a great day. Just everything was cooking,” Feehan said.

“It was all hands on deck,” Durdag said. “Everybody from the JEC was there manning the access points, making sure the trash was picked up, setting up the stage.

“We set up the stage. Can you imagine? I’m not sure how many things we were trying to do maybe with some level of expertise but, you know, we did it.”

They returned Watab Island to its natural state.

Once the show was over, the JEC removed all traces of Pinestock from the site, “where things looked like as if a zombie apocalypse had taken place,” as Durdag described it.

“A lot of respect for Watab, yep,” Casey said.

They kept the revelry on the right side of risky.

Urbik, head of security in ’79, was assigned to keep audience members from jumping on stage. JEC members were worried they would have to interfere during the BoDeans’ 1990 headliner set because people were getting a little too rowdy.

“They were so popular. The crowd is pushing and people are starting to get hurt,” Nicol said.

But things settled down after the band asked the crowd to step back.

“I think it was meant to be a place where kids can have fun and then can have fun with some level of expectation, not supervision, but some expectation that there will be a sense of decorum,” Durdag said.

Sure, concert goers might have rocked the footbridge as they exited the grounds, and yes, some took the water route back to campus.

“You’d be coming off the island, and you're hot, so everybody would just jump in Watab, and instead of using the bridge, we just swam,” Young recalled.

The BoDeans, 1990

But it remained relatively danger-free.

“In the two years I did it, nobody got hurt. Nobody,” Durdag said.

“There’s a mix of happy fun and safe fun with music, and this is what it was.”

LASTING MEMORIES

Perhaps some details have gotten a little murky with time, but 15 years after the final Pinestock and 46 after the first, the high notes remain vivid for those who were there:

The walk along the Lake Sagatagan shoreline Spanier took with Rob Grill of The Grass Roots, talking bass fishing.

The long-term friendship Nicol forged with Quint Rubald ’60, who owned the local Stroh’s distributor, after Rubald called him out for almost switching the kegs to Leinenkugel’s.

The first live Western rock concert Durdag attended in person, a sonic experience for the international student from Turkey and Pakistan.

The dust-up Paul almost had over Blues Traveler’s list of demands, and then the moment of seeing lead singer John Popper, who was recovering from a motorcycle accident, on stage in a wheelchair.

Even some of the earliest musicians have fond recollections, like Minneapolis artist Mary Jane Alm, who was on the bill in 1980 and ’82. She and her band had a loyal Central Minnesota following but were used to competing with bar noise.

“They were actually listening at Pinestock,” she said. “It was more of a concert than we were used to in St. Cloud.”

Watab Island has a less bombastic presence now, but the footbridge is still intact, and the memories of Pinestock still echo off the lake.

“It was great to have that legacy, so to speak,” Casey said. “We started something.”

As Paul put it, “It was just one of the biggest formal parties that you wouldn’t get in trouble for having.”

PINESTOCK BANDS (1979-2010)

1979 Lamont Cranston, Heartsfield, James Walsh Gypsy Band, Raggs

1980 Sussman Lawrence, Mary Jane Alm, Raggs, Heartsfield

1981 Albert Collins, Shangoya, Whiskey River, The Phones

1982 The Pistons, Mary Jane Alm, Lamont Cranston

1983 Jim Carroll Band, Blaze, Grass Roots

1984 Styx

1985 Westside, Model Citizen, The Bus Boys

1986 Flock of Seagulls, Electric Soul

1987 Otis Day and the Animal House, Trip Shakespeare, The Crazy 8’s

1988 The Herringbones, Ipso Facto, Washington Squares

1989 The Gooneybirds, Nicholas Termulis, Trip Shakespeare

1990 BoDeans, The Hoopsnakes, Mark Farner/ Grand Funk Railroad

1991 The Snozberries, Ipso Facto, The Gooney Birds, Soul Asylum

1992 Small Room, The Billy’s, Cathy Brasten, Jibri Wise Ones, Trip Shakespeare

1993 Les Exodus, The Blenders, Tina & The B-Side Movement, Blues Traveller

1994 Joyfriends, The Maroons, The Freudian Slips, Pleasure, Matthew Sweet

1995 Grump, Martin Zellar, Tina & The B-Side Movement, Freedy Johnston

1996 Groove Trees, Tim Mahoney & The Meanies, Johnny Clueless, Violent Femmes

1997 Edwin McCain, Freddy Jones

1998 One Drop, Bobby Llama, The Honeydogs, Big Head Todd & The Monsters

1999 Soul Coughing

2000 Breaker Break, Backdoor Boys, Dixie & The Cannibals, Train, Marvelous 3

2001 Jack Johnson, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals

2002 Soul Asylum, The Jayhawks Special Acoustic Show

2003 Everclear, Fred Savage & The Unbeatables, Panoramic Blue, The Exies, De La Soul

2004 D.O.C.T.R.I.N.E, Ben Folds, Epic Hero, Bottle of Justus, Heiruspecs

2005 Fred Savage & The Unbeatables, Big Wu, Guster

2006 Fred Savage & The Unbeatables, O.A.R.

2007 Wagon Wheels, Cake

2008 Hokahey, Trampled by Turtles, Ludo, Jack’s Mannequin

2009 Mister, Unicycle Loves You, Motion City Soundtrack

2010 Mason Jennings, Corey Chisel and the Wandering Sons

Happy 99 th Birthday, Fr. Don!

Once again, our Benedictine community was blessed and pleased to be able to wish a happy birthday to SJU Alumni Chaplain Emeritus Fr. Don Talafous ’48, his 99 th !

Fr. Don was born in Duluth on Jan. 4, 1926.

“There are still times in the morning when I have to pinch myself and ask if this is all real. I’m so happy to be doing what I’m doing,” Fr. Don said in an interview in the Summer/Fall 2018 issue of Saint John’s Magazine . “So many very kind people make my day.”

Fr. Don’s connections to and engagement with literally thousands of Johnnies and Bennies have become legendary. His Daily Reflections (https://bit.ly/3TBz782) are a continuing connection to this community for alums around the world.

Photo by Paul Middlestaedt

FEATURED ON TODAY SHOW THE SAINT JOHN’S BIBLE

Christmas came early this year for The Saint John’s Bible — two days early, to be precise.

On Dec. 23, NBC’s Today Show aired a four-minute segment during the 8 a.m. hour which featured the latest placement of a hyper-rare Apostles Edition of The Saint John’s Bible.

Anne Thompson, NBC’s chief environmental affairs correspondent, covered the story which had unfolded nearly three months earlier when on Sept. 30, 2024, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City became home to the seventh Apostles Edition of The Saint John’s Bible. Only five now remain available for acquisition.

Thompson’s thoughtful coverage of the story focused on the unifying power of the work and the significance of an ancient art form to our contemporary times.

Beyond his words in the segment, Rev. Dr. John Ross, executive director of the Heritage Program, had this to say about this latest placement:

“We’re thrilled not only by the prominence and visibility of an Apostles Edition in a place like St. Patrick’s, but even more importantly by the significant ways in which they plan to put it to good use in worship, formation and outreach.”

Known affectionately as “America’s Parish Church,” St. Patrick’s displays the Apostles Edition prominently

in front of the sanctuary where not only daily worshipers will see and experience the majesty of The Saint John’s Bible . So will the more than 5 million visitors each year.

As with all Apostles Editions, Donald Jackson was enlisted to design and create a custom dedication page. With his typical creative genius, Jackson incorporated a tiny green clover leaf — a nod to the Irish heritage of His Eminence Cardinal Timothy Dolan. The gift was presented in honor of the Archbishop of New York by four generous anonymous benefactors.

Saint Patrick’s joins a growing list of globally prominent locations that serve as stewards of an Apostles Edition. Other locations include Washington National Cathedral, the Vatican Museum of Art, Lambeth Palace Library, the Library of Congress, and Morgan Library & Museum.

A small group from Saint John’s University that traveled to New York City for the dedication ceremony included Fr. Eric Hollas, OSB, and John Klassen, OSB, who was a classmate of Dolan’s while at Catholic University.

A BIBLE FIT FOR A KING & QUEEN

On a sunny jolly good day last September, a small delegation from Saint John’s had the unusual and extraordinary opportunity to participate in the blessing and dedication of a Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible at Windsor Castle.

The occasion took place in St. George’s Chapel, the site of many royal services including the wedding for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the burial site for 11 monarchs including King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth II.

The Heritage Edition was a gift from the People of the United States of America in honor of His Majesty

King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla to commemorate their Coronation, which took place the previous year on May 6, 2023. This rare gift, befitting of a king and queen, was made possible thanks to the generosity of Elaine and Bruce Culver through the Catharine Elizabeth Laney Trust.

“It is an honor to gift a Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible to the glory of God and in thanksgiving for the recent Coronation of their majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla,” commented Elaine and Bruce Culver. “We have long admired and have deep respect for the Royal Family. To encounter the text and illuminations of The Saint John’s

Bible is to realize that the God who continues to create new stars is also interested in us, individually and in community. We are honored to share the miracle that is The Saint John’s Bible with the Royal Family, which we hope they will value for generations to come.”

Upon arrival at Windsor Castle, the Culvers and their Saint John’s guests were warmly received at the Henry VIII Gate by Stella Panayotova, the royall ibrarian and deputy keeper of the Royal Archives. She personally escorted the group through the castle grounds to the Royal Library and Archives, the new home for this fine art edition of The Saint John’s Bible

His Majesty King Charles III is warmly greeted at Lambeth Palace Library during Interfaith Week in November 2023, two weeks aft er an Apostles Edition of The Saint John's Bible was dedicated at Lambeth in honor of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Apostles Edition is permanently displayed in a Saint John's cabinet (to the left of the King).

During the visit to the Royal Library, Panayotova was presented with a handwritten, illuminated dedication page inscribed to the king and queen, which was created by Donald Jackson, MVO, artistic director and principal illuminator of The Saint John’s Bible. This private ceremony was particularly sentimental for Jackson, who is the former scribe to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Crown Office of the House of Lords. The Saint John’s delegation also had an opportunity to see firsthand the seven volumes of the Heritage Edition, which were handsomely displayed on shelves that were specially designed for the Royal Library.

A few hours later, the volumes were transported from the Royal Library to St. George’s Chapel for a blessing and dedication ceremony during Choral Evensong on the Eve of Holy Cross Day. The chapel — with its glorious fan-vaulted ceiling — is quite stunning. Coats of arms of the members of the Order of the Garter, which hang above the choir stalls, lend a festive note. But it is the complement of royal tombs that add to the profundity of the place and the solemnity of the moment.

The Evensong service began with the procession of each of the seven volumes up the center aisle to the foot of the main altar. There, the volumes were presented by Fr. Eric Hollas, OSB, prior of Saint John’s

Abbey and deputy to the president for advancement of of Saint John’s University, to the Dean of St. George’s Chapel, The Right Rev. Dr. Christopher Cocksworth.

“We bring this gift from our monastery to their majesties seeking the blessing of the Lord upon the work of our hands that God’s holy name may be praised, God’s mighty word heard and God’s righteous kingdom proclaimed to the world,” announced Hollas.

In turn, Cocksworth accepted the gift on behalf of the king and queen: “We receive this gift on behalf of their majesties with joy and we pray for God’s blessing.”

The Saint John's delegation gathers for an impromptu selfie outside of St. George Chapel at Windsor Castle after the blessing a nd dedication of The Saint John's Bible . Pictured (L to R): Fr. Eric Hollas, OSB; Rev. John Ross; Sarah Harris; Donald Jackson, MVO; Mabel Jackson; Bruce Culver; Elaine Culver; Brad Neary; Sheila Ross; Tim Ternes; Rob Culligan.

FROM COLLEGEVILLE TO WINDSOR

THE LONG & WINDING ROAD

WAIT, WHAT?

How on God’s green earth was Saint John’s able to gift a Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible to King Charles III and Queen Camilla?

The short answer: It wasn’t easy. It was a long and winding road.

“ The Saint John’s Bible dedication at Windsor Castle was far from happenstance,” said Rob Culligan ’82, vice president for institutional advancement at Saint John’s

University. “It didn’t rise out of thin air, and it surely didn’t happen overnight. It was the result of years of planning and perseverance.

“Along the way, we were blessed with some luck and our fair share of divine intervention,” Culligan said.

“The hand of God was at every turn.

“To borrow the words of Donald Jackson, the artistic director of The Saint John’s Bible , ‘It was providence.’”

Fr. Eric Hollas, OSB, prior of Saint John’s Abbey, presents a volume of The Saint John’s Bible to the Right Rev. Christopher Cocksworth, dean of St. George Chapel in Windsor.

COLLEGEVILLE

The idea first surfaced more than 20 years ago during a planning meeting for The Saint John’s Bible “The president at that time, Br. Dietrich Reinhart, was a great planner,” Culligan said. “He was fond of saying ‘Let’s scheme mightily.’ And so we did.”

To put the timeframe in perspective, the first page (folio) of The Saint John’s Bible — the Genealogy of Jesus — was completed in 1998. A few years later, in the early 2000s, long before the first volume of the original Bible was completed, there was talk of a fine art edition of The Saint John’s Bible , which eventually became known as the Heritage Edition.

“During a brainstorming session we discussed where these editions might eventually reside,” said Culligan. “We generated a preliminary wish list of locations. Naturally, it included places like the Vatican, the White House and, of course, Buckingham Palace.”

Over the years, Saint John’s found benefactors to gift Heritage Editions to many of these and other locations. There are two at the Vatican (one in the library and the other in the museum). There is one at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and one at the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York. And there are Heritage Editions at various colleges and universities around the country, as well as at churches and cathedrals worldwide. This includes one that was donated to St. Martin-in-theFields Church in London by Dan and Katharine Whalen.

With the arrival in 2021 of a new executive director of the Heritage Program, Rev. Dr. John Ross, came new ideas and fresh perspectives. “Among the very first things I noticed was how few Heritage Editions there were in the United Kingdom — the creative birthplace of the manuscript and the homeland to Donald Jackson,” said Ross. “When I realized that we were approaching the 25th anniversary of the commissioning of the project, I knew we had a golden opportunity.”

So, in February 2022, Saint John’s began a series of strategic conversations about placing more Heritage Editions in the U.K. and gifting one to the reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The planning group, which eventually became known as the Dream Team , consisted of Jackson, along with Saint John’s Trustee Dan Whalen, Ross and Culligan. Later they were joined by long-time Saint John’s friend, Bishop Nicholas Holtam of Salisbury.

The initial thought was to present the gift in conjunction with the celebration of the Queen’s birthday in June 2022. But that was only four months away, hardly enough

His Holiness Pope John Paul II blesses a Saint John’s Bible illumination from the Gospel of John in Vatican Square in 2004. Pictured (L to R) Abbot John Klassen, OSB; Donald Jackson, MVO; Br. Dietrich Reinhart, OSB.

His Holiness Pope Francis places his hand on the Creation illumination from an Apostles Edition of The Saint John’s Bible that was gifted to the Library of Congress in honor of the Pontiff’s visit to Washington, D.C., in September 2015. Pictured (L to R): Abbot John Klassen, OSB; Sen. Roy Blunt; Dr. James Billington; Speaker of the House John Boehner; SJU President Michael Hemesath; Amy Goldman Rauenhorst from the GHR Foundation.

His Holiness Pope Benedictine XVI turns the pages of an Apostles Edition of The Saint John’s Bible in 2017. Pictured (L to R): Donald Jackson, MVO; Gerry Rauenhorst; Mabel Jackson; Br. Dietrich Reinhart, OSB.

time to make preparations let alone find a benefactor. The challenges were daunting and the questions seemed endless:

How do you give a gift to the queen? Do we go through ecclesial channels? The Church of England. Political channels? The White House. Royal Channels? The House of Lords. Where to begin?

But the biggest question of all was: Where should the Bible reside? Buckingham Palace? Westminster Abbey? Canterbury Cathedral? In the planning group’s very first conversation, Jackson indicated that the ideal location would be the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.

Donald Jackson’s preliminary outreach to his contacts in England revealed that the Crown might not be keen on accepting such a gift because they could perceive it as a commercial endeavor, and they might be reluctant to provide the semblance of an endorsement. Needless to say, our initial findings were not at all encouraging.

Meanwhile, the queen’s health began to decline. In September 2022, Queen Elizabeth II passed away. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days had come to an end.

Alas, the planning group’s hopes and best laid plans were dashed. The window of opportunity had come and gone.

Or had it?

THE WHITE HOUSE

On April 5, 2023, a new opportunity arose. U.S. media sources announced that the first lady would travel to London for the royal coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla. The president spoke with King Charles, offering his congratulations on the upcoming coronation, which would occur on May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey.

There wasn’t much time.

That same morning, a series of text messages were exchanged between Culligan, Ross and Brad Neary ’81, director of the Heritage Program.

Culligan wrote: “Hi guys, I don’t know if you caught the news story this morning about the Coronation. What if we approach the President of the United States to see if he would be interested in giving a Heritage Edition to the King and Queen as a Coronation gift?”

Neary replied: “I think this is a terrific idea. If we move forward, I would like the opportunity to approach Elaine and Bruce giving them first right of refusal to be the ones to gift a set to the King and Queen.”

Elaine and Bruce. The Culvers. Dear friends of The Saint John’s Bible and devoted patrons of the Heritage Edition and Apostles Edition. Up to that time, they

“We had visions of the final scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, where the crate ends up in a huge government warehouse somewhere in Virginia, never to be seen again!”

Rob Culligan ’82 Vice President for Institutional Advancement Saint John’s University

had gifted five fine art editions in the United States — two to Episcopal Churches in Texas, one to Southern Methodist University, one to Washington National Cathedral and one to Sewanee: The University of the South.

Thanks to the Culvers, finding a benefactor to present a Heritage Edition to the king and queen proved to be straightforward. They stepped forth without hesitation.

“I just received a call from Elaine and Bruce fueled by their excitement and their gratitude for being offered this unique opportunity,” said Neary. “This is very appealing to them. A true win-win.”

The next steps in the process — exploring if the president would accept it and discovering whether the king and queen would receive it — turned out to be tougher and taller tasks.

To determine whether the president would receive it, the group turned to a knowledgeable Johnnie source in Washington, D.C., who advised them to approach their Minnesota representatives about contacting the Office of the Chief of Protocol in the U.S. State Department.

The next day, April 6, 2023, a message was sent to Senator Amy Klobuchar and Representative Dean Phillips asking them to consider contacting the State Department about a proposed gift for the president of the United States to present to King Charles and Queen Camilla for their coronation. The inquiry stated:

The gift is a fine art limited edition of The Saint John’s Bible, the first monumental handwritten illuminated manuscript of its kind since the advent of the printing press 500 years ago. This gift would be fit for a King and Queen… It will also showcase the Great State of Minnesota!

Both the senator and the representative responded promptly and affirmatively. Within days, each had contacted the protocol officer.

The State Department was also quick to respond, but they were indefinite. “We do not have a final decision if the president will be able to give the Bible. Since this would be a private source gift, we would suggest the university mail it to the White House directly.”

Needless to say, Saint John’s was apprehensive about sending it without assurance that it would be accepted by the president, let alone the royals. After all, it is a valuable item and challenging to ship. Each of the seven volumes is placed in a clamshell box, which is then encased

in a larger cardboard box, and then crated. The result: a single wooden crate 4’ x 4’ x 4’ weighing nearly 500 pounds.

“We had visions of the final scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark ,” said Culligan, “where the crate ends up in a huge government warehouse somewhere in Virginia, never to be seen again!”

To complicate matters, the State Department reminded the group that federal laws prohibit the president (and other elected officials) from accepting gifts.

Despite these uncertainties and obstacles, on April 29 a large crate was shipped to the State Department. The shipment contained a letter stating:

Saint John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota, is pleased to gift a Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible to the People of the United States of America in honor of the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Saturday, May 6, 2023. This gift is made possible through the generosity of the Catharine Elizabeth Laney Trust.

The shipment also contained a request: “If the decision is made to not accept this gift, we would appreciate it if you would return it to Saint John’s University.”

The waiting game began. The coronation was a few days away. Tick tock, tick tock.

On May 9, a few days after the coronation ceremony, the planning group received disappointing news. The volumes were received, but they weren’t able to be sent along to London for two reasons: the king and queen requested donations to charities as opposed to receiving gifts, and there was limited storage space on the plane, so it was not feasible to accommodate the volume and size of the gift.

Needless to say, the planning group was disheartened. Deflated.

THE BRITISH EMBASSY

But hope springs eternal. Sensing the disappointment, Klobuchar’s office sent the following message: “Would you like us to inquire with the British Embassy to see if they can ship the Bible to the king and queen before we have the State Department return it to you?” To which the group naturally responded, “Of course.”

Things really started to get interesting. The road was about to become longer and windier for this precious shipment. In retrospect, the group joked that it should have placed an Apple AirTag tracking device inside the crate.

A few weeks later, on May 19, the British Embassy picked up the gift from the State Department and sent photos to Buckingham Palace with information about the item. “We are waiting to hear back from the palace on best steps moving forward.”

Meanwhile, back in Collegeville, Saint John’s was in the midst of the 25th anniversary celebration of The Saint John’s Bible , which included a trip to England to deliver fineart editions to three prominent Anglican institutions: Sarum College in Salisbury, Canterbury Cathedral and Lambeth Palace in London. Once again, all three gifts courtesy of the Culvers.

In June 2023, Saint John’s sent a note to the British Embassy: “The embassy might be interested to know that there is a group from Saint John’s, including the president and the abbot, who will be in London this fall. If the palace decides to accept the Heritage Edition this might be a great occasion to arrange some type of presentation.”

A few days later, Saint John’s received welcome news from the British Embassy. “The palace has agreed to receive the gift. The embassy is arranging to send the Bible to London and will let me know when it arrives.”

In late August 2023 another wonderful message arrived from the embassy: “The Bible is with the king’s messengers so it will be on its way to the UK. It’s going to the Royal Unit in the Foreign Office in London who will forward it on to the palace.”

The long-awaited news had finally come. The Bible would soon be in London. Halleluja. And there was much rejoicing!

But not so fast. There was one more “not-so-minor” thing. The Dedication Page.

After graciously thanking the British Embassy for its extraordinary assistance, the Saint John’s group explained that when a Heritage Edition is donated on behalf of a prominent world leader it is customary to add a Dedication Page to the first volume for posterity. Dedication Pages are handwritten and illuminated by Jackson. Under normal circumstances the group would have added a Dedication Page to the Heritage Edition that was gifted to King Charles and Queen Camilla before we shipped it to the State Department, but given the short notice, did not have a chance to do so. Saint John’s informed the embassy: “Now that we know that it is being received by the king and queen, we would like to create the Dedication Page and have it added to the Bible.”

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

On Oct. 24, a week before the Saint John’s delegation departed for England, the group received a message from the embassy stating: “Buckingham Palace is amenable to a member of the Saint John’s Abbey and University delegation to deliver the Dedication Page to the palace during their visit to the UK. They would need to know the full name of this member and the preferred time and date of delivery. A member of the Royal Household staff would meet them informally to accept it.”

Unfortunately, the notification came too late. The itinerary had been finalized, and there wasn’t sufficient time to complete the Dedication Page. In addition, the

The blessing and dedication of The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition at Salisbury Cathedral. Pictured (L to R) President Brian Bruess; Rev. John Ross; Bishop Nicholas Holtam; the Lord Lieutenant Sarah Troughton; Dean Nicholas Papadopulos; Bishop Stephen Lake.

British Embassy sent a subsequent message inferring a pause: “I don’t think we’ve got this quite right yet.”

So, days before the trip, Saint John’s sent a tactful response: “We regret that we are unable to accept the kind offer by the palace to stop by Buckingham Palace next week to deliver the Dedication Page for The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition. Please accept our sincere apology. We look forward to working with the embassy and the palace to arrange a future time to deliver

the Dedication Page to the palace when Donald Jackson and Saint John’s have ample time to plan and prepare, and when all parties are sure that we’ve got this quite right.”

Even though the message indicated that the Dedication Page was to be delivered to Buckingham Palace, it wasn’t clear whether the Bible would reside there or elsewhere.

Meanwhile, The Saint John’s Bible 25th anniversary tour to England proceeded on course, and during the trip two unexpected though fortuitous things occurred to help the cause.

First, the blessing of the Heritage Edition at Salisbury Cathedral was attended by Sarah Troughton, lord lieutenant of Wiltshire which includes Salisbury. As luck would have it, Troughton is not only the king's representative in the county, but she is the second cousin of the king. To the planning group’s delight, she loved The Saint John’s Bible and sang its praises: “ The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition is the most beautiful and meaningful work of art imaginable.”

Second, a week after the presentation of The Saint John’s Bible to Lambeth Palace, King Charles visited Lambeth Library. The senior librarian at Lambeth shared the following description of his visit, along with photos of King Charles with The Saint John’s Bible :

I am writing today to let you know that we have already been using The Saint John’s Bible in outreach. Yesterday, as part of Inter Faith Week, the archbishop welcomed His Majesty the King to Lambeth Palace Library to meet with faith leaders from across the country. The chief rabbi was there, Cardinal Nichols, and representatives of the Islamic community, along with representatives from other Christian denominations, the Sikh community, the Jains, and the Buddhists. As part of the event the king was shown The Saint John’s Bible. Appropriately for an interfaith event, the Bible was open at the image of the Genealogy of Jesus with the mandala, menorah, and Islamic motifs. The king was impressed both by the facsimile and by the story of the original Saint John’s Bible.

To the group’s great joy and surprise, King Charles had become aware of The Saint John’s Bible , and he had the opportunity to witness firsthand its beauty and to learn about its historical and religious significance.

Another serendipitous moment for the project came a few months later in February 2024. Culligan was attending the Retirement and Change of Command Ceremony for Saint John’s alumnus Gen. Paul Nakasone ’86, the head of the National Security Administration and U.S. Cyber Command. At the ceremony, the emcee announced that there were several dignitaries in attendance, including the British ambassador, Hon. Karen Pierce.

At the reception Culligan introduced himself to Ambassador Pierce and explained that he was from General Nakasone’s alma mater, and that a Saint John’s delegation had recently visited England. She asked about the nature of the trip, and he told her about The Saint John’s Bible and the forthcoming gift of a Heritage Edition to the king and queen for their coronation. To which she replied, “How wonderful. So, it’s at the palace?” Culligan explained that the Bible had been sent from the State Department to the British Embassy and along to the Foreign Office in London and that it is awaiting presentation to the Palace. Much to the group’s delight, she offered her assistance.

WINDSOR LIBRARY

Lo and behold, a month later, on March 8, 2024, Saint John’s received more good news from the embassy:

The Foreign Office has informed us that they are awaiting advice from the Royal Library about the destination for The Saint John’s Bible. The initial steer is to arrange delivery of the Dedication Page by Donald Jackson to the Royal Library at Windsor. In the meantime, it would be useful for us to know when you think the Dedication Page is likely to be ready, so we can factor that into any plans.

The planning group’s prayers had been answered. After nearly a year, it had received confirmation that The Saint John’s Bible was destined for the Royal Library at Windsor. Praise be to God.

There were prayers of thanksgiving and high fives in Collegeville.

A few days later, on March 18, 2024, another key step in the confirmation process occurred, when Abbot John Klassen and President Brian Bruess received a letter from Buckingham Palace from the king’s private secretary.

The king has asked me to thank you for your most generous gift of The Saint John's Bible, which you so kindly sent on the occasion of their majesties’ coronation.

It was now official. The King had formally acknowledged receiving the gift.

Now that things were confirmed, Saint John’s shifted its efforts and attention to two remaining details: How to add the Dedication Page to the Heritage Edition and when to deliver, dedicate and bless it?

Adding a Dedication Page to a Heritage Edition is an art. The process is known as “tipping in”

The presentation of the Dedication Page for The Saint John’s Bible in honor of the king and queen at the Royal Library in Windsor. Left side (L to R): Fr. Eric Hollas, OSB, Bruce Culver, Sheila Ross, Elaine Culver. Right side (L to R): Rob Culligan, Brad Neary, Tim Ternes, Sarah Harris, Donald Jackson, MVO, Mabel Jackson, Rev. John Ross.

a folio page. Manuscripts, or in this case the Heritage Edition, are made with extra blank pages in the front and back, and the Dedication Page is glued to a fragment of a blank folio. Typically, Saint John’s used the services of a master bookbinder in London, Lester Capon, to tip in the Dedication Page. But in this instance, Windsor Library informed the Saint John’s group that they wanted the task to be performed by the royal binder at the Royal Collection Trust, Glen Bartley. Jackson had previously met with Bartley to discuss the best way to bind the original Saint John’s Bible , so he was quite familiar with the project.

Regarding the second question, when and where. The group’s desire was to deliver the Dedication Page in person at Windsor. Ideally, the group wanted to involve Jackson, the Culvers and a few representatives from Saint John’s. In previous instances, such as Salisbury, Canterbury and Lambeth, the group was able to arrange a liturgical blessing and dedication ceremony. So that was the preferred plan for Windsor as well.

Throughout the spring and summer of 2024, Saint John’s exchanged frequent communication with the British Embassy, the Foreign Office and the Royal Library.

In early June, Saint John’s informed the British Embassy that Donald Jackson had completed the Dedication Page for the Heritage Edition at Windsor, and that the group was prepared to deliver it.

Now that the Dedication Page is complete, we look forward to further discussions about next steps with Windsor Palace and the Royal Library. Our preference would be to have Donald Jackson deliver the Dedication Page to the Royal Binder, Glen Bartley, relatively soon so that he can insert the folio into the manuscript. Then, at a later date, we can arrange an event to bless and/ or dedicate The Saint John’s Bible at Windsor, similar to what we did last November at Lambeth Palace Library, Canterbury Cathedral, and Sarum College at Salisbury Cathedral.

To which they responded: “It will be important to discuss a range of dates well in advance as the royal librarian’s availability and her presence in Windsor depends on their majesty’s programme.”

Saint John’s informed the embassy and Foreign Office that in midSeptember representatives from the abbey and university would be in England once again along with the benefactors, the Culvers, for the presentation and blessing of a Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition to Durham Cathedral and to St. David’s Cathedral. “Naturally,” the Saint John’s group wrote, “It would be great if we could schedule activities at Windsor right beforehand or afterwards, so either Sept. 8 or 9 or Sept. 13 or 14.”

Shortly thereafter, Saint John’s received an encouraging message from the Foreign Office:

The librarian and assistant keeper of the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle, Dr. Stella Panayotova, would be delighted to welcome Bruce and Elaine Culver, as well as Donald Jackson to Windsor for the delivery of the Dedication Page, rather than separating out into two different engagements. The group would be welcomed into the Royal Library where they would be shown the recently created shelves by the palace conservators specially for the Bible volumes, and introduced to the royal bindery team.

King Charles III gazes upon the Genealogy of Jesus illumination from Gospels/Acts at Lambeth Palace Library.

Another message soon followed:

I have heard back from Dr. Stella Panayotova and Friday 13 September is the preferred date. Dr. Stella has spoken to the dean and it looks like a blessing may also be possible that day with the intention of making the blessing part of Evensong.

Needless to say, the Saint John’s group thrilled to learn that not only would the Heritage Edition reside in the Royal Library, but that it would have the opportunity to present the Dedication Page in person, and to bless and dedicate the volumes at St. George’s Chapel.

At last, the date was confirmed. The Saint John’s delegation would visit Windsor Castle on Sept. 13 to meet the Royal Library leadership team, and the Dedication Page would be formally delivered. The Heritage Edition would also be blessed by none other than Cocksworth, dean of St. George Chapel. As fate would have it, Dean Cocksworth was familiar with The Saint John’s Bible from his time as bishop of Coventry. In a message to Saint John’s, he wrote:

I have had great respect and affection for The Saint John’s Bible project for many years. I was delighted to hear about the gift of a Heritage Edition to their majesties. It was a real delight to view it last week here in the Royal Library. It is wonderful!

The stage was set. The planning group’s wildest hopes and dreams had come to fruition. The pieces of this royal puzzle had fallen into place. As providence would have it, all roads led to Windsor.

IT WAS MEANT TO BE.

All-American Syverson ’24 Enjoyed Record-Setting 2024 Encore Season

BY | FRANK RAJKOWSKI

As Aaron Syverson ’24 weighed returning for a final football season as the starting quarterback at Saint John’s University, he received plenty of advice and encouragement.

In the end, the counsel that tipped the scales came from a former quarterback at another MIAC school.

Syverson’s older brother Elliot was a baseball player at St. Olaf and has gone on to work in wealth management — the field Aaron hopes to pursue a career in as well.

Elliot worked for Brian Senske, who played quarterback for the Oles from 2000-03 and whose 6,780 career passing yards rank second in program history.

Aaron talked through his options with him, and Senske said the choice seemed easy.

“He said you only get to play football for so long, so if you have one more shot to do it, you should take it,” said Syverson, a Minnetonka High School graduate who spent two seasons at Division I Colorado State (one as a redshirt) before transferring to Saint John’s at the semester break of the 2020-21 school year.

He went on to start three seasons for the Johnnies but had one more year of eligibility remaining because of the extra season the NCAA granted all athletes due to the impact of COVID-19.

“(Senske) said work will always be there,” Syverson said. “I’ll probably work for the next 35 or 40 years. Why not play one more season now if I can? That meant a lot coming from someone who has been successful in the industry I want to be part of.”

As it turned out, that one more season turned out to be Syverson’s best, even if it ended a step or two sooner than he would have liked.

The accounting (finance) major passed for 4,382 yards and 51

touchdowns this past fall, leading the Johnnies to an undefeated regular season and an MIAC title.

SJU earned the top seed overall in the NCAA Division III playoffs and beat Wisconsin-La Crosse 24-13 before falling 41-38 to Susquehanna (Pennsylvania) on a last-second field goal, ending the 2024 campaign with an 11-1 record.

Syverson, meanwhile, ended his career as the school and MIAC career leader in both passing yardage (12,888) and touchdown passes (147). He holds 15 of the program’s single-game, season and career passing records. That includes the single-season mark for touchdown passes (51).

He also recorded his 20th career passing performance of 300 yards or more, giving him five more than any other SJU quarterback.

Those efforts on and off the field didn’t go unnoticed. Syverson again earned All-MIAC and All-American honors and was one of five finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, which is handed out each season to the most outstanding player at the Division III level.

In addition, he was named the first recipient of the Walter Camp Division III Player of the Year award, presented by Crabtree Lexus, and

was selected as the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic AllAmerica Team Member of the Year. He was joined on the CSC team by two teammates — senior defensive lineman Zach Frank and junior wide receiver Dylan Wheeler, who were each second-team selections.

“I wouldn’t change anything, other than the result (against Susquehanna),” Syverson said. “I grew a lot as a person, as a football player and as a leader. That’s a testament to everyone here.”

Syverson has had numerous sources of inspiration to draw from during his time in Collegeville. But his biggest role model has always been his mother, Joelle, now a 23-year brain cancer survivor. She was first diagnosed in 2001, when Syverson was just 1 year old.

“She’s had three surgeries over the years, but with where the tumor is at, they can never fully take it out,” Syverson said of his mother, who recently finished a two-week stint of radiation treatment. Along with his father, Leif, they continued to attend almost all his games.

“She’s undergone radiation and chemo, but she’s never complained. I’ve complained more about a stubbed toe than she ever has. She’s awesome. Just a tough cookie.”

Cross Country

Saint John’s cross country finished second out of 11 teams at the MIAC Championship and 11th out of 31 teams at the NCAA Regional this fall. Vincent Kaluza ’27 led SJU in all of its varsity 8,000-meter races. He earned All-MIAC honors (top 15) with a 14th-place finish (25:40) out of 172 runners at the MIAC Championship and ended the season 42nd (25:23) out of 220 runners at the NCAA North Regional. Kaluza and the team earned U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honors in January. To qualify as a USTFCCCA All-Academic Cross Country Team, the team must record a cumulative team GPA of 3.1 or better. Thirty-one Johnnies combined for a cumulative team GPA of 3.61. To qualify for AllAcademic honors, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale and finish in the top 25 percent of their respective NCAA regional.

Football

Saint John’s football (11-1, 8-0 MIAC) captured its sixth MIAC championship and made its 33rd postseason appearance under the direction of Gary Fasching ’81, who was named the MIAC John Gagliardi Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his 12-year tenure. The 10-win season was the program’s 26th. Quarterback Aaron Syverson ’24 was

a unanimous All-American (Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, D3football.com, Walter Camp), was named the Walter Camp Division III Player of the Year and the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for Division III. He was joined on the CSC Academic All-America team by defensive lineman Zach Frank ’25 and wide receiver Dylan Wheeler ’26 Frank, Wheeler, tight end Joey Gendreau ’26 and offensive guard Nick McKenzie ’25 also earned All-America honors. Linebacker Jake Schwinghammer ’25 was honored Jan. 2 at the Sugar Bowl as a member of the 22-man Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team, the eighth Johnnie to make the team and the seventh in the last eight seasons. Syverson was named the D3football.com Region 6 Offensive Player of the Year and seven other Johnnies were 2024 D3football.com All-Region selections: Frank, Gendreau, McKenzie, Wheeler, center Charlie Folkens ’25 , offensive tackle Grant Peroutka ’25 and linebacker Hayden Sanders ’25 . Nineteen Johnnies earned a conference-record 20 All-MIAC honors and eight were CSC Academic All-District: Frank, Syverson, Wheeler, safety Noah Arneson ’25 , offensive tackle Tommy Hessburg ’25 , kicker Conor Murphy ’25 , linebacker Hayden Sanders ’25 and linebacker Cooper Yaggie ’25

Golf

The Johnnie golf team tied for second out of nine teams at the 2024 MIAC Championship in early October. Tim Fultz ’26 (fourth) and Gavin Grahek ’28 (ninth) earned All-MIAC honors (top 10 individually) at the conference meet, and Fultz earned the MIAC’s Elite 22 Award for having the highest cumulative GPA among the honorees. SJU ended the fall schedule in 17th out of 24 teams at the elite Golfweek October Classic in Destin, Florida. The 24-team field included 18 that were nationally ranked. Andrew Boemer ’25 finished 10th out of 120 golfers with a three-round score of 208 (-5).

Soccer

SJU finished eighth in the MIAC with a 3-6-1 record (6-8-1 overall) this fall and missed the six-team MIAC Playoffs for just the second time in the last 12 seasons under the direction of interim head coach Noel Quinn . Goalkeeper Evan Siefken ’25 was named to the All-MIAC first team for the thirdconsecutive season and defender Foster Conlin ’26 was All-MIAC honorable mention. Siefken was then named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region IX team for the third time of his career and collected CSC Academic All-District distinction with Conlin. Tudor Flintham ’06 , who led Gustavus Adolphus to a 92-20-18 (.777) record with five MIAC championships over the last seven seasons, was named the Johnnies’ director of soccer-head coach in December.

2025 Baseball Season to be Haugen’s Last

Jerry Haugen ’76 announced in December that the 2025 season will be his last as head coach of the SJU baseball program, and that he will serve as coach emeritus in 2026. He begins his 48th and final season as head coach with an 891-720-5 (.553) career record, which places him fifth on NCAA Division III’s winningest active coaches list, as well as a 502-371 mark in MIAC play. He has directed the SJU baseball program to four MIAC playoff titles, three regular-season championships and 14 consecutive appearances in the MIAC Tournament (16 overall).

BY | SHAWN COLBERG DEAN, SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

This past October, Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary celebrated the consecration of its third alumnus as a Roman Catholic Bishop in China.

On Aug. 28, 2024, Pope Francis appointed Rev. Matthew Zhen Xuebin, a 1998 graduate of the SOT/Seminary and a priest for the Diocese of Beijing, as new coadjutor bishop of Beijing. It marked the first episcopal appointment since the recent Vatican renewal of its provisional agreement with China on episcopal nominations. Beijing is the metropolitan archdiocese for China.

Zhen joins SOT/Seminary alumni Martin Wu Qinjing, bishop of the Diocese of Zhouzhi, and Anthony Yao Shun, bishop of Jining, as Catholic leaders in the People’s Republic of China.

Zhen graduated from Saint John’s with Master of Divinity and Master in Liturgical Theology degrees. Ordained to the priesthood in 1998, he served as vice rector of the Beijing Seminary until 2007 and has since held the position of diocesan chancellor. Prior to his consecration, Zhen was mainly involved in pastoral care for non-Chinese Catholics in Beijing, overseeing Korean, English and Tagalog Catholic communities.

“I do all things for the sake of the Gospel,” said Zhen in his thanksgiving speech, quoting the apostle Paul. “I am grateful to the Lord for his grace in choosing me, a humble servant, as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Beijing.”

The consecration ceremony was celebrated Oct. 25 at Beijing’s Beitang Cathedral, with Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing serving as the principal consecrator. Four other Chinese bishops participated in the celebration, joined by approximately 140 priests and 500 faithful, including religious sisters and relatives of the new bishop. The Beijing Diocese serves approximately 100,000 faithful with 80 priests and about 40 parishes and churches.

The School of Theology and Seminary’s distinctive relationship with the Catholic Church in China rests in a long and productive relationship with the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, who have been ministering in China since 1918. Beginning in 1994, the SOT/ Seminary has participated in the China Educators and Formators

Project to provide ongoing education and support for Chinese priests as well as religious sisters and brothers.

Zhen was among the first to study at Saint John’s, helping to pave a long-term relationship that has borne much fruit.

“Simply put, Matthew was one of the best students I’ve ever had, full stop,” said former professor of theology and SOT/Seminary Board of Regents Chair Regina Wolfe, who remembers Zhen fondly.

“I still remember a paper he did explaining Rahner’s importance to moral theology. It was masterful, despite the fact he was still learning theological vocabulary and practicing his English.”

Faculty members recall Zhen as someone who paved the way for many who came after him.

“The Chinese students who have come to the SOT/Seminary sponsored by Maryknoll have been a source of great energy for the school,” commented the Rev. Dale Launderville, OSB, professor of Old Testament and former dean. “In particular, Fr. Matthew Zhen was a servant leader for the first group of four who paved the way for 30 years of other students from China,

enriching our student community year over year into 2025.”

Since 1994, the school has received and formed over 50 Chinese students. At present, two Chinese religious sisters are pursuing Master of Arts and Ministry degrees alongside roughly 160 other SOT/Seminary students.

“I have been fortunate to work with and know many Chinese students who attended Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary,” said Abbot Douglas Mullin, OSB, a 1982 (MA) and 2007 (M.Div) SOT/Seminary alumnus, while speaking to the contributions of Chinese students in the SOT/Seminary of the program.

“I watched them strive to learn English, deal with homesickness, and adjust to American culture and education. They’ve worked incredibly hard and achieved so much while always focusing on returning to China where they are committed to serving the Church and becoming a leaven for that society and for the world.”

The collaboration between Saint John’s and the Catholic Church in China has provided Chinese priests and religious with opportunities to study liturgy, scripture, spirituality, pastoral ministry and youth ministry among other areas of focus. The opportunity to provide formation to an area of the Church in Asia, one which continues to grow, is a distinct privilege.

William Cahoy, dean Emeritus of the SOT/Seminary, reflects on the ongoing impact of this connection:

“I continue to be extremely proud of the relationship of the SOT/ Seminary with the Church in China,” he said. “It is a wonderful example of Saint John’s contribution to and leadership in the global Church — the Church Catholic.

“The arrival of those four seminarians from China also marked the beginning of a stronger international focus for the school. Spurred by the vigorous cultivation efforts of Fr. Michael Patella, retired seminary rector and professor of New Testament, we have had a steady stream of students — not only from China, and many of them amazing religious women and from other parts of East Asia and from around the world,” Cahoy said.

“The Church Catholic comes to Collegeville, enriching the education and formation of all our students, from Avon to Beijing.”

At present, students from countries including China, Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Nigeria, France, England, Brazil, Columbia, Haiti, The Bahamas, Mexico and Canada join with U.S. students to create classrooms that give witness to the breadth and amazing “Catholicity” of the Church.

True to its deep Catholic and Benedictine roots, the SOT/ Seminary draws students to this center of learning and formation in order to send them forth into a world in need of joyful, visionary ministers and leaders.

“Programs like the one that the School of Theology and Seminary has with Maryknoll tap into the ancient missionary vision of Benedictine monasticism and explain the power of these relationships,” said Patella.

“Instead of establishing foundations in foreign countries and cultures, which can promote a colonial mentality, Saint John’s invites students from around the world to see and experience what we have and forms them to adapt their education to their own social and ecclesial contexts. The result is a true cultural exchange and not the domination of one people by another.”

Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary is enjoying a period of growth and resilience with its largest student enrollment in over 20 years. At present, the school graduates roughly 40 students a year — producing priests, deacons, youth ministers, liturgists, high school teachers, hospital chaplains, college campus ministers, monastic formators and Ph.D. students for the local, national and global Church.

Its recently launched Certificate in Benedictine Spirituality has attracted Johnnie and Bennie alums who wish to renew their connection with Benedictine prayer and spiritual practices.

More information can be found at www.csbsju.edu/sot/ academics/non-degree-study/ benedictinespirituality

Schmidt ’09 Named Saint John’s University Entrepreneur of the Year

BY | FRANK RAJKOWSKI

In a way, it was a football injury that opened a door to the world for Anthony Schmidt, the winner of this year’s Saint John’s University Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

The Totino-Grace High School graduate was the Johnnies’ starting kicker as a freshman in 2005, connecting on 65 of 70 extra points and booting three field goals. But he suffered an injury that kept him out of action as a sophomore, and he elected to study abroad his junior season.

“That had a big impact on me,” recalled Schmidt, who was honored alongside this year’s College of Saint Benedict Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner Lacie Gerhardson ’00 and this year’s CSB/SJU Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner Katie Kalkman ’06 during a program held Oct. 28 at the Metropolitan Ballroom and Clubroom in Golden Valley.

“In all, I ended up studying abroad in some form or fashion four times at Saint John’s, and it kind of got in my blood.”

Schmidt went to work for UnitedHealth Group after his time in Collegeville, but the travel bug remained strong. Combined with the inspiration to fill a software-related void that had become apparent to him, that led him to Uruguay.

It was there in 2012 that he took a chance and founded Tarmac, a nearshore software development company that has grown from a two-person operation to employ over 300 engineers in the United States, Uruguay, Brazil, Argentina, the Netherlands and North Macedonia.

The company designs, builds, scales and maintains custom software for companies like Caribou Coffee, Allina Health and Boston Scientific. In addition to Tarmac, Schmidt now also owns and operates several other businesses in the software and hospitality space.

“I figured the worst thing that could happen is I could fail and end up living on my parents’ couch,” Schmidt said of his venture. “When you’re in your 20s, that’s not the worst thing in the world.

“At the time, I didn’t see a ton of downside. As you get older and you have kids and you have to pay the mortgage, risk becomes a much bigger factor. But when you’re young, it’s easier to take chances.”

Tireless Advocate Galanis ’75 to Receive Walter Reger Award Posthumously

BY | FRANK RAJKOWSKI

If there was a way to give back to Saint John’s University, the late Phil Galanis found a way to do it.

The 1975 graduate — who sadly passed away at age 70 in October of last year — was a member of the school’s board of trustees from 2016 to ’23 and served on the SJU Leadership Council from 2019 until his death.

He was the alumni association chapter president in The Bahamas from 2012 to ’19, and remained on the chapter board. In addition, Galanis was the principal host for the annual CSB and SJU President’s visit to The Bahamas from 2012 until last year, and the lead student recruitment volunteer ambassador for prospective Bahamian students.

A former managing partner at Ernst & Young, and the managing partner of his own accounting firm, HLB Bahamas, he was also a leader when it came to providing a business and career network for Bahamian students enrolled at CSB and SJU — including through hiring summer interns, providing them experience that helped lead to their first jobs.

Beyond that, he was a generous donor and enthusiastic supporter of both schools — sharing the story of his own SJU experience far and wide.

“From a broader point of view, Saint John’s and Saint Ben’s have always meant a lot to all the Bahamians who have come here over the years, and to our country as a whole,” said his longtime friend and fellow Bahamian alum Prince Wallace ’68. “There is a special bond there, and for some of us, that bond goes even deeper. Phil was one of those.

“He was a Benedictine in every sinew and fiber of his body.”

Which is what makes him the perfect recipient of this year’s Fr. Walter Reger Distinguished Alumnus Award — the highest honor bestowed by the SJU Alumni Association for service to alma mater.

The award — which will be presented at an event in The Bahamas on March 15 — is named in honor of Rev. Walter Reger, OSB. A priest, professor, prefect, dean and friend, he was the driving force behind the SJU Alumni Association for years.

John Young ’83, the associate vice president for institutional advancement at SJU, got to know Galanis very well over the years. He said he exemplified everything the Reger award represents.

“Phil worked tirelessly as a volunteer, serving as CSB and SJU trustee, Bahamas Alumni Association president, SJU

Leadership Council member and Bahamian student recruitment ambassador. In these roles he became a mentor to hundreds of alums and students, and he extended unimagined Benedictine hospitality to everyone from our community who visited the Bahamas,” Young said.

“We were all blessed to walk alongside such a giant of a human being, a man for all seasons and a man whose infinite faith in humanity gives us hope,” he continued.

Beyond his devotion to CSB and SJU, and his own successful professional career, Galanis also found time for public service in The Bahamas, where he was a longtime member of parliament from 1997 to 2002 and the former head of The Bahamas Trade Commission, as well as his nation’s chief negotiator in talks with the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In case that wasn’t enough, his column Consider This ran regularly in The Nassau Guardian for 13 years as well.

“Phil was not only a progressive warrior and a nation builder; he was a man of unshakable integrity, candid in his views, and truthful to his convictions,” read part of a lengthy statement issued by Bahamian Prime Minister Philip E. Davis last October.

The bond between the CSB and SJU community and The Bahamas stretches back to the 1890s, when the first Benedictine monks from Saint John’s Abbey began serving there. Over the last 100-plus years, well over 1,600 Bahamian students have attended the two schools, including 59 graduate and undergraduate students enrolled during the 2024-25 school year.

Alumni Achievement Awards

Owen J. Lynch ’75

The late Owen J. Lynch was a professor and attorney who dedicated his profession to fostering public interest in law careers around the world and was an early leader in the movement to recognize the land rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. His areas of expertise were human rights, environmental justice and sustainable development, with a specialization in communitybased property rights and their legal recognition in national and international law. He had a deep connection to the Philippines, where he was stationed while in the Peace Corps from 1980 to ’84, and went on to lead efforts to recognize the legitimacy of the ancestral land claims of aboriginal people of the Philippines. He most recently was a fellow at the Rights and Resources Initiative in Washington, D.C., and a professorial lecturer at the University of the Philippines College of Law. Lynch’s considerable accomplishments and honors include special distinction from Yale University for his doctoral dissertation. Lynch’s career embodied Benedictine values as he applied his professional acumen to helping others in need and championing initiatives that contributed to the greater good with kindness, dignity, honor and grace.

John Charles Wander ’75

John Wander’s commitment to community formed the cornerstone of the successful medical practice he built in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains — a commitment that integrated his entire family. The five-star rating Wander had when he retired in April 2024 reflects his focus on individual knowledge and care for patients, which he delivered with integrity and humility, often in the face of insurance pressures. After earning his medical degree from St. Louis University Medical School, Wander served at a clinic in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina before establishing his family practice outside of Asheville.

He, his wife, Julie, and their sons, Paul, Tim and Luke established themselves in nearby Fairview, becoming a prominent family by dedicating themselves to civic involvement, supporting schools and their church for more than 45 years and earning the trust and respect of a deeply rooted community. With faith as his backbone, Wander has exemplified the Benedictine values in his practice and his life. “His intelligence and compassion have made him a trustworthy friend, father, husband, grandfather, brother, lay leader and community stalwart,” one nominator noted. “In all ways that matter, John is the real deal.”

Tom Guetzke ’80

Helping people discover the benefits of happiness on their health and well-being is Tom Guetzke’s passion and profession. Known as The Happologist, Guetzke is an awardwinning speaker, best-selling author and expert in the science of happiness who is one of few people to hold the title of Certified Humor Professional. He has spoken to audiences around the world about The 5 Happy Habits, which he developed from research in the fields of positive psychology, neurology and sociology, and is a featured author in the best-selling book Think Positive, Live Happy . A former executive and entrepreneur who led the growth of Whirlpool Mexico and founded and expanded KitchenAid Europa Inc., Guetzke has been recognized as one of C Level Focus Magazine ’s Top 10 Inspiring CMOs, featured in U.S News & World Report and has served on the small business advisory boards for Fortune and USA Today . Today, Guetzke focuses on inspiring others to fill their lives with joy and laughter, from the people in his audiences to those who know him personally. As one nominator explained, he is a man of faith, hope, loyalty and integrity who generously shares his positivity and insightful possibility.

Paul Melchior ’85

Communities across Ireland have safer well water, and students at North Hennepin Community College have invaluable research experience, thanks to the initiative of Paul Melchior. Melchior, a biology professor at North Hennepin, created a faculty-led research program that allows students studying abroad in Ireland to sample and analyze water in holy wells from Cork to Donegal. People commonly drink from and wash their hands and faces in these historical, culturally important wells, which often are surrounded by pastures with sheep and cattle — common sources of food- and water-borne microbial contamination. Melchior and his students sampled and analyzed water from more than 50 wells in 11 counties in a decade-long pathogen monitoring project that culminated in 2024 and gave North Hennepin students the opportunity to conduct and publish research with Melchior’s guidance. It’s the kind of experience that can open doors for natural science students and the kind of research that can improve the health of communities. Melchior’s commitment to mentoring students is just one of many entries on his long list of service, achievements, published research and professional appointments, and its impacts extend from Minnesota to Ireland.

Todd Vande Hei ’90

An entrepreneurial mindset and a desire to improve his health motivated Todd Vande Hei to transform his life and career. Vande Hei established Tustin, Californiabased Stark in 2011 as a fitness studio catering to executives struggling to manage their own health. Stark since has blossomed into a concierge wellness studio with three locations in Southern California and a highly popular Instagram, Health is a Skill podcast, blog and radio show. Vande Hei founded Stark with personal resources after experiencing physical problems ranging from neck pain and headaches to grand

mal seizures in his early 30s. Stark’s dedicated staff of medical doctors, coaches, chiropractors and naturopathic doctors provide personalized lifestyle programs that include health coaching, personal training, naturopathic care and neuromuscular therapy. Vande Hei’s success probably comes as no surprise to his Saint John’s classmates who remember the popular on-campus barber business he started as a student. The wellbeing he champions reaches beyond his studios to the charitable foundations that benefit from his annual Stark Naked competition.

Joe Deignan ’95

It’s no surprise that Joe Deignan has cultivated a successful career in investment banking. Deignan, vice president at private equity firm Wayzata Investment Partners, graduated egregia cum laude with an economics degree, earning highest honors from Saint John’s University before getting his MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. Deignan manages distressed and high-yield debt with a focus on control-oriented private equity and special situations investments at Wayzata Investment Partners. He also serves as director at Atlantic Express Transportation Corp., chairman at Perkins & Marie Callender’s and on the board of directors at companies including Neff Rental and The Majestic Star Casino. In addition to being a standout student at Saint John’s, Deignan was a two-time All-MIAC basketball player under long-time coach Jim Smith. He remains a staunch

supporter of SJU and CSB and a lead backer of Johnnie basketball.

Spencer Sokoly ’00

Spencer Sokoly’s community service is deeply rooted in Saint Paul. Sokoly supports a variety of charitable causes and volunteers throughout the Saint Paul area, specifically as part of the Saint Paul Jaycees. Sokoly is on the board of the Saint Paul Jaycees charitable foundation, which provides grants to numerous charities that serve and support the City of Saint Paul. He ran hundreds of events in 2007, when he served as the Saint Paul Jaycees’ 82nd chapter president. Sokoly balances his volunteer work with his position as Enterprise Finance Treasury Management vice president/lead finance analyst at Wells Fargo. An avid biker, he rides RAGBRAI every July in Iowa. One nominator described him as “a person of peace, compassion and respect.”

Gevon Moss ’05

After Gevon Moss completed his double major in economics and political science at SJU, he promptly returned to The Bahamas with a clear focus on pursuing a career centered on contributing to growth and development. In the private sector, his professional journey commenced with various management roles at the esteemed Atlantis resort, where he made significant contributions in the tourism industry. Subsequently, he transitioned into the public sector. Moss became a staunch advocate for cultural and infrastructural

development, which played a pivotal role in the revitalization of Nassau. He held multiple positions and culminated his tenure as the executive director and (acting) managing director of the Downtown Nassau Partnership.

His unwavering commitment to development was evident in his role as a resource, planning, and administration specialist at the Inter-American Development Bank, as well as his current position as the human resources manager at the Central Bank of The Bahamas, the primary regulatory institution in the country. Moss not only focuses on human capital development within the Central Bank but also actively contributes to regional development efforts. His expertise garnered during his three-term tenure as council president of the Anglican Church Men of the Diocese of The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands has solidified his reputation as a mentor to young men across the two-nation diocese.

Moss’s networking prowess and mobilization skills were exemplified in his rapid response in the aftermath of several hurricanes in The Bahamas. Additionally, he has shared his knowledge and insights as a guest lecturer at the University of Charleston, University of The Bahamas, University of the West Indies and CSB+SJU, demonstrating his commitment to nurturing the next generation of professionals. Recently, he was appointed a justice of the peace.

Milestones

1971 R.J. Hinkemeyer’s latest mystery novel, False Trespass, was a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association’s 2024 Literary Contest. Hinkemeyer, who writes mysteries set in his native state of Minnesota and his home state of Maryland, is also the past winner of several novel competitions.

1972

Buck Dopp has published his new book, My Havasu Heroes: Stories of Faith, Hope and Love, based on the stories of 90 figures in the Havasu, Arizona, community. “There have been a lot of stories that have really touched my life,” said Dopp, a storyteller and freelance journalist. “It’s fun to write about people — they’re making a difference and doing something special.”

1973

Mark Reps recently released the 15th book in his Zeb Hanks: Small Town Sheriff Big Time Trouble series. Titled Blood By the Tracks, it jumped to No. 1 in Native American Literature on Amazon upon release. It is available on Amazon Kindle and Amazon books.

1976

Ed Poniewaz is a columnist for the Polish American Journal, an English-language, bi-monthly digest of news from Polish communities across the United States as well as from Poland. He has been writing The Pondering Pole since 2005.

1979

Richard Ostlund was selected as the 2024 Minnesota Attorney of the Year for Service to the Profession and the Community. It was the third career selection of the award for Ostlund, who also received it in 2009 and 2022. The award is based upon three decades of engagement support for health research and care at the University of Minnesota and Fairview Health System, which in December 2024 both recognized Ostlund’s leadership for the respective community service organization and for service as a co-author as a respected American Bar Association national business law journal. Previously, Ostlund was named a University of Minnesota “Life Trustee.” He also was honored for his 10 years as a Director and six years as chairman of the board, and was named the first “chairman emeriutus” in Fairview’s 122-year history.

Steve Heymans recently published his new book Eckhart Tolle’s Hall of Mirrors: A Guide to Finding Your Way Out, which is available on Amazon. The book examines Tolle’s project, its facets and its limitations.

1982

Tom Gottwalt was inducted into the University of Minnesota’s Master of Business Taxation Program Hall of Fame in June 2024.

1986 John Rosengren had his article Uncovering The Real Ernest Hemingway in Ketchum, Idaho published in the Jan. 9 issue of Artful Living. This is the most recent article published by Rosengren, who also has written a variety of novels, short stories, biographies and sports books over the past 36 years.

1989

David Charpentier has published the book The Boy Who Promised Me Horses, the episodic experiences of a teacher who moved from a bucolic Minnesota college to a small, remote reservation school in eastern Montana.

Charpentier details the complex and emotional challenges of Indigenous education in the United States. He works as director of alumni support at St. Labre Indian School in Ashland, Montana.

2012 Ted Kain, Director of annual giving at Saint John’s University, has begun performing in a band that covers piano-centric artists at the Gnarly Bard Theater in downtown St. Cloud. The band also includes Josh “Bubba” Hollenhorst ’07 (who also leads the band Fred Savage & The Unbeatables), Bill Blatzheim ’07 and Ted Godbout ’05. The band’s first performance last fall featured the stylings of Billy Joel and Ben Folds. Its second was on Jan. 18, featuring the hits of Ray Charles and Rufus Wainwright. For information on future performances, visit the Facebook event page (facebook. comevents/972984901361708) or the Gnarly Bard website (gnarlybard.com/).

Marriages

1966 Meridith LeMoyne to Mark Thelen, July ’24

2007 Meghan (Lee ’05) to Brian McKenna, June ’24

2012 Nicola Fanta ’13 to Nick Goeden, Sept. ’24

2012 Breeanna to Luke Riordan, May ’24

2014 Stefanie Havemeier ’15 to Peter Coborn, Sept. ’24

Alec (Peck) to Josh Gross, July ’24

Leia to Taylor Ramler, Sept. ’24

2015 Maren Iverson ’15 to Gabriel Amon, Aug. ’24

SOT/SEM 2015

Eric to Jenny (Lieser) Eschmann, Oct. ’24

2017 Ann Schaenzer ’15 to Adam Hey, July ’24

2018 Abbie (Overton ’18) to Sam Broman, July ’24

Michaela (Duellman ’18) to Omar Cano, May ’24

Emily (Barnier ’18) to Kevin Conway, Aug. ’24

Emily Young ’18 to Gino Delmont, Aug. ’24

Kaylee (Beaman) to Tanner Thielen, Sept. ’24

2019 Ella (Lindberg ’18) to Kent Edeburn, Sept. ’24

Maran (Wagner ’22) to Samuel Gerdts, Aug. ’24

2020 Marissa Bernal ’22 to Taylor Bekken, July ’24

2020 Kaitlyn (Crowe ’20) to Kyle Borgeson, June ’24

Kendall (Koenen ’20) to Cullen Chisholm, June ’24

Michaela (Reardon ’20) to Austin Hingtgen, Apr. ’24

Olivia (Simons ’21) to Teddy Paulson, July ’24

Meghan (Verkinderen ’20) to Liam Reardon, Aug. ’24

Laura Leonard ’21 to Logan Salner, Aug. ’24

2021 Brianna (Steffes) to Chris Backes, June ’24

Claire (Peterson ’22) to Bryce Boever, Oct. ’24

Johanna (Merten ’21) to Ryan Houseman, June ’24

Margaret (Koebnick ’21) to Jacob McCabe, Dec. ’24

Rachel (Sharp ’19) to Ben Lepinski, Oct. ’24

2022 Mikayla (VonWahlde ’21) to Dylan Fleischhacker, Sept. ’24

Sheridan (Glashan ’22) to Cody Lavalley-Stenbeck, Aug. ’24

2023 Abby (Hammer) to Zach Selchow, Dec. ’24

2024 Colette (Harrold ’24) to Riley McGurran, Aug. ’24

Births

2003 Nicole & Tom Engwall, boy, Dec. ’24

2005 Andrea & Chris Loth, boy, Nov. ’24

2006 Lindsey & Sean Fahnhorst, girl, Oct. ’24

2007 Meghan (Lee ’05) & Brian McKenna, girl, Feb. ’24

2008 Michelle (Peltz ’12) & Jason Hoffmann, boy, Feb. ’24

Sarah (Roth ’08) & Anthony Von Ruden, boy, June ‘24

2010 Sophia (Nolan ’13) & Adam Sundsmo, boy, May ’24

2012 Emily (Marks ’12) & Aaron Langan, girl, Dec. ’24

Mackenzie (Ludowese ’08) & Conor Rooney, girl, Nov. ’24

2013 Mary & Mark Giorgi, girl, May ’24

Alexandra & Stephen (Johnson) Ray, boy, Dec. ’24

Taylor (Jacobs ’13) & John Marinkovich, boy, Nov. ’24

Alivia Tison ’13 & Collins Motschke, girl, Aug. ’24

2014 Hannah & John Dube, girl, Dec. ’24

Anna Turosak & Alex Forster, boy, July ’24

Lexi (Alm ’14) & Jesse Johnson, boy, Nov. ’24

Meghan (Battista ’14) & Andrew Mueller, boy, Oct. ’24

Kelly Faber & Mark Steingraeber, girl, Jan. ’23

Kelly Faber & Mark Steingraeber, girl, Nov. ’24

2016 Annie (Ruelle ’18) & Zach Hnath, boy, July ’24

2016 Christine Gunderson ’15 & Joe Risinger, girl, Dec. ’23

2017 Emily (Goerdt ’18) & Parker Hagen, boy, Aug. ’24

Ellen & Carter Hanson, girl, Sept. ’24

2018 Chloe (Richey ’18) & Corey Ross, girl, Aug. ’24

2019 Bree (Gibis ’19) & Kyle Busta, boy, Aug. ’24

Madelynne (Lacy ’18) & Evan Okeley, girl, Aug. ’24

2020 Leeah (Ruf ’20) & Anthony Hennen, girl, Aug. ’24

Deaths

1943 & SOT/SEM ’64

Harold Paul, Nov. ’24

1943 Donna Rajkowski, deceased spouse, Frank, mother of Frank ’70, Michael ’84, deceased son, John ’77, Aug. ’24

1948 Ralph Weber, spouse of deceased Rosemarie (Hoyt) ’49, Nov. ’24

1950 David Braun, Jan. ’25

Richard Eich, Nov. ’24

Mary Lou Fink, spouse of deceased, Robert, mother of Kevin ’78, Steve ’83, July ’24

Audrey Miller, spouse of deceased, Gilman, Oct. ’24

1950 & SOT/SEM ’55

Rev. John O’Brien, Nov. ’24

1951 John “Jack” Broeren, July ’24

Betty Kartak, spouse of Robert, July ’24

Robert Muggli, brother of Rev. Odo ’62, Oct. ’24

Richard Wasko, Aug. ’24

1952 Louis Cotroneo, father of Tim ’77, Nov. ’23

Jerome Engleson, father of Joe ’74, Oct. ’24

Pete Herges, Sept. ’24

Hans Huth, Nov. ’22

Dr. Phillip Hessburg, father of John ’83, Oct. ’24

John Lange, father of Mark ’90, Br. David Paul, SOT/Sem ’23, Jan. ’25

Barry Noack, father of Keith ’80, Mark ’81, Paul ’83, son of deceased, Maurice, SJU 1920, Aug. ’24

Valeria Oehrlein, spouse of deceased, James, Oct. ’24

Lorraine Peller, spouse of deceased

Ted Sept. ’24

John Simpson, Dec. ’24.

Beverly Stepka, spouse of deceased, Joseph, Aug. ’24

Joseph Stepka, Aug. ’24

1952 & SOT/SEM ’56

Rev. Wilfred Theisen, OSB, brother of deceased John ’56, Lyle ’53, Dec. ’24

Rev. Robert Valit, Sept. ’24

1953 Edward Burnes, Nov. ’24

Dr. George Crow, father of Julia (Crow) Plum ’87, Nov. ’24

1953 Frances Lammers, spouse of deceased Donald, mother of Charlie ’87, July ’24

Christopher Traxler, father of Chris ’83, Todd ’87, Sept. ’23

1954 Wilfred Braun, Sept. ’24

1955 Richard Berg, brother of Leo ’57, Sept. ’24

Edward Fujan, brother of deceased, Eugene ’57, Dec. ’24

John “Mike” Nilles, brother of deceased William ’52, Aug. ’24

Peter Poss, father of Steven ’84, July ’24

Mary Ann Valley, spouse of Leonard, Jan. ’25

1956 Richard Henry, brother of deceased Robert ’61, May ’24

Larry Nowak, Sept. ’24

James Pascoe Sr., Nov. ’24

1957 William Droessler, Aug. ’24

William Lerschen, Jan. ’25

Michael Matchie Sr., brother of Thomas ’57 & SOT/Sem ’62, July ’24

Judith McGrann, spouse of deceased William, Sept. ’24

1957 SOT/SEM Rev. Mark Willenbring, Aug. ’24

1958 & SOT/SEM ’62

James Ditzler, brother of Austin ’60, John ’62, Jan. ’25

1958 Agnes Flynn, spouse of deceased

Robert, mother of Jim ’85, Sept. ’24

Bernadette Hughes, spouse of deceased Frank, mother of Dan ’84, Mike ’86, Paul ’89, Nate ’91, Jake ’93, Dec. ’24

Catherine Maas, spouse of John, Dec. ’24

Joseph Machtemes, brother of S. Ann, OSB, SOT/Sem, ’82., Dec. ’24

James Morgan, Dec. ’24.

James Packard, father of Steve ’81 Nov. ’24

James Scharenbroich, brother of Michael ’71, Aug. ’24

James Tully, Jan. ’25

1959 Rochelle Brandl, spouse of deceased John, mother of Chris ’84 Nov. ’24

Judy Love, spouse of deceased Tom, Nov. ’24

James Lungwitz, brother of Dale ’53, Sept. ’24

Norbert Pastir, Dec. ’24

Dr. Anthony Yapel Jr., Dec. ’24.

1960 Donald Blais, March ’24

James Janey, father of Thomas ’86, deceased brothers, Sylvester ’47, Ralph ’49, Dec. ’24

Joe Nicolson, brother of Jim ’68, Aug. ’24

Thomas O’Reilly, Aug. ’24

Dorothy Orr, spouse of deceased

William, Nov. ’24

Robert Urlaub, July ’21

1961

Jackie Hughes, sister of Patrick Pesek-Herriges, mother of Michael ’91, June ’24

1961 Dr. James Kennelly, brother of Tom ’68, Jan. ’24

Sharon Nilan, spouse of deceased Edward, Jan. ’25

Mary Schaak, spouse of Bernard, mother of Chris ’95, Sept. ’24

1962 Richard Cady, Jan. ’25

David Cook, Nov. ’24

Kenneth Oberembt, brother of Jerry ’69, deceased brother Patrick ’64, Aug. ’24

Hon. Robert “Jim” Ranall Jr., father of Tony ’88, Aug. ’24

Richard Stewart, Oct. ’24

1963 Kimball “Kim” Devoy, father of Kevin ’03, Aug. ’24

1963 Dr. Thomas Manion, June ’24

Garrett Mulrooney II, father of Patrick ’92, Mark ’92, Dec. ’24

Kay Tempel, spouse of Joe, mother of Dan ’93, Dec. ’23

1964 John Chromy, Oct. ’24

Dr. James Fellman, father of James Jr. ’16, Oct. ’24

Raymond Julkowski, father of Joseph ’91, Dec. ’24

John McDowell, May ’24

Jerry Petry, Oct. ’24

1965 Karen Kleinschmidt, spouse of Dale, mother of Paul ’00, Aug. ’24

Thomas O’Connor, father of Robert ’89, Jan. ’25

Judy Regnier, spouse of Peter, mother of Mark ’96, Sept. ’24

Robert Socher, Dec. ’24

Michael Sullivan, father of John ’08, Joe ’10, brother of Joe ’60, Patrick ’75, deceased brothers, Terry ’69, Gene ’63 Nov. ’24

1966 William Carney, Dec. ’24

James Hunt, brother of Robert ’56, deceased William ’57, Aug. ’24

Kathy Mucha, spouse of Joseph, Dec. ’24

Philip Murray, father of Patrick ’01, Dec. ’24

Hon. Rick Nolan, Oct. ’24

Mary Palen, spouse of deceased Joseph, Oct. ’24

Mary Terwey, spouse of Joseph, mother of Jason ’91, Aug. ’24

1967 Elaine Lickteig, spouse of James, Nov. ’24

1968 Michael Curran, Nov. ’24

Patrick Doherty Jr., Jan. ’25

Walter Spindler, Aug. ’24

1969 Paul Bernabei, Aug. ’24

William Brinkman, Oct. ’24

Michael Buck, Dec. ’23

James Koenig, father of Steve ’92, Nov. ’24

1969 Jackie Krenik, spouse of Paul ’69, mother of Paul Jr. ’99, Sept. ’24

William Renner, Sept. ’24. Ken Schindele, Nov. ’24

1970 Robert Neary Jr., July ’21

Thomas Whalen, sibling of Dan ’70, Sept. ’24

Gwen Yseth, spouse of Tom, Dec. ’23

1971 Ronald Kohorst, Jan. ’25

Daniel Korman, brother of Dennis ’68, Thomas ’75, Dec. ’24

Lynn Larsen, spouse of Richard, her stepson Brian ’94, Apr. ’24

1972 Thomas Atkins, father of Jeff ’96, Nov. ’24

Francis Crain, Aug. ’24

1973 Stephen Mechavich, Dec. ’24

1974 SOT/SEM

S. Claire Marie Czerwiec, SSND, Dec. ’23

Peter Lund, Nov. ’24

1975 Owen Lynch Jr., Nov. ’24

James Myott, Sept. ’24

Jim Schoffman, brother of Bob ’68, son of deceased Francis ’27, Aug. ’24

Robert Schroepfer, father of Larry, June ’24

John Twohy, brother of Kevin ’83, James ’83, Oct. ’24

1976 Paul Gustafson, Dec. ’24.

Michael Sayler, brother of James ’79, Oct. ’24

1977 David Becht, Nov. ’24

David Broeren, son of deceased John ’51, July ’16

1977 SOT/SEM

S. Brigid Keefe, July ’24

Lisa Michaels, spouse of William, Jan. ’25

Michael Musich, brother of John ’68, Jan. ’25

Robert Richter, brother of Bruce ’77, July ’24

1978 Josephine Brummer, mother of James, William ’81, Hank ’83, Daniel ’88, Aug. ’24

Robert Coy, son of deceased Doug ’50, Oct. ’24

1979 Susan Sink, spouse of Steven Heymans, Aug. ’24

1980 Tom Garrity, Oct. ’24

1981 SOT/SEM

S. Brigid Grandey, SC, July ’24

1981 Richard Matie Jr., Nov. ’24

1982 David R. Anderson, father of Dave, July ’24

1982 SOT/SEM

Patricia Brink, Oct. ’24

Jack Gunderson, son of Greg, brother of Blake, ’16, Nov. ’24

Maggie King, sister of Rob Culligan, Aug. ’24

Jean Zivkovich, spouse of deceased, Stephen, Dec. ’24

1983 SOT/SEM

Rev. Martin Chevalier, Sept. ’24

1983 Thomas Schaub, Oct. ’24

1984 Anita Cristoforo, spouse of Mike, Sept. ’24

1984 SOT/SEM

Br. Michael Mandernach, March ’24

1984 Patrick Meekin, MD, father of Bob, Tim ’91, Jan. ’25

1985 Bart Duffy, Aug. ’24

Michael Murray, Jan. ’25

Eugene Pietruszewski, father of John, grandfather of Jack ’16, Dan ’20, June ’24

1985 SOT/SEM

Theodore Seitz, father of Bishop

Mark Seitz, Sept. ’24

1987 Mary Ann Graves, spouse of James, Sept. ’24

Connie Pellegrene, mother of Michael, Stephen ’87, Joseph ’99, Jan. ’25

Patrick Sweeney, brother of Michael ’96, Aug. ’24

1988 Rosalaine Asher Heffernan, spouse of Michael ’88, Sept. ’24

1989 Myrna Hunt, mother of Al, Paul ’91, Peter ’96, Jan. ’25

1994 SOT/SEM

Wendy Barton Silhavy, spouse of Michael, SOT/Sem ’09, Sept. ’24

1994 Ernie Dold, father of Jon, Jan. ’25

1995 SOT/SEM

Cynthia Goerig, Nov. ’24

1996 Steven Oelrich, Aug. ’24

1998 Leonard Blumberg Jr., Oct. ’24

Mechthild “Tildy” Ellis, mother of John, Sept. ’24

Richard Reger, father of Tom, Jan. ’25

1999 Shawn Johnson, Sept. ’24

1999 SOT/SEM

Corinna Moncada, Sept. ’24

2000 Emily Broback, spouse of Stephen, Jan. ’25

Grady McGovern, brother of Ryan ’96, Jan. ’25

2001 Augusto Sumangil, father of Eric, Sept. ’24

2002 James Goossens, father of James, brother of Edward ’78, Paul ’83, Robert ’86, Jan. ’25

2003 Norman Hoffman, father of Ross, Nov. ’24

2007 Jacob Eichten, Aug. ’24

2010 Joseph Reinhardt, Dec. ’24

2012 Dan Parker, Sept. ’24

2014 Thomas Brossart, son of John ’79, brother of Chris ’05, Matt ’07, Oct. ’24

2019 Joshua Olson, brother of Max ’17, Aug. ’24

2024 Tashana Dalen, mother of Kody, Dec. ’24

Writing Inspiration Introduces His Sons, Follows Dowdle ’52 Into His 90s

BY | KEVIN ALLENSPACH

Some men live long and don’t experience much. Others cram a lot into what might seem a short and bittersweet existence.

Saint John’s University alum Charles E. “Chuck” Dowdle ’52 has synthesized the best of both potential outcomes, compiling more than his share of memories in a lifetime the length of which most only wish.

He grew up during the Great Depression in Crookston, Minnesota, and dropped out of high school to join the Navy.

After almost two years of service, he got credit for his high school diploma, pursued college under the G.I. Bill, landed at Saint John’s University after two false starts, and married his sweetheart — whom he’d known since childhood — even before he earned a degree in social science.

Dowdle taught for almost 40 years, moving his family to California in the process. By the time he “retired,” he had five daughters and a master’s degree in secondary education.

That might be enough for some to ride off into the sunset, and he gave it a shot. But after 49 years of marriage, his wife died of ovarian cancer. He found a new beginning, falling for a longtime mutual acquaintance, and was married another 22 years until she died in 2023.

By then, Dowdle felt he had something to say. Amazingly, considering he marked his 97th birthday Feb. 1, he’s published four books in as many years.

“I’m doing pretty good for an old guy,” Dowdle said recently from his home in Cambria, California.

His latest title, Life is a Meeting , is an autobiographical play based on Twin Lights , a novel that debuted in 2021, followed by a collection of memoirs written for his hometown newspaper and a

program to teach kids to read and write. Ironically, Twin Lights and therefore Life is a Meeting are about things that didn’t happen.

What inspired him to be a writer came from how his life pivoted on Aug. 9, 1953. While living in Perham, the former Marilyn “Marty” Kirkwood gave birth to their only sons at 5 1/2 months gestation. Michael Charles and Mark Edward Dowdle were baptized but died an hour apart the next day.

“At some point, you ask yourself, ‘I wonder what life would have been like had our twin sons lived?’” Dowdle said. “I started writing an answer from my imagination. It was cathartic.

“We didn’t know there was going to be a problem. We didn’t even know we were going to have twins.

They didn’t even have incubators in Perham at that time. Today, you see preemies hooked up to all kinds of equipment. There might be 10 or 20 of them in a nursery.

“I remember coming out of the hospital that day and I saw a fellow teacher and he said, ‘Chuck, how is Marty?’ I couldn’t speak. I just had to walk away, it hit me so hard.”

Perhaps that’s why it took so long to articulate the pain.

“You go on to do things if you have your heart set on them, but it wasn’t easy, I’ll tell you that,” Dowdle said.

He and Marty were in the same class beginning in kindergarten. As a high school senior, he played on an undefeated football team coached by SJU alum Don Norman, who even dressed his players in old Saint John’s uniforms. He also played

hockey and can count two former teammates as Olympians. (John Noah, also from Crookston, won a silver medal in 1952 in Oslo, and Bob Boeser, with whom Chuck later played at SJU, skated in the 1948 Olympics at St. Moritz.)

At 17, though, Dowdle decided to follow a couple classmates into the Navy.

“My mother wasn’t too happy, but my dad was in World War I and he was OK with it,” Dowdle said. “He had to sign for me.”

After boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Station, he worked in a hospital in Annapolis, Maryland. He later put in for sea duty, served on a crash boat in Chesapeake Bay and was the medic on hand for M-1 rifle training. But mostly he worked in a dispensary.

He mustered out on Thanksgiving Day 1947 and later was reintroduced to Marty on a double date.

“That was all she wrote. I fell in love,” Dowdle said.

His third attempt at college was the charm. In Collegeville, Dowdle lived on the fourth floor of Benet Hall and later moved with Marty to a basement apartment near St. Cloud Hospital. To pay their bills, he worked at Montgomery Ward, assembling farm machinery and changing the oil in cars. He also moonlighted as a janitor and with the recreation department at Lake George.

Before graduation, he took some academic counseling and was advised to either sell insurance or become a priest or a teacher. He chose the latter and, after a year in Karlsruhe, North Dakota, where everyone spoke German and English, it was on to Perham. There an acquaintance gave him a book on Shakespeare, and that sold Dowdle on teaching English.

Although they had other children, the sorrow following the loss of the twins made Dowdle and Marty ripe for a new beginning. California needed so many teachers in the postwar population explosion that he had a deck of cards featuring job openings.

“We were looking for an adventure, and we went for it,” Dowdle said.

After three years in Arcata, California, they migrated to Santa Rosa. There they settled. But it wasn’t until long after teaching that he found a desire to write himself.

Dowdle published Remembering Crookston: A Minnesota Memoir , in 2022. A year later, inspired by Jim Moffett, a Harvard-educated language arts theorist, Dowdle published California Kids Can Read and Write! And the more he developed as a writer, the more he rethought his approach to the story of his twin sons.

“When I was writing Twin Lights , I think I confused people because there were so many details to

follow,” he said. “It was too easy to get lost.”

He cut the first 150 pages, beginning instead when the twins graduated as high school co-valedictorians.

“They were smart kids, of course, being my sons,” chuckled Dowdle.

“They met a couple of beauties from the College of Saint Benedict at a mixer. I had one of the twins go blind because in the early 1950s they fed premature babies excess oxygen to help keep them alive. That happened quite often at the time.”

Condensed into five acts, he added the storyline of a fictional daughterin-law giving birth to a child with Down syndrome. And, of course, he incorporated his second marriage to Carmelle Johnson Mathes (a close high school friend of his first wife), and her battle with dementia.

“After Marty died, I had to get away for a while,” Dowdle said. “I drove to visit a friend in Orange County and a cousin in San Diego, and along the way I stopped to see Carmelle, whose husband had recently passed away, too. Our families had stayed in touch and we’d communicated each Christmas. It wasn’t long after I saw her and that was all she wrote again. I was in love and it was like it was meant to be. I’m a twiceblessed man.”

That is what he tried to convey in Life is a Meeting . Will there be a fifth book?

“Good question!” he said with a hearty laugh. “I think I’ve done what I want to do as a writer. It’s satisfying to have gotten it all down. I just thank God every day and feel very fortunate.”

Life is a Meeting https://bookshop.org/p/books/life-is-a-meeti ng/76b7b84eb91eafc6?ean=9798886797176& next=t&

Twin Lights https://bookshop.org/p/books/twin-lightschuck-dowdle/17889023?ean=9781643889122

Remembering Crookston: A Minnesota Memoir https://bookshop.org/p/books/rememberingcrookston-a-minnesota-memoir-chuck-dowdle /18795075?ean=9798886790610

California Kids Can Read and Write! https://bookshop.org/p/books/california-kidscan-read-and-write-student-centered-readingand-writing-programs-for-all-ages-chuck-dow dle/19749750?ean=9798886792331

After graduating from Saint John’s in 1952 (right), Dowdle shared his life with wives Marty (lower left) and then Carmelle (upper left).

Extending a Family Legacy

Mike Plattes did not attend Saint John’s University. But his father Gordon ’41 did, and his time in Collegeville had a huge impact on him.

“He always spoke so highly about that place,” Mike recalls, “about how it shaped his life and put him on the pathway to success.”

That’s why Gordon and his wife Patricia set up a charitable remainder unitrust (CRUT) with Saint John’s in 1997. The irrevocable, tax-exempt trust generates income and provides a charitable donation.

When they died, the trust was used to start a scholarship in their name. The couple also passed down an IRA to Mike and his sister, and for the last five years Mike has been using the proceeds from that gift to fund the scholarship his parents made possible.

“I’m lucky enough to be at a point in my life where I don’t need the income,” said Mike, who retired in 2005 after a 36-year career with the U.S. Forest Service and now resides in Montana.

“So, I thought I’d send it to Saint John’s. They (his parents) loved that place, and I wanted to do something in their memory.”

Gordon went to medical school after graduating from SJU and served in the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II. The St. Cloud native then set up practice as a family doctor in Point Reyes Station, California — a small community about an hour north of San Francisco.

That’s where Mike grew up, though his parents later moved to Southern California where his father practiced medicine for another 20 years. Mike went on to attend Notre Dame, but he was always aware of Saint John’s

and the special place the school held in his family.

“About six years ago, my wife and I took a trip to Minnesota in our RV to look around St. Cloud,” he said. “We stopped at Saint John’s and everyone there treated us so nicely. They took us around and showed us the dorm where he lived. You could see why the place meant so much to him.”

Now, thanks to the generosity of both Mike and his parents, future Johnnies will be able to benefit from the same Saint John’s experience that meant so much to his father.

“Every year, we get a report, and part of that is a letter from the recipient of the scholarship,” Mike said.

“It’s not a huge amount of money, but my daughter went to Gonzaga and received a scholarship all four years. So I know how much any amount can help.”

Mike Plattes (left) has extended the Saint John’s legacy of his parents, Gordon ’41 and Patricia Plattes