THE ABBEY BANNER - St. John's Abbey

Pavilion blessed,
Eucharistic
devotions
stressed at
dedication
by Daniel Durken, OSB
Adictionary defines “pavilion”
as “a part of a building
projecting from the rest.”
Those few words hardly do justice
to the newly completed structure
that does indeed project from the
Abbey Church. The question remains,
“What’s it for?”
The Petters Pavilion, made possible
by the generous support of Thomas
Petters in honor of his parents, Fred
and Rosemary, includes:
• the expansion and acoustical
improvement of the abbey’s
Chapter Room for meetings;
• a bride’s room and a groom’s
room for wedding preparations;
• men’s and women’s rest rooms;
• an elevator for access to the
lower and upper levels of the
church;
• a new entrance to the east side of
the church.
Several hundred guests joined the
monastic community for the blessing
of the pavilion on May 6, 2007.
After brief remarks by Abbot John
Klassen, OSB,Thomas Petters and
architect Vincent James, Rosemary
Entrance to the Petters Pavilion
Petters read from the prophet Ezekiel
who describes the new temple built to
replace Solomon’s temple destroyed
by the Babylonians.
A blessing prayer, the sprinkling of
spaces with holy water and a special
blessing for the large medallion of
Saint Benedict that is the centerpiece
of the Chapter Room completed the
ceremony. Monks and guests processed
into the Abbey Church for the
singing of Evening Prayer, followed
by dinner in the Great Hall.
Reflections on
Eucharistic devotions
It was originally planned that the
redesigned Blessed Sacrament
Chapel would also be ready for
dedication at this time. A lecture
on Eucharistic devotions by Kevin
Seasoltz, OSB, professor of theology
at Saint John’s School of
Theology•Seminary, was planned
to conclude the occasion. Even
though the chapel was not ready,
Father Kevin gave his lecture after
the dinner.
FEATURE
Pointing out the sometimes tense
relationship between liturgy and
popular devotions, Kevin stated,
“Perpetual adoration can easily lose
its foundation in the celebration of
the Eucharist and be seen apart from
it, often with exaggerated promises if
one participates, as though the value
of the Mass itself is somehow limited
even though it is the celebration of
the perfect sacrifice of Jesus.”
Thomas Petters, lead donor, speaks
at the dedication of the pavilion.
The Abbey Banner Fall 2007 page 13
Richard Oliver, OSB
Richard Oliver, OSB