Monks and Students Meet the Monks - St. John's Abbey

FEATURE
Monastic Professions
This year fi ve monks of Saint
John’s Abbey celebrated
diamond and golden jubilees of
their initial commitment to the
Benedictine way of life, renewing
their vows on July 11, the
Feast of Saint Benedict. The
four golden jubilarians continued
the tradition of receiving
from the monastic community
a walking cane, symbol of the
support they will be given in the
years ahead.
60 YEARS
Gunther
Rolfson,
OSB
Father Gunther
has served a
kaleidoscope
of assignments:
teacher, faculty
resident,
registrar and
director of admissions, founder and
director of the university’s counseling
center, vice president for academic
affairs, associate director and
overseas director of the Hill Monastic
Manuscript Library, founder of
the university’s international studies
program, superior of the abbey’s junior
monks, pastor of St. Catherine’s
Church, Farming, MN.
50 YEARS
James
Reichert,
OSB
Pastoral ministry
has been
a major part of
Father James’
assignments
as associate
pastor of parishes in Grand Marais,
Minneapolis, St. Paul and Albany,
and pastor in New Munich and
Avon, MN. He taught Latin at Saint
John’s Preparatory School, directed
page 12 The Abbey Banner Fall 2003
student aid, managed the campus bookstore
and assisted in the corporate business offi ce.
He also taught at Colegio San Antonio Abad,
Humacao, Puerto Rico. He is currently the
chaplain of St. Teresa Home, New Hope, MN.
Donald LeMay, OSB
Known as the “Grandfather
of Planned Giving,”
Father Don spent almost
three decades helping
hundreds with estate
planning. Previously
he was the university’s
director of admissions,
taught theology and
Gregorian chant, and
was a faculty resident. He received the 1999
Father Walter Reger Distinguished Alumnus
Award for service to students and alumni. He
still makes fi ve weekly visits to annuitants
and trust holders, taking them a loaf of Saint
John’s Bread and his good cheer.
Alberic Culhane, OSB
A unique feature of Father
Alberic’s contributions
is his involvement
in archaeology, having
served as fi eld supervisor
for excavations in Israel
and Jordan. He is the curator
of an Early Bronze
Age shaft tomb diorama
displayed in the Alcuin
Library. He taught
Scripture, edited Saint John’s Abbey Quarterly,
and was vice president of institutional
advancement. He is the executive assistant
to the president for university relations and a
faculty resident.
Gordon Tavis, OSB
Father Gordon’s lengthy
list of administrative
assignments includes
assistant corporate business
manager, university
bursar and director of
fi nancial aid, physical
plant manager, the
abbey’s director of planning,
vice-president for
administrative services, prior of the abbey and
corporate treasurer. Since 1998 he has been
president of Saint John’s Preparatory School.
He was named the 1999 “Outstanding
Administrator of the Year” and received the
prep school’s Armor of Light award in 2002.
Ordinations
This past summer two monks of Saint
John’s Abbey celebrated special
anniversaries of their ordination to the
priesthood. They were recognized by
the monastic community on June 4
during the annual retreat.
50 YEARS
John Patrick McDarby, OSB
The ministry of Father
Patrick has focused
on teaching English
in the prep school and
university. He added
service as a faculty
resident and a member
of various academic
committees that planned
programs affecting the
calendar and curriculum changes. He was
on the chaplains’ team for Saint Benedict’s
Monastery. He continues his work as the
abbey’s education facilitator and the editor
of Confrere, the monthly in-house newsletter
of the abbey.
25 YEARS
Dunstan Moorse, OSB
Liturgy, the offi cial public
prayer of the Church,
is a major concern of
Father Dunstan. For ten
years he served as the
abbey’s liturgy director,
involved in the day-today
celebration of the
community Eucharist
and the Liturgy of
the Hours. He is currently the editor of
two Liturgical Press publications, namely,
Celebrating the Eucharist (missalette) and
Loose-Leaf Lectionary. He is book review
editor of Worship magazine and managing
editor of the Monastic Liturgy Forum
newsletter.