{"id":3800,"date":"2002-06-29T23:32:13","date_gmt":"2002-06-30T06:32:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.behindthepinecurtain.com\/wordpress\/?p=3800"},"modified":"2011-06-05T23:51:29","modified_gmt":"2011-06-06T06:51:29","slug":"fr-gordon-tavis-addresses-abuse-scandal-misleads-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.behindthepinecurtain.com\/wordpress\/fr-gordon-tavis-addresses-abuse-scandal-misleads-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Fr. Gordon Tavis Addresses Abuse Scandal; Misleads Community"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.behindthepinecurtain.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/1993_tavis_gordon.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-3801\" title=\"1993_tavis_gordon\" src=\"http:\/\/www.behindthepinecurtain.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/1993_tavis_gordon-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><\/em><em>Did we get hurt?\u00a0 Absolutely Saint John\u2019s Prep got hurt.\u00a0 And it may take years to find out just how badly we were hurt.\u00a0 As I say that, I\u2019m not just talking about the institution.\u00a0 Every Alum of all ages, classmates of the victims, every person associated with Saint John\u2019s has been touched by the embarrassment, pain, anguish, and anger.\u00a0 I can only guess at how much Alums and others feel disillusioned, betrayed, robbed of a piece of their heritage.\u00a0 Yes, indeed, the school and each one of us has been hurt.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>To bandage our immediate wound, following the lead of Abbot John Klassen, we have truthfully communicated to students, parents, Alums, admitting what happened.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><!--more-->ALUMNI REUNION TALK<br \/>\nARMOR OF LIGHT BANQUET<\/strong>,\u00a0June 29, 2002<br \/>\nFr. Gordon Tavis, OSB<\/p>\n<p>Alumni\/ae, Members of the Board of Regents,            Faculty and Staff, Students, Friends, my sister Lou O\u2019Day, my brother            Ron Tavis \u201956, members of my monastic family, and all who know what a            gem we have in Saint John\u2019s Preparatory School.\u00a0 There is a wonderful            little story in scripture about receiving 100-fold.\u00a0 That is where I            have found myself, ever since coming to head the Prep School.\u00a0 I\u2019ve            said on many occasions, that no matter how much I am able to give to            our students, I get 100-fold back from them.\u00a0 And, tonight, being            honored by the Alums with their highest honor, the Armor of Light            Award, I feel like it has been raised to 1000-fold.\u00a0 Thank You to the            Alumni\/ae Board.\u00a0 And from the bottom of my heart, Thank You to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">all<\/span> Alums.<\/p>\n<p>When I think of myself as the recipient of the            Armor of Light Award, my mind goes back to when I was being            interviewed for the position of president.\u00a0 Among other things, I said            that in my opinion the school was ready to turn the corner, but that            it would take a leader who knew <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">that<\/span> and who could shepherd it            around the corner.\u00a0 Of course, I told them that I was that person. &#8212;\u00a0            So what I see in this award is the Alums witnessing to the fact that            we made it around that corner.<\/p>\n<p>I now know why previous Armor of Light Award            recipients spoke of it as a humbling experience.\u00a0 And for me to            receive this honor while still in office, it is especially humbling.\u00a0            In true humility, as Saint Benedict has taught, I am required to see            truly and rightly the realities that happened here at Saint John\u2019s            Prep in last four years.\u00a0 In humility I have to admit and own all the            things that have happened on my watch.\u00a0 &#8212;\u00a0 Thus:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I recognize the roles that our amazing              students have played, and acknowledge how their successes, are the              number one attraction that brings other students to consider and              choose the Prep School.<\/li>\n<li>I am obliged to stay constantly aware of the              dedication, love and service of hundreds of people who have made it              possible for this remarkable school to regenerate as it has.<\/li>\n<li>I have to realize and admit the amount of the              leadership, on all levels, that it takes to move this institution              forward, and to keep it pointed in the right direction.<\/li>\n<li>I am called on to see the grace of God and the              guidance of the Holy Spirit, which have inspired all of us in making              these four years successful.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Therefore, in humility, and not in any way            discounting the fact that I was the leader, I have to broaden my Thank            You.\u00a0 It is on behalf of all those who played vital roles in turning            that corner, that I accept this 34<sup>th<\/sup> Armor of Light Award;\u00a0            namely, all the members of the Board of Regents, all the faculty, all            the staff, all the students, all the parents, and all of you alums            young and old.\u00a0 And it is on behalf of all these people that I say,            Thank You.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">What a Team<\/span>!!<\/p>\n<p>You all know the results of these four years, but            let\u2019s celebrate them again.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Enrollment rebounded from a low of 173 six              years ago, to 312 in the year just completed.<\/li>\n<li>The Middle School tripled in size to become              one of the most exciting, innovative Middle School programs in              Minnesota, and it has gained some national recognition.\u00a0 It has              played a huge role in establishing our image as being academically              excellent.<\/li>\n<li>The Weber Center has proven to be the              versatile building it was planned to be, but it surpassed all              expectations as a place to form community.<\/li>\n<li>The 5<sup>th<\/sup> floor Science building, the              Meyers Center, in its front and center position, has moved Science              into a featured part of our Academic Program.<\/li>\n<li>The Boys Dorm has a roof that works and safety              features that are fully up to the standards.\u00a0 Acoustics in the              residential section was improved by at least 300%.\u00a0 And the Dorm              directors have housing that befits their needs.<\/li>\n<li>Art has more than doubled in size, and is              producing outstanding student work.<\/li>\n<li>Music, given a chance to expand by the Weber              Center, has grown in the number of musicians and in the tremendous              quality of their sound. But, with that growth and success, it is              again cramped.<\/li>\n<li>Theater, which works with almost no space of              its own, has gained a wide-spread reputation for excellence.<\/li>\n<li>Faculty has been supplemented in English,              German, History\/Social Studies, Mathematics, Spanish, Theology.<\/li>\n<li>Extra attention is being given to              International Students, through the English as a Second Language              program, and through a dedicated full-time person, \u00bd time doing              international admissions, and \u00bd time Counseling the enrolled              international students..<\/li>\n<li>Campus Ministry has been lifted to a role of              prominence.<\/li>\n<li>Guidance\/Counseling, now with 2\u00bd counselors,              has reached a new level of student engagement.<\/li>\n<li>Development has succeeded far beyond my              wildest dreams, with each of the previous three years exceeding              $1,000,000 in gifts.\u00a0 And the current year, because of the awful              stock market, the September 11 tragedy, and the sexual abuse              scandal, is not going to reach the $1,000,000 mark, but it is              running ahead of budget.<\/li>\n<li>We have ended each of the last 6 years in the              black, but because of the stock market in the current year we may              not make it into the black, but I think it will be relatively close.<\/li>\n<li>2001-2002 was the 36<sup>th<\/sup> year of the              Melk program.\u00a0 Our second group of students is studying in Segovia,              Spain at this very moment.\u00a0 And last year we extended our              relationships with the Okinawa Shogaku School, with Colegio del              Tepeyac in Mexico City, and with Colegio Santo Amerigo, in Sao              Paolo, Brazil.<\/li>\n<li>And while all of that was happening, one              parent kind of summed it up in a question to me, \u201cWhat in-the-world              happened at Saint John\u2019s Prep that it has all-of-a-sudden become the              academic school of choice in the Saint Cloud area?\u201d\u00a0 Truly, that is              who we are.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These are some high-lights of what this award is            celebrating.\u00a0 And what an exciting, challenging, and rewarding time it            has been.\u00a0 Yes, indeed, we have turned the corner.<\/p>\n<p>But I have to tell you, recently, with all of the            media concentration on the sexual abuse perpetrated by members of            Saint John\u2019s Abbey, much of which took place at our beloved Prep            School, it felt like we had just run headlong into a brick wall.\u00a0 But            you know, in humility, I have to make a confession.\u00a0 I have even had            experience running into a brick wall, and I have the scar on my            forehead to prove it.\u00a0 So what do you do after running into the wall?\u00a0            What did I do?\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">First<\/span>, I had to clear my head and sort out            whether I ran into the wall, or it ran into me.\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Second<\/span>, did I            get hurt?\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Third<\/span>, I had to get up, and get my wound bandaged.\u00a0           <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Next<\/span> I figured out what had happened, so I\u2019d never make that            mistake again.\u00a0 And <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">finally<\/span>, in humility, I had to go back to            work, with a knob on my head, admitting what happened.<\/p>\n<p>No, it isn\u2019t a direct parallel with the bad news            in the media, but with my personal experience and with the help of            Alums and Parents, I am finding the way to lead Saint John\u2019s Prep            through this critical time.\u00a0 And the key to our future is the truth.\u00a0           <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Absolute truth<\/span>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>So, did we hit the wall, or did it hit us?\u00a0              The media barrage definitely hit us.\u00a0 But while we may feel dumped              on, the basic point of truth is:\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">It was our fault<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li>Did we get hurt?\u00a0 Absolutely Saint John\u2019s Prep              got hurt.\u00a0 And it may take years to find out just how badly we were              hurt.\u00a0 As I say that, I\u2019m not just talking about the institution.\u00a0              Every Alum of all ages, classmates of the victims, every person              associated with Saint John\u2019s has been touched by the embarrassment,              pain, anguish, and anger.\u00a0 I can only guess at how much Alums and              others feel disillusioned, betrayed, robbed of a piece of their              heritage.\u00a0 Yes, indeed, the school and each one of us has been              hurt.<\/li>\n<li>To bandage our immediate wound, following the              lead of Abbot John Klassen, we have truthfully communicated to              students, parents, Alums, admitting what happened.\u00a0 &#8212;\u00a0 We were              included in Abbot John\u2019s apology that ran in St. Cloud and Twin City              newspapers.\u00a0 And the Abbot sent a letter to every Prep Alum offering              to help anyone who is hurting.\u00a0 &#8212;\u00a0 The Prep School community has              made a special effort to reach out to Alums of the years in which              the abuse happened, suggesting that we get together, to share.<\/li>\n<li>To avoid that problem in the future, my              predecessors had put into place policies and procedures that have              proven effective.\u00a0 In my time faculty and staff have built on the              cultural changes initiated by Fr. Mark Thamert and Sarah Pruett, and              have continued refining procedures, so we stay <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">totally aware<\/span> of the issues and the vigilance that is required.\u00a0 This includes              scheduling elements of this topic twice a year, with students and              with faculty\/staff meetings.<\/li>\n<li>Finally, we have had to go back to work, ready              to admit the history and the damage that occurred, but concentrated              and working on what lies ahead.\u00a0 Parents and Alums have told us not              to get sucked into the vortex of this storm.\u00a0 Rather, to put our              efforts into taking Saint John\u2019s Prep to new heights.\u00a0 That is why              we exist, that is why parents send their children here.\u00a0 Only that              will build and rebuild trust.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So now, where was I before we ran into the wall?\u00a0            Oh yes, we\u2019re looking ahead to our big 150<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary            coming up in 2007.\u00a0 We were trying to imagine all of the ways in which            we could move, so we will be the very best that we can.\u00a0 We\u2019ve studied            the space that some of the program enhancements might require, and            where best to locate additional space.\u00a0 Since the school\u2019s financial            health continues to be a problem, with renewed vigor we will            investigate ways to reach and maintain financial stability.\u00a0 And no            one would be able to celebrate a Sesquicentennial without a Capital            Campaign.\u00a0 A few thoughs on each of these.<\/p>\n<p><strong>150<sup>th<\/sup> Anniversary<\/strong>.\u00a0 In 1857, in            its second year of existence, Saint John\u2019s Abbey opened a school in            the monastery building located on the banks of the Mississippi River.\u00a0            An historic marker now points out the site of that first foundation.\u00a0            It\u2019s on the Tillston Mill Spur walking path, south of St. Cloud State,            about due east of the Children\u2019s Home.\u00a0 You may want to visit this            historic location.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Be The Best We Can<\/strong>.\u00a0 That 150<sup>th<\/sup> Anniversary has become the date by which SJP wants to have its            Academic, Spirituality, and Whole Person Development programs refined            and in place.\u00a0 Every hiring becomes an opportunity to move in this            direction.\u00a0 The way in which we prepare for the ISACS evaluation two            years from now, will push toward this goal.\u00a0 Every time we fine-tune            existing programs, we take a step toward this end.\u00a0 &#8212;\u00a0 Saint John\u2019s            Prep being the best, it can possibly be, is what parents want, what            every Alum wants, and what institutionally will build the basis of our            public image.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Some Program Enhancements Require Space<\/strong>.\u00a0            Many steps have already been taken in this direction, and many more            can be taken without a need for additional space.\u00a0 These are the ones            we are concentrating on.\u00a0 But as we have studied the programmatic            changes that will be most different, some of them require space.\u00a0            Namely: a) Room for a 6<sup>th<\/sup> Grade, b) Dining in line with the            values taught by Saint Benedict, c) Theater and Music brought fully            into a Saint John\u2019s Prep liberal arts education, d) Liturgy that            intentionally includes all the enhancements that the arts can provide,            and e) while our preference is to stay forever in the Old Gym which            Alums know so well, at some point we will probably need a gymnasium of            our own.\u00a0\u00a0 &#8212;\u00a0\u00a0 What am I saying?\u00a0 We know the program changes we            should be made.\u00a0 And, with the help of architects, we know the amount            and kind of space that is required, as well as the best locations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Financial Stability<\/strong>.\u00a0 In turning the            corner, we\u2019ve accomplished lots of wonderful things.\u00a0 But financial            stability is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not<\/span> one of them.\u00a0 Yes, growing in enrollment means            that we are much better financially, but much, much more is needed.\u00a0            After testing different concepts, it seems to me that some serious            rethinking and redesigning of program is needed.\u00a0 Three things are in            process, working on improving financial stability.\u00a0 1) The staff and I            have begun thinking about some management changes that could help move            us toward that goal;\u00a0 2) Our Board of Regents is reexamining its            fiscal responsibility role, which, without a doubt, will move us on a            governance level;\u00a0 and 3) In the development area, Mike Mullin is            ready to unveil a new initiative to Alums and Friends of the Prep            School.\u00a0 We are forming a community of support which will be known as           <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Sagatagan Community of Saint John\u2019s Preparatory School<\/span>.\u00a0            Its goal is to unite many donors in a community effort to raise            $1,000,000 annually so the Prep School will remain accessible to            talented, hard-working students, regardless of their family\u2019s ability            to pay the full tuition.\u00a0 Kurt Salzl \u201987, has technically worked out            and donated the handsome granite plaques with a scene from the Prep            School, that will be the 2002 collector\u2019s item for the members of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"> The Sagatagan Community<\/span>.\u00a0 Each year the collector plaques will            carry a different scene from Saint John\u2019s.\u00a0 The propaganda for this            piece will be in the mail soon.\u00a0 And I just happen to have brought one            of the plaques along, if you\u2019d like to see one.\u00a0 This well thought out            and well-designed initiative should go a long way to helping build            Financial Stability.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sesquicentennial Capital Campaign<\/strong>.\u00a0 As we            prepare for the Prep School\u2019s Sesquicentennial, we will couple it with            a Capital Campaign.\u00a0 The other segments of Saint John\u2019s will also have            fund-raising campaigns, celebrating that anniversary.\u00a0 Since a 150<sup>th<\/sup> Anniversary <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">is rare<\/span> in Minnesota, we think this might be the            time to ask Alums, Donors and Friends to think about making what            Development people call the Ultimate Gift, i.e. the one truly major            gift that the individual or family will make in their lifetime.\u00a0 If            enough donors would find that to be feasible, such a campaign would            lift the Prep School to a totally new plateau of capitalization.\u00a0 With            that thought in mind, we have identified the program improvements we            want and need, together with the space that might be required.\u00a0 &#8212;\u00a0            You know, some of our Alums and Friends have said they will split            their lottery winnings with the Prep School.\u00a0 And even though the odds            aren\u2019t good at all, if one of them was to win the lottery, and give us            $20 million, we would know exactly what to do with it.\u00a0 Do we expect            that to happen?\u00a0 Doubtful.\u00a0 So, could the Prep School possibly raise            that kind of money in a Capital Campaign?\u00a0 It sounds awfully high and            out of reach, but who knows.\u00a0 With good luck, and with everyone            interested in Saint John\u2019s Prep contacting persons with the ability to            move us toward that goal, who knows?\u00a0 Stranger things have happened in            this world, when people have decided to make their Ultimate Gift.<\/p>\n<p>In this fund-raising effort, since each part of            Saint John\u2019s will be engaged in fund-raising at the same time, we at            the Prep School will do everything in our power to coordinate an            overall approach to joint Alums and Donors.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conclusion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The State of the School?\u00a0 Exciting, challenging,            rewarding.\u00a0 But we hit a brick wall.\u00a0 In absolute truth we recognize            and claim our history.\u00a0 We are embarrassed and ashamed of the sexual            abuse portion of that history, but it is our history.\u00a0 Remembering it            always, we will stay vigilant, as we enter the future.\u00a0 And we see            that future to be a time for making Saint John\u2019s Preparatory School            the very best that it can be.\u00a0 We will use management, governance and            development to affect this improvement.<\/p>\n<p>One final Thank You to all Alums for presenting            the Armor of Light Award to me.\u00a0 I will do everything in my power to            make the next four years significant and memorable for Saint John\u2019s            Preparatory School.\u00a0 But remember, it will take all of us.\u00a0 Thank you            all for coming.\u00a0 Have a safe trip home.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did we get hurt?\u00a0 Absolutely Saint John\u2019s Prep got hurt.\u00a0 And it may take years to find out just how badly we were hurt.\u00a0 As I say that, I\u2019m not just talking about the institution.\u00a0 Every Alum of all ages, &hellip; <a 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