Saint John's Abbey Vocations

Monks win triathlon over college students!

Abbey — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:58:42 +0000

Well it doesn’t happen very often…at least recently…that the monks would win a swimming, biking and running triathlon against students from Saint John’s University and the College of Saint Benedict but that is exactly what happened over the weekend. About 100 students and three monks participated in the Saint John’s University

“Banana-Swama-Bike-O’Rana, Fruit at the Finish Triathlon”.

(I didn’t make up the title!)

Pictured above L to R:
Br. Nick Kleespie, OSB competed in the running portion (5K)
Br. Lew Grobe competed in the biking portion (22K)
Br. Dan Morgan competed in the swimming portion (.75k)

Together they finished first place in the team division.

A great shot of Br. Lew coming over the footbridge that crosses I94.

Congratulations to three of our healthy young monks!

Easter blessings,
bpv

An excerpt from Gordon Stewart’s blog…

Abbey — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:05:27 +0000

I received an email from Rev. Gordon Stewart the other day copying an experience that he had had here when on personal retreat. I asked if I could feature it here and he said yes.

Here it is:

Two years ago during my step-daughter’s final months with terminal cancer, I spent three days in quiet reflection at Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, MN. Worshiping with the Benedictines was part of the structure of my day, the chants and readings opening space for fresh air to enter my angry soul…except for…the Psalms. Outrageously violent, vindictive, intolerant, self-righteous…horrible expressions of emotions I had gone there to revoke.

One day following morning prayer, I asked my Benedictine spiritual guide ”Why do you read them aloud? Over and over again. They’re horrible.”

“Yes,” he replied, “because they’re real.” And words to this effect: “All those emotions are in us. Every one. Only if we recognize and remember can hate be transformed into love, fear into trust, self-centeredness into compassion. The gospel makes no sense unless it is a word spoken directly into these parts of ourselves we wish weren’t there, the sides of us we deny or from which we take flight into illusions of perfection.”

If you would like to visit Gordon’s blog, you can find it titled “Views from the Edge” . Go ahead and click on the title and it should take you to it.

Easter blessings!
bpv

Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!

Abbey — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:24:17 +0000

Father Timothy Backous, OSB president of our Preparatory School, took this shot of the abbey bell banner this morning on the way to morning prayer. Wow…just a little while ago it wasn’t even light before morning prayer.

Easter blessings in abundance!

Peace, bpv

A Knock at the Door…

Abbey — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:51:37 +0000

Thinking back on my nine years as vocation director and getting ready to “pass the torch” to Br. Aelred Senna, OSB it is fun to note the changes that have occurred…and that indeed we have made progress! One of the amazing changes has been of course, from snail mail to email and similarly from printed brochures to our own website. Another change has been to move the office from within the monastic cloister to without. Simply stated: How can one knock on the door if the door itself is not accessible to people who live outside of the monastery? Since the office has been relocated to what was once a monastery guestroom we often have “walk ins”. Prep. college and grad school students, corporation employees, and others regularly stop by. It is a great improvement I believe! So when two of our novices stopped by just to say “hi”, I thought I would snap their picture to show you what I mean.

That’s Richard on the left and David on the right.

Easter blessings!
bpv

Holy Week Preparations…

Abbey — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:37:59 +0000

The amount of effort that goes into Holy Week in Catholic communities around the globe is considerable and I think it is safe to say that Saint John’s Abbey is no exception! Music and readings to be rehearsed, acolytes to be directed, homilies to be written, dramatic lighting and other visual elements to be conceived and executed, special menus to be created and prepared, guests to be welcomed and hosted and in the midst of it all one’s spiritual life to be attended to! Now begins a bit of resting and relaxation – to some degree!

Below are some pictures that I snapped during the week. Many of them include the wonderful men that joined us as retreatants – two as far away as Louisiana! They all were a real pleasure to have join us for this rather intense week of worship and work. They labored with the best of us!

Above is a picture of helping Br. Aelred with the preparation of bread for Holy Thursday supper. This was the first time for our vocation guests!

Below is the finished product. Amazing what a little bit of yeast and heat will do!

Below is a picture of Br. Michael-Leonard (with help from two brothers in the ceiling!) arranging the banners for the Easter Vigil.

Other pictures of the environment are featured on my last blog entry.

He is risen Hallelujah!

Peace, bpv

ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN!

Abbey — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 13:40:16 +0000

The Magnolia is in bloom!

Abbey — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:36:23 +0000

Our magnolia tree in the courtyard of the quadrangle is in full bloom at the earliest date in spring that I can remember. For me, truly the promise of new life and forshadowing the coming ressurection!

Holy Week Blessings,
bpv

L.A. Congress…whew!

Abbey — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:23:48 +0000

A number of us returned from the L.A. Congress which wrapped up last Sunday. Every year some 40,000 Catholics arrive at the Anaheim Convention Center in California for four days of liturgies, workshops, keynotes, breakouts and general networking as well as checking out all that is available in the Catholic world including new books, liturgical garments, candles and statues, jewelry, software, religious communities, graduate schools, etc. (over 150 booths!) Of course I was there with Br. Simon Hoa’ for Abbey Vocations. The days are long…being present from 8 am until 5 pm ready to meet and talk to whomever is interested. A lot of time on your feet! Before the festivities began in the convention hall Br. Aelred took the below picture of me and Patty Weishaar who was there representing our School of Theology at their booth. Br. Aelred was there with the crew of our Liturgical Press who had a gangbuster weekend both in general sales and continued promotion of Give Us This Day.

I am “out of habit” but wearing our latest version of the “Listen” t-shirt. Pictured below is brother Simon in a “view from the booth” when we were up and open! He is handing out our give away which was a post-it tablet with “Listen” on it along with Saint John’s Abbey Vocations and our website address. They were popular!

Lenten blessings,
bpv

Wrapping up 9 years as vocation director…

Abbey — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 21:46:42 +0000

Before there is an official announcement on the “front page” of this site I just wanted to share with you that I will be wrapping up nine (count ‘em!) NINE years as vocation director for Saint John’s Abbey. Though it has been a joy and a delight…it has also been one of the most challenging jobs I have ever had. There is, of course, no ”vocation director” in the Rule of Saint Benedict as the official position is probably only about 50 years old. So a lot of this job has been dependent upon being creative and frankly, just trying new things! When I began, about 95% of my correspondence was by U.S. post and the rest was internet…you probably would know that now almost ALL is by the internet. Monks are not used to things changing so much and so fast!

I am so grateful to the Lord for the blessings bestowed upon us in the number and quality of vocations that have come to Saint John’s through this office. At this moment we have more junior monks and novices than I can remember in my time of being a monk of Saint John’s.

Br. Aelred Senna, will be taking over and has excellent gifts and I am sure will take the office to the “next level”! (Presently he is working on the new publication “Give Us This Day” put out by our own Liturgical Press) We are great friends and I will serve on the Admissions committee and will be working with him in various capacities when I come back at the end of October.

So, what will I do come May 6 (which is my last day in the office) ? I have asked for my first sabbatical since entering and was granted a six month period. (Very generous of the monastery to grant it – it will probably be the one I receive in my life time!)I will be in and out of the monastery but basically in Southern Wisconsin doing some teaching with a circus school, restoring some wonderful puppets (see attached pictures) that are on permanent loan to Saint John’s and also volunteering at Circus World Museum. (Yup, my circus/theatre roots run deeply!) I have immediate family in the area, did my undergrad at UW- Madison and spent time with my grandparents as a child in LaValle, WI as well. The whole area holds great memories for me and to me is just down right beautiful. I will be renewing old friendships and making new ones and simply relishing some creative “down time” before I begin a new chapter here in October.

…This should have appeared at the end of yesterday’s post..still getting used to the new blog format…

The above pictures show David, one of our novices helping load the Amahl Puppets along with the mother of one of our other monks who has used puppets in her teaching over the years. (I think she was as excited as anyone!)

Off to L.A. Religious Education Congress this morning…

Lenten blessings,

bpv

Funeral of Fr. Patrick McDarby, OSB

Abbey — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 17:57:56 +0000

We celebrated the rite of Christian burial today of Fr. Patrick McDarby. I had him for first year English in 1970. He was a great teacher and a wonderful monk. Rather fitting that we laid his body to rest on Saint Patrick’s Day.

May he rest in peace!

Procession to the cemetery.

Graveside ceremony.

Lenten blessings,
bpv