Abbey Banner - Spring 2013

Abbey Banner Spring 2013

Spring 2013

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The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. . . .

Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.

--Psalm 23:1-3

This Issue

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

Editor: Robin Pierzina, O.S.B. Editorial assistants: Aaron Raverty, O.S.B.; Dolores Schuh, C.H.M. Fujimi bureau chief: Roman Paur, O.S.B. Abbey archivist: David Klingeman, O.S.B. University archivist: Peggy Roske Design: Alan Reed, O.S.B. Circulation: Ruth Athmann, Mary Gouge, Jan Jahnke, Cathy Wieme, Danielle Ziehl Printed by Palmer Printing Copyright © 2013 by Order of Saint Benedict Saint John’s Abbey Collegeville, Minnesota 56321-2015 abbeybanner@csbsju.edu http://www.saintjohnsabbey.org/banner/ Change of address: Ruth Athmann P. O. Box 7222 Collegeville, Minnesota 56321-7222 rathmann@csbsju.edu Phone: 800.635.7303

All of you are children of the Most High.

--Psalm 82:6 This issue of Abbey Banner explores ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, as encouraged by the Second Vatican Council and as practiced by the monks of Saint John’s Abbey. Father John Meoska introduces “Bridgefolk,” a group of Mennonites and Catholics who since 1999 have been engaged in listening, dialogue, and worship as they deepen their understanding of their respective traditions. Father William Skudlarek outlines the purpose of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue and its contribution to a greater awareness and appreciation of other religious traditions as well as of our own.

Respect for other religious traditions has been a hallmark of Saint John’s Abbey throughout its history. A similar openness to minorities, or those who may simply be considered different, has likewise characterized the Collegeville community. Long before the integration of races was accepted by our society, for example, Saint John’s was admitting members of color. There were dissenters, however. Years ago a cantankerous monk bemoaned: “When we let in non-Germans, that’s when the place starting going to hell!” If nonGermans did place Saint John’s on the path to perdition, that path was well worn from the earliest days of the community. Father Joel Kelly introduces us to Father Augustine Burns, the first Irish monk of Collegeville, who ministered here beginning in the 1860s. Father Joseph Feders introduces our first, but we hope not last, Vietnamese confrere: Brother Simon-Hòa Phan.

The Saint John’s Benedictine Volunteer Corps (BVC), now in its tenth year, offers recent college graduates the opportunity to pray and work with Benedictines while serving the people of God in many lands and cultures.

Father Edward Linton and Mr. Ted Kain explain how the volunteers have made a difference in Chicago, while BVC alumnus Mr. Paul Conroy reflects on how the program transformed him. Mr. Alec Torigian shares his insights regarding what “Benedictine” means and why he values his Benedictine heart.

A commitment to good stewardship led the late Father Paul Schwietz to propose the restoration of acres of abandoned fields to native prairie. Ms. Eleanor Gray recounts this chapter in the history of land management at Saint John’s as she shares the value and beauty of “Paul’s Prairie.”

Abbot John Klassen opens this issue with a reflection on the startling and courageous decision of Pope Benedict XVI to resign his office, a decision that required “deep humility.” Father Timothy Backous concludes this issue with a reflection on humility—as understood by Saint Benedict, and as needed today if we are to live in harmony with our neighbors. We also learn of the vocational discernment of our brothers in Japan, prepare for another gardening season, and even meet a few famous Collegeville critters.

Cover: Sprightly preschoolers spring into Paul’s Prairie of Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum.

Photo: Jenny Kutter Pages 2, 3: Hueschle Point, Lake Sagatagan, 1944

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Along with Abbot John and the monastic community, the editorial staff offers prayerful best wishes for a joyous Easter season.

--Brother Robin Pierzina, O.S.B.

Pope Benedict XVI Abbot John Klassen, O.S.B.

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n 11 February Pope Benedict XVI took a step not taken in six hundred years as he announced his resignation, effective 28 February. The announcement was greeted with both shock and admiration: shock because it was an unprecedented move in our time, and admiration because of his obvious thought and care for the future of the Church.

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Over the past year the decline of Pope Benedict’s strength, resilience, and energy has been noticeable to those associated with him on a regular basis. In fact, at the time of his election on 19 April 2005, Pope Benedict had already mentioned the possibility of stepping down. However, it is one thing to speak about a hypothetical possibility; it is another to make the decision and set the Church on a new path. By taking this courageous step, Pope Benedict created a precedent for future popes, be they weakened by age or ill health.

In the past eight years Pope Benedict accomplished much. He wrote three major encyclicals, complementing Fides et Ratio (Faith and Reason by Pope John Paul II, 1998) with Deus Caritas Est (God is Love: On Christian Love, 2005), Spe Salvi (Saved

by Hope, 2007), and Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth, 2009), as well as other important documents. The encyclicals reflect the breadth of his learning and scholarship and the deep encounter that he has had with contemporary philosophical and theological thinking. In addition, he wrote a pastoral synthesis of his reflections on Jesus of Nazareth—three books devoted to the infancy narratives, the ministry of Jesus from his baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration, and the passion-resurrection accounts. While scholars were initially critical, they soon realized that Pope Benedict had a different purpose in writing these, and that almost any Christian could find a host of insights into the mission and work of Jesus Christ in these volumes.

What is so gratifying to many Catholics is the deep humility, selfawareness, courage, and love for the Church that Pope Benedict XVI demonstrated with his decision to resign. He forced the Church to think through the process of calling an election within a reasonable time. More than anyone, Pope Benedict realized that if the pope is not energetic enough to monitor the work of the Curia in Rome, much mischief will result. Finally, by stepping down, Pope Benedict, though he is the Vicar of Christ, explicitly acknowledged that he has a solemn responsibility to the Body of Christ, the Church. Blessings and a joyous Easter to Pope Benedict XVI, who is able to savor this time without the burden of office, and to our new Pope Francis!

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Bridgefolk John Meoska, O.S.B.

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ach summer since 1999 a small group of Mennonites and Catholics from across the United States, Canada, and a few other nations have come together for ecumenical dialogue and worship. Known as “Bridgefolk,” we are a group of spiritual pilgrims exploring and explaining our respective traditions. We come together in prayer, conversation, and friendship; but, most especially, we come together in Christ, the bridge.

Since 2001 Saint John’s Abbey and Saint Benedict’s Monastery (Saint Joseph, Minnesota) have figured prominently as biennial hosts of the gatherings. On alternate years we assemble at a designated Mennonite locale. Along with Abbot John Klassen, O.S.B., several monks are regular participants in the annual dialogue. Abbot John and Ms. Marlene Kropf, retired faculty member of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (Elkhart, Indiana), cochair the Bridgefolk Board of Directors.

Brother Ælred Senna, O.S.B., and Sister Theresa Schumacher, O.S.B., also serve on the board along with several Mennonite members. There is a nucleus of participants who have been part of Bridgefolk since the first meeting at Laurel Hill Mennonite Church Center in western Pennsylvania in 1999, and others are newcomers.

Some are elders; others, young; but all are welcome.

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Listen/Obsculta calligraphy panel by Richard E. Beasley (1934–1972)

Why Bridgefolk? This short question has a long, complex answer. Part of the Bridgefolk mission is to explore the common ground we share as Mennonites and Catholics in theology, spirituality, ministry, and worship, and to enlarge those areas of commonality. We have common ground in sacred Scripture and liturgical music.

The Benedictine practice of lectio divina (slow, contemplative reading of the Scriptures) resonates with Mennonites, who are so deeply rooted in Scripture.

Catholicism and monasticism bring the experience of structured, Scripture-based prayer in the form of the Liturgy of the Hours—often a new experience for Mennonites.

However, when the hymnals come out, the Mennonites teach us a few things about four-part harmony and cross-cultural music!

We’re on common ground as well in our desire for social justice and peacemaking. Since 1891, when Pope Leo XIII issued his encyclical Rerum Novarum, Catholicism has articulated a clearer theology of social justice and peacemaking. In the Mennonite tradition, social justice and peacemaking are a way of life.

Bridgefolk also explore the differences between our traditions. Some differences have roots in the painful, violent history of the sixteenth century and the rise of the Anabaptist tradition. Each tradition has its selective understanding of the history including, at times, negative views of the other; so a shared study of our history, undertaken in a spirit of openness, has proven invaluable.

We likewise struggle with

it is a key component of Mennonite worship throughout the year. In Catholicism it is a central gesture during the liturgy of Holy Thursday. On a typical Bridgefolk weekend, we have the service of foot washing at least once, and follow the ritual with a festive agape meal.

the related matter of shared communion: not everyone is welcome at the table of the Lord’s Supper. This is not only a Catholic and Mennonite issue but, as we Catholics have learned, can also be an issue between individual Mennonite congregations. Participants from both traditions keenly, and often viscerally, feel this most fundamental breach.

The denominational structures and models of ministry within the Catholic and Mennonite traditions also present us with challenges and call us to reflection. Catholicism is very hierarchical, with an allmale, primarily celibate clergy (with some married deacons and priests). The Mennonite tradition, definitely more congregational, has called many women into formal ministry, and does not deem marriage an impediment to ministry. Our gatherings afford us opportunities to bridge those differences and share leadership in worship, teaching, and ritual foot washing equally among men and women, ordained and nonordained. This is modeled sensitively and visibly in the leadership of our cochairs, Ms. Kropf and Abbot John.

Bridgefolk strive to maintain the highest respect for the teachings and traditions of each denomination while, at the same time, seeking occasions to build bridges. Since we cannot meet at the Lord’s table in full communion, we have discerned that foot washing is a common ritual through which we can meet and welcome one another.

While the frequency of foot washing varies by congregation,

In addition to prayer, lectio, singing, and ritual, we employ a variety of formats at each Bridgefolk gathering. We have keynote addresses and responses, panel discussions, “Questions from the Hat” (during which we ask questions of each other about our respective traditions and practices), World Café (a method of focused discussion on a particular issue or question), open mic, small group

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discussions, and individual conversations. At each gathering we also have designated listeners who attempt to give us a synthesis and synopsis of what they heard us saying throughout the weekend.

A gathering of Bridgefolk is intense, edifying, satisfying, challenging, and life-changing.

Those who are interested in learning more about this significant ecumenical endeavor, or who wish to read key documents that inform the Bridgefolk movement, are welcome to visit our Web site: Bridgefolk.net.

Father John Meoska, O.S.B., a participant of Bridgefolk, is assistant formation director of Saint John’s Abbey and manager of the abbey woodworking shop.

Bridgefolk Mission Bridgefolk is a movement of sacramentally-minded Mennonites and peace-minded Roman Catholics who come together to celebrate each other’s traditions, explore each other’s practices, and honor each other’s contribution to the mission of Christ’s Church.

Together we seek better ways to embody a commitment to both traditions. We seek to make Anabaptist–Mennonite practices of discipleship, peaceableness, and lay participation more accessible to Roman Catholics, and to bring the spiritual, liturgical, and sacramental practices of the Catholic tradition to Anabaptists.

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Monastic Interreligious Dialogue William Skudlarek, O.S.B.

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aint Benedict devotes much of his Rule to communal prayer, so it is not surprising that monks have a special interest in liturgy. The Rule’s emphasis on reading and manual labor, and its chapter devoted to the craftsmen of the monastery, no doubt had much to do with monks becoming involved in education, agriculture, and the arts. And the tradition of monks being involved in missionary work and pastoral ministry goes back to Saint Gregory, the Benedictine pope who sent monks to England about the year 600. But interreligious dialogue? Not only does Benedict say nothing about the relationship of monks to those who are not Christians, but the same Saint Gregory says that when Benedict arrived at Monte Cassino, one of his first acts was to tear down the temple of Apollo and build a chapel dedicated to Saint Martin (Dialogues, II, 8). So much for interreligious dialogue!

And yet the Church’s contemporary understanding of the meaning and purpose of interreligious dialogue corresponds well with Saint Benedict’s perception of the monastic life. In Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on the relation of the Church to non-Christian religions, Catholics are urged to engage in dialogue and collaboration with adherents of other religions in order

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Lee Hanley

to “recognize, preserve, and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values” that are to be found there (n. 2).

Benedict says that one of the signs of a monastic vocation is that a novice is truly seeking God (Rule, 58.7). In the Prologue to his Rule he writes, “As we advance in the monastic life and in faith, our hearts expand (dilatato corde) and with unspeakable sweetness of love we run the way of God’s commandments” (Prol. 49). So perhaps we could say that one

of the reasons monks become involved in interreligious dialogue is because they want to expand their search for God by becoming familiar with the spiritual values, teachings, and practices of other religions.

They believe that “the Spirit of the Lord has filled the world” (Wisdom 1:7) and that widening their hearts (dilatato corde) to the work of the Spirit in other religious traditions will draw them nearer to the God they are seeking and who is seeking them.

The impetus for creating a special monastic organization for

interreligious dialogue came from a letter the late Cardinal Sergio Pignedoli, president of what is now the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, sent to Abbot Primate Rembert Weakland, O.S.B., in 1974. In it he asked that monks take a leading role in interreligious dialogue because “monasticism is a bridge between religions.”

Cardinal Pignedoli’s request led to the establishment, in 1978, of European and American subcommissions for interreligious dialogue within an organization that had been created in 1961, the Alliance for International Monasticism (AIM). In 1994 Abbot Primate Jerome Theisen, O.S.B., former abbot of Saint John’s, arranged for the establishment of Dialogue Interreligieux·Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (DIMMID) as an independent general secretariat of the Benedictine confederation.

I have been the general secretary of this organization since 2008.

DIMMID promotes interest and

involvement in interreligious dialogue among Catholic monastic men and women through national commissions, interreligious conferences, and a multilingual journal, Dilatato Corde, which can be found on the DIMMID Web site: www. dimmid.org. The journal provides a forum in which individuals can describe how their hearts have been expanded and their Christian faith deepened by knowledge of other religions, interreligious friendships, and by understanding, and even adopting, spiritual practices from

other religious traditions—forms of meditation developed within Buddhism or Hinduism, for instance, or the Muslim practice of dhikr (remembrance of God).

DIMMID focuses on dialogue with

monks and nuns of other religious traditions whose monastic way of life, it should be noted, predates Christian monasticism by about a thousand years. To this end, a “spiritual exchange” program between Japanese Zen Buddhist monks and nuns and European monastic communities has been ongoing since 1979. In North America “Nuns in the West” and “Monks in the West” have been meeting since 2004. Individual monasteries, especially in England, France, and Italy, have regular contacts with neighboring Buddhist and Hindu monastic communities. The relationship of Asian Christian monastics with their Buddhist or Hindu counterparts, as well as that of African monastic communities with Muslims or local tribal religions, is more often at the level of informal exchanges rather than organized meetings.

In recent years DIMMID has broadened monastic interreligious dialogue to mean dialogue with other believers about their religious experience and practice.

Based on this understanding, DIMMID has formally entered into dialogue with Muslims, whose religious practices, especially the observance of set times for prayer each day, are very “monastic.” The first two international Monastic/Muslim dialogues were with Iranian

Shi‘a Muslims and involved Benedictine and Trappist monks and nuns from nine different countries. The meetings took place in Rome in 2011 and in Qom, Iran, in 2012; their proceedings were and will be published by Liturgical Press in its Monastic Interreligious Dialogue series.

In recent years there has been a growing conviction that to be religious today is to be interreligious, open to receive the insights that other religions can offer, aware that if we know only our own religion, we probably know it and live it in a limited way. Speaking of the knowledge of languages, Goethe said, “They who know one, know none.” Today we recognize how applicable that perception is to the knowledge and practice of Christianity. The day may not be too far off (at least in relation to its 1700-year history) when the same will be true of the knowledge and practice of the Christian monastic way of life.

Father William Skudlarek, O.S.B., serves with his confreres at Trinity Benedictine Monastery in Fujimi, Japan.

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Benedictine Volunteer Corps Saint James Parish, Chicago Edward Linton, O.S.B.

Ted Kain

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hree years ago Saint James Parish in south Chicago received its first Benedictine Volunteer Corps (BVC) member. The parish had worked with other volunteer programs and had had very good experiences. I realized that if the Benedictine volunteers didn’t do as well, parishioners would hold the whole Benedictine Order responsible!

Because of whom they received from Saint John’s, the parish does hold the whole Benedictine Order responsible . . . for the Christian formation of incredible young men! The three volunteers who have worked at Saint James (Alex Schafer ’10, Charlie Swanson ’11, and Ted Kain ’12) have each contributed more to the vitality of our parish life than anyone could have imagined.

They have been wonderful ambassadors for Saint John’s as well as of the Benedictine values they learned there.

The BVC members are the first to prepare for 1500 families who come monthly to the Saint James Food Pantry. They organize special programs (such as the Christmas reception that Ted Kain describes). With selfconfidence, they direct scores of other volunteers upon whom our program relies. They offer everyone, particularly the poor, respect and genuine hospitality, as Saint Benedict instructs. The

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urrounded by a generous, genuine community that cares for each other and for those in need, I’m very blessed to serve at Saint James Parish in Chicago with the BVC!

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Father Edward Linton and Ted Kain

Benedictine volunteers have impressed everyone with their commitment to prayer and work. Each morning begins with prayer, followed by Mass.

At Sunday Masses they serve as acolytes, sing in the choir, or mingle and get to know parishioners. Whatever needs to be done or whenever anyone asks for help, they are quick with a generous response. Thank you, BVC! Father Edward Linton, O.S.B., a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, is pastor of Saint James Parish in Chicago.

One of the most memorable experiences I’ve had was working at the annual Christmas reception for the homeless. We served a catered meal to nearly 250 men, women, and children at a reception featuring live music, gift bags, Santa Claus, and warm hospitality for all guests and volunteers. My first time away from home on Christmas, I was humbled and rewarded by spending the day with generous, gracious, and genuine individuals.

Bringing joy and comfort to those who didn’t have family or friends to help celebrate the feast day was an experience that showed me the true spirit of Christmas.

My daily life here is so rewarding.

Whether it’s witnessing a food pantry client recommend that another client receive a pair of winter gloves, or meeting individuals who have moved off the streets to an apartment, these simple moments brighten my life tremendously. I’m fortunate to be accepted by such a wonderful community that has taught me so much. Thank you, Saint James and BVC! Mr. Ted Kain is a 2012 graduate of Saint John’s University.

Giving Back

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Paul Conroy

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s I boarded a Tanzaniabound plane in the summer of 2005, thoughts of the exotic adventures awaiting me swirled in my head. A recent college grad, I longed to experience how the rest of the world lives and to put into practice my deeply held convictions for social justice and service that four years at Saint John’s had nurtured in me. My time had come to “give back.”

I arrived at Hanga Abbey in southern Tanzania as The Saint John’s Benedictine Volunteer Corps’ (BVC) first volunteer in Africa. Awaking to the sounds of church bells and Swahili chatter outside my window on the first morning in my new home, I remember thinking to myself, “This is exactly where I should be!” As I reflect on those days now over seven years later, I realize that I had embarked on a journey much greater than a stint as an English instructor in a faraway land.

My first exploratory steps as a BVC member were actually giant strides down a path that continues today.

My transformative experience in the Benedictine Volunteer Corps led to a series of life stages that have naturally fallen into place since I returned to the U.S. from Tanzania in 2008. Working as a Saint John’s University faculty resident and as a peace and justice coordinator for our campus ministry program from 2008 to 2010 enabled me to reconnect to life back home while continuing to work for social justice. To complement my experience in Africa with deeper academic knowledge, I completed a master’s degree in African studies at Ohio University in 2011 as a Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellow. In 2012 I received a Rotary Peace Fellowship to study for a master’s degree in peace and conflict resolution at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Upon

graduating this June, I intend to pursue a career with an international refugee organization.

For the past few months I have been living in Nairobi, Kenya, as an intern with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and discussing the prospects for peace prior to and following the March presidential election. I have been struck by how close I am to the very place where I began what has become a lifelong vocation to service as a Benedictine volunteer, and how far I have come since. It has indeed been a great adventure, one that has provided me with life-changing opportunities and that continually inspires me to give back.

Mr. Paul Conroy is a 2005 graduate of Saint John’s University.

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Paul Conroy (top photo: center) in Tanzania and (above: third from right) with friends in Nairobi

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Japanese Vocations Roman Paur, O.S.B.

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n the feast of Saint Benedict, 21 March 2013, in the presence of Abbot John Klassen, O.S.B., and the monks of Trinity Benedictine Monastery, Brother Shuuta Maximilian Oka (right) extended his vows as a Benedictine monk.

Oka san, as he is known locally, was born in 1967 in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, in southern Japan. Himeji is noted for its early seventeenth-century feudal castle, a UNESCO world heritage site. It is said to be the finest surviving example of Shogunperiod wood castle architecture.

Before joining the Fujimi community in 2009 Oka san worked in social services, especially in health care residences for the aging. In addition to sharing in the daily chores of the house, he serves the community as guestmaster, booking reservations, welcoming day guests and resident retreatants, and attending to the five guest rooms of our monastery. His confreres and guests appreciate that Oka san takes his turn in the kitchen (far right) where he is mastering Japanese cuisine.

The other Japanese-born members of our community are Father Hidenari Peter Kawamura, who professed vows as a Benedictine monk in 1985, and Brother Makoto Paul Tada, professed in 1996.

Brother Liting John Chrysostom (JC) Long, a junior monk from China, and four Americans, Fathers Thomas Wahl, William

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Especially common and key to the path of discernment is an endearing familiar figure, a caring person.

Vocations are imbedded in relationships of respect and anchored in people watching people, the most persuasive formula for seeding desire and sustaining Roman Paur, O.S.B. change. Vocations are Skudlarek, Tony Gorman, and grounded in our experience of Roman Paur, complete the roster. one another, experiences that fire up the Spirit and motivate us to Vocations to the religious life are pursue a dream. The attraction a tricky business! Surely they that can nurture a religious are the work of the Holy Spirit. vocation, and marriage as well, But it’s not always so evident may be relationally rooted, but looking ahead and may also be the glue that strengthens it over elusive looking back. Frequently time are spiritual practices. individuals can identify specific persons, experiences, objects, or Father Roman Paur, O.S.B., is events that have influenced their the prior of Trinity Benedictine decisions along an oftentimes Monastery in Fujimi, Japan. curious route of surprise, choice, and experimentation.

“Triggers” become alerts of awareness and watchfulness. A book, a hymn, a comment, a place, a feeling can tease wonder and curiosity at the moment or perhaps later. Dissatisfaction about one’s life journey and a restlessness for meaning might fuel reflection as well.

Romancing an ideal while looking for support of a personal religious bent can also be part of the mysterious process.

Roman Paur, O.S.B.

Benedictine Walls

Alan Reed, O.S.B.

Alec Torigian

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ast year when posed with the task of turning a lavender middle-school classroom into my homeroom, I went with what I know. I hurled up a giant Saint John’s University flag and made posters of quotes from Brother Dietrich Reinhart, O.S.B., and the Rule of Saint Benedict. But I realized how limiting words and symbols can be. Being Benedictine is about how one lives, and my “scholars” from inner-city Mobile needed to know that it was time to “let knowledge drop,” as their favorite rapper, Tupac Shakur, would say.

As I brainstormed how to make “Benedictine living” come alive for my scholars, I recognized that they shouldn’t just memorize the values. They had to see and feel them. So I talked about my time in the Saint John’s Abbey-sponsored Benedictine Volunteer Corps in Hanga, Tanzania. My typically hostile class was on the edge

of their seats. Finally—their body language suggested—Mr. Torigian was going beyond algebra, physics, and Church doctrine and was talking about the essence of life. They saw pictures of my former classroom and the school lunch of ugali (look it up, and you’ll be thankful for whatever school cafeteria you had to weather).

It was a valuable experience for them, but I had no idea how much it would mean to me.

Talking about my life’s journey made me realize what being Benedictine means to me. It means being an examiner of my conscience, much like Pope Benedict XVI (great name, huh?) recently did in fearlessly discerning his resignation. It is the very act of taking part in a family version self-reflection to gain perspective on growth that makes me Benedictine.

As I prepared lessons for my eighth-graders, I couldn’t help but reflect on and share those reflections with this teenage family of mine. Seven years

ago, as a college freshman, I feared that Saint John’s was going to be too far away from Minneapolis and home. Now I have spent a school year in Africa and almost two years in Alabama, because it’s been what I’ve felt called to do. Without a doubt, Saint John’s and the Benedictine spirituality that I soaked up solidified that I would spend my life following the very advice I give to my scholars: “Be comfortable being uncomfortable.” Living this out has been an incredible journey thus far, and I am fully confident in Brother Dietrich’s prophecy, and the largest words on these lavender walls: “The best is yet to come.”

Mr. Alec Torigian, through the University of Notre Dame’s A.C.E. (Alliance for Catholic Education) program, teaches seventh and eighth graders at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic School in Mobile, Alabama, where he also acts like the athletic director. To learn more about the school or to support its programs, see www.josephites.org/ parish/al/mphm/.

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Paul’s Prairie Eleanor Gray

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hen the first Benedictine monks arrived in central Minnesota in 1856, they found a landscape of thick forests, pothole lakes, and perhaps the sporadic meadow. Missing was a key ecosystem, one essential for growing food: a native prairie, with its signature rolling hills, fertile soil, and tall grasses.

After settling on the banks of the Mississippi in Saint Cloud, the monks began to wander the surrounding areas, searching for a new place to establish their community and to begin farming. In the absence of prairie lands, the monks may have been drawn to the largest meadow they could find. Near the current Lake Wobegon Trail (on the northern edge of Saint John’s land today), a small meadow was the first “prairie” the monks encountered, and its abundant grasses provided the material needed to build their first cabin.

The monks cleared a patch of forest (what is now the restored

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prairie, near Interstate 94) and began to farm. They first used the land for growing a variety of vegetables and grains, both to meet their own needs and those of students at the expanding university. However, by the 1960s, as it became cheaper to buy food, the monks gradually rented unused portions of the land to local farmers. In the late 1970s, when soon-to-be land manager Paul Schwietz graduated from Saint John’s University and joined Saint John’s Abbey, the monastery community no longer farmed much of the land.

exact area may not have been prairie before, the area lent itself to prairie restoration and created a wonderful teaching area with the increasingly rare plant communities of prairie, oak savannah, wetlands, and mixed hardwoods in walking proximity to each other—a focal point for his vision of a natural arboretum.”

So the story of “Paul’s Prairie” begins not in a remnant prairie, but in the open expanse of a farmer’s field. In 1990, after earning a master’s degree in forestry, and ten years before his untimely death, Father Paul proposed to restore this field to prairie. His plan hinged on his interest in creating a prairie for educational use. Mr. John Geissler, an alumnus of Saint John’s University and one of Father Paul’s former student workers, explains the possible motivation behind the restoration: “While the

In some ways Father Paul was simply following the model of his predecessors who, in 1896, planted what is now the oldest pine plantation in Minnesota. His prairie, like the pine stand, provided another sample ecosystem in the living laboratory that is Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum. Father Paul completed Saint John’s set of ecosystems: hardwood forest, pine forest, wetlands, and now, the prairie. His prairie was to be another ecosystem with a high level of biodiversity: ninety-four species of native grasses and

“[Father Paul] was a ‘pyro’ with a purpose.”

--John Geissler

wildflowers, including 49,000 plant specimens.

But creating a prairie is not as simple as planting seeds, watching them grow, and then moving on to the next project.

Because the land had formerly been a field, Father Paul felt that it was too flat for the rolling hills normally associated with a prairie. To solve the problem, he hired a bulldozer operator to reshape the landscape by building small hills and the occasional low ground.

However, Father Paul found the bulldozer operator’s approach too clinical, with rolling hills appearing at much too perfect intervals. They discussed what was lacking, but initially the operator didn’t understand what Father Paul wanted, until he gently encouraged the operator: “No, no. Just build it like God would have built it.” And he did!

Restoring a prairie also meant importing the disturbances that are essential to prairie health.

One of the key disturbances is fire. Natural prairies burn on a cycle, usually every four to five years. In a prairie ecosystem,

fire gives a growing advantage to certain plant families (depending on the season of the burn), recycles nutrients more quickly, and prevents woody plant species from invading the prairie. Father Paul did not hesitate to establish a fire regime on the newly restored prairie. According to Mr. Geissler, who also helped in managing the prairie, “Father Paul loved prescribed burns, and his enthusiasm for restoration, the land, and outdoor education was contagious. He was a ‘pyro’ with a purpose.”

There are two basic strategies for burning a prairie, a safer way (burning the entire unit in strips against the wind), and a more adventurous way (burning a few small strips, and then burning a large area with the wind). Mr. Geissler recalls Father Paul’s tendency to favor the latter approach: “Instead of lighting many strips against the wind [safe approach], he would go for the whole burn unit.

There were some spectacular flames or plumes of smoke and a smile on Father Paul’s face that I will never forget.”

Even if his technique was atypical, Father Paul paid particular attention to how the prairie would be burned, dividing the area into three distinct units that could be burned on rotation every two to four years. By not burning all three units at once, he made it possible for various species of insects and other critters to migrate one unit over, thus keeping all features of the prairie healthy and flourishing.

Father Paul’s attention to the prairie’s health means that today grade and high school students, college students, and community members alike can visit what we now call “Paul’s Prairie” and learn about this often overlooked ecosystem. They can hike over the rolling hills, sit in the tall prairie grass, and relax in the shade at the prairie kiosk.

Each owes Father Paul a bit of thanks for seeing in that once flat, dark field, swaying prairie grass and blooming prairie flowers.

Ms. Eleanor Gray, a senior English major at the College of Saint Benedict, serves as a student office assistant at Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum.

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Prairie burns

“Father Paul loved prescribed burns, and his enthusiasm for restoration, the land, and outdoor education was contagious. . . .

There were some spectacular flames or plumes of smoke and a smile on Father Paul’s face that I will never forget.”

--John Geissler Photo: Paul Crosby

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Tony Peroutky

Abbey arboretum

Volunteers begin a prescribed burn (top right); Father Paul Schwietz (center right); Purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea).

Abbey arboretum

First Irish Monk Joel Kelly, O.S.B. It’s a long, long way to Tipperary, but my heart’s right there.

--Jack Judge,

1912

T

he lyrics of this ballad capture not only the great distance across the sea to Ireland but also how unlikely would be a return to the Emerald Isle. Though written long after the death of Father Augustine Burns, O.S.B. (1827–1874), they also capture the longing spirit of the first Irish monk of Saint John’s Abbey.

Among those who left Ireland at the height of the Great (Irish Potato) Famine (1845–1852) in search of a better life was Augustine Burns, whose route from County Tipperary was by way of Paris, where he completed his early studies at the Irish College. Shortly thereafter he made his way to the United States where he continued his studies and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1850. For the next fifteen years he served the missions of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. According to an abbey chronicler, it was these “strenuous early years in the mountains of Pennsylvania that seasoned Augustine for apostolic Special thanks to Rev. Leonard Kenkel, former pastor of Holy Spirit Parish and Saint Malachy School in Creston, Iowa, and to Ms. Kay Boden, office manager of both, for their assistance in preparing this article.

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Father Augustine Burns

Abbey archives

work, for he seemed to be no stranger to fatigue. A most valuable asset to him was his physical vigor, both brain and brawn: neither the weather nor the dangers of the road had any terrors for him.”

In his fortieth year Father Augustine would begin a new

quest, a new search that would be just as formidable as the quest he began from County Tipperary to Paris to Pennsylvania. Smitten by a call to monastic life, he entered the novitiate at Saint Vincent Archabbey, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, then a fledgling priory, with a view to professing vows for the new foundation in Minnesota (eventually Saint John’s Abbey).

The frenetic missionary life he pursued once he arrived in Minnesota was interrupted just long enough for him to profess solemn vows at Saint John’s in 1870. Saint John’s archives state that Augustine was regarded as a “precious acquisition” for work with the Irish who were settling on the perimeter of what is today Stearns County, Minnesota. He ministered in nearby communities as he headquartered at either the abbey or Saint Mary’s in Saint Cloud. He went as far as Becker to the east and Alexandria to the west. He built the first churches in Sauk Rapids, Melrose, and

St. Gertrude’s Catholic Church, Forest City, Minnesota

Joel Kelly, O.S.B.

Forest City. He lived in Forest City for three years and may have been responsible for placing the parish under the patronage of the Benedictine, Saint Gertrude. The Forest City parish and sister parish, Darwin, continue today.

While in Darwin Father Augustine had even more ambitious dreams than just establishing a new parish. The parish historian of 1917 states that Father Augustine contemplated building a college there. He acquired a block of real estate for this purpose and had the deed recorded on 12 November 1869. At this time, the historian explained, “the higher authorities of the Church saw fit to establish certain boundaries within which the Benedictines were to confine their labors. Darwin was beyond these bounds, and the land acquired by Father Burns was transferred from the Order of Saint Benedict to the late Bishop Grace [of Saint Paul].”

Today what remains of the dream is the name Saint John the Baptist Parish and a community of faith that knows little of the dream to build another Saint John’s University.

a vibrant, growing railroad community in Creston, Iowa.

He built a church, became the first resident pastor, purchased land for a cemetery, and was on a fundraising trip in Burlington, Iowa, when he suffered a stroke and died while receiving the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. Dying just a year after arriving in Iowa, he was one of the first to be buried in Calvary Cemetery in Creston— the cemetery he founded. His tombstone (above), still legible, announces the Benedictine influence in the beginnings of the faith in Creston.

Father Augustine’s biggest dream was yet to come. Together with two other members of the Order, Augustine was planning a new house for Irish Benedictines. It would be deterred only by his untimely death. Augustine, with two companion monks, one from Saint Vincent and the other from Saint Benedict’s in Atchison, Kansas, chose

After Father Augustine’s death the land in Creston was purchased for a monastery and school. The priory became an independent monastery in 1878.

The priory house, now a rectory for the local parish, stands as a tribute to the craftsmanship of the townspeople who helped the first monks build it. The dream of Augustine eventually

Joel Kelly, O.S.B.

became too challenging, and the few monks who were there transferred their vows to Saint Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison.

The monks continued to staff the parish of Saint Malachy until 1974 when the last monk pastor, Father Otho Sullivan, was called back to Atchison. At that time the parish name was changed to Holy Spirit, while the school still carries the name of Saint Malachy.

In a life span of only forty-seven years, this Irish monk brought his executive talent, energy, and charisma to the pioneer communities of this country, with special attention to Irish Americans, without any desire to isolate himself from the other nationalities of the communities. Éirinn go brách!

Father Joel Kelly, O.S.B., a native son of Saint John the Baptist Parish in Darwin, Minnesota, serves as chaplain at St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino, California.

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Meet a Monk: Simon-Hòa Phan

Abbey archives

Joseph Feders, O.S.B. “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

--Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O.

B

rother Simon-Hòa Phan, O.S.B. (baptized “Cuong”), was born in Saigon, South Vietnam, on 10 July 1964, the sixth of eight children. His father was an air force officer, so Simon-Hòa and his siblings were raised on a military base until the family was forced to leave the country in the last days of the Vietnam War in April 1975. As North Vietnamese troops surrounded Saigon, he remembers a narrow escape by helicopter from the rooftop of the American Embassy. His family made its way by ship to Guam and by plane to California. After settling in Denver for three years, the Phan family returned to California to make their home in Orange County.

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Inspired by a religious household, Simon-Hòa showed interest in the priesthood from the age of six. He entered a high school seminary to begin studies toward ordination for the Diocese of Orange. After graduating from Our Lady Queen of Angels Seminary in San Fernando, California, he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Saint John’s Seminary College in Camarillo, California.

He continued graduate theological studies for three years at Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium. After nine years as a seminarian, however, Simon-Hòa decided to leave the path to diocesan priesthood and explore religious life instead.

In 1991, during a month-long Monastic Experience Program at Saint John’s Abbey, SimonHòa found his new home. He recalls, “I was attracted to the life of prayer, the school, the

Helicopter escape, Saigon, April 1975

beautiful surroundings, . . . and the monks, of course!” Saint John’s had “a better balance between prayer and work than other communities I had visited.”

In Collegeville he could also combine his love for art and his desire to work with young people as a teacher.

When he entered the novitiate at Saint John’s in July 1992, he chose “Simon-Hòa” as his monastic name. Saint Simon Hòa Dac Phan, a Vietnamese martyr, had recently been canonized by Pope John Paul II. Reflecting on his monastic life, Brother Simon-Hòa observes, “I am part of this community of brother monks who live and laugh together, struggle and grow together, who work hard but are constantly reminded by the church bells to set aside whatever we are doing and come together to pray. I love our work of educating young people, our close collaboration with lay

Wikimedia

Brother Simon-Hòa (second from right) and family, Vietnam, c. 1969

colleagues, our attention to the arts and liturgy, our care for the land and lakes.”

One of the drawbacks of his earlier priestly studies was a lack of art courses. “I am an artist first,” acknowledges SimonHòa, and “during my seminary days I was always hungry for art.” That hunger was satisfied when, as a junior monk, he took several art classes to build up his portfolio. After his solemn (lifetime) profession of vows in 1996, he enrolled at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore where he earned a bachelor of fine arts degree with a concentration in painting.

Painting and drawing had been his passion since junior high, but in Baltimore, Brother Simon-Hòa discovered a deeper interest in video. After discussions with abbey and university personnel, he changed his degree focus to video and film, which led to a master of fine arts degree in 2003 from the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California. Simon-Hòa joined the art department faculty of Saint John’s University and the

College of Saint Benedict, where he started a video program from scratch, thanks to a generous donation from Saint John’s alumnus and Hollywood screenwriter and film director, Stephen Sommers.

culture, food, and weather.”

Simon-Hòa adds, “I am still getting used to the winter in Minnesota after twenty years of living here, and I would prefer to have Vietnamese food in daily meals.”

Besides being a creative outlet, painting, drawing, and video have also been therapeutic, helping Simon-Hòa deal with the “traumatic, life-changing experiences of my youth.” He has also addressed others’ experiences. His master’s thesis was a full-length documentary focused on Vietnamese Amerasians—children of American servicemen and Vietnamese women—who faced their own unique struggles in the aftermath of war.

Simon-Hòa has an established network of Vietnamese friends and acquaintances on campus and in the local area. In addition to being the advisor to the college Vietnamese Student Association, he also assists with Asian New Year celebrations and fund-raising concerts with the Vietnamese community in Minnesota.

Maintaining his Vietnamese heritage is a priority for Simon-Hòa. Making his home in central Minnesota was a challenge when he arrived in the early 1990s. He had faced similar challenges in California when he was among “the first wave of Vietnamese refugees who needed to adjust to a different language,

It is difficult for Brother SimonHòa, a full-time professor and university faculty resident, to find time to make his own art.

In a creative solution, he has combined two key components of his life by producing videos about monastic life. Look for his solo video art exhibition next year.

Father Joseph Feders, O.S.B., is the director of the Saint John’s Abbey Spiritual Life Program.

It’s been God who leads me through this journey. It’s all grace, the good and bad, success and failure, joy and sadness— everything is God’s grace.

--Simon-Hòa Phan, O.S.B.

Thinh Nguyen

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Running the Path of Life Deer Abbey Robin Pierzina, O.S.B. [The abbot] must adjust and adapt himself to all in such a way that he may not only suffer no loss in the flock committed to his care, but may even rejoice in the increase of a good flock.

--Rule of Benedict, 2.32

S

aint John’s abbots have witnessed not only an increase in flocks but also in herds. Over the years a number of deer, whether adopted by the monks or adopting the monks, have entertained the campus community.

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In “The Hart of the Matter,” junior monks of Saint John’s Abbey, writing in the August 1955 issue of the campus newspaper, The Record, noted that a fawn named “Mike” had been found in a meadow in May and was being housed in the calf-stall of the monastery’s barn. “When he’s not munching an apple or guzzling part of the daily gallon of milk, the freckled fawn can be seen roaming about the campus, trailing one of the Fathers or Brothers.” Mike took a particular liking to Father Joachim Watrin, O.S.B. (1906– 1983), a frequent caretaker of fawns. When no longer satisfied with milk for his daily diet, Mike would pick Father Joachim’s pockets of candy, cigarettes, or even scraps of Saint John’s bread.

upstaged the Johnnie football team and even the Homecoming half-time show when she wandered onto the playing field during the second quarter. After sniffing the football, she joined the Saint John’s huddle. (It’s not clear if she called the next play.) To this day, Coach John Gagliardi holds the record as the winningest coach in collegiate football and for the most games interrupted by inquisitive deer.

The following year another deer, “Jubilee,” received national recognition. Jubilee (named in honor of the centenary of the founding of the monastery)

More recently, as the deer population has grown beyond the level that can be sustained by the Saint John’s woods, occasional controlled deer hunts have

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John Albert

Praise the LORD from the earth, . . . beasts, wild and tame. --Psalm 148:7,10

been scheduled. The first year that land manager Father Paul Schwietz, O.S.B. (1952–2000), organized a hunt, he fenced off a small area, designated as the “protest zone” to be used by animal rights’ advocates. On the first morning of the hunt, two protesters stood behind the fence . . . both of them deer.

Brother Robin Pierzina, O.S.B., is a faculty resident of Saint John’s University and editor of Abbey Banner.

Lee Hanley

University archives

University archives

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Luke Steiner

Abbey archives

F

ather Luke Steiner, O.S.B., born Joseph John on 27 August 1930, was the second of four children of Joseph and Helen Rose (Landeis) Steiner of Mandan, North Dakota. At the age of fourteen he left the family farm, enrolled at Saint John’s Preparatory School and then Saint John’s University as a priesthood student. He interrupted his undergraduate studies to enter the novitiate formation program of Saint John’s Abbey in July 1950, receiving the religious name of Luke.

Following profession of vows as a Benedictine monk on 11 July 1951, Luke completed a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and classics, and then was engaged in theological studies at the Pontifical Athenaeum of Sant’ Anselmo in Rome, where he received a licentiate of sacred theology. He was

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ordained to the priesthood on 1 July 1956 in Subiaco, Italy, in the cave where the young Saint Benedict had lived. In 1960, after receiving a licentiate in sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, he returned to Minnesota to begin teaching or administration in the Saint John’s School of Theology·Seminary. In 1966 Father Luke was appointed dean of the School of Theology; he also served as the rector of Saint John’s Seminary (1999–2001) before retiring from teaching in 2004. Over the years he taught Scripture at several Saint Paul area schools: Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary, United Theological Seminary, Bethel Theological Seminary, and Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity.

Along with Father Thomas Wahl, O.S.B., Father Luke helped establish a Scripture study program in the Holy Land. Begun in 1974 and headquartered in the village of Ein Karem (west Jerusalem), the program introduced hundreds of seminarians and graduate students to the land of the Bible and deepened their understanding of the tense relationship of the resident Palestinians and Israelis. During these sojourns Luke befriended Muslims, Palestinian Christians, and Jews alike. He was first and foremost a people person, a community person, whether that community was his family, his monastic brethren, the group he was leading in Jerusalem, or

people he happened to meet on the street.

Mr. Helmut Demmelhuber of Tübingen, Germany, studied with Father Luke in 1989–1990.

He recalls Luke as a faithfilled teacher. In particular the weeks with Luke as part of the Jerusalem program “introduced me to a new side of the Christian faith. [He] lived and practiced this faith with us. Luke was for me a mentor, spiritual companion, friend, and father figure.”

Father Luke’s final years of ministry were served as pastor of the Church of Saint Augustine in Saint Cloud (2004–2007) and as chaplain for the Poor Clare Sisters in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, from 2007 until his death there on 18 January 2013.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on 23 January followed by burial in the abbey cemetery.

Luke was an excellent cook.

[In Jerusalem] he went to the Jewish market, picked out two chickens still on their feet, had them butchered on the spot, and prepared a chicken noodle soup meal. Any Jewish mom would have been proud!

Luke loved to linger over a meal sharing stories but also interested and curious about those he was with.

--Abbot John Klassen, O.S.B.

Abbey Chronicle

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foot of snow in early December transformed Collegeville into a winter wonderland. More winter than wonder followed in the new year, with biting windchills in late January and, to the delight of cross-country skiers, near record amounts of snowfall in February. Ash Wednesday was outlined in white by a gentle snowfall that lingered into Saint Valentine’s Day, on which even the birds (above) exchanged hugs and kisses. The March “lamb or lion” produced weather that was alternately snowy, sunny, rainy, cloudy, or icy. Frigid temperatures (near or below zero at night) marked the first days of spring and delayed the arrival of the first robins. Ten days later, Lenten fasts gave way to Easter feasts. The monastic community was joined by hundreds of friends and neighbors for the Easter Triduum liturgies. April alleluias confirm the best Good News: He is risen!

December 2012

• On 5 December an overflow crowd, including thousands of police, state troopers, and other law enforcement and safety officers, filled the abbey and university church and adjacent buildings for the funeral of Mr. Thomas Decker, a police officer killed in the line of duty in Cold Spring, Minnesota. Saint John’s offered the use of the church in order to accommodate the huge crowd.

• Dozens of faculty, staff, and administrators gathered on 14

for the Eucharistic celebration of the nativity of the Lord on Christmas Eve, at which Abbot John presided. The St. John’s Boys’ Choir along with the abbey schola added their voices to the festive liturgy. After Mass a reception in the Great Hall concluded the celebration.

Alan Reed, O.S.B.

December to thank and honor Father Hilary Thimmesh for his leadership and service as the first director of the Benedictine Institute of Saint John’s University. Calling Father Hilary “the perfect choice” for leading the new institute for the past three and one-half years, Abbot John Klassen noted that Father Hilary “brought the ability to review many good ideas and choose a select number to pursue as goals” during his tenure. Father Mark Thamert will serve as director beginning on 1 January; Ms. Gloria Hardy will continue as the events and program coordinator.

• The monastic community welcomed hundreds of guests

January 2013 • Saint Cloud Bishop John Kinney designated the abbey and university church as one of eleven churches in the diocese in which the faithful can gain a plenary indulgence during the Year of Faith, which will conclude on the feast of Christ the King, 24 November 2013.

• During the monastery’s annual January workshop, Dr. Kathy Cox, a moral theologian of Saint John’s School of Theology·Seminary, explored with the monastic community the meaning of conscience, the tradition of “formation of conscience,” the relationship between individual conscience

Alan Reed, O.S.B.

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and that of the community, and the relationship of a well-formed conscience to the teaching authority of the Church.

• Rev. Ane Kvale Fitzgerald, 2008 resident scholar of the Collegeville Institute and an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church, preached at the community Eucharist on 20 January during the observance of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Paul Crosby

• Groundbreaking for a solar winter greenhouse, to be operated by university students, took place on 28 January on the lower campus. Lettuce and other green vegetables will be grown and harvested for the Saint John’s dining service. Monastic associate and university sustainability fellow Mr. Nicholas Moe assisted in designing the structure and bringing the project to fruition.

February 2013 • The monastic community offered prayers for the Church and for Pope Benedict XVI following his startling announcement on 11 February that he would resign his office.

At 1:00 P.M. on 28 February the bells of the abbey and university church announced that the Chair of Peter was vacant. They also rang out the good news that Jesuit Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina had been elected the 266th Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis, on 13 March.

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The American Institute of Architects announced that the winners of the 2013 Honor Awards for design distinction included the renovated Blessed Sacrament Chapel (above) and the Abbey Chapter House and Pavilion (below). Twenty-eight projects from more than seven hundred submissions across the country were recipients of the awards that recognize “outstanding achievements in support of the profession of architecture.” Mr. Vincent James of Vincent James Associates Architects (V J A A) was the designer of the spaces.

In their critique, jurors noted: “This project involves modest yet beautifully sensitive modifications to a heroic modernist building.

It respects and enhances the spirit and values of the Benedictine monks embodied in the original building while responding to a new set of goals for the religious community and a variety of code and system-related improvements. . . . the additions combine minimalist strategies of form with materials that are rich and intimate.”

Paul Crosby

• Not to be outdone by the pope, Father Timothy Backous, headmaster of Saint John’s Preparatory School, announced on 21 February that he would step down from his office when his term ends on 30 June.

During his seven-year tenure, the prep school witnessed a variety of innovations and significant growth: a new academic building for the middle school and music program, moving the resident girls to the Saint John’s campus, and the establishment of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) at the prep school—the only Catholic school in Minnesota to offer the IB diploma. Father Timo reflected: “I’ve loved this job more than I ever thought possible. The people who work and study in this place are truly extraordinary, and I see nothing but bright days ahead.”

Beginning 15 July, Father Timo will serve as vice president for Benedictine sponsorship and mission integration for Essentia Health system in Duluth.

Mr. Nicholas Moe began a three-month candidacy program to discern a possible vocation to monastic life at Saint John’s. A 2007 graduate of Saint John’s University and a former monastic associate, Nick received a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

Paul-Vincent Niebauer, O.S.B.

Joe Saladino

March 2013 • The annual maple syrup season began with the installation of new evaporators in the sugar shack. A smaller evaporator is used daily for teaching and demonstrating the sap-to-syrup process, while a shiny full-size evaporator (above, right) replaces the 1971 model that exceeded its 5,000 gallons-of-sap warranty and finally went to the happy sapping grounds. More than 150 volunteers joined Brother

Walter Kieffer and the abbey arboretum staff tapping nearly a thousand maples on the first weekend of March. However, the lack of favorable sapping weather (below freezing by night, above freezing by day) meant that sap bags were empty for most of the month.

The sweetest news of March was that viewers of WCCO-TV of Minneapolis voted for Saint John’s Abbey as the producer of the “best maple syrup” in its Best of Minnesota series.

• Sister Michaela Hedican, prioress of Saint Benedict’s Monastery, presented “Tending the Graces of Triduum” to forty Benedictine oblates of Saint John’s during a Lenten day of reflection on 17 March.

Anna Schoeneberger

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Fifty Years Ago Excerpted from The Record, official newspaper of Saint John’s University: 16 January 1963 • According to Father Camillus [Don] Talafous, college chaplain, the annual Saint John’s student retreat gives the student body the opportunity to withdraw from the usual whirl of campus life into an atmosphere more conducive to spiritual meditation. The most outwardly noticeable aspect of the retreat is the complete silence traditionally observed over the whole campus during the retreat days. When questioned, Father Camillus stated, “We’ve never known anybody to crack up under silence.”

• John Gagliardi, Saint John’s University football coach, was named coach of the year by a poll of national Catholic college coaches conducted by the Tablet newspaper of Brooklyn.

• Father Colman Barry addressed an assembly of Lutheran ministers on 11 January on the subject of “TwentiethCentury Dialogue.” One hundred Lutheran pastors of the upper Midwest gathered for a theological study weekend and asked for a discussion of Lutheran and Catholic “fundamental conflicts, mistaken conflicts, and avenues of understanding.”

and revise laws in the light of changes in the world situation was not very apparent when we first came to the council, but as it progressed most of the bishops became acutely aware of the need to bring the Church up with the times. . . . Change takes both time and prayer, and the council will eventually bring the needed changes about.

Yesss.”

22 February 1963 • Father Godfrey Diekmann, editor of Worship and professor of patrology at Saint John’s, was recently listed by the rector of The Catholic University of America as one of four theologians who will not be allowed to lecture at the institution. The others were Fathers John Courtney Murray, S.J., Gustave Weigel, S.J., and Hans Küng. In spite of the protests of the student newspaper, The Tower, and a censure voted by the graduate student council, Catholic University officials have maintained the ban.

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• Father Hans Küng, professor, theologian, and author from the University of Tübingen, Germany, will address the student body on 27 March. Father Küng, one of the four leading theologians recently banned from The Catholic University of America, has become well known through his work in preparation for the Second Vatican Council. He is speaking in the Saint Cloud Diocese at the invitation of Bishop Peter W. Bartholome.

5 April 1963 • The first meeting of a joint committee of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, appointed to explore the possibilities of coinstitutional or multiple campus procedures by the two schools, was held on 28 February.

Plans are now being laid for a greater degree of cooperation between the schools. Such interinstitutional cooperation would not in any way imply a loss of identity or tradition at either college. Each institution would enroll and grant degrees; cooperation would be only in academic areas, and credits would be recognized by both institutions for courses taken in that manner.

• J. F. Powers (left), Saint Cloud resident and acclaimed author, was recently awarded a $1000 prize for his novel Morte D’Urban, named the best U.S. work of fiction in 1962 by the 14th Annual National Book Awards judges.

8 February 1963 • During a press conference, Saint Cloud Bishop Peter W. Bartholome commented on the Second Vatican Council: “The necessity to update the Church

22 March 1963

Lee Hanley

Monks in the Kitchen (Day)Dreaming of Summer Ælred Senna, O.S.B.

M

any monks, like all gardeners and farmers, look forward each spring to the opportunity to dig in the ground, work the soil, and with the help of God’s creative Spirit, make fresh things grow. We also eagerly anticipate what we can make of the produce yielded by the land. Monk gardeners bring in lettuce and radishes, onions and tomatoes, watermelon and summer squash. All our freshly harvested fruits and vegetables are relished (pun intended) by the community at the summer salad table. We also feast on the beauty of the fresh flowers that brighten our monastic dining room.

A host of items are put away for later. Potatoes and squash go to the root cellar and are served up for months after the harvest. Cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, and more are pickled in a variety of ways.

Fruits—some from our own garden or orchard, some given to us by friends and neighbors, and even some purchased locally— are made into jams, jellies, and preserves.

I have been busy germinating chili and tomatillo seeds that will be transplanted to the monastery garden in May. My Texan roots have me longing to make hot pepper jam, habanero hot sauce, and chili verde as soon as these

Ælred Senna, O.S.B.

seedlings mature. Now is the time to think ahead to what a little plot of soil, a few seeds, some tender loving care, and the miracle of God’s creation can do for your harvest table later this year. What will it be —salad, grilled veggies, crunchy pickles, sweet fruit preserves . . . or a little of everything?

Brother Ælred Senna, O.S.B., is the vocation director of Saint John’s Abbey.

Hot Pepper Jam (makes about 8 half-pints)

• 4 cups chopped hot chilies (mostly green, with a few red, if available) • 8 cups sugar • 2 cups white or cider vinegar, or a combination • ¼ t. cayenne pepper • ¼ t. paprika • Pinch or two of crushed red chili flakes (especially if there aren’t any red peppers) • 2 3-oz. pouches liquid pectin Bring all ingredients, except pectin, to a full, rolling boil in a large heavy saucepan.

Add pectin and return to boil. Boil for 1 minute.

Pour into sterilized jars, and seal with lids and bands.

Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Allow to cool. When jam is nearly cool, shake jars to distribute peppers throughout jam.

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In Memoriam Please join the monastic community in prayerful remembrance of our recently deceased family and friends: Thomas A. Adams

Elizabeth Marie “Beth” Gerads

Frederick J. “Fred” Reker

Mary Roger Andert, O.S.B.

Moira Gise

Renee Ressemann

Gabriella Baumberger, O.S.B.

Christine Ann Hoffarth

Robert Roche, O.S.B.

Michael Beauclair

Edward Hudoba, Obl.S.B.

Joseph A. “Joe” Sahlin

Pearl Bouley

John Jennen

Thea Sandusky, O.S.B.

Virgil Robert Braun

Margaret Kasprick

Maureen Schickler

Mary Bredenberg, Obl.S.B.

Doris Kieffer

Rebecca Schmidt, O.S.B.

Carmella Buckley, O.S.B.

Basil Kirsch, O.S.B.

Joseph L. “Joe” Seitz

Rebecca Burggraff, O.S.B.

Frances M. Kollmann

Leon Martin Slominski

Odilo Burkhardt, O.S.B.

Lucille Lawrence, O.S.B.

Luke Steiner, O.S.B.

Dominic Collins

Rita Ludwig

Monica Sturm, Obl.S.B.

Thomas Collins

Robert “Bob” McAvey

Joyce Thamert

Norma Culhane, Obl.S.B.

Joseph C. “Joe” Meoska

Michael Van Overbeke

Glenn G. Deutz

Rebecca Mulvaney

Joseph “Joe” Villella

Kevin Robert DeVaan

Ruth Nierengarten, O.S.B.

Beatrice Weber

Marie Ehmke

S. Innocent Preusser, O.S.B.

Herbert Peter Windschitl, Obl.S.B.

Mildred Ann “Millie” Flanagan

Donald J. Reichert

Loretta Alicia Young

Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his 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: www.monkschronicle.wordpress.com.

Father Don’s Daily Reflection

Father Don Talafous, O.S.B., prepares daily reflections on Scripture and living the life of a Christian that are available on the abbey’s Web site at: www.saintjohnsabbey.org/reflection/.

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Humility Timothy Backous, O.S.B. In chapter seven of his Rule, Saint Benedict uses the Gospel of Matthew to concretize his teachings on humility: “In truth, those who are patient amid hardships and unjust treatment are fulfilling the Lord’s command: When struck on one cheek, they turn the other; when deprived of their coat, they offer their cloak also; when pressed into service for one mile, they go two” (RB 7.42 [Matt 5:39-41]). Surely these must be some of the most countercultural words ever spoken by Jesus. Society, even in its ancient form, is not built this way. Humility, then and now, is seen as weakness; it is for those who lack the stamina or the backbone to fight back.

The rules of engagement as outlined by contemporary social norms take a more immediate form: when struck on one cheek, hit back with harder force. When deprived of your coat, complain about the type of person who took it. When pressed into service for one mile, fulfill the contract and move on unless a second mile is requested, then redo the paperwork and make sure everyone signs. This is the world we live in and the society we’ve fashioned. It is built on tenuous principles that demand a justice which looks more like revenge.

Benedict invites his monks to a deeper understanding of humility, one that not only demands honesty by asking, “Why did I do that?” but also that takes the time and space to consider the same question from the opposite perspective: “Why did he/she do that to me?” Both instances put humanity back into the equation of wrongdoing. Rarely do we do things without purpose or intent, and self-reflection in the wake of either brings a broader, more realistic understanding of what just happened. It forces us to name our guilt, find meaning there, and perhaps make amends.

True humility opens our heart to contrition, forgiveness, and peace.

When we walk away from our wrongdoing claiming, “they deserved it,” or “it must be all the stress in my life,” we abandon an opportunity to make things right and avoid repeating the offense. A lack of humility allows us to blame a condition or set of circumstances, thereby exonerating ourselves. Conversely, a lack of humility robs us of the potential for showing a patient tolerance of those who offended us. We are sometimes quick to assign unconditional malice to those who hurt us rather than respond empathically. Benedict would see both of these as wasted chances.

True humility opens our heart to contrition, forgiveness, and peace. It allows us to soften our harsh reaction when wronged; it also invites us to give others the space, understanding, and benefit of the doubt that they might need.

Father Timothy Backous, O.S.B., is headmaster of Saint John’s Preparatory School.

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Spring 2013

4 This Issue Robin Pierzina, O.S.B.

12 Japanese Vocations Roman Paur, O.S.B.

5 Pope Benedict XVI Abbot John Klassen, O.S.B.

13 Benedictine Walls Alec Torigian

6 Bridgefolk John Meoska, O.S.B.

14 Paul’s Prairie Eleanor Gray

8 Monastic Interreligious Dialogue William Skudlarek, O.S.B.

18 First Irish Monk Joel Kelly, O.S.B.

10 Benedictine Volunteer Corps Edward Linton, O.S.B. Ted Kain Paul Conroy

20 Meet a Monk: Simon-Hòa Phan Joseph Feders, O.S.B. 22 Deer Abbey Robin Pierzina, O.S.B.

Benedictine Days of Prayer 26 April 2013: 17 May 2013:

Saint Mark Pentecost

The day begins at 7:00 A.M. with Morning Prayer and concludes about 3:30 P.M. Cost: $50. This includes retreat materials, breakfast, and lunch.

Rooms are available in the abbey guesthouse for the preceding overnight.

Register online at www.abbeyguesthouse.org; or call 320. 363.3929.

Volume 13, Number 1

24 Obituary: Luke Steiner 25 Abbey Chronicle 28 Fifty Years Ago Robin Pierzina, O.S.B. 29 Monks in the Kitchen: (Day)Dreaming of Summer Ælred Senna, O.S.B. 30 In Memoriam 31 Humility Timothy Backous, O.S.B.