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The ends of the earth stand in awe at the sight of your wonders. The lands of sunrise and sunset you fill with your joy.

Psalm 65:9

Robin Pierzina, O.S.B.

Abbey Banner

Magazine of Saint John’s Abbey Fall 2025 Volume 25, Number 2

Published three times annually (spring, fall, winter) by the monks of Saint John’s Abbey.

Editor:

Robin Pierzina, O.S.B.

Desktop publisher: Jason Ziegler

Editorial assistants:

Gloria Hardy; Patsy Jones, Obl.S.B.; Aaron Raverty, O.S.B. Chicago/South Bend bureau chief: Alec Torigian

Abbey archivist:

David Klingeman, O.S.B.

University archivists: Eric Pohlman, O.S.B.; Elizabeth Knuth

Circulation:

Ruth Athmann, Tanya Boettcher, Debra Bohlman, Chantel Braegelmann

Printed by Palmer Printing

ISSN: 2330-6181 (print)

ISSN: 2332-2489 (online)

Saint John’s Abbey 2900 Abbey Plaza Box 2015 Collegeville, Minnesota 56321–2015 saintjohnsabbey.org/abbey-banner

Change of address:

Ruth Athmann

P. O. Box 7222 Collegeville, Minnesota 56321–7222 rathmann@csbsju.edu Phone: 800.635.7303

Subscription requests or questions: abbeybanner@csbsju.edu

Cover: Brother Travis Spillum, O.S.B. Profession ceremony

Photo: Paul Middlestaedt

This Issue

And now, bless the God of all, who has done wonders on earth; who fosters growth from the womb, fashioning it according to God’s will!

Sirach 50:22

This issue of Abbey Banner celebrates the abundance of God’s blessings in our lives and our constant need to offer humble and heartfelt thanks. On the feast of Saint Benedict, our community witnessed the grace and blessings that God showers on us as our Brother Travis Spillum professed solemn vows and seven confreres renewed their commitment to monastic life made twenty-five, fifty, sixty, or seventy years ago. For God’s call and for their faithful response, we give thanks.

In May God blessed—and surprised—our Church as the Holy Spirit called an American to be the servant of the servants of God! Who is Pope Leo XIV? Abbot Douglas Mullin calls his election “a spiritual opportunity” and his papacy an invitation “to build bridges strong enough to carry the weight of hope.” In August our new pope exhorted those gathered for the Jubilee of Youth/World Youth Day: “Aspire to great things, to holiness.” Ms. Margaret Nuzzolese Conway introduces members of Saint John’s University Campus Ministry and the faith-formation and service programs they animate as they strive to do great things in and for our Church. Mr. Alec Torigian explores the crumbling remains of Robert Prevost’s early education—which prepared him for great things and holiness.

This year the Church observes the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea—the first ecumenical council. Father Nickolas Becker outlines the significant issues and disputes addressed by the council and highlights especially the model that it established for Church leaders to discuss and resolve doctrinal and pastoral issues.

The population of pollinators, critical to the health of the ecosystem and for agricultural production, is declining rapidly in the U.S. In response to this decline—and in the interests of preserving water and supporting the health of the ecosystem—pollinator gardens are being created. Mr. John Geissler outlines Saint John’s efforts to nurture them.

Who was the first abbot of Saint John’s? Brother Aaron Raverty introduces Rupert Seidenbusch—missionary, abbot, and bishop. In this issue we also reflect on the transformative nature of the Incarnation, delight in the poetic creativity of a beloved confrere, meet a monk from Perham and a Benedictine Volunteer at Montserrat, and more.

Along with Abbot Douglas and the monastic community, the staff of Abbey Banner offers prayers and best wishes for God’s blessings in the lives of all our readers. Peace!

Brother Robin Pierzina, O.S.B.

Never departing from his school but persevering in the monastery according to his teaching until death, we may by patience share in the sufferings of Christ and deserve to have a share also in his kingdom. Rule of Benedict Prol.50

Pope Leo XIV

An

American pope with a Benedictine vision

Leadership that blends moral clarity with pastoral compassion

Abbot Douglas Mullin, O.S.B.

The papacy of Pope Leo XIV carries a special kind of significance: he is the first American to ascend the Chair of Peter. That milestone alone marks a moment of historical importance. But more than that, his election feels like a spiritual opportunity—not only for the Church in the United States but also for the global Church as it seeks to engage a rapidly changing world.

Shaped by the cultural complexity of his homeland, Pope Leo brings a clear-eyed awareness of the tensions that define our age—polarization, individualism, and media-driven discourse. Yet rather than mirror these dynamics, he offers a different model: one rooted in humility, dialogue, and a deep commitment to the common good.

His years of missionary work in Latin America and his grounding in Catholic social teaching have shaped a global pastor who leads with both head and heart. He reminds us that the soul of Catholicism lies not in nationalism or power but in communion and service. His Augustinian roots deepen that vision, drawing from a tradition centered on grace, interiority, and the restless human longing for God.

At a time when many feel disoriented or divided, Pope Leo offers something rare: leadership that blends moral clarity with pastoral compassion. For the Church in the United States, his election is both a challenge and a call—to rise above internal divisions and recover the Church’s mission as a builder of bridges across cultures, classes, and communities.

For Benedictines, his papacy carries special resonance. His emphasis on synodality, unity, and the dignity of work echoes the heart of monastic life. The Rule of Saint Benedict calls for shared counsel and patient listening—what the Church now names synodality. Monastic communities strive for communion not through uniformity but rather through mutual reverence. And our work—manual, intellectual, and spiritual— is an offering to God, a path of service and prayer.

Pope Leo’s American identity, combined with his global vision, serves as a reminder that the Church is always both universal and local—rooted in particular places and cultures, yet ever open to the whole world. In Pope Leo XIV, we glimpse a Benedictine spirit of hospitality extended to the margins, a monastic attentiveness applied to global concerns, and an Augustinian heart seeking unity in truth and love. His papacy invites us to build bridges strong enough to carry the weight of hope.

Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church.

Robert

Francis Prevost

Paul Middlestaedt

Monastic Profession and Jubilees

Along with many friends and family members, Abbot Douglas Mullin, O.S.B., and the monks of Saint John’s Abbey celebrated the feast of Saint Benedict, July 11, rejoicing in God’s blessings as Brother Travis Spillum professed solemn vows, and honoring confreres on the occasion of their twenty-fifth, fiftieth, sixtieth, or seventieth anniversaries of monastic profession.

Solemn Profession

A native of Little Falls, Minnesota, Brother Travis Spillum, O.S.B. (31), completed the initial phase of his monastic formation as he professed solemn vows. “My interest in fishing and the outdoors,” he recalls, “drew me to Saint John’s University as a prospective college student, and I gradually learned about Benedictine life through monk-led programs like the Benedictine Living-Learning Community and a Men’s Spirituality Group. I was fortunate to have helpful mentors from the monastery during these formative years. Not knowing for certain what I wanted to do after graduation, I applied for the Benedictine Volunteer Corps and set out for a year of service in Tanzania, unaware of the impact this year would have on the trajectory of my life.”

Brother Travis now considers that year of service, living and praying with the sisters of Saint Gertrude Convent Imiliwaha, his first year of monastic formation. “Their joyful witness to serving God and one another was powerful,” he reflects. “I found myself being drawn in by this intentional, prayerful, and prophetic way of life.”

After returning to the U.S., Travis enjoyed his budding career at Best Buy in Minneapolis—but continued cultivating Benedictine habits in his life. “I frequently found myself imagining what life as a monk at Saint John’s might be like,” he remembers. With the support and encouragement of friends and family, he “decided to give monastic life a try. Looking back now, I am glad I did.” His monastic formation, he states, “taught me about the primacy of listening, of being patient with one another and myself, and how joy and humor invigorate our zeal for seeking God together. In the coming years, I will continue seminary studies at the School of Theology, and I look forward to growing and living with my confreres as a solemnly vowed member of Saint John’s Abbey.”

Profession day. (L to R): Dale Launderville, Paul Jasmer, Isaac Connolly; Roger Kasprick and Abbot Douglas; Dan Ward, Xavier Schermerhorn, Dominic Ruiz, and Travis Spillum

Paul Middlestaedt

Silver (25) Jubilarian

Brother Xavier Schermerhorn, O.S.B., was honored and blessed for his twenty-five years of faithful service in our community. Born in Alexandria Bay, New York, and raised Presbyterian, Xavier was first drawn to Catholic ritual as a child. At Saint John’s, he has assisted in abbey archives, in guest services, and in running errands for the monastic community. Most of his time and energy have been focused on the liturgical life—both of our community and of the local Church. For more than a decade, Brother Xavier was the driver and master of ceremonies for former Saint Cloud Bishop John Kinney. He continues to serve as the sacristan for the abbey, where his exacting nature, dependability, and attention to detail come into full play.

Golden (50) Jubilarians

The three surviving members of the monastic class of 1975, Brothers Isaac Connolly, O.S.B., and Paul Jasmer, O.S.B., and Father Dale Launderville, O.S.B., were presented with canes to mark their golden anniversary of profession. Brother Isaac Connolly’s expansive notion of the Benedictine vow of stability has been exercised in the long journey from his native Connecticut to Collegeville, and from “High above the Sagatagan” to the “Land of the

Rising Sun.” Abbot Douglas noted that throughout his monastic life, wherever Isaac was assigned, he “made good things happen—especially with food and money!” In Minnesota (at Saint John’s Abbey, Saint John’s University, and Saint John’s Preparatory School) and in Japan (in Tokyo and Fujimi), he has served in a variety of roles: accountant, dean, director, executive assistant, faculty resident, gardener, office manager, treasurer, cook, collector, curator, and more. Each summer he harvests a vegetable garden, aided by friendly crows who harvest the worms. Year round, neither snow nor rain nor heat can keep Brother Isaac from his appointed rounds of delivering the monastery’s mail.

Raised Norwegian Lutheran in Willmar, Minnesota, Brother Paul Jasmer fell in love with music and found his spiritual home in the Catholic Church and Saint John’s Abbey. Throughout his monastic life, he has accompanied the community’s liturgies as an organist as well as a member of the abbey schola. His unique organizational skills were on full display for decades at Alcuin Library, but he is most fondly remembered as the longtime managing editor of the Ordo. To accommodate his unfailing observance of teatime, Paul mastered the art of boiling water. (He’s been less successful at mastering toasters.) He

Paul Middlestaedt

The monastic community honors the jubilarians.

invited Queen Elizabeth to honour him with her presence in his winter teahouse on Lake Sagatagan. (Her Majesty expressed regrets due to scheduling conflicts.) Ever alert to the beauty of nature, Paul regularly shares photos of the campus landscape with his confreres.

Prior to his pursuit of monastic life, Father Dale Launderville of Storm Lake, Iowa, had considered a career in law—until a law school interviewer told him, “You seem more interested in truth than in winning arguments.” For fifty years, Dale has sought truth in a variety of venues, most especially through biblical studies. Along the way, he mastered Hebrew, Akkadian, Syriac, Arabic, Greek, and various modern languages in order to study the original texts. He has shared his considerable knowledge and insights—with passion—as a university professor, dean, rector, and department chair, as a homilist and retreat director, as a director of the Jerusalem Studies Program, and as an author of scholarly books as well as popular articles. If truth be told, in an earlier day, Father Dale was a vigorous competitor on both the basketball and volleyball courts.

Diamond (60) Jubilarians

The community blessed the members of the monastic class of 1965, Fathers Dan Ward, O.S.B., and Dominic Ruiz, O.S.B. Father Dan Ward, of Minneapolis, served Saint John’s University for years as a faculty resident and faculty member in the government (political science) department. A canon and civil lawyer, he has assisted dozens of religious communities in the U.S. and abroad, sorting through complicated corporate and/or personal legal situations. Dan has shared his legal expertise in helping the abbey create a new corporate structure for the university in 2012 and more recently assisted in articulating memoranda of understanding for their continuing relationship. He has also held leadership positions at Saint Gregory’s Abbey in Oklahoma, Saint Augustine’s in The Bahamas, and Abadía del Tepeyac in Mexico. In semiretirement, Dan presides over a kitchen in the monastery, allowing him to continue building community and extending hospitality to his confreres.

Born in El Paso, Texas, and transplanted to Los Angeles, Father Dominic Ruiz, came to Saint John’s and blossomed in the North Star State. His interest in linguistic theory, grammar, and languages found expression in teaching Spanish to high school students at Benilde-St. Margaret’s in Saint Louis Park and at Saint John’s Preparatory School. He also provided pastoral ministry to a number of Minnesota and North Dakota parishes where he worked diligently to improve worship spaces. Dominic was devoted to the Benedictine sisters of Saint Scholastica Convent in Saint Cloud (and they to him), where for years he served as chaplain, proclaiming (sometimes shouting) the Good News to the retired sisters each day. He is a master at sharing the oral tradition with his confreres.

Platinum (70) Jubilarian

Father Roger Kasprick, O.S.B., was honored and blessed by the community on the seventieth anniversary of his monastic profession. Though best known for his Greek fishermen’s cap, Father Roger wore many hats during his active years of ministry. He was a teacher of theology at the university for forty-three years, a faculty resident, and a visiting scholar at Stanford University’s Center for Bioethics. From 1970–1975 he served as the novice master for the abbey. Roger also wore a Liturgical Press hat for thirteen years as a writer and editor of Sisters Today. Many of his fine photos of the Holy Land and religious sites in the Mediterranean have graced Liturgical Press publications. His pastoral ministry included being a retreat director and hospital chaplain.

Abbot Douglas lauded Brother Travis and the jubilarians for their commitment: “In an age of rootlessness, you have embraced stability. In a Church that is weary, you are radiant signs of hope.”

In this Jubilee Year of Hope, each of these men stands as a living parable of the Gospel. At some moment—years or even decades ago— they each encountered a treasure. And when they did, they gave up everything to pursue it.

Abbot Douglas Mullin, O.S.B.

ule of Benedict

Rite of Monastic Profession

Eric Hollas, O.S.B.

If there is one feature that has allowed the Rule of Benedict to endure through the centuries, it is the adaptability that Saint Benedict encourages. Whether for place or climate or the special needs of the community, change could come as necessary. Ironically, this adaptability allowed the core principles and many rituals to survive intact. Among these is the rite of monastic profession.

As outlined in chapter 58, a sixth-century novice stood in the chapel and, before God and his brothers, professed stability in the community, fidelity to the monastic way of life, and obedience. He then signed a document attesting to these vows and placed it on the altar. Next, he pleaded for divine support—praying Psalm 119:116 three times, which the community repeated after him. Finally, after prostration on the floor, the novice presented himself to the abbot for clothing in the habit.

With only minor changes this ritual survives to this day. Among the few changes has been the duration of testing. A sixth-century novice took final vows after one year of testing. Today, at Saint John’s Abbey and elsewhere in the world of religious life, there are an additional three or more years of simple vows, at the end of which come the final or solemn vows.

Do religious vows matter as much today as they did in Benedict’s time? They do! And for many of the same reasons. Today Church law makes explicit the intent behind solemn vows. With them a monk becomes a full member of the community. Only then can he participate fully in community discussions and votes on serious matters. Only then does he assume certain canonical rights and obligations.

But vows mean more than rights and obligations—both in Benedict’s time and today. The profession of vows sets a course for the monk’s life. The vows help to distinguish between what is helpful in the search for God and what is merely a diversion into a dead end. They proclaim that a monk’s life puts before all else the Work of God and fellowship within a particular community. All this translates into the decisions that determine the monk’s daily life. On both spiritual and practical levels, the monk promises not to be a wanderer through life, not to seek escape when life’s challenges seem too great. Instead, the monk commits to sinking deep roots in a community—and all the members pledge support for one another as they discover the presence of Christ in the community and within each other.

Father Eric Hollas, O.S.B., is the prior of Saint John’s Abbey.

Sustain me, O LORD, as you have promised that I may live, and disappoint me not in my hope.

Paul Middlesdaedt

Psalm 119:116

Benedictine Volunteer Corps

Montserrat, Spain

Zachary Staver

One chilly morning last November, I was standing outside the station doors of the Montserrat Rack Railway (Cremallera de Montserrat). This service ferries people between the mountain-top monastery and Monistrol, the town at the base of the mountain. The first trip down is at 8:15 A.M. A regular responsibility of a Benedictine Volunteer in Montserrat is to pick up any boys who did not spend the previous night in the boarding school, the Escolanía de Montserrat. Because the station does not open until the first employees arrive to unlock the doors, I waited in the chilly morning air, listening to music and wishing I was still asleep. It was 8:00 A.M.—relatively early, due to the late bedtime for

most Spaniards. I heard someone call my name: “Zach!” I was confused. I had become familiar with a few members of the Montserrat community, but mainly the teachers, monks, and kitchen staff—none of whom I would expect to see outside at this time. Who on earth is awake and recognizes me, I thought, as I turned around. I was happy to see the smiling face of Father Josep-Enric.

Father Josep-Enric is a 72-yearold man from Barcelona who has been a member of Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey for twenty-seven years. He grows an amazing beard that frames one of the friendliest smiles I have ever encountered. “Where are you going?” he asked in his accented English. “Down to Monistrol,” I replied. “I need to bring up a few of the Escolans. How about you?” “I am going to visit my father,” he answered. “He is 98!” Father Josep-Enric

took hold and squeezed my arm when he said this, as if to emphasize its novelty. “Oh,” I said in honest surprise. “You are very young. Un hombre muy joven.” His hand quickly left my arm and playfully slapped the side of my head. “If I am a very young man, then you are a baby!”

The station employees arrived during our exchange and opened the doors. Josep-Enric asked for help with his bags. I lifted them both as we walked through the ticket stalls and over to the escalators leading to the platforms where the train waited. Josep-Enric turned to me during our descent and asked: “Zach. ¿Estas contento aquí?” (He asked if I was happy here.) I was taken aback. A flood of memories cascaded over me in the fragile space that exists between a question and an answer. It was as if I saw all the milestones and road signs

Zachary and Father Joseph-Enric BVC archives

Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey

gencat cat/Wikimedia Commons

I passed or followed to get to where I was. What a curious path I found myself walking on unknowingly toward life as a Benedictine Volunteer. I thought of all the moments that put me on this escalator with this kind monk. I realized that despite family and friends asking if I was excited about my year of service, I hadn’t asked myself what Josep-Enric asked me so casually. Was I happy?

The first few months had been hard, and I still had many to go. I was far away from my family, my girlfriend, my friends, and everything else that brought me so much joy. However, even while considering the difficulty, no part of me wanted to leave. I had been so busy worrying about what I left and what I was without that I tucked away how much I had looked forward to this year. I needed a mental jump start, and here it was in the form of a monk in corduroy pants. I told him I was happy. “Sí. Estoy feliz aquí.”

We walked onto the Cremallera and sat across from each other. Josep-Enric spent the 20-minute train ride asking me about my family, my college experience, and my personal interests.

“¿Cuántos hermanos tienes?

¿Qué estudiaste en la universidad? ¿Qué haces para divertirte?” I responded and turned the microphone onto him—discovering that he practiced law before he joined the monastery. His many questions now made much more sense to me. This

was the first time I had really sat down with one of the monks and learned about his life while he learned about mine. It was kind of against my will, but I suppose that’s how fate works.

We parted at the first of two stops down the mountain. I wished him safe travels on his way to Barcelona and told him to give my best to his father. He gave me a blessing and wished me luck with the boys I was picking up. He has been around long enough to know how much the Benedictine Volunteers need luck! Later I stepped off the train with a smile and newfound sense of purpose. Indeed, I was happy to be here.

That was in November. By the closing weeks of my service in Montserrat, Father Josep-Enric had become a friend and guiding light—and not just to me but to my fellow volunteers (Joseph McMahon and Dominic Amon) as well. He met with our families when they visited and was happy to show them around the basilica and monastery. He truly embodies the values of a Benedictine. Each time we met, whether just passing each other in the kitchen or while having a sincere conversation over coffee, I was reminded of what sort of man I want to be, and how I want to live my life.

I have always been a Star Wars fan, and I feel like I have found a Yoda in Montserrat—someone who goes out of his way to spread kindness, love, and

guidance to those around him with sincerity and humility. Sure, the mountains and sunrise views are amazing, but it is individuals like Father Josep-Enric who make Montserrat a special place, a place worth living in for a year.

Mr. Zachary Staver, from Papillion, Nebraska, graduated from Saint John’s University with a communication major in 2024

During his sabbatical, BVC alumnus Father Nickolas Kleespie visited the Benedictine Sisters of Saint Gertrude Convent, Imiliwaha, Tanzania. The sisters care for some thirty children at their orphanage, who Father Nick described as “a reminder of God’s presence in the least among us, a reminder of God’s love and our call to be loving and caring to others.”

Pollinator Gardens

John Geissler

Bees are essential not only for the reproduction of many flowering plants and the stability of the ecosystem but also for pollinating billions of dollars’ worth of agricultural crops. Pollinator decline in the United States is attributed primarily to the loss of habitat and to the use of pesticides and herbicides. In response to the declining insect populations and in order to preserve water, the monks of Saint John’s Abbey and many others have begun the commonsense practice of transforming unused but resource-consuming turf grass areas into “pollinator gardens.”

These beautiful plantings of native wildflowers and grasses— ranging in size from a few square feet to many acres—are becoming more and more popular because they save time and money while improving the health of the ecosystem. Once established, the native plants outcompete most nonnative plants because they are extremely tough and drought tolerant. As a result, these areas no longer need our time and resources to be watered, mowed, fertilized, sprayed with herbicides, raked, aerated, etc.

Since our first installation in 2021, I am proud to say that the Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum

staff along with the volunteers of the Abbey Conservation Corps have converted more than 93,000 square feet of unused turf grass areas within the inner campus to native plantings. We are currently saving more than $18,000 annually (conservative estimate is $0.20/sq ft) in direct costs, not to mention all the ecosystem benefits of these installations. Eliminating the need for fertilizers, gas-consuming equipment, and weed/ insect control, these installations improve water quality, air quality, soil health, carbon sequestration, and plant and wildlife biodiversity. Those who have any turf grass areas that require regular mowing should seriously

Pollinator garden north of the abbey guesthouse

John Geissler

consider starting a small pollinator garden—and then gradually expanding it.

There are many techniques for establishing pollinator gardens, including a number of do-it-yourself options. At Saint John’s, our costeffective process begins in the fall with the collection of native wildflower and grass seeds from our restored prairie. These seeds are prepared in a variety of ways to simulate winter conditions, including placing them in ziplock bags with damp paper towels and refrigerating them for a set amount of time. After this initial preparation, the seeds are sown in our greenhouse in March and grown into small plant plugs ready to be planted by late May. This past year we produced more than 5,000 native wildflower and grass plugs!

In the spring we remove the sod from the area we plan to convert to a pollinator garden. This important site preparation step takes away all the weed seeds in that area. Then we plant our plugs and surround the plants with at least 4 inches of wood chips to prevent future nonnative weed seeds from getting started. (For aesthetics, we have found

that it helps to leave a mowed grass edge between the pollinator garden and any sidewalk or curb.) Like any endeavor with long-term benefits, the results are not instantaneous. There is also some up-front effort required. The gardens need at least three years of weeding as the native plants get established. After that initial investment the native plants crowd out the nonnatives, and maintenance is minimal—with no need to water ever again.

Beyond the beauty of the plants themselves (and the satisfaction of supporting the health of the ecosystem), the most rewarding aspect for me of installing a pollinator garden is watching the return of a wide variety of

increasingly rare butterflies, moths, bees, dragonflies, damselflies, hummingbirds, frogs, and more.

Mr. John Geissler is the land manager of Saint John’s Abbey and director of Saint John’s Outdoor University.

If you build the habitat, the bees and butterflies will come! Those who would like to schedule a tour to see examples of these beautiful pollinator gardens at Saint John’s or just learn more about how to get them started, please contact Mr. John Geissler at: jgeissler001@csbsju.edu

John Geissler

White Sox, White Smoke

Title of Article

Alec Torigian

You may have heard that our new pope is from Chicago, the south side of Chicago— home of the White Sox. Coincidentally (or providentially), the day after the white smoke appeared above the Sistine Chapel, I happened to be driving from South Bend to Chicago, so I couldn’t not make a stop at St. Mary of the Assumption (Dolton, Illinois), where the future pope, little Bobby Prevost, attended grade school in the 1960s. I approached the door of the long-abandoned building, assuming there was no way it could be open. To my surprise, it opened right up! What happened next is depicted in the accompanying photos—my personal papal pilgrimage.

Photos by author

Mr. Alec Torigian, an alumnus of Saint John’s University and the Benedictine Volunteer Corps, is the national coordinator of Notre Dame’s ACE PATH (Alliance for Catholic Education/Pursuing Achievement Through Higher Education) and Abbey Banner’s Chicago/South Bend bureau chief.

The front door of the school building that our pope would have walked into daily as a kid—perhaps wearing a little school uniform with a bookbag full of arithmetic homework and handwriting practice.

Many of the classrooms looked similar, but this organ caught my attention—still plugged in, but it did not work. The top of the organ was graced by copies of Little Rock Scripture Study guides published by Liturgical Press.

Some chalkboards were in better shape than the ones I had in my classrooms!

The home team!

Rupert Seidenbusch: Missionary, Abbot,

Aaron Raverty, O.S.B.

Albert Seidenbusch was born in Munich, Bavaria, on 13 October 1830, the son of Karl and Anna (Hudler) Seidenbusch. He attended local schools in Munich in his early years followed by studies at the diocesan seminary. At Freising, Bavaria, he pursued a mostly classical and philosophical academic regimen. While a seminarian, he expressed interest in missionary work in America and traveled overseas in 1850. In Pennsylvania he discovered a Benedictine monastery—Saint Vincent, founded in 1846, that would become an abbey in 1855—that sparked a monastic vocation.

He decided to enter the novitiate of the Latrobe community and, as was the custom when beginning monastic formation, he was assigned a new name: Rupert. He professed his first vows in 1852. Apparently displaying considerable administrative skills even before completing his priestly theological formation, he became student-director of Saint Vincent College during the 1852–1853 school year. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1853 and then expanded his missionary work in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, ministering especially to the German immigrants. He was later recalled to the abbey by Abbot Boniface Wimmer who made him prior of the monastic community, a position he held for five years.

On 12 December 1866 Father Rupert’s ministerial outreach to the immigrant population along with his service to the monks of Saint Vincent ended abruptly when he was elected abbot of Saint Vincent’s daughter house in central Minnesota— then called Priory of St. Cloud until its later elevation to an abbey. A biographical sketch inserted into his obituary describes Rupert’s indomitable attitude upon arriving at Saint John’s to serve as its first abbot: “The buildings were plain, and accommodations primitive, but Abbot Seidenbusch was by no means discouraged. He ruled his little community with tender care and superintended its work energetically.”

In Saint John’s centenary history, Worship and Work, Father Colman Barry provides a succinct portrait of Collegeville’s first abbot: “Seidenbusch was a man of moderate stature and rather stout, a tendency which in later life became a serious physical handicap, as his obesity definitely limited his activity and harmed his health. He was good natured, popular, understanding of human nature and thoroughly gemuetlich [pleasant] in the best Bavarian tradition of that word” (96).

Abbot Boniface lauded his former prior, writing immediately after the election: “I think I may confidently hope that Father Rupert will make a much better abbot than I have been (although that wouldn’t be much), and that his monastery will accomplish more for the Northwest than St. Vincent has done for the East. He is young, energetic, pious, chaste, good-natured, conciliatory and honest. God bless him” (97).

Following his installation, Abbot Rupert traveled throughout the United States and abroad to fundraise, and he was especially successful in this outreach when his ventures to Europe led him

Abbey archives

Rupert Seidenbusch, O.S.B.

to solicit financial support from King Ludwig I, benefactor and friend of Abbot Boniface. Acquiring the title Ludwig Missionsverein because it was endorsed by the Bavarian king, this European funding resource was originally founded in December 1838 as a Catholic, Bavarian missionary work, to support the young Church in North America and Asia.

Abbot Rupert was zealous in promoting the development of Saint John’s on many fronts. Former Saint John’s University archivist Ms. Peggy Landwehr Roske recounted his initiatives in fostering the infrastructural growth of Saint John’s, noting that “in Abbot Rupert’s time as abbot (1866–1875), Saint John’s grew from (just) the Old Stone House to include a sawmill; a flour mill; barns for cattle, horses, and pigs; a woodworking shop; the southeast and east parts of the Quad; and the first Stella Maris Chapel.” His sympathetic regard for the Irish and German immigrant children populating many of the surrounding farms in central Minnesota led him to attempt to provide them free education. He built up the minor seminary in hopes of establishing it as a training

ground for future missionary priests and monk-teachers to staff Saint John’s emerging educational apostolate. He reconfigured the nascent educational operation at Saint John’s as a degree-granting institution that included both the college and the burgeoning seminary. He also

He ruled his little community with tender care and superintended its work energetically.

endorsed the regimental organization of Saint John’s school day, including downtime, for both students and seminarians.

On 30 May 1875, nine years after his abbatial blessing, Abbot Rupert retired as abbot as he was consecrated the first bishop (vicar apostolic) of what is today the Diocese of Saint Cloud. The episcopal ordination was celebrated at St. Mary’s Church in Saint Cloud. According to Father Colman, “Bishop Seidenbusch decided to make St. Mary’s Church his procathedral and took up residence in the rectory there” (127).

Abbey archives

Among the many buildings constructed during the tenure of Abbot Rupert was the original Stella Maris Chapel. Designed by Vincent Schiffrer, O.S.B., and constructed in 1872, the 16' by 12' chapel featured red brick with a white spire. It was struck by lightning on 17 April 1903 and burned down.

Ever energized as a consummate missionary monk, he traveled by buggy, wagon, or rail throughout his new vicariate in northern Minnesota, intent on implanting and reigniting the Catholic faith where it was underrepresented, including among the Native American population. At the time of his appointment as vicar apostolic, the Saint John’s monastic community consisted of twenty-six priests, ten clerics and novices, twenty lay brothers, and thirty scholastics (seminarians). The vicariate numbered forty-two churches with eight diocesan priests and twenty-one religious missionaries ministering to some 14,000 European immigrants as well as the Native American population. Honoring his work in this vast territorial expanse, some of the clergy who ministered there expressed their heartfelt loyalty to him, writing: “We the undersigned secular and regular clergymen of the Vicariate of Northern Minnesota have assembled to offer you our esteem and veneration. We assure you of our hearty support. You have done your duty well; you have been kind and lenient toward your clergy; you have borne with them in all patience and have been their true spiritual father and guide. We thank you sincerely for the many favors which you have shown, and we pledge ourselves to stand by you.”

Another biographical source lauded Bishop Seidenbusch’s impact on and attitude toward his work in this vicariate: “The

growth of the Church in these regions, under his administration, was remarkable. Although he could only with great difficulty reach the distant portions of his flock, he sacrificed comfort for the salvation of souls.” When the vicariate became a diocese in 1888, he seemed to consider his advancing age, waning energy, and health concerns, and resigned his position. Following his death on 3 June 1895 in Richmond, Virginia, at age 64, his body was returned to Saint John’s for burial in the abbey cemetery.

In 1972 Saint John’s University commemorated its first abbot/president by naming its first apartment complex in his honor. The honor was relatively short-lived, however. The Seidenbusch Apartments were moved from their original foundation east of the Stumpf Lake to Flynntown (lower campus) to make way for the relocation of Saint Joseph Hall in 1992. The deterioration of the

wooden structure led to its demolition in 2006.

Brother Aaron Raverty, O.S.B., a member of the Abbey Banner editorial staff, is the author of Refuge in Crestone: A Sanctuary for Interreligious Dialogue (Lexington Books, 2014).

When I came to my abbey in Minnesota after my blessing, I was met with much rejoicing, but I also had great cause for sorrow. I found the monks full of love and affection, zealous in the monastic life as well as in the care of souls, persevering in all the pain and hardship which they have to endure due to the great privations and lack of priests in these isolated missions. The great shortage of priests caused me deep sorrow. In Stearns County, where the abbey is situated, there are only five priests to care for ten widely scattered parishes. In view of this great need for priests and the advancement of Catholic higher education, I have taken it upon myself to build up our minor seminary.

Rupert Seidenbusch, O.S.B., 18 September 1867

Gloria Hardy

Saint John’s Abbey coat of arms in the crypt ceiling of the Abbey of Montecassino, Italy

Recalling the crucifixion and death of Jesus and his resurrection victory, the cross is the universal symbol of Christian faith. Over the centuries, crosses have towered over the tops of churches, adorned the homes of the faithful, and been crafted into objects ranging from fine art to ornamental kitsch. In the Roman Catholic Church, pectoral crosses—worn on a chain or cord around the neck—are part of the regalia of bishops and abbots. Shown here are several of the pectoral crosses of Saint John’s Abbey.

1. Featuring the Lamb of God, this cross, first used by Abbot Baldwin Dworschak, was a favorite of Abbot John Eidenschink and presented to Abbot Douglas Mullin following his election.

2. A gift of his family to Abbot Baldwin Dworschak, this cross has a compartment in the back that holds a relic of the True Cross.

3. Designed by Frank Kacmarcik, Obl.S.B., the cross includes slivers of oak from the abbey arboretum. It was presented to Abbot Jerome Theisen to commemorate his election as abbot primate of the Benedictine Confederation. The back is engraved: “Abbot Primate Jerome Theisen / From Your Brothers / Saint Johns / 1992.”

4. This turquoise cross is frequently worn on Marian feasts.

5. The Colum Cille Cross (named after Saint Columba, Irish missionary) was given to Abbot Douglas Mullin in honor of his Irish heritage.

6. The Trinity: the hand of God the Father; Jesus, the Lamb of God; and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove

7. A variety of ethnic heritages and religious traditions are represented in the collection. This is a Coptic cross from Old Cairo.

8. Made of pipestone, the cross has the initials CSPB (Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti—Cross of our Holy Father Benedict) from the Saint Benedict Medal.

9. The nails that form this simple cross highlight its association with the season of Lent and Holy Week.

10. Every collection has its curiosities, and Saint John’s pectoral crosses are no exception. The seashells and colors of the flag of The Bahamas suggest a connection to Saint John’s former priory in Nassau.

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim till all the world adore his sacred name.

Led on their way by this triumphant sign, the hosts of God in conquering ranks combine.

George Kitchin and Michael R. Newbolt

Photos: Alan Reed, O.S.B. Images are not shown in scale.

Benedictine Beliefs and the Incarnation

John Klassen, O.S.B.

Christian monastic life, a life committed to the transformation of human beings, is based on small steps taken each day, with intention, with focus, following the path of Jesus. In many ways, its practices are so ordinary that its claims may seem out of reach.

We have been blessed by the incomparable Word made flesh, Christ emptying himself of divinity and taking our human nature, completely poured out in his life for us and for the whole creation. Out of the energy of the resurrection and ascension, the Spirit has been poured into our hearts and lives in the world, in every community, in each of us. Growing in union with God happens because of sheer gift.

Benedictine monastic life is sharply Christocentric. As Benedict urges, “Prefer nothing whatever to Christ” (Rule 72.11); “Prefer nothing to the love of Christ” (RB 4.21). The Incarnation is central to Christian belief and practice because they are rooted in a personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Benedict grasps this truth completely in his Rule. While Christian living is guided by a moral framework that is grounded in the Gospel and Church experience in teaching, that life is inspired and energized by a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Monastic life and monastic practice provide a powerful framework for growing stronger in our relationship with Jesus Christ and his saving work. We believe it is Jesus who leads us to the Father, through the Holy Spirit.

Why do we stress the importance of the life of Jesus? Because without his historical life among us, we could never come to know the grace of God in Christ Jesus! Without the incarnation of Jesus, we would be thrown back upon our own self-efforts. In Jesus, the Word is made flesh—God became a human being! Without the Incarnation, Christianity could not exist. A robust sacramental life flows directly from the Incarnation.

Benedictines believe in the transformative power of community life. We are not seduced by the idea of a perfect community. (Sometimes we are shocked by our failures.) We are real human beings committed to doing the most basic things together: praying the Divine

Saint Benedict

Frank Kacmarcik, Obl.S.B.

Office, celebrating Eucharist, dining together, working with each other in our house and in our apostolates, constantly engaged in the give and take of going to meetings together and learning how to make good decisions, taking care of the spaces we live in, both inside and outside, learning how to respect each other, to forgive and to be forgiven. Following Benedict, community life is a sacrament of grace in itself, a medium for our transformation, day by day, in ways we barely understand or imagine. Our belief in community life is another expression of our confidence in the Incarnation.

We believe in the transformative power of praying the Divine Office together, speaking and singing the ancient prayers given to us by the Jewish people. We believe in the words of Scripture, not as magic, but in the mystery of God’s creative and redeeming work within the universe and with humankind, including us. We believe that when we bring ourselves together to speak and listen to these words, they will reveal ever new and fresh meaning to us, in ways small and large.

We believe in the healing power of silence, not only external, shutting down the pounding and hammering of contemporary life so that we can hear the birds, the wind, the water lapping against the shore. We also believe in the cultivation of interior silence, letting go of the background

churn in our heads and hearts. Silence is calming, focusing, healing, integrating. Even in small doses, it gives the Holy Spirit space to work, to transform my stony, judgmental, demanding heart. Silence is a humble stance toward God and prayer. It challenges my ideas, theological constructs, and all the words I have worked so hard to learn how to use.

We believe in humility, that warm and loving self-acceptance that strips away the false self, the well-organized agenda of the consumer culture—all the things I am supposed to do and be to be acceptable, successful. Humility reveals the real person in aching vulnerability, in our awkwardness and clumsiness, and opens us to the grace and love of God.

We believe in learning how to be obedient—to the abbot, to the Rule, to each other, to what life demands. We profess obedience in the most formal way imaginable, yet we sometimes have the most difficult time being obedient in the simplest matters. (As in doing what the doctor tells us to do!) We believe that true obedience will take us to God because it is the sure path of Jesus Christ, who learned obedience through what he suffered (Hebrews 5:8).

We believe in the work of our hands, that we share in the creating work of God by the labor we do each day. Each one helps make our life together possible. We believe that all work

is holy—whether preaching a homily, teaching a class, making a desk, cleaning a toilet, or harvesting in the garden.

We believe that in this place, this land and all that it holds, we have been given an incredible gift to steward. Today we have a unique opportunity to understand and live out the environmental implications of Laudato Si’.

We believe in hospitality, welcoming Christ in the guest, doing those simple things that allow people to come close and join in our life of prayer and work. Because of the mutual exchange of gifts always present with hospitality, our guests lift us up and open us to God’s grace and will for the world.

We are not here for ourselves alone. Service—to each other, to our students and colleagues, our guests, and countless others who expect us to be fully engaged with the search for God—is the constant outcome of our fidelity to the monastic call. Service is much more than specific actions. It is an orientation of the heart, of our imagination, of our whole person. This is what Benedict is talking about in chapter 72 when he urges us to anticipate the needs of our brother monks.

Father John Klassen, O.S.B., served as the abbot of Saint John’s Abbey, 2000–2024

The pews are modeled on a design by Brother Frank Kacmarcik, Obl.S.B., for the Sacred Heart Chapel of Saint Benedict’s Monastery.

Photos: Abbey Woodworking archives

St. Mary’s Mission Church

For more than a century, monks of Saint John’s Abbey along with sisters from Saint Benedict’s Monastery (Saint Joseph, Minnesota) served the Native Americans at St. Mary’s Mission in Red Lake, Minnesota. The church that housed the faithful of the mission since 1893 was destroyed by fire in 2017. In March 2024 a new church— with sanctuary furnishings (altar, ambo, tabernacle stand) crafted at Saint John’s Abbey Woodworking—was dedicated by Bishop Andrew Cozzens. In March 2025 new red oak pews from the shop were delivered to the mission to complete the worship space.

Top: The new pews were fabricated in the abbey woodworking shop and assembled in the church. Above: The heart of the church, the assembly of the faithful, celebrates the first Mass with the new furnishings.

SJUfaith: For Good

Margaret Nuzzolese Conway

Earlier this spring, as our community was reflecting on the life of Pope Francis and anticipating the election of his successor, sophomore Andrew Withuski proclaimed: “I believe our Church is ready for greatness!” Andrew’s hopefulness reminded me of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and the importance of hope at this time in the Church’s leadership transition. His words confirm Saint Benedict’s insight: “the Lord often reveals to the younger what is best” (Rule of Benedict 3.3).

Inspired by Andrew’s positivity, I was prepared to experience the unbridled joy that white smoke from Rome would bring!

What I’m calling “white smoke moments” are those that lift us with joy, anticipation—and, yes,

even a bit of trepidation—as we await and experience the Good News. When the papal conclave concluded, I wondered what our new pontiff would bring in terms of inspiration. Pope Francis had shaped so much of our modern ministry, including his focus on accompaniment and synodality, encounter with the margins, care for creation, and Christ alive in the young. How could a new leader possibly follow that!

From his very first words (“Peace be with all of you!”) to his exhortation regarding the Middle East (“Let diplomacy silence the weapons!”), Pope Leo XIV is bringing a renewed emphasis on Catholic social teaching, on proclaiming the Gospel, on peace and right relationships.

One of the goals of our campus ministry staff in this new school year is to provide experiences whereby students are filled with reminders of hope and the promise that with faith and good deeds, they can work to build communities where hope is generated and thrives. Through faith-based, educational experiences, conversion takes place and students are moved to glorify God by their lives. At SJUfaith, the campus

ministry program of Saint John’s University, we do this through our liturgies, programming, service and immersion experiences, and retreats. Here are a few highlights of our recent efforts to plant the seeds of hope.

During January 2025 I traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, and led retreat sessions for recent alumni of Saint John’s Benedictine Volunteer Corps (BVC). This experience was very moving for me as I witnessed the profound growth in many of the volunteers who had formerly worked with SJUfaith. I was moved, filled with hope by their efforts in the local communities, despite very challenging circumstances. I had never been to Nairobi and was struck by the paradox of both beauty and sin: beauty in natural creation (giraffes, zebras, lions, and birds) and in good people working at the local level; and sin in our human neglect of one another (slums, lack of access to adequate education, sewage in the streets). I give thanks to God for the BVC and for the opportunity this program provides for young men to further their growth and give back in areas of dire need!

This spring Mr. Carter Howell, assistant director of campus ministry, organized two seviceimmersion programs—weeklong opportunities for College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University students, one to a social justice agency in Chicago and the other with Oglala Lakota Nation on the Pine Ridge

SJUfaith students pack meals for Kids Fighting Hunger initiative.

SJUfaith archives

Reservation in South Dakota. We were reaffirmed that these extraordinary experiences help introduce our students to the values of Saint Benedict and to Catholic social teaching in a lived way. One participant reflected, “This trip helped me experience the tools for putting faith into practice. An example is listening: in the Rule of Saint Benedict, [we are urged] to listen with the ear of our heart [RB Prol.1]. This was the guiding tool for me during this trip. I tried to listen to the elders and reflect on what they were saying.” As Catholic communities seek to repair relations and be reconciled with Native Nations, these outcomes represent seeds of hope with justice.

The Chicago group was able to pray one morning with local faith leaders outside of an immigration court. In solidarity with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, we continue to pray for reforms to the U.S. immigration system that will make our collective response to migrants more welcoming, loving, and safe; and we stand with those in danger.

Finally, in the spirit of Benedictine humility, I am proud to report that SJUfaith received an award for “Mission Integration” from the Association of Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities this summer! This honor recognized the contributions of our Trails retreat program, affirming that our efforts are consistent with those articulated in Principles of Good

Practices for Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities. In campus ministry we strive to prepare students for a lifetime of service to the Church and world, and the data-driven approach of our Trails retreat provides students with the tools to make decisions that will guide their paths to these goals.

The Broadway musical Wicked is a social commentary on good and evil. Its moral message is to develop the brain, heart, and courage to do what is right and just, despite the odds or social pressures. In one of the closing scenes, the character Elphaba sings, “Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.” I have heard monks describe conversatio morum—the monastic vow of conversion of life—as consistent with Elphaba’s song.

We live in a time when our collective moral compass is regularly skewed by the loudest political voices and by engineered algorithms, when it is increasingly challenging for young

people to find their way. At SJUfaith, we recognize the truth in Elphaba’s song. We know that relationships matter! We believe that love heals! And so I am filled with hope, convinced that we are working “for good” and confident that with a new pope, we have a new opportunity—as Andrew proclaimed—“for greatness,” for a transformation that is permanent and of the highest moral order.

Ms. Margaret Nuzzolese Conway is the director of campus ministry at Saint John’s University.

Building community: soccer match in the village of Nunguni, Kenya

SJUfaith archives

Council of Nicaea

Nickolas Becker, O.S.B.

Nicaea presents the reality of the work of redemption: in Christ, God saves us by entering into history. God does not send an angel or a human hero but comes into human history, being born of a woman, Mary [Galatians 4:4], into the people of Israel and dying in a specific historical period, “under Pontius Pilate” [1 Timothy 6:13]. International Theological Commission, “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior” (§25)

For many Christians, 20 May 2025 was likely just another spring day. In the history of the Church, however, it was a significant day—the 1,700th anniversary of the opening of the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council or gathering of the world’s bishops. (The Second Vatican Council was the twenty-first ecumenical council, though most Orthodox Churches only accept the first seven councils as truly ecumenical.)

In the presence of Emperor Constantine (Pope Sylvester I sent representatives), more than three hundred bishops met in Nicaea (present-day İznik, Turkey) for a little over two months. Though there are many legends related to the council—one asserts that Saint Nicholas of Myra, the inspiration for Santa Claus, attended and even slapped Arius for his false teaching on the nature of Christ!— there is no disputing the council’s historic importance in the Christian tradition. Every Sunday in most Christian Churches, Nicaea is remembered when the creed is prayed.

The Nicene Creed (with its critical teaching on the identity of Christ) and attempting to set a common date for Easter are two key aspects of the

I believe in one God, the

council’s legacy. Perhaps Nicaea’s greatest contribution to our Church, however, is the model that it provided for settling theological disputes and pastoral issues.

Ecumenical Council. While there had been regional gatherings of bishops before Nicaea, this gathering was the largest and most representative of the Church to date. Above and beyond any issues the council considered and any disputes resolved, the greatest contribution of the Council of Nicaea was simply the idea of an ecumenical council as a way to discuss and resolve doctrinal and pastoral issues in a way that would be binding for the whole Church. In our own day, the Church continues to wrestle with how best to implement the Second Vatican Council, which should not be surprising to any informed observer, as the sixty years since the council closed is a relatively brief period of time in Christian history. We continue to listen and to discuss those issues as a Church because Nicaea set the precedent for one way to resolve major disputes. Without Nicaea, there is no Vatican II

One issue that Nicaea did not resolve is the question of the authority of the Bishop of Rome in relation to an ecumenical council. It is undisputed that the Emperor Constantine, not yet baptized, convoked Nicaea without consulting the pope and presided over its sessions. Eastern Orthodox iconography typically depicts Constantine presiding over the council, flanked by bishops in Eastern attire [left]. Western art, on the other hand, emphasizes the pope’s representative and makes it clear that he is presiding over the proceedings, flanked by two cardinals and bishops in Latinrite vestments. Constantine is pictured, but he is a marginal figure, with a messenger informing him of the proceedings,

Icon depicting the First Council of Nicaea (325) and the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (381) in Greek.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God

rather than him taking any active role in directing them [above]. Clearly, Western artwork applies a much later theological understanding of ecumenical councils to its depiction of Nicaea.

Nicene Creed. The most prominent contribution of Nicaea to Christian history is its creed, which (with a few additions from the First Council of Constantinople) is still prayed today in most Christian Churches. The key part of that creed focuses on the identity of Christ and his relationship to the Father. For the past fifteen years or so, since the new translation of the Roman Missal came into effect, Catholics have prayed that Christ is “consubstantial” with the Father, replacing the “one in being” of the old translation. That is actually very close to the heart of the issue that Nicaea resolved. The council had been called to address the teaching of Arius, a priest in Alexandria who taught that Christ is not divine in the same way that the Father is; in the end, for Arius, Christ is a creature, not God. With no small amount of conflict, Nicaea marked a major development in trinitarian theology, teaching that Christ is, in fact, God. While it took quite some time for all of Christianity to come around to this settlement, it was the Council of Nicaea that led to the teaching that Christians still hold today.

Date of Easter

. At Constantine’s direction, the council also moved to resolve a basic issue whose solution proved surprisingly elusive: a common date for the celebration of Easter. No one recorded the precise date of Jesus’ crucifixion, of course, so this issue had been festering for centuries. Scripture held that there was a relationship between Passover and the crucifixion, so some Christians argued that the best solution was to celebrate Easter on the first day of the Jewish Passover.

Another group of Christians held that Easter should be celebrated on the first Sunday of Passover. A third group argued that Easter was a uniquely Christian festival and should have no relationship to any other religion; they argued that Easter should be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. It was this last group that won the day at the first ecumenical council.

Nicaea’s solution to the Easter question remains normative for the Christian world. The difference in the date of Easter between Churches today is because some (many Eastern Churches especially) follow the

Fresco painting (16th c.) of the debate over the wording of the Nicene Creed.

Detail of an icon showing Saint Nicholas of Myra (a.k.a. Santa Claus) slapping Arius. Apparently Arius was on the losing end of Santa’s “naughty or nice” list.

Commons

Julian calendar, while most Churches and ecclesial communities of the West (Roman Catholic and Protestant) follow the Gregorian calendar, meaning that the difference in the date of Easter can be as much as five weeks. (It was a great blessing that there was a common date for Easter in 2025!) As recently as January 2025, Pope Francis reaffirmed (as have the last several popes) that the Roman Catholic Church would accept a way to determine a common date for Easter, if Eastern Christians could agree on one. That all Christians would celebrate the central mystery of the faith on the same day every year remains a great priority and a fervent wish of the ecumenical movement.

Nicaea did more than we have discussed in this brief review. (For example, Canon 20 forbade kneeling during the liturgy on Sundays and during the Easter season.) What Nicaea contributed to the Christian tradition is invaluable: ecumenical councils as arbiters of disputed questions, a definitive statement of faith that developed the Church’s reflection on Christ’s identity and trinitarian theology, and practical questions of deep importance such as the date for the observance of Easter. A common refrain of the Church is Ecclesia semper reformanda: the Church is always in need of reformation. The Council of Nicaea started that trend—as well as furthering the

Julian and Gregorian Calendars

model of synodality (not a new idea in the Christian tradition) from the early Church.

Father Nickolas Becker, O.S.B., who earned his doctor of sacred theology degree at the Accademia Alfonsiana, Rome, teaches in the department of theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, where he also serves as a faculty resident.

The Julian calendar, a solar calendar of 365 days per year with an additional leap day every fourth year, was introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C. Though an improvement on the earlier Roman calendar, the Julian calendar miscalculated the length of the solar year by about 11 minutes. This miscalculation resulted in a gradual drift forward relative to the seasons. By 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII introduced the Gregorian calendar (the most widely used calendar today), the drift had accumulated to about ten days, distorting the timing of seasonal events, such as the spring equinox and the date of Easter. The Gregorian calendar was more precise in the calculation of leap years, thus improving the calendar’s accuracy and reducing the drift from 11 minutes to about 26 seconds. The Julian calendar continues to be used by some Eastern Orthodox Churches.

Icon of the First Council of Nicaea by Michael Damaskinos (1591). The emperor (center right) is at the heart of the proceedings. Arius is relegated to the bottom of the scene. Wikimedia Commons

Sparkle and Tears

Neal Henry Lawrence, O.S.B.

Poems from Soul’s Inner Sparkle:

Tree of life and death

In monastery garden. Seed becomes flower, Fragrance spreads, soon disappears.

Beauty in life, peace in death.

Sparkle of fireworks

Excited children’s voices

Bursting lights, star-like.

Goldenrod appears, dazzles. Falls to earth — all is darkness.

Leaves on maple tree

Quiver as chill autumn wind Ruffles them in waves;

Doomed to winter’s extinction And to spring’s renaissance.

Each so beautiful

I stepped gingerly between Golden ginko leaves,

Bedecking the frozen ground, To prolong such gift of grace.

Eyes alight with life

Revealed soul’s inner sparkle, Pure joy and zest for friends, Desire for sharing love of earth’s Bounty and exuberance.

Vast lands and islands

Peopled by many nations

Ruled by might or love; The fabled East charms the West

Dreams of future peaceful world.

Poems from Rushing Amid Tears:

My heart is empty—

It waits for the child to come, The Christ Child to come

To fill my heart with peace and joy,

The peace and joy of pure love.

The mirror-smooth lake

Casts back the rose-tinted clouds

In streaks of glory. The calm, peaceful lull pervades As the sun sinks in the west.

A butterfly lit

On a pink thistle, fluttered Its peacock-like wings, Stood immobile a moment, Then floated off in the mist.

The sea at my feet

Seems real, but in the distance Blends with the grey clouds— Sea and sky come together In one hazy mystery.

Once more we must say

Sayonara with sadness, Yet with gladness, For our paths have crossed before, And if God wills, may again.

Dark thoughts before dawn, The noble wisteria In the sun dispels; The bright lavender clusters Fresh thoughts and new hopes inspire.

Love is a fleeting Splendor like gardenias, Enticing as buds, Glorious in their full bloom, Yet soon droop and fade away.

The face was the same, But this time there was a smile; Before, there was grief, Now, time had assuaged the pain Of losing the beloved.

Good Friday is good For us, but for Christ, tragic— He died for our sins, He gave us eternal life, No love could be nobler yet.

Deep

within the plant

The spirit of life, stirring Gives birth to a bud; Though the winter’s harshness persists, The hidden flower unfolds.

Rushing Amid Tears: Tanka Poems in English, 1983

Father Neal Henry Lawrence, O.S.B. (1908–2004) was a monk of Saint John’s Abbey who served at Saint Anselm’s Priory in Tokyo and Trinity Benedictine Monastery in Fujimi for nearly forty years. In 1975 he began to write tanka poems in English and soon was regarded as a pioneer in the oldest form of Japanese poetry. In recognition of his contribution to the promotion of Japanese culture, the Japanese government, in the name of the emperor, awarded Father Neal the Order of the Rising Sun, Golden Rays with Rosette, in 1993

Soul’s Inner Sparkle: Moments of Waka Sensations, 1978

Meet a Monk: Jacob Berns

Timothy Backous, O.S.B.

In an autobiography, Brother Jacob Berns, O.S.B., explains that “I was born in Wadena but consider myself from Perham.” He rightly observes that where we are born might be a necessary historical fact for an official certificate, but where we grow up and what we consider to be “home” is much more integral to our personal story. So it is in Perham, a small community in west central Minnesota, where his story really begins.

Born on 10 September 1991, the third of four children of Ron and Trish Berns was christened Jordan Waite. His early education was provided by Saint Henry’s Area School followed by Perham High School (home of the Yellowjackets), where he graduated in 2010. From there, he made his way to Saint John’s University (home of the Johnnies), completing a bachelor’s degree in music and theology (2014) before serving in the Benedictine Volunteer Corps in Rome from 2015–2016. That latter experience, he writes, “opened

my eyes to a global Church and varied expressions of prayer and relationship. Ultimately, the peace I felt in the daily rhythm of monastic prayer there led me to envision a monastic future for myself; already before departing Rome, I had my first vocation visit planned at Saint John’s Abbey.” His vocational pursuit would have one more year to wait, however, because after his time in Rome, he returned to Perham where he served as the interim director of liturgy at Saint Henry’s Parish.

Confirming that all roads from Rome and Perham lead to Collegeville, he entered the novitiate of Saint John’s Abbey, taking the religious name of Jacob. He professed his first vows as a Benedictine monk on 11 July 2018 and solemn vows three years later. Brother Jacob’s theology and music background inspired him to pursue a master’s degree in liturgical music at Saint John’s School of Theology in 2021. It should be noted that his interest in liturgy predated his time at Saint John’s. “There was a spark of interest in liturgy,” he reflects, “that eventually led to a monastic calling. I had considered a religious vocation from an early age, being enamored with liturgical celebrations and looking to live a life of holiness. During my first

time visiting Saint John’s as an early teenager, I remember being struck by the monks’ prayer— there was something that drew me into the way they prayed the Our Father so slowly. During my time in the Benedictine Volunteer Corps, I made the decision to give monastic life a try because I was hungry for a life of prayer but knew myself well enough to recognize that I wouldn’t be able to sustain that on my own.”

Jacob’s early work experience included employment at Perham’s world-famous candy emporium, Kenny’s Candy and Confections—home of Sweet Chaos and of Wiley Wallaby, Kenny’s premium licorice, available in every imaginable flavor— as well as various music and liturgical positions. He was also formed by the Minnesota Math Corps in 2014 that probably laid the groundwork for his current

Roman acolyte

Simon Stubbs, O.S.B.

Félix Mencias Babian, O.S.B. Jacob Berns, O.S.B.

employment in the abbey business office. Of this assignment he writes: “I enjoy this work immensely. I see it as an example of the community drawing out talents that I might otherwise have overlooked. Having no background in accounting (and only minimal STEM courses since high school), I was at first caught off guard by the request that I consider working in the abbey business office. As I sat with the proposal, though, I could see ways this would be a good fit and a good complement to my music studies. I have found it to be a spiritually rich experience, allowing me to bring a large helping of grace to a position that many see as cold and calculating. My work here has allowed me to better understand Saint John’s; and my oneon-one work with monks who stop by leaves me with greater respect and appreciation for each of my confreres.” In fact, more than one confrere has observed Jacob’s sense of joy and productivity in the position, noting that most monks give thanks to God

for those among us who revel in the finding, presenting, and recording of receipts (a talent that most of us lack!).

In addition to his service in the business office, Brother Jacob spent two years as a faculty resident for the university, mentoring junior and senior residents of Placid and Maur houses. Recently, he was called back from that appointment to the abbey where he now serves as

assistant formation director, of which he says: “The responsibility makes me nervous, but at the same time, the work excites me! It offers relatable promises to my recent work as a faculty resident, with special emphasis now on building relationships with those newest to our community. I look forward to the ways this service will call me to remain grounded in the monastic life, challenging me to be a good role model in the way I live my vocation, and calling me to grow in my understanding of what gives this life its spark.”

Those who know Jacob have no doubts that his performance will be yet another gift to our community, as is his superb organ accompaniment for our Liturgy of the Hours and Eucharist. All these assignments will be fulfilled with the same kind heart and capable hands that have made his presence a real treasure to our monastic home.

Berns archives

Budding musician

Alan Reed, O.S.B.

Title of ArticleDon Talafous

Father Donald Francis Talafous, O.S.B., the oldest of four children of Frank and Camilla (O’Brien) Talafous, was born in Duluth, Minnesota, on 4 January 1926. Don attended Ely Elementary School and then enrolled at Duluth Denfeld High School, graduating in 1943. Through the influence of Father Walter Reger—lovingly dubbed “Mr. Saint John’s,” a title that Don would inherit—he enrolled at Saint John’s University. Before earning a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1948, he entered the novitiate at Saint John’s Abbey and professed his first vows as a Benedictine monk in 1947. After completing priesthood studies at Saint John’s Seminary, he was ordained in 1952.

Don earned a master’s degree in theology at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. (1963), and a doctorate in systematic theology at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California (1972). He was awarded the Father Walter Reger Distinguished Alumnus Award by the university in 1989 and the President’s Medal in 2015.

What the First Letter of John calls us to do is something that Father Don regularly did—take what we have experienced as the love of God and bring it to life in our daily dealings with one another.

Timothy Backous, O.S.B.

For the past half century, Father Don was recognized as the face of Saint John’s to thousands of alumni, friends, and employees. Most of his service was measured by the decade. For thirty-seven years he taught theology to undergraduates. For thirty-two years he was a faculty resident, living with the students and trying, with limited success, to remind his neighbors that silence is a Benedictine value. For sixteen years Don served as university chaplain, celebrated for his weekly “Chaplain’s Letter” that was filled with thoughtful reflections, words of wisdom, pastoral advice, and really bad jokes. He personally distributed the newsletters to students’ rooms, but copies were known to appear at happy hour in taverns on Minnesota’s Iron Range. Only his later internet postings of “Father Don’s Daily Reflection” had a wider circulation. From 1996 until 2019 Don served as university chaplain for alumni, a role that allowed him to make the most of his amazing memory for names and hometowns and his zeal for continued engagement with former students and their families.

Father Don’s theological and spiritual insights have been published in Readings in Science and Spirit (1966); The Risk in Believing (1982); A Word for the Day: Reflections (1992); Homilies for Weekdays (2006); and Musings: A Benedictine on Christian Life (2019).

Don’s favorite things included a good cup of coffee, a freshly baked muffin, personal independence, and getting his way. He could be charming; he could be demanding. Throughout his monastic life, he was the ubiquitous ambassador of Saint John’s: comforting those who mourn, praying for those in need, celebrating all Johnnie events, and faithfully communicating with anyone he had met during the previous millennium.

Father Don died peacefully on 11 April 2025 in the abbey’s healthcare center at the age of 99. Following the Mass of Christian Burial, he was interred in the abbey cemetery.

Jay Graham, 1980

TTitle of ArticleRoger Botz

he youngest of two sons and one daughter of Peter and Anna (Monn) Botz, Father Roger Botz, O.S.B., was born in Freeport, Minnesota, on 10 December 1933. Following elementary school at Sacred Heart School in Freeport (1939–1947), Roger attended Saint John’s Preparatory School, graduating in 1951, and then enrolled at Saint John’s University. As was the norm in those days for monastic candidates, he interrupted his undergraduate studies to enter the novitiate of Saint John’s Abbey, professing his first vows as a Benedictine monk on 11 July 1954. Following completion of his bachelor’s degree (philosophy and classical languages), Roger pursued theological studies and was ordained to the priesthood in 1960. He completed a master’s degree in school administration at the University of Saint Thomas in 1968. In 1989 he earned a certificate in clinical pastoral education (CPE) from the Indiana University Health Hospitals, Indianapolis.

After ordination Father Roger served at the Church of Saint Bernard, Saint Paul, for two years, followed by five years as a missionary monk at Colegio San Antonio Abad (Humacao, Puerto Rico). Returning to Saint John’s in 1967, he worked in a variety of positions at the university: admission counselor, director of Church and Civic Services, director of the parents’ program, and executive secretary of the alumni association.

Father Roger is best known and most revered for his work as a chaplain—at Saint John’s University (1981–1984), at Saint Cloud Hospital (1985–2022), and as the coach/chaplain for a local softball team. He fondly recalled his years as director of the spiritual care department at the hospital as “great work and a good fit for my talents.” A sensitive listener, he considered his chaplaincy work an extension of the Benedictine practice of hospitality.

Roger loved puns and pool, and he combined them after winning a game of eight-ball, proudly proclaiming: “I can’t believe I holed the eight thing!” A history buff with a special interest in the Civil War and World War II, he cherished his liberal arts training at Saint John’s, recognizing that “it teaches us to appreciate life in a whole new way.” He especially valued fishing and the great outdoors. He voiced his opposition to even a hint that the abbey was considering the sale of its lake cabin in northern Minnesota,

asserting that only the independently wealthy (or those who take a vow of poverty!) could possibly have the good fortune to own such pristine property.

After a life well-lived, our engaging, outgoing confrere died on 21 April 2025. Following the Mass of Christian Burial, Father Roger was laid to rest in the abbey cemetery.

Sacred Encounter

[As a chaplain,] I am challenged to be a non-anxious presence, an empathic guide, and a sacramental companion in the experience of grief and growth, the feeling of pain and joy, the search for meaning and hope, the struggle to cope and to heal, and the task of moral reflection and action.

Whether one-to-one or sacramental, the encounter is always sacred. It is hugely gratifying to bring to hurting people a God who is incredibly generous, loving, and forgiving. Sometimes it is the first time a person has met such a God.

Roger Botz, O.S.B.

CentraCare Health System

Title of ArticleThomas Wahl

Born in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, on 23 November 1931, Father Thomas Peter Wahl, O.S.B., was the youngest of four children of Arthur Lewis and Romana Priscilla (Seberger) Wahl. After graduating from Cathedral High School (1949), he moved from Saint Cloud to Collegeville. He professed his first vows as a Benedictine monk of Saint John’s Abbey on 11 July 1952; received a bachelor’s degree with a double major in philosophy and modern languages from Saint John’s University in 1954; and, following priesthood studies at Saint John’s Seminary, was ordained in 1958.

Father Thomas earned a licentiate in sacred theology (1959) from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and a licentiate in Sacred Scripture (1967) from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in

Rome. Further Old Testament studies culminated in a doctorate (1976) from Union Theological Seminary in New York. His published writings include an illustrated children’s book, How Jesus Came (Pueblo Publishing Company, 1981), and The Lord’s Song in a Foreign Land: The Psalms as Prayer (Liturgical Press, 1998) as well as articles and translations of scriptural commentaries.

Father Thomas served as an associate pastor at the Church of Saint Bernard, Saint Paul (1959–1961), and at Saint Boniface Catholic Church, Minneapolis (1961–1964). From 1967 until 1990, he taught Hebrew and Old Testament at Saint John’s School of Theology, attaining the rank of associate professor. He was instrumental in the founding of a Jerusalem Studies Program (1974) that allowed seminarians and graduate students to pursue Scripture studies while exploring the religious diversity of the Holy Land, shopping in the Jewish and Arab markets, and encountering the political tensions as well as the richness of the Palestinian and Israeli cultures—cherished experiences that were enlightening and even life-changing for the participants. In 1993 Thomas began two decades of pastoral ministry in Japan, serving the international faithful of the country and as the prior (2002–2005) of Trinity Benedictine Monastery in Fujimi.

In Jerusalem, in Japan, and at the abbey, Thomas was famous (or infamous) for his culinary skills. When he entered the kitchen to prepare a meal or to bake bread, he was like a slow-moving tornado. Every pot and pan was used; meals were predictably late; and the kitchen looked like a disaster zone! While not actually hazardous, his menus could be alarming. Camel hump, woodchuck, or cattails were featured at his more memorable soirées.

An insightful Scripture scholar, an accomplished calligrapher, a master of forgetfulness, Thomas’ zeal for life found many creative outlets—from writing icons to gardening to cycling. He was deeply concerned about the health of our earthly home and promoted recycling efforts. In recent years, as his own health declined, our eccentric, inquisitive, ever playful confrere took up residence at Mother of Mercy Senior Care Center, Albany, Minnesota, where he died on 4 July 2025. Following the Mass of Christian Burial, he was interred in the abbey cemetery.

Thomas had a peaceful presence, a warm smile, and expressed excitement at every new idea. It would be rare for him to miss prayer, meals, or any community activity. He was a monk at a very deep level.

Edward Vebelun, O.S.B.

Abbey archives

Title of ArticleMichael Patella

Along with his twin sister Francine, Father Michael Francis Patella, O.S.B., was born on 28 December 1954 in Rochester, New York, the second son of Thomas and Anne (Pavia) Patella.

Michael’s education began at St. Ambrose Academy, where he served as an altar boy, read the Encyclopedia Britannica for fun, and rose to the level of Eagle Scout in the local troop. Following graduation from Bishop Kearney High School, he earned a bachelor’s degree (English and religious studies) at Iona College and a master’s degree (American studies) at Boston College. His vocational journey led him first to the Christian Brothers, then to the Benedictines of Saint Mary’s Abbey in Morristown, New Jersey (where he professed his first vows in 1984), and finally to Saint John’s Abbey.

Following the completion of his studies at Saint John’s Seminary, Michael was ordained to the priesthood (1990) and then pursued graduate theological studies leading to a licentiate in Sacred Scripture (1993) from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and a doctorate in Sacred Scripture (1995) from the École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem. Upon his return to Collegeville, he taught theology at Saint John’s University (including directing the Jerusalem Studies Program) until his retirement in 2024. Father Michael also served as the rector of Saint John’s Seminary (2007–2024) and as a faculty resident.

When Saint John’s commissioned Mr. Donald Jackson to produce a handwritten Bible, Michael was appointed the chair of the committee on illumination and text—a group of theologians, historians, and artists who worked with Mr. Jackson in planning the illuminations for The Saint John’s Bible. “The illuminations are not illustrations,” Michael would later explain. “They are spiritual meditations on a text. It is a very Benedictine approach to Scripture.”

Father Michael authored five books and was a yearslong contributor of the “Seers’ Corner” feature for The Bible Today. His explications and scriptural insights also appeared in The Catholic Biblical Quarterly and other scholarly journals.

Michael was a joyful and steady presence in our community, a warm and welcoming monk, a humble listener, lovingly relentless, enthusiastic, guileless. Above all, he delighted in life—singing and swaying in the abbey schola, biking, traveling by Amtrak, celebrating his Italian heritage, and serving as the master of ceremonies for the Independence Day Extravaganza in the monastery backyard. He regaled his confreres and colleagues with tales of his travels and monastic lore, ever faithful to the adage, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.” His rapid speaking style earned him the moniker “machine gun Mike.” “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Following a diagnosis of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) in January 2024, Michael responded with grace and faith: “Despite the daily frustrations associated with my increasingly small horizon line, I have no fear. There is nothing for me to worry about in this life or the next. Christ is at the center of it all.” On 15 July 2025, Father Michael, with his twin at his side, transferred his stability to the heavenly kingdom. Following the Mass of Christian Burial, he was laid to rest in the abbey cemetery.

Abbey archives

Cloister Light

The daily routine within the cloister is enlivened by the antics of the “characters” of the community. Here are stories from the Monastic Mischief file.

The Greatest in the Kingdom

Following the Mass of Thanksgiving on his fortieth anniversary of ordination, Father Harold was greeted by his many guests, including his sister and her family. His sister urged her youngest grandchild to congratulate “your great uncle, Father Harold.” With characteristic candor, little Tiffany blurted out: “Grandma, he’s good. He’s not great.”

All Hallows Eve

Do you think that wearing my nametag tonight will diminish my usual scariness?

No, Brother Paul. There is no danger of that.

Liturgical Life

Father Louis was the reader of the week at Morning Prayer. A soft-spoken man with a highpitched voice, he often read in whispered tones that some confreres found difficult to hear. One morning, Father Knute had had enough. During the reading, he shouted out: “LOUDER!”

Following the incident, Abbot Ed scolded Father Knute, saying, “The next time you deliver a homily, Father, I’m going to shout, ‘Shorter!’”

Live and Let Live

I’m easier to live with if I get to do what I want.

Father Cyril

The Chase

T’was a warm moonlight evening in early September. The facts of the case I so well do remember. We were going to a movie and hadn’t gone far When forty-five cattle walked in front of the car.

By the pale harvest moonlight I thought I could see What looked like our Molly and Bessie to me. So out of the car and then off on the chase We ended up running all over the place.

Then slowly but surely they started to roam And slowly but surely they headed for home. We put them all in the barnyard that night And went to bed thinking things were all right.

Oh! The shock the next morning was hard to survive. There were now ninety cattle and not forty-five.

Roger Klassen, 1955

Meal Deal

Sister Modesta prided herself on honoring Saint Benedict’s exhortation to observe frugality at all times, especially in regard to food. After accepting an invitation to celebrate her birthday by having lunch at a local café, Sister ordered a simple hamburger. When her meal was served, she startled her companions by pulling out a slice of cheddar cheese from her purse. “Why didn’t you just order a cheeseburger, Sister?” “Oh, I couldn’t,” she replied. “Do you know how much extra they charge for one skinny slice of cheese?”

Elementary Education by Charles M. Schulz, “Peanuts”

Everyone always asks how the first day of school was. Who cares? It’s the last day that counts.

Sally Brown

Nothing spoils numbers faster than a lot of arithmetic.

Peppermint Patty

Hoping and praying should never be confused with studying.

Linus Van Pelt

They say . . .

All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, then success is sure.

Mark Twain

You can’t blame gravity for falling in love.

Albert Einstein

Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.

Groucho Marx

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawnmower is broken.

James Dent

Collegeville was Aprilfooled by white, slushy April showers. Significant rainfall in late May wiped out the dry and/or drought conditions throughout central Minnesota. Smoke from Canadian forest fires produced an orange, hazy atmosphere along with air quality alerts in Minnesota during the first days of June and regularly throughout the summer. Due to abundant rains—more than fifteen inches recorded between June and August—the corn was “as high as an elephant’s eye” and the hydrangeas were not far behind. Lawns needed to be mowed weekly—or baled! The critters of Collegeville—loons, ducks, and Canada geese; purple martins, barn swallows, and cliff swallows; turkeys, turtles, beavers, and bunnies; mosquitoes and more—were fruitful and multiplied this summer. Alas, shorter days, longer nights, orange school busses, and amber leaves confirm the Bard’s reflection: “summer’s lease hath all too short a date” (Sonnet 18).

April 2025

Demonstrating its unwavering commitment to the performing arts, Saint John’s Preparatory School announced on April 3 the establishment of the Brother Paul-Vincent Niebauer, O.S.B., Endowed Chair in Theatre.

When fully funded, it will permanently support the school’s theatre director position. For more than twenty-five years, Brother Paul-Vincent has been the heart of prep theatre. Prior to his retirement in 2019, he directed more than fifty productions at the prep school and with other organizations.

After forty-nine years of helping to maintain the beauty and functionality of the campus, Mr. Gerald (Gary) Pflueger quietly retired from the Saint John’s grounds crew in April. Since August 1976 he has mowed lawns, picked up garbage, planted and trimmed trees, sawed logs, dug graves, and caught squirrels. In the winter

months, long before anyone else even contemplated getting out of bed, Gary would plow snow (the tonnage total has yet to be tallied) from the roadways and parking lots, assuring that daily campus activity would not be interrupted. Thank you, Gary, for decades of dependable service.

Throughout Easter Week the greater Collegeville community gathered in prayerful remembrance of our beloved Pope Francis who passed to eternal life on Easter Monday, April 21. Saint Cloud Bishop Patrick M. Neary, C.S.C., expressed the sentiments of so many faithful around the world: “Pope Francis was a light shining in the darkness, a friend of the poor, and a prophet of God’s mercy and justice. He envisioned the Church to be a field hospital that would meet human beings precisely where they are, just as Christ did. He called us to be

John Geissler

Paul Middlestaedt / Saint John’s Preparatory School Paul-Vincent Niebauer, O.S.B.

better stewards of the earth. By introducing the synod on synodality, he reminded us of the need to lovingly encounter, listen, and discern together God’s will for the Church.”

The Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research announced the appointment of Rev. Dr. Aizaiah G. Yong as its new executive director, effective 30 April 2025. An ordained Pentecostal minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and prolific author, Dr. Yong brings a strong background in organizational consulting, fundraising, and administrative leadership to his new position. Institute Board Chair Suzie Colianni expressed her enthusiasm for the appointment of the new director: “Dr. Yong’s deep commitment to

interfaith dialogue, social justice, and holistic healing aligns perfectly with the Collegeville Institute’s mission.”

May 2025

During lunch in the monastic refectory on April 23 and May 2, Abbot Douglas Mullin and the monastic community welcomed and expressed their gratitude to Mr. Andrew Smith (fire chief) and Mr. Shawn Vierzba (director of Life Safety Services)—along with the officers and professional and student staff members of the fire department, campus security, and EMTs—offering a blessing and prayers for the safety of our dedicated first responders.

On May 21 a delegation of monks and Sisters of Saint Benedict’s Monastery joined Father Edward Vebelun, pastor of the Harvest of Hope Area Catholic Community, Albany, and dozens of families along with teachers and staff (past and present) of Holy Family School to break ground for the expansion and first major renovation of the school built in 1910. Prioress Karen Rose and Abbot Douglas offered a blessing, sprinkling the already-soggy work site and the golden shovels that enthusiastic youngsters attempted to wield during the ceremony.

June 2025

During the Eucharist on June 4, Abbot Douglas led the monastic community and congregation in praying for God’s blessings for Fathers Tom Andert and Eric Hollas, celebrating their fiftieth

The community rejoiced at God’s blessings as Mr. Jhonatan Daniel Olivan Romero was invested as a novice on June 29 during Evening Prayer. Novice Jhonatan, from Ciudad Ayala, Morelos, Mexico, now begins a year of prayerful discernment of a monastic vocation under the guidance of novice master Father Efraín Rosado.

anniversary of ordination, and Fathers Don Tauscher and J. P. Earls, in honor of their sixtieth anniversary of ordination.

Inspired by the Spirit, Father Michael Peterson presented his fifth annual Native American flute recital on the vigil of Pentecost, June 7, in the abbey and university church.

July 2025

The Happiness Coordinator of Saint Raphael Hall (the abbey’s retirement and senior healthcare

Robin Pierzina, O.S.B. Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)

Robin Pierzina, O.S.B.

Title

center) sponsored an enchanting afternoon of music on July 9. Father Robert Koopmann (keyboard) and Brother Augustine Oh (voice) provided an enriching concert featuring the music of Johannes Brahms, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Robert Schumann, and more.

Ten oblates made their final oblation during the month of July. Mr. Garrett Harper, Kingston Springs, Tennessee, is attracted to Benedictine spirituality, especially the virtues of listening and ecumenism. Ms. Sonja Anderson, Northfield, Minnesota, first became interested in Saint John’s through a Syriac language program. Mr. Ron Bates, Minnetonka, Minnesota, attended the prep school and loves Saint Benedict’s balanced way of living. Mr. Jeff Benson, Albany, Minnesota, is a Johnnie alumnus and longtime friend of the community. Mr. Richard Lee, Washington, D.C., attends online classes offered by the School of Theology and respects the Rule for its overall kindness. Mr. Daniel Marx, Saint Paul, who attended retreats

at the abbey guesthouse, is dedicated to contemplative life. Mr. Dan Meierhofer, Liberty, Missouri, is an alumnus of Saint John’s who wants to deepen his relationship with the monastic community. Ms. Marie Meierhofer accompanies her spouse, Dan, and is dedicated to daily prayer. Ms. Beverly Schmitt, Kalamazoo, Michigan, respects Benedict’s way of reverence and lifelong learning. Mr. John Williams, Saint Paul, loves the liturgical dedication of the abbey and our guesthouse outreach.

“Anabaptism at 500: Ecumenical Dialogue in an Age of Polarization” was the title of the annual Bridgefolk conference, July 24–27, in Winnipeg, Canada. Father John Klassen was invited to give a keynote address as a Catholic response to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Dubbed a community of

peace-minded Catholics and sacramentally-minded Mennonites, Bridgefolk has been gathering since 2002 to share in respectful dialogue and worship.

On July 28 Abbot Douglas, Father Roman Paur, and the community hosted a luncheon in the Great Hall to express appreciation to the dozens of abbey volunteers who in the past year have collectively contributed more than 9,000 hours of service in support of the monastic community and its mission.

August 2025

Bishop Patrick Neary, Abbot Douglas, and the faithful of Saint John the Baptist Parish celebrated the sesquicentennial of the parish with an outdoor Mass on Sunday, August 3, followed by a roasted-ham lunch and root beer floats in commemorative mugs.

Robin Pierzina, O.S.B. Beaver (Castor canadensis)

Robin Pierzina, O.S.B.

Purple coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

Title of Article

Fifty Years Ago

Excerpted from Confrere, newsletter of Saint John’s Abbey:

July

1975

The year-long celebration of the Saint John the Baptist Parish at Collegeville centennial reached a high point on July 20 when Bishop George Speltz celebrated the Sunday Eucharist for the local community. Father Godfrey Diekmann preached the festive sermon, and a parish dinner was served. Friends and neighbors mingled among the concession stands and Bingo tables that had been set up. A German band provided peppy music to polka by. One of the raffle prizes—a 150-pound pig—went to pastor Father Kieran Nolan’s sister who lives in New York City. (The centennial committee plans to investigate charges of a rigged raffle.)

Father Alberic Culhane spent six weeks at the archaeological site of Bāb edh-Dhrāʻ in Jordan. Situated on the eastern edge of the Lisan Peninsula of the Dead Sea, this site is one of the five “cities of the Plain” (Genesis 13:12; 19:29). Excavations revealed a full Early Bronze I–Early Bronze IV (ca. 3200–2200 B.C.) cultural horizon. The archaeologists had not planned to dig the “wholly eroded” city, but Father Alberic happened to stumble on an inner-city bakery, flint industry and fortification complex—some excavated walls of which are at 12–16 brick height. The upshot of the summer diggings is that there are still more

biblical notations being given certification, and there are many indications that the earliest patriarchal period may be dated some centuries in advance of current judgments.

August 1975

Father Emeric Lawrence, O.S.B., served as exchange professor of theology at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, for six years. In a tribute to his service, Dr. Bruce Wrightsman, a Luther colleague, commented: “Emeric has always been a reconciler. He did not only preach about reconciliation: what he preached, he was. He has been the instrument of God in the unification of God’s people on this campus and in this community. If this man had been sitting in the chair of Peter during 1517, there would have been no need of Martin Luther. He surely exemplifies a spirit of love that would have healed and not estranged the reformers.”

September 1975

Each weekend from August 30 to September 21, several monks and parents of Saint John’s Preparatory School students would gather in a special thatch-roofed bakery designed by Brother Mark Thamert at the

Renaissance Festival west of Shakopee. After stocking the shelves with Saint John’s Bread that had been baked and frozen at Saint John’s during the summer, the vendors explained the purpose of the project: “to add suppleness to the money pouches of deserving and needy students wending their way to the Benedictine Abbey of Melk, Austria.” A total of almost 12,000 loaves (twelve tons!) were sold, supporting the Melk Scholarship Fund and other programs at the prep school.

Johnnie Bread ad, 1959

Title of Article

Monks in the Kitchen

A Sponge for All Seasons

Ælred Senna, O.S.B.

When some friends asked me to bake a Boston Cream Pie for a celebration, naturally I said I would be delighted to do it . . . knowing all the time that I had never made a Boston Cream Pie in my life! So, I began searching the internet and read at least a dozen different recipes for this American classic. I knew the pastry cream and the ganache would be no trouble, as I make both quite regularly (I wrote about pastry cream in this column in Spring 2021). But what sort of cake is the “right” cake for this dessert?

In my quest, I discovered a new (to me) method for preparing batter for a yellow sponge cake. I decided I had to try it, and—as luck, fate, or the Holy Spirit would have it!—it makes a perfect all-purpose yellow sponge. Besides for the Boston Cream Pie, I have used it very successfully for a large strawberry shortcake. It’s moist, airy, light, and delicious. I hope you’ll give it a try the next time you need a quick and simple basic yellow cake!

Brother Ælred Senna, O.S.B., is publisher of Give Us This Day and abbey refectorian.

Photos: Ælred Senna, O.S.B.

Yellow Sponge Cake (makes one 9" cake)

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1¾ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup milk, preferably whole milk

• 1 stick unsalted butter (4 oz.)

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 3 large eggs

• 1½ cups granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray a 9" springform pan with vegetable oil spray and line the bottom of the pan with a parchment circle. For good measure, spray the circle!

1. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Combine milk and butter in a microwave-safe cup or bowl. Microwave on high in 30-second bursts until the butter is melted and the milk is steaming. Add vanilla extract to the mixture.

3. Beat sugar and eggs together with whisk attachment until they become thick, fluffy, very pale, and the whisk leaves a trail in the eggs when lifted out. (This should take 3–4 minutes.)

4. With the mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture, a little at a time until just incorporated.

5. Slowly pour hot milk mixture into the batter and continue mixing until fully combined. (The batter will be thin, similar to pancake batter, with bubbles on top.)

6. Pour into prepared springform pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. (The cake will have a golden-brown dome and will crack slightly. Don’t be fooled into taking the cake out too early!)

7. If using this for Boston Cream Pie or strawberry shortcake, cut the sponge into two thin layers horizontally and fill as desired.

Please join the monastic community in prayerful remembrance of our deceased family members and friends:

Donna Marie A. Adelman

Jean Carlton Whitaker Ambler

John W. Arndt

Maxine Barnett

Marvin J. “Marv” Bauer

Donald Way “Dougie” Beales

Sue Ellen Kane Beckermann

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S. J.,

Pope Francis

Janice Mae Borash

Roger Botz, O.S.B.

Walter Brueggemann

Ambrose “Amby” Bzdok

Judy Caparro

Gerald Arthur “Jerry” Carlson

Joseph Chang, O.S.B.

Anne E. Condlin

Mary Costello

Judith Anne “Judy” Crawford

Jeanne J. Dahlin

Paul Diemert

Terrance Robert “Terry” Dolan

Bernard R. “Bernie” Dols

Howard A. “Howie” Draeger

Charlotte A. “Char” Egenberger

Lora L. Eisenschenk

Jeffrey Maurice “Jeff” Finley

Brigid Flanagan

David Allan “Dave” Frandsen

Susan M. “Sue” Joyce Freeman

Doris I. Gardner

Charlotte Marie “Char” Gavin

Donald R. “Don” Giesel

Edward V. Grinder, O.S.B.

Carol Jean Hawkins López

Leo David Heck

David M. “Dave” Heinen

Dorothy Heinen, O.S.B.

Janice Hennings

S. Jonathan Herda, O.S.B.

Missy A. Brand Hollenback

Geraldine F. “Geri” Honer-Novotny

Kathleen Ann “Kathy” Horgen

Debra K. Jackson

Daniel Nicholas “Don” Jaeger

Leslie Ann Jirik

Scott Joseph Johnson

Jude Johnston, O.S.B.

Diane Veale Jones

James J. “Jim” Jordan

Lauren Keppers, O.S.B.

Celeste Nicole Koonce-Bellard

Vivian Kroeker

Evelyn J. “Evie” Krogman

Monica Therese Kujawa

Rose Mary Kuklok, O.S.B.

Paula Jeanette Lemke

Rev. Gregory J. Lieser

Rev. Kathy Jean “Mimi” Lindbloom

Johnetta Maher, O.S.B.

Betsy G. Mahowald

Patrick “Pat” Maloney

Mary Maves, O.S.B.

Casey Callahan McBride

Marie Susanna McCarthy

Sean Richard Morgan

Thomas Francis Mulrooney

Daniel Muyres, O.S.B.

José Miguel Navarro, Obl.S.B.

Eloise “Pete” Neitzel

David Charles “Dave” Nester

Esther L. Neussendorfer

Elinor Marie “Ellie” Nicklawske

Michael Patella, O.S.B.

Kenneth E. “Ken” Pierskalla

Julie Marie Pierzina

Bertha M. “Betty” Porwoll

Joan Schulte Price

Bonnie Lou (Harmening) Reim

Mary Elizabeth Rivard

Rev. Robert E. “Bob” Rolfes

Thomas Clement “Tom” Roth

Duane Roy, O.S.B.

Eunice Ann Ruff

Michael J. “Mike” Ryan

Susan M. Ryan

Calvin “Cal” Ryan-Mosley

John J. “Jack” Schmit

Othmar J. Schmitz

Leo Anthony Schoenberg, O.S.C.

Mary Ellen Schommer

Joachim Hossick “Achim” Schott

Rev. D. Stephen Smith

Richard Dean Smith

Janet “Jan” Stavros

Don Talafous, O.S.B.

Wayne O. Thein

Judy “Dooda” Thomes

Lori Ann Thompson

Marshall Bernard “Marsh” Thornton Jr.

James Owen “Jim” Tonneson

Orlin Darrell Vandeventer

Thomas Wahl, O.S.B.

Richard Jacob Walkowiak

Joseph D. Wankerl

Kay Watts, O.S.F.

Elizabeth Anne “Liz” Wegmann

Mark Cashen Zasmeta

Marvin H. Zastrow

Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of God’s faithful ones. Psalm 116:15

A Monk’s Chronicle

Father Eric Hollas, O.S.B., offers spiritual insights and glimpses into the life of the Benedictine community at Saint John’s Abbey in a weekly blog, A Monk’s Chronicle. Visit his blog at: monkschronicle.wordpress.com

Hardest Learnings

Timothy Backous, O.S.B.

One of my favorite writers is the little-known but insightful essayist Maria Popova. Her eye for collecting all kinds of writings—from poems to children’s books—amazes me with its depth, brilliance, and relevance. In a reflection in The Marginalian she observed:

One of the hardest learnings in life is that you cannot love—or scold, or coax, or palter—anyone out of their personal suffering or into their personal potential, cannot shepherd anyone else’s becoming.

This sentiment might seem contradictory to Benedictine life, characterized as it is by regimented living, disciplinary expectations, and shared values. But it is inescapably true that no abbot, formation director, or entire community can do much beyond offering guidance and encouragement to another member. After that, it is up to the individual soul to choose a course of action.

Each of us brings his or her own unique set of limitations, talents, prejudices, insights, and knowledge to any pursuit. No spouse or partner, no extended family, no friend or teacher can force the outcome. The old adage about “leading a horse to water” comes to mind, but note once again what Maria Popova says: this is one of the “hardest learnings in life.” Even though we know this to be true intellectually, we often can’t abandon the hope that we will be the first to force the horse to drink—if we just run it hard enough or find the cleanest pond or obstinately wait as long as it takes.

As hard as this lesson might be to learn, we need only consider our own thirst, our own history of drinking (or refusing to drink). While we may accept the nudging we receive from those who have led us to the water, it is the willingness of our own soul and the recognition of our thirst that leads us to drink. Of all the dimensions of human life, it is the spiritual one that can present the most challenges. Saint Benedict was a master at understanding human nature and used his insights to construct his monastic “way” to alleviate many of life’s most perplexing and persistent distractions. Too much work, for example, or too much sleep; too much food or too little of it; even too much prayer could cause a problem. Everything needs to be done in moderation, and every need should be addressed so that the search for God can be pursued by each individual monk.

Each of us, no matter what course we pursue in life, needs to rely on one’s own unique and personal thirst. That hard lesson cannot be surrendered to another’s urging. It is ours alone to accomplish.

The spiritual dimension of life can present the most challenges.

Abbey Banner Magazine

Saint John’s Abbey P.O. Box 2015 Collegeville, MN 56321–2015 U.S.A.

www.saintjohnsabbey.org

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Abbey Spiritual Life Program

The monks of Saint John’s Abbey welcome people of all faiths to share our hospitality for a time of spiritual renewal. In addition to joining the monks for daily prayer and Eucharist, guests are also welcome to participate in retreats sponsored by our Abbey Spiritual Life Program.