Abbey Re-affiliates Bahamas Monastery

Posted on June 15, 1990
Posted in Bahamas

One year shy of 100 years of involvement in the Bahama missions and 23 years after Saint Augustine’s Monastery there became independent, the abbey chapter voted to retum the Bahamas community to the status of monastic dependence on the community here. The vote, taken 4 june, followed a lengthy discussion of all the aspects of re-assuming mission responsibilities in the islands.

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Small Town Is Shaken By a Child’s Abduction

Posted on October 29, 1989
Posted in Jacob Wetterling

(NY Times) ST. JOSEPH, Minn., Oct. 29 — Frightened and puzzled, the children of this small town have been asking their parents, again and again, ”Why?” There are no good answers. One week ago, an 11-year-old boy, Jacob Wetterling, was abducted by a man with a gun. Searchers here have been unable to find any trace of the boy.

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Youth ministry proves rewarding for Feeney

Posted on October 24, 1989
Posted in Matthew Feeney

Matti Feeney knows kids. For the past four years he has been a CYC camp counselor and has gained an invaluable education…. He tells his campers that he’ll answer any question they throw at him. In five years, Feeney says he’s answered every one. The youth director has handled every kind of topic— “God, heaven, hell, sex — you name it.”

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Saint John’s Summer Leadership Camp

Posted on October 1, 1988
Posted in Allen Tarlton, Ian Dommer, Isaac Connolly, John Kelly, Michael Bik, Otto Webber, Tom Andert

Upon the unexpected death of Father Otto in July, 1987, Mr. Robert Alpers, a member of the Prep School faculty, was appointed Leadership Camp director, and Brother John Kelly assumed Fr. Otto’s other role – overall Director of Summer Camps for Saint John’s. Mr. Alpers had worked with Father Otto on the Summer Sports Camps and was familiar with the Leadership Camps’ philosophy and operation. Over 900 young people participated in Leadership Camp this past summer. With no one member of the monastic community able to take over complete direction, several monks volunteered their time and talent to continue to provide a Benedictine presence to their young “guests.”

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Abbey to Continue Presence in the Bahamas

Posted on July 15, 1987
Posted in Bahamas, Jerome Thiesen

The Benedictine presence in the Bahama Islands engrossed the mo- nastic community once again during the annual week of retreat and renewal, 31 May to 5 June. With the close of this calendar year the apostolic administratorship of Abbot Jerome comes to its close so that the community faced a number of options, which Abbot Jerome addressed before the assembled community members. The present situation recognizes Saint Augustine’s Monastery as dependent upon the American Cassinese Federation and immediately under the jurisdiction of Abbot Jerome. His motion to the chapter was to continue the present situation.

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The Problem of Sexual Molestation by Roman Catholic Clergy

Posted on June 8, 1985
Posted in Thomas Doyle

This confidential document had its remote beginnings in January of 1985 as a result of the consequences of the unfortunate incidents in Louisiana. The three major parts of the final draft were prepared in May of 1985 and this final draft was compiled on June 8-9, 1985 by Mr. F. Ray Mouton, J.D. and Rev. Thomas P. Doyle, O.P. J.C.D
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Bahamian Burial Society: ‘lmportant Feature’

Posted on April 15, 1985
Posted in Bahamas, Richard Eckroth

Every two months from one of the out islands of the Bahamas comes a letter from Fr. Richard Eckroth, the collection of which will eventually form a significant body of information for the island historian. In mid October the letter began with “September this year had for me very much of a death character. Mid September I did not get to Nassau for the usual monthly meeting with the bishop and other priests, for I had to preach a big sermon to the inter-denominational Congo #1 Burial Society of South Andros. They had asked Bishop Burke to come and preach, but naturally he had to be in Nassau at the meeting with the other priests; so he asked me to stay home and preach for him. About every five years they have their annual celebration at one of my churches; this year was their 87th anniversary.

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Fr. Robert Blumeyer Obituary

Posted on October 6, 1983
Posted in Obituary, Robert Blumeyer

Fr. Robert BIumeyer, who entered our community in 1949, died on 5 October. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1956, the centenary year of our early monks’ arrival in Minnesota. Shortly thereafter he was assigned to the parochial ministry, a work that he did not exactly anticipate, but which he fell in love with and continued to follow for the next twenty-seven years. He served as an associate or pastor in our parish in Hastings for fourteen years and for briefer periods in Saint Cloud, Wayzata, Avon, and Farming in Minnesota, and in the Bronx in New York. He particularly gained the respect and love of youth and teenagers.
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All My Children

Posted on October 1, 1982
Posted in Francisco Schulte

“As I share these reflections on being ‘Father’ to 280 children of God; as I think of the great happiness experienced by being able to participate in the sorrows and joys of the Prep students, to comfort and bless them, counsel and encourage them, I am forcefully reminded of the real need for many, many others to share Christ’s love and concern…” – Father Francisco Schulte (Oct, 1982)
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Fr. Francisco Schulte – School Chaplain

Posted on August 1, 1982
Posted in Francisco Schulte

Father Francisco Schulte, O.S.B., is the School’s Chaplain. He is responsible for the overall spiritual life of the Prep School community. He coordinates School liturgies and service projects. He is available to students for spiritual and personal counseling.
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Cloistered Passions (Observations from 1980)

Posted on September 6, 1980
Posted in Celibacy, Homosexuality, Intramonastic Misconduct, Opinion, Pedophilia, Residence Halls, St. John's Prep

“The monastic community [in Collegeville] no doubt includes some heterosexual men, along with a great many who must be more or less uneasy about their powerful attraction to other monks or to the boys who surround them at the prep school and the university. Alcoholism is a very serious problem among the monks of St. John’s … and is probably connected to the suppression of homoerotic feelings. Those monks who cannot act on their sexual feelings are probably intensely jealous of those who do.”

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Counselors Flee Carpet Row

Posted on October 15, 1970
Posted in Anthony Tabor, Bruce Wollmering, Finian McDonald

Asked about his role, Father Finian responded, “I do not function as an administrator or faculty resident, nor am I in any way responsible for rules or behavior.” He tried to be explicit as he defined his role as different from that of the faculty and head residents of the general university system.

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