kansas monks summer 2016

1t h e y e a r o f m e r c y

teachinga nation &

learningto teach

t h e s t o r y o f f r . d a m i a n k u u k o l e

kansas monks

In the Next Kansas Monks

• I Was in Prison - How monks serve the imprisoned in Northeast Kansas and Beyond

4 - From the AbbotAbbot James discusses the men that brought monastic life from Bavaria, to Pennsylvania, and ultimately to Kansas.

5 - Remembering Fr. KieranWe reflect on the life of Fr. Kieran McInerney - a monk who dedicated his life to serving the poor.

6 - Come into the LightFr. Daniel McCarthy reflects on his family and his work in Sacred Liturgy.

8 - Serving a SaintFr. Meinrad Miller details his work with the Missionaries of Charity.

10 - Mission to MexicoFr. Denis Meade highlights the Abbey’s history of ministry in Mexico.

12 - From Africa to the AbbeyThe story of Fr. Damian Kuukole: an African priest who has come to live, study, and pray alongside the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey.

18 - The Lumen VitaeWe honor the service of Virgil & Ann Dechant and Dr. Dan & Terri Carey, 2016 Lumen Vitae Medal recipients.

20 - Monks on a MissionThough the monks are dedicated to their life of prayer and work in Atchison, there are times when they are needed outside the monastery. We look at the missionary work of the monks in the U.S. and abroad.

22 - The Abbot’s TableThe 2016 Abbot’s Table was a success – we look back at the great event and thank our sponsors.

2 K a n s a s M o n k s

This issue of Kansas Monks is inspired by and dedicated to the memory of Fr. Kieran McInerney who was an outstanding missionary and the truest personification of mercy.


H av e y o u e v e r h a d a v i s i o n ?

H av e y o u e v e r h a d a n i d e a s o co mp e l l i n g t h at y o u h a d t o s e e i t t h r o u g h – n o m at t e r t h e c h a l l e n g e s , n o m at t e r t h e co s t ?

Ju s t o v e r 1 6 0 y e a r s a g o o n e m o n k h a d s u c h a n i d e a . H e b at t l e d f a m i n e a n d d i s e a s e ; h e b at t l e d t h e e l e m e nt s ; h e f o u g ht f o r h i s c au s e a s t h e co u nt r y w a s r av a g e d b y t h e C i v i l Wa r. H e f o u g ht t o s p r e a d t h e t r u t h o f t h e G o s p e l j u s t a s m e n f o u g ht t o d e t e r m i n e t h e f a t e o f t h e K a n s a s Te r r i t o r y a n d t h e f a t e o f t h e n at i o n .

Th at p i o n e e r i n g , w a r r i o r ’s s p i r i t i s a l i v e a n d w e l l t o d ay. I t b u r n s i n t h e h e a r t s o f t h e m o n k s o f S t . B e n e d i c t ’s Ab b e y a s t h e y p e r s e r v e r e i n t h e B e n e d i c t i n e t r a d i t i o n t h at Fr. H e n r y L e m k e b r o u g ht t o K a n s a s i n 1 8 5 5 .

A s t h e s e K a n s a s M o n k s s e e k t o c a r r y o u t Fr. H e n r y ’s m i s s i o n o f s p r e a d i n g f a i t h a n d e d u c at i o n , a n d h i s v i s i o n o f f o u n d i n g a B e n e d i c t i n e m o n a s t e r y i n K a n s a s , I b e l i e v e e a c h o f u s i s o f f e r e d a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o r e f l e c t o n o u r o w n m i s s i o n , o u r o w n v i s i o n , a n d w h at w e c a n d o t o s u p p o r t t h e s e g r e a t m e n w h o s u p p o r t u s t h r o u g h t h e i r l i v e s o f p r ay e r a n d w o r k .

- J . D. B e n n i n g E d i t o r, K a n s a s M o n k s , B C ’ 0 8

p . s . T h e Abb e y h a s b e e n s e l e c t e d a s a p i lg r im a g e s i t e f o r t h e Ye a r o f Me r c y. T hi s i s a g r e a t o p p o r t uni t y t o p ray w i t h t h e m o n k s a n d r e c e i v e a n in du lg e n c e .

Th e i m a g e a b o v e i s a p o r t i o n o f t h e Ab b e y ’s f r e s co ; i t s h o w s Fr. H e n r y c a r i n g f o r a C i v i l Wa r “ b o r d e r r u f f i a n .”

M I S S I ON

A N D L E T U S N O T G R O W W E A R Y O F D O I N G G O O D , F O R I N D U E S E A S O N W E W I L L R E A P,

I F W E D O N O T G I V E U P .- G A L A T I A N S 6 : 9


As I write for this issue of Kansas Monks, I do so from Belmont Abbey in North Carolina, one of our 18 brother monasteries in the American-Cassinese Congregation. The abbots from all the monasteries in our congregation and a delegate from each monastery were present for our General Chapter (congregational meetings) that are held every three years. This was the 52nd General Chapter in the history of our congregation.

Our congregation was founded in August of 1855 when there was only one Benedictine monastery in North America – St. Vincent Archabbey in Pennsylvania. St. Benedict’s Abbey would be founded two years later, from St. Vincent, as the third monastery in North America. The American-Cassinese Congregation was founded by Archabbot Boniface Wimmer (above at left) to bring monastic life to North America, but also to minister to German immigrants who were underserved here in their faith – even more so as Fr. Henry Lemke (above second from left) moved west into the wiles of the frontier.

Interestingly, at that time in 1855, our congregation was put under the patronage of the Cassinese Congregation in Italy, even though we were founded from the German monastery of St. Michael’s Abbey in Metten, Bavaria. At the time of our founding as a congregation the Bavarian Congregation had only recently been re-founded itself, rising from underneath the wide-ranging suppression of monasteries in Europe by Napoleon around the turn of the 19th century. The Holy See didn’t want a congregation a half a world away to be under the patronage of a congregation still in infancy itself.

You might ask, “Why the history lesson?” Because to understand this history in Europe and North America is to understand the charism of our congregation and our monastery, St. Benedict’s Abbey. We came to North Amer-ica – we have monasteries in Canada, Central America, South America, and most recently in Asia – to serve as missionaries. Specifically, it was the vision of Archabbot Boniface that we not only serve the faithful pastorally but also through education – no other monastic congregation around the world oversees the operation of more colleges, universities, high schools and parochial schools than the American-Cassinese Congregation. Here at St. Benedict’s Abbey we are so grateful that our confreres nearly 160 years ago had this vision that allows us today to serve as “missionaries” at Benedictine College, Maur Hill Mount Academy, our parochial school of St. Benedict Catholic School, our parishes and our Priory in Brazil.

Often it is asked of us, “Why are you so active in your work as monks?” We admit that to be a Benedictine missionary is a fine line to walk. But we have this active side because we were asked by the Church to meet the needs of the faithful – then and now.

It is interesting that it was the culture and needs of the Church during St. Benedict’s time that led him to found a community of monks to be witnesses to the world in their prayer and work, to be a center of faith and spiritual-ity. Here in the United States, and for us specifically in Kansas, it was again the culture that led German monks to found monasteries of prayer and work to be witnesses and minister to the needs of God’s people. Yet today, it is the culture of the day, the needs of the Church, and our charism that has brought each of us to live as monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey. It is our call to pray for the Church and the world and to work for the salvation of souls.

If we reflect on the arrival of those first three monks here in Northeast Kansas in 1857 – Fr. Henry Lemke, Fr. Augustine Wirth (above at center), and Fr. Casimir Seitz (above second from right) – here in the Kansas Terri-tory, when civil war was on the horizon and they found themselves in the middle of Bleeding Kansas, this is the spirit in which we were founded as a community. We were founded in service to God and his Church through our prayer and work – through our witness. It is a missionary zeal that pumps through our veins even today.

F r o m t h e A b b o t

F r o m B a v a r i a t o K a n s a s

“Fr. Kieran was always courteous and gracious. He dedi-cated himself to all the Brazilian people he served both poor and rich alike.”

- fr. denis meade


Fr. Kieran McInerney, 89, died peacefully on Saturday, March 12, 2016. The Abbey Community, having just ended its celebration of the Eucharist, was around him when he died, as he was fortified by the Sacraments of the Church and received the Apostolic Pardon.

James Peter McInerney was born on April 21, 1926, the son of Peter and Margaret (Wall) McInerney in Kansas City, Mo. He graduated from Rockhurst High School in 1943 and enrolled at St. Benedict’s College. After his sophomore year he entered St. Benedict’s Abbey, receiving the religious name Kieran. He then completed his degree in 1949, majoring in English and Education. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Edward Hunkeler on May 22, 1952.

In the summer of 1953 he was the Director of Camp St. Maur. Later that summer he would begin a three-year assignment as Assistant Pastor at Sts. Peter and Paul, Seneca, Kan.

He began a career in education in 1956, serving with the Benedictine Sisters at Lillis High School, Kansas City, Mo. He would return to Atchison to serve as Assistant Principal at Maur Hill Prep School until 1969. In his last year at Maur Hill he also got involved with the Atchison Community Center, working with the underprivileged of Atchison.

From 1969-1971 Fr. Kieran was the Chaplain of St. Benedict’s College. Already he was working with Mount St. Scholastica College and collaborating in ministry. He served as the first Chaplain of the newly formed Benedictine College from 1971-1972, again continuing a tradition of involving students, faculty, sisters and monks in the faith life of the campus.

During the last years of his service as college Chaplain he also began his work as the founding administrator of Happy Hearts.

Abbot Thomas Hartman had asked Fr. Kieran and other monks to address

the educational needs of the underprivileged in Atchison.

Along with the Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery, and the people of Atchison, Happy Hearts was started to meet the needs of low-income families for quality pre-school,

and other educational

services. He would serve as Administrator from 1970-1975.

About this time Fr. Kieran met Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. He was deeply moved by her commitment to the poorest of the poor. Mother Teresa invited Fr. Kieran to come to India and help with her work among the poor there. When he was not able to obtain a visa to India at that time, he asked if he could go work with the St. Benedict’s Abbey monks serving in Brazil. From 1975 until 1978 he worked at St. Joseph’s Priory in Mineiros. From 1979 until 1989, he assisted, Bishop Matthias Schmidt, in the Diocese of Ruy Barbosa, Brazil, especially in carrying out programs of health, education and civil rights education together with an international team of volunteers. In 1989 he returned to Mineiros as the Prior. Subsequently he became business manager of the Priory and guided the construction of the priory’s beautiful church. It was during this time he developed an extensive ministry to the sick in the hospitals of the city. Together with Sister Mary Mel L’Ecuyer, OSB, he founded the flourishing lay Benedictine Oblate group there.

In 2010, after 35 years of service in Brazil, Fr. Kieran returned to the Abbey. In spite of failing health and blindness, he remained positive. He was faithful in attending Mass and prayer with the monks, and often had an encouraging word. He enjoyed keeping up with friends over the years, and of hearing news from the house in Brazil. His patience in the midst of suffering provided a wonderful example during this Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Fr. Kieran was preceded in death by his parents and his five siblings. He is survived by the monks of the Abbey, his nieces and nephews and many friends.

We commend our brother, Fr. Kieran, to your prayers.

Eternal rest grant unto himFather Kieran McInerne y

B o r n • A p r i l 2 1 , 1 9 2 6P r o f e s s e d • S e p t e m b e r 2 1 , 1 9 4 7

O r d a i n e d • M a y 2 2 , 1 9 5 2 D i e d • M a r c h 1 2 , 2 0 1 6

• R e q u i e s c a t i n P a c e •


As a child, my father, George, used to prepare for the Sunday Eucharist first on Saturday evening when his Sunday-best clothes were laid out for him at their home high on the river bluffs in St. Joseph, Mo. This simple gesture claimed his night’s rest and morning routine as part of his preparation. In the morning the family used to walk downhill a couple of blocks to the Church of the Immaculate Conception and enter through its doors, opening between twin towers. There they always paused for a moment to remember their baptism by crossing themselves with its water and by renewing their profession of faith in the Triune God, ‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’. Their proces-sion to church would continue as they walked up the nave until they found a pew. There, they would pray and listen to the Scripture proclaimed and explained. Finally they would resume their procession towards communion shared at the altar railing. Then they would turn around and begin their journey homeward, pausing for a final prayer and a blessing before continuing on their way. These simple actions become life-long habits and form who we are in gentle ways that tell the profound stories of our lives (text adapted from the intro-duction to Come into the Light).

That church was built as an expression of the faith and of the mysteries once celebrated there, but it has long since been closed and re-opened as a museum. The church’s liturgy, however, has been renewed and calls for renewed places of worship so that the beautiful harmony that once existed between that liturgy and edifice may also be achieved in our time as we celebrate liturgy in churches build in our own age.

Because liturgy is a unitary and organic whole, its renewal was based on fundamental principles that enlivened the whole, as an organism, in all its structures and parts. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) that mandated the litur-gical renewal did not, however, also give a clear blueprint for the design of church buildings to suit the renewed liturgy – the Council of Trent (1545-1563) gave none – because the church finds a home in every people and cultural expression.

Pastors rightly have a hand in renovating or designing new churches, and their pastoral insights gained from celebrating the renewed liturgy have proven invaluable. Some architects have begun to develop their own understanding of the liturgy which corresponds to the style of building they wish to design. These typically focus on a few elements such as a central altar, a tabernacle placed front and center, a dominant crucifix and a particular arrangement of pews. The voice of the liturgical scholar has been lacking in this dialogue with the result that a more comprehensive account of architecture and the arts for the celebration of liturgy has not yet emerged. Developing the contribution of liturgical scholarship would enable liturgists, architects and pastors to contribute from their own source of wisdom and experience.

Comeintothelight

by Fr. Daniel McCarthy

My father, George W. McCarthy, as an altar server I believe at the chapel of the Madames of the Sacred Heart in St. Joseph Missouri, just up the hill from the parish of the Immacu-late Conception. The religious sisters were called “Madames”. They gave “Georgie” break-fast after mass. He continued to serve well into young adulthood, when a young woman also attended the mass, his eventual wife, Annette (Cunningham) McCarthy.


My father’s family lived their lives in a way that led to their celebration of the Sunday liturgy and also flowed from it; this way of life is part of my family heritage. My monastic voca-tion has provided the opportunity to undertake a prolonged period of study so that both the monastic way and my partic-ular path of research and reflection might likewise contribute to the celebration of liturgy and flow from it.

Abbot Owen and Abbot Barnabas ensured that I could pursue advanced studies in liturgy first at Notre Dame and then in Rome where I now teach. Here I see daily the univer-sality of the church and her many different cultural expres-sions. These have helped me to gain a greater perspective and so to contribute something fresh. The study of languages has opened up doors to different worlds of meaning and given a depth of access to the perspectives of different peoples and their cultural flowering at various periods of history that have produced as their monument the liturgy we celebrate.

My persistence in studying Latin throughout these past seventeen years with the best living Latinist, Fr. Reginald Foster, OCD, prepared me to serve as an advisor to the Vox clara, “Clear voice”, committee of the Vatican Congregation of Divine Worship, where I consider the official Latin texts and give advice on the quality of their English translations for the liturgy. The book Fr. Reginald and I wrote on his method of teaching the Latin language will be available in September 2016.

Abbot James has ensured that I can bring these decades of study and reflection now to fruition in publications and teaching. The results of such extended focus are my contribu-tion to the universal church and to the local church in Kansas, the fruition of my monastic vocation.

I presented these results first to the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica Monastery, when I gave their retreat in 2014. Thus I returned to my roots among the Benedictines of Atchi-son to test the validity of what I had learned abroad and so to be strengthened by their guiding wisdom.

“The Ritual Model” is the name I give to a developing synthesis of the design of churches for celebrating liturgy. My goal is not to define one floor plan that settles the matter, as if one size fits all. Rather, I am discerning the principles that guide the celebration of liturgy so that these may enliven the whole built edifice, as an organism, in all the building’s structures and parts. The basis of church architecture is the actions of the people celebrating liturgy, the ebb and flow of their procession toward Christ who comes to them in Word and in his body and blood shared in communion. This double procession toward Christ who comes, leads to an encounter where we are changed both in our daily actions and in our dignity as the body of Christ. So renewed, we turn around and return to our daily lives.

Come into the Light is a first-fruit of this reflec-tion. The book’s very title suggests that following my vocation is a process of coming into the light, allowing light to perme-ate and expand the hori-zons of my world as I grow in awareness. My vocation is a path made by walking. In the very act of walking, I forge my own way, keep-ing in mind the courage and resolve of my family and friends following their own journeys. As a monk I walk with the help of abbots, confreres and sisters who do not so much show me the path, as support me while I trace my unique way.

The Liturgy Week, Architecture for Liturgy, is a second contribution in which I speak as a liturgi-cal scholar to architects, artists, diocesan personnel and pastors. I tell them how our actions in liturgy narrate the saving mysteries at work in us today. Our litur-gical actions need not be complex, or fancy, because in the simple action of preparing a child for Sunday mass, walking together, teaching the child how to make the sign of the cross, listening to the Word, sharing communion and returning home, we thereby teach a way of life and life’s meaning. This inner meaning is expressed outwardly in the art of a church, and this way of life is supported by the church’s architectural design.

I once explained my research to Dr. Evan Peterson of Wathena, Kan., who wisely responded that all my efforts would not amount to a hill of beans until they touch the person in the pews. I hope this book, Come into the Light, will finally amount to a hill of beans.

Fr. Daniel serves as a Professor at the Pontifical Institute of Liturgy in Rome. You may inquire about Fr. Daniel’s book Come into the Light from the Advancement Office, of St. Benedict’s Abbey or see Fr. Daniel’s websites:

www.architectureforliturgy.org • www.liturgyinstitute.org/come-into-the-light

The news that Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta will be canonized as a Saint this

coming September 4 in Rome has been met with great joy throughout the world. How appropriate that this event takes place during the Year of Mercy.

My first meeting with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity Sisters was in 2008 when I gave a seminar to some of their sisters from the east-ern region of the United States in Washington, D.C. The theme of that seminar was the Eucharist. I remember feeling inadequate as I started planning, what could I possibly teach these sisters? However, as I met the sisters, I quickly learned that they were not looking for lofty abstract ideas; rather, they wanted to know more about Jesus and how to love Him in their daily lives.

Since that initial seminar in 2008, I have spoken to the Missionary of Char-ity Sisters in Washington, DC, Memphis, Tenn., Newark, N.J., and Calcutta, India. What have I learned from these encounters? I have witnessed a tremendous humility and trust in the Providence of God that has guided the sisters to embrace this way of life.

I begin each day of the seminar with private prayer: praying the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, and spending time in silence. This is followed by the cele-bration of Holy Mass with the sisters, and often with volunteers and patients of the houses the sisters serve. These Masses are powerful for me because I realize that these sisters have very little material possessions: Jesus is indeed their inheritance. Following Mass, there are prayers of thanksgiving; it is an opportunity to thank Christ for the gift of the Eucharist.

Typically, there are two talks in the morning, each for an hour. The sisters may well have questions or comments. They usually explain how they are living the life of Christ among the poorest of the poor. Mother Teresa’s charism was not to start a chain of hospitals, or to start a group of social workers, both of which have value. She saw her charism as a call to bring the light of Christ to the places of the world where Christ lived in the guise of the poorest of the poor. These poor needed to be encountered – encountered one at a time.

In the middle of the day, the Sisters again gather for prayer; they remember, just as our community does, that all of our work must flow from and revolve around our prayer life.

In the afternoon I usually give another hour long talk, with a chance for inter-action. In the evening there is a Holy Hour that includes Evening Prayer, the Rosary and silence, and concludes with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Today there are nearly 5100 Missionary of Charity sisters working in 129 coun-tries, among the poorest of the poor. Both St. Benedict and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta were called by God to do something beautiful for God. St. Benedict left the comfort of Rome to retire to the wilderness for three years to spend time in prayer before setting out for Monte Cassino where he wrote his Rule for Monas-teries.

Blessed Teresa also believed from the beginning that the work among the poor-est of the poor would be for vainglory if the sisters did not also spend time in prayer. She insisted that the works of the Missionaries of Charity be rooted in an encounter with Jesus in prayer. Only then can the sisters and volunteers be able to recognize Jesus in the poor.

b y F r . M e i n r a d M i l l e rServinga s a i n t

blessed mother teresa born: august 26, 1910

died: september 5, 1997to be canonized: september 4, 2016

p a r t n e r si n

s ta b i l i t y


by Donald & Kimberly Shankman

Searching for a place to work that would allow us to inte-grate our faith with the daily activities of life, we found Benedictine College. The Benedictine charism, lived out by the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey, was a living, daily reminder of the presence of God in everything around us. Through the Oblate program – reading, discussion, and companionship with the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey and our fellow Oblates – we came to a deeper understand-ing of the power of the Benedictine charism. Being history buffs, we also recognized the historical importance of the Benedictine order, rescuing Europe from the dark ages and keeping the light of faith and learning aflame as all around them chaos and disorder reigned. We felt called to support the Abbey, in gratitude for the personal gifts we received through the friendship of the monks, and because of the unique role they still play in passing on the faith from generation to generation. Choosing to donate through the Partners in Stability program made a lot of sense to us. Just as monks contribute to the life of the Church by their patient, life-long commitment to a partic-ular place, we believe that our ongoing monthly contribu-tions can be a reflection of our commitment to the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey. It allows us to stay connected, month-in and month-out, with the work that they do, and to feel like we have some small part in helping them in all that they give our community and the broader church. Without St. Benedict’s Abbey, Benedictine College would not be here, and without Benedictine College, we would not be here, so our debt to the monks is unfathomable. The Partners in Stability program is a small way that we can try and give a bit back. As God is glorified in all that they do, we are grateful that we can join, in our own small way, in assisting in that work.

For more information or to support the monks as a Partner in Stablity please contact our Advancement Office at 913.360.7908

b y F r . M e i n r a d M i l l e rServinga s a i n t

p a r t n e r si n

s ta b i l i t y

supp orting the monk s a s


Year of Mercy

Separate this sheet at the dotted line; place the top half stating your intentions in the Kansas Monks envelope and send it to us. Keep the bottom half to remind you of your pledge to joyfully share mercy with those in need.

Yes, I will make a commit-ment to perform (number of ) acts. ____________

Corporal Works of Mercyq Dailyq Weeklyq Monthlyq Annually

Intended to:q feed the hungryq give drink to the thirstyq clothe the nakedq shelter the homelessq visit the sickq visit the imprisonedq bury the dead

Corporal Works of MercyIntended to:q feed the hungryq give drink to the thirstyq clothe the nakedq shelter the homelessq visit the sickq visit the imprisonedq bury the dead

I will perform these acts:q Dailyq Weeklyq Monthlyq Annually

Yes, I will make a commit-ment to perform (number of ) acts. ____________

Spiritual Works of Mercyq Dailyq Weeklyq Monthlyq Annually

Intended to:q instruct the ignorantq counsel the doubtfulq admonish sinnersq bear wrongs patientlyq forgive offenses willinglyq comfort the afflictedq pray for the living and

the dead

Spiritual Works of MercyIntended to:q instruct the ignorantq counsel the doubtfulq admonish sinnersq bear wrongs patientlyq forgive offenses willinglyq comfort the afflictedq pray for the living and

the deadI will perform these acts:q Dailyq Weeklyq Monthlyq Annually

St. Benedict’s Abbeyk a n s a s m o n k s . o r g

Your commitment to perform works of mercy will be placed in a prayer basket in the Abbey Church and kept as a silent prayer for those who need our care and love.

Fr. Lambert (above at right) had the opportunity to visit Henry Etchegarray (at left with his mother) in Mexico City, leading to the Abbey’s opportunity to lead the Colegio Tepeyac.

During Abbot Cuthbert’s visit to Mexico he and KCK priests and monks toured the Teotihuacan Pyramids outside of Mexico City. Until recently clerics and religious were legally forbidden from dressing in their religious garments. From left: Fr. John Quinlan, Fr. Xavier Betzen, Abbot Cuthbert McDonald, Fr. Anthony Reilman, Fr. Lambert Dehner, Fr. Andres Saldana, Fr. William Dolan. Picture taken August 1945


It all began in the summer of 1942 when Fr. Alcuin Heibel, OSB, of Mount Angel Abbey, Ore. appeared upon the scene. He had a vision of improving the lot of the rural Mexican population by simultaneously promoting modern farming knowledge and general education plus evangelizing them by establishing a Bene-dictine monastery. Since his own abbey was involved in making a foundation in Canada, it could not take on another foundation. Hence Fr. Alcuin turned to other abbeys to help him. In May 1942, he explained his plan to our Abbot Martin Veth who answered, “Your plan is wonderful—ideal! I hope it will work and that I can have a share in the enterprise.” Newly ordained Fr. Lambert Dehner was assigned to assist Fr. Alcuin at his site, the small town of Sahuayo in the state of Michoacán. In spite of good will by the locals, this project was short-lived. Abbot Martin had resigned by the time that the team left for Mexico. Fr. Lambert recalled that the then prior, Fr. Gerard Heinz, said to him, “Abbot Martin cooked the soup because he knew he wouldn’t have to eat it.”

The whole enterprise took a new turn when Fr. Lambert went to Mexico City to have some dental work done. While there he was the guest of the Etchegarray family, friends of the community whose three sons had studied at Maur Hill. There he met a friend of theirs, Emilio Lanzagorta, an international entrepreneur, who

treasured the memories of his time as a student in the high school of St. Bernard Abbey, Cull-man, Ala. He gathered a group of his friends and they proposed to Fr. Lambert that St. Bene-dict’s Abbey take on the administration of a school they had purchased for a trial period of three years. If it proved mutu-ally satisfactory, the Bene-dictines would purchase the school and have a permanent presence there. Additionally, they were promised a gift of 300,000 pesos towards the purchase price. That sum is roughly equivalent in purchasing power of 2016 to $915,000. The evening before Fr. Lambert left for Atchison to deliver the proposal, there was a meeting with the group at which “they loaded me with nice things to say.” The Abbey chapter agreed to enter the experimental period and eventually sent four priests to administer the school. The leader of the group, Fr. Anthony Reilman, principal of Maur Hill Prep School, was the first to arrive in Mexico City, March 20, 1944. Fr. Anthony was a “down home, howdy neighbor” personal-ity and was prone to see the better side of things. Of his train trip to Mexico City, which arrived 12 hours late, he wrote, “Enjoyed the train ride all the way. It was grand.” Soon after, on May 4, Fr. Xavier Betzen arrived, accompanied by Sisters Mildred Knoebber, Anthony Payne and Chelidonia Ronnebaum of Mount St. Scholas-tica Monastery in Atchison. The sisters were to assume the teach-ing of the girls who were attending the school which was named Colegio Tepeyac.

The school originally had been the elementary division of The American School, a bilingual school of high standards. When the Benedictines arrived, it had 160 pupils. By the end of their second year of operation the enrollment stood at 970 and rising. Two reasons accounted for the popularity; it was a Catholic school which taught religion and there was ample use of English in instruction. The Mexican Republic had just recently emerged from the bloody persecution of the Catholic Church that was carried on

missionto Mexico

b y F r. D e n i s M e a d e

Caption to be written


in the 1920s and 1930s. Soon the sisters’ division for girls spun off to become Colegio Guadalupe for girls and the sisters made their permanent foundation of Monasterio San Benito.

The abbey contingent grew to four monks when Fathers Lambert Dehner and Alfred Koestner joined the staff. Fr. Clarus Graves of St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville Minn. joined the group as well as a Mexican diocesan priest, Fr. Andrés Saldaña, who was their good friend and co-worker during the Abbey monks’ time at Colegio Tepeyac. Although new to the language and the culture, they were readily accepted by the families of their students. Each year the enrollment grew. Because of his skills as a football coach, Fr. Lambert Dehner was recruited by a local university, the Politéc-nico, to be their coach of North American football (shown above.) In his first season he turned around their record and they became national champions. “El Padre Lamberto” became a nationally known hero. He stayed on after the other monks returned to Atchison for seven more years. In his final season of 1953 their games were attracting more than 70,000 spectators.

Although the monks were successful at their task, economi-cally things began to take a downward turn after about a year and a half. The originally promised donation of 300,000 pesos was cancelled and other financial considerations not in their interests emerged. As a result, on June 5, 1946 the Abbey chapter voted not to purchase Colegio Tepeyac at the sum of $146,000, roughly equivalent to $2,136,000 in 2016. Six months later, in December 1946, St. John’s Abbey purchased the school and made a monastic foundation. Both the school and the monastic foundation flour-ished. Abadia del Tepeyac is now a completely Mexican commu-nity and the school, renamed Centro Escolar del Lago, ranks in the highest tier of private schools within the greater Mexico City area.

Although their final year at Tepeyac was fraught with disap-pointments, Fr. Anthony continued to be his positive self. He closed his final letter home to Abbot Cuthbert writing, “it has been a great year!”

The Abbey’s presence in Mexico ended in 1953 with the defini-tive return of the last monk of our community stationed there.

Practically all of Fr. Bertrand Easterday’s priestly life was spent at Maur Hill from 1929 to 1945. He was an instructor of mathematics and history. In his later years there he was eminently successful as a football coach and his teams had two undefeated seasons. In 1945 he was selected to be part of the team that administered Colegio Tepeyac for a short time in the 1940s.

At a banquet the night before he left for his new post, Fr. Bertrand offered the following advice to his players. His words are engraved on a plaque inside the lobby of the gym at Maur Hill: “I love you all as I have loved every boy who has passed through the doors of Maur Hill. Play the game as a Catholic gentleman would play it. It is not winning the game but how you play the game that counts. It is no disgrace to lose a ball game, but it is a disgrace not to live and play a clean and pure life.”

He died suddenly 30 days after his arrival in Mexico City. The students mourned the loss of Fr. Bertrand in the 1945 school yearbook: “We dedicate this Maurite to the Late Fr. Bertrand Easterday, OSB, who spent his life spreading love and affection among the students these past 17 years.”

He was loved and is sorely missed. Leo Easterday was born in Salina, Kan., and came to St. Benedict’s in 1917. He entered the novitiate of the Abbey in 1923 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1928. He spent many of his years teaching and coaching at Maur Hill. He was a successful mentor, coach, and teacher, and was highly respected for his humor and friendliness.

Marked with the sign of Faith

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It began with a thunderstorm.

Damian Kuukole, his five brothers, and three sisters were sleeping soundly in their home in the village of Tom in Northern Ghana. Suddenly, out of the sky, CRACK! Light-ning struck a tree outside the home they shared with their parents, cousins, aunts, and uncles. The tree was immediately cloven in two, charring and destroying part of the corn crop and leaving the house cracked and badly damaged.

The children were terrified. Many of the villagers had witnessed the previous night’s events. Despite nearly the whole of the village being Catholic, Afri-can Animism, an African traditional religion still widely practiced throughout Ghana, permeated the commu-nity’s faith-culture; many of the old beliefs were still strong in the minds of the people. Murmurs spread – the lightning was a bad omen for the village. Many felt Damian’s father should call upon the priest of the rain god, that he might come and sacrifice a cow at the site of the lightning strike to appease the rain god and cleanse the village – or they feared the rain god would bring his wrath upon their farm-ing community. Damian watched as his father left on a journey, uncertain of what he would say when he returned. That evening Damian’s father came through the door and proudly announced, “Tomorrow, there will be Mass in our house.”

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There was jubilation in their home as they excitedly prepared to greet the Catholic priest. The next morning, as the priest approached on his motorcycle, Damian was in awe of this man; and despite their fear, many of the villagers came to the Kuukole home to take part in the Mass. As the priest moved about the homestead, bless-ing the area where the lightning had struck with holy water, Damian turned to his mother and said, “I must be like this man – I must be a priest.”

In the midst of Mass, he turned again to his mother with his plea, but she rebuffed him, “you are not in school, you cannot become a priest.” He wouldn’t take no for an answer; he had felt God’s call at that moment, and his heart would not allow him to be silent. He would later beg his mother again, “Tell dad to take me to school so that I can become a priest!” She finally agreed, and his father said he would be the first in his family to go to school.

A full year went by, and day by day Damian continued to work on the farm with his father and brothers – waiting patiently for his father to fulfill his promise. One day, as he was gathering peanuts, he looked up and saw the other boys leaving for school. He decided he had waited long enough, dropped his tools, and headed for school.

+ + +

School wasn’t always easy – but Damian’s mother was a constant source of encour-agement and support. In 1995 he thought about giving up on his dream entirely: was this what he was meant to do? His mother was there to remind him why he wanted to go to school in the first place – he mailed in his application to the seminary the next day.

Arriving at seminary, Damian immersed himself in the formation process, “It was a joy throughout!” he exclaims with a laugh. “The philosophical training was very difficult at the beginning; but as time passed and we moved into theology, it became easier and the [material] was more interesting.”

Fr. Damian was ordained to the priesthood and was ready for a challenging assign-ment. It was always his hope to serve in an area where the Catholic faith was in the minority, hoping to grow it from the ground up. He wanted to be “a priest for people who need priests.” He always had a great ability to learn languages, and he was confi-dent that he could evangelize anywhere he was sent.

Fr. Damian’s bishop assigned him to an “out-station,” what might be referred to as a mission church, in a region that was only three percent Catholic; African Animism dominated the culture. To add to the challenges 75% of boys and 94% of girls were illiterate. Fr. Damian knew this would be his greatest hurdle, “How can you accu-rately pass on the Word of God when the majority of the people have never been educated?”

He immediately began establishing schools and additional out-stations, usually start-ing with just two or three members and waiting for it to grow from there. His prede-cessor had founded a primary school, but it was poorly attended and did not extend beyond the sixth grade. In 2007 he established the first junior high and started promoting education in the area. In 2010 86% of the 26 students that had registered in 2007 graduated from the junior high. In 2011 88% graduated. By 2012 the classes had grown to 50+ students and 100% of them were completing school.

The government quickly took an interest in Fr. Damian’s work, whatever he was doing, he was doing it right. In 2012 and 2013 he led the most successful school in

Fr. Damian was raised in the farming village of Tom seven kilometers south of the town of Nandom. His family raised guinea corn, millet, and a variety of other crops. He was the first person in his family to go to school

Fr. Damian’s first priestly assignment was to the town of Daboya located on the flood plain of the White Volta River. Very few priests were willing to accept the assignment because of the frequent flooding that required the priest to travel by boat. The swift currents made the trips slow and dangerous. Fr. Damian would often have to load a motorcycle into his small, wooden boat to reach his destination. Shown above at his most recent visit to his former diocese.

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his region, no small feat considering the program was still in its infancy. Honorable Mr. Samuel Wusah, a member of the Ghanan Parliament, requested his service at the Ministry of Education, an advisory post that he held for one year before being asked to serve as a formator at the seminary. Fr. Damian started passing on his knowledge, teaching these seminarians how they, too, could build and improve their parish schools, but there was still more he needed to learn.

During a visit to Atchison, Fr. Damian’s bishop sat down with Abbot James Albers to learn more about Benedictine College. Upon hearing about the Master’s of Education programs available he thought this would be a perfect fit for Fr. Damian: here in Atchi-son he would complete his education; he would gain the tools the bishop felt he needed to further develop Ghana’s Catholic Education system. Abbot James felt this would be an oppor-tunity for the Abbey to continue its work of spreading the Gospel. “From the first day our monks stepped foot in Kansas we have been about spreading the Gospel through our prayer and work,” said Abbot James. “One hundred and sixty years ago it was to the German settlers, fifty five years ago it was our call to serve in Brazil, today it is our continued work in the lives of young people and in parishes. In sponsoring Fr. Damian, I see it as the monks of Atchison helping him in his discipleship as he will return to Ghana to continue his pastoral ministry.” While Fr. Damian stud-ies at Benedictine College, the monks are hosting him at the Abbey with room and board, while also providing health insurance during his time of studies here.

Fr. Damian has been very impressed and is grateful to everyone he has encountered at Benedictine College, “President [Stephen] Minnis and the whole college staff welcomed me with open arms. They have created a great environment for learning and I really appreciate all of the wonderful professors like Dr. Cherel Reding, Dr. Laura Moley, and the many others that I have been blessed to learn from; I especially appreciate Anne Faucett in international admissions for all of her assistance.”

President Minnis feels it is important to have students like Fr. Damian on the Benedictine College campus, “We really think it’s important to welcome international students to Benedictine College, especially priests and religious from other countries. It’s a great opportunity to share our culture with them and allow them to share their culture with our students.”

Fr. Damian has enjoyed the Benedictine hospitality that he has received from the monks during his first year in Atchison, “I am extremely grateful to Abbot James and all of the monks for all of their support and for all they have done for me. I have felt homesick at times, but sincerely speaking I feel at home – the monks

have made me feel at home. They have treated me like I am one of their brothers.” He has also enjoyed the experience of the monastic prayer life, “It’s a bit like going through formation again, even though I am a priest the life of the monks is more prayerful and solemn. It has been a great opportunity to deepen my own prayer life and spirituality.”

+ + +

Ultimately, Fr. Damian’s goal is to spread Christ’s Gospel message. “For me, as a priest, there is nothing like helping someone who may have never been educated, never have become Catholic, join the Church.”

He laments the fact that he won’t have as much one-on-one contact with the parishioners, but he knows that establishing more schools is the most important thing, “There is just no choice, there are a lot of places that don’t have a school at all, and many of the schools we have are not up to date.”

t h e y e a r o f m e r c y

“The monks have made me feel at home...like I am one of their brothers. I was extremely honored to be a part of Fr. Simon’s ordination” - fr. damian on living with the monks

Fr. Damian led a group of college students on a mission trip to Ghana last March. Huge numbers from his old parish turned out to greet them, including a traditional dance. (at right)

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Fr. Damian believes his time at Benedictine will revolutionize Catholic education in Ghana, “The courses here have really opened up the horizon for me. Before I arrived I could clearly see that our education system had some aspects that needed to be worked on. When I began making changes, even with no formal training as a teacher, the results were so amazing that it captured a lot of attention.” And he believes that was just the beginning, “We need an educational system that empowers the individual. In Ghana, most of the time, the teacher prepares notes and offers a lecture to the students; here the students are very much involved in the learning process. We need our students to be indus-trious, that is the only way that Ghana can move out of poverty and develop. And we need not just education; but Catholic education, we have many people coming into the faith, and they need to be educated with their faith attached.”

Not only is Fr. Damian focused on how to teach the students, but also the manner in which they’re disciplined, “I was very impressed with St. Benedict Catholic School [in Atchison,] they implement an early intervention system for students who encounter behavior issues. It’s so important that character formation be tied in with education. In Ghana we teach reading and math, but we don’t focus on the student’s character; and when students misbehave we still have people implementing corporal punishment. I had a lot of trouble with teachers in my parish schools and I was trying to do away with corporal punishment. Here I see that everyone understands that it’s not good. It was very surprising that when I insisted that we should not punish the students this way; not only did the teachers and parents find it to be good, but even the students thought it was good; the children believed they could learn by the cane. Over time, after much trouble, I was able to convince them, and they saw that the results were quite good.”

When he returns to Ghana Fr. Damian will be named Superintendent of Catholic Schools. The monks have been overjoyed to host Fr. Damian in Atchison, “It is our hope also, that while Fr. Damian lives with us, prays with us, and labors along side of us, he will be able to take with him not only his education in the classroom, but also a bit of our Benedictine charism to share with the people of Ghana,” Abbot James offered.

It is his hope that he can implement his new education system across the nation. He has aspirations to complete a Ph.D. in education, but he knows that there is much work that needs to be done. “Growing education is the key to growing the faith, and growing the faith is what brings me my greatest joy.”

As a part of his trip last march, Fr. Damian was able to take a special hearing aid as well as several pairs of glasses donated by the Atchison Lion’s Club for the people of Ghana. He is shown above with his father and aunt who will benefit from the hearing aid and glasses.

h e l p u s s p r e a d t h e w o r dW e a r e e x c i t e d t o a n n o u n c e a n e w p r o g r a m

- V o c a t i o n s A m b a s s a d o r s -f o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n s e e o u r w e b s i t e :

MONKVOCATIONS.ORG

we are monks


Leaving a legacy

Growing up attending a Jesuit high school and college made me learn to love and appreciate the phrase “men for others”. It’s the Society of Jesus way of saying, “go, serve others and you will live a wonderful life.” It means that service to others should never go out of style. I love having that call to action, one that Pope Francis embraces each day; I take it as a challenge to myself to dedicate each day to helping others. But service cannot be complete without fellowship in Christ. In college, I did not have the major spiritual aspect of service to others. The Monks at St. Benedict’s Abbey are examples of what it means to be “spiritual men for others”. Beyond praying 5 times each day, they embrace the challenge to help bring the kingdom of heaven down to earth. They serve others in the classroom and in their homes. They preach selflessness and caring for others. But, mostly, they embrace their call to always be students of God – after all, Saint Benedict is the patron saint of students. They challenge other men and women spiritually and help them serve the world. Not only are they men of God, they serve all men and women for God. It is through their actions and prayer that we can stand to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. They truly define what it means to be men for others. That is something I want to stand behind and serve. That is the reason why a Jesuit educated student can continue to learn from the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey.

Wh y I J o i n e d t h e

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f o r y o u n g p r o f e s s i o n a l sSt. Benedict

ofSociety

If you are under the age of 35 and are interested in learn-ing more about the Society of St. Benedict for Young Professionals see our website Kansasmonks.org or call our Advancement office at 913.360.7908


- I f y o u h a v e a l r e a d y i n c l u d e d S t . B e n e d i c t ’ s A b b e y i n y o u r w i l l o r i f y o u h a v e a n y q u e s -t i o n s , p l e a s e c o n t a c t o u r A d v a n c e m e n t O f f i c e .

H a v e y o u c o n s i d e r e d l e a v i n g t h e m o n k s i n y o u r w i l l o r e s t a t e p l a n s ?

-A planned g i f t to the monks o f St . Benedict’s Abbe y create s a la st ing legacy that wil l al low them to continue their mission of prayer and work for the sanct i f icat ion of the world .

Fo r m o re i n fo r m at i o n co nt a c t o u r D i re c to r o f Ad v a n ce m e nt - M a t t Ke m n i t z i n f o @ k a n s a s m o n k s . o r g

- o r - 9 1 3 . 3 6 0 . 7 8 9 7

During his service as Supreme Knight, Virgil & Ann made frequent trips to the Vatican, meeting with the Holy Father about how the Knights of Columbus could best serve the Church.


From the plains of Kansas, Virgil Dechant ascended to the highest office of the Knights of Columbus, the world’s foremost Catholic fraternal benefit society. Amazingly, his path to such heights began as a result of a nasty car accident along a quiet western Kansas road.

Virgil was 18 and working for a western Kansas auto dealer in 1949. A car wreck sent him to the hospital, where he was treated for a broken hip and other complications. Even after his discharge from the hospital, he was sent back in to recover after an allergic reaction to the pins that had been surgically inserted into his hip. Virgil had recently joined the St. Augustine Council of the Knights of Columbus in his native town of Liebenthal, and members of that council stopped by almost every night to help him pass the time during his grueling recovery. He was so touched by the gesture he vowed to devote more of himself to the council once he healed.

Virgil rose fast in the Knights of Columbus, becoming a grand knight in his local council, then a district deputy, and, in 1960, state deputy of the Kansas State Council. His work as a state deputy caught the attention of numerous senior members of the Kansas State Council and members of the Supreme Council in New Haven, Conn., where the Order had been founded by Fr. Michael J. McGivney in 1882.

In 1967 K of C Supreme Knight John McDevitt asked Virgil to come to New Haven to work for the Order full-time. The offer put him in a bind – he had become a successful auto and implement dealer in La Crosse, and he had started acquiring sections of farm-land as he looked to diversify his business interests. Plus, he had a family to consider: his wife Ann and their four young children.

After much discernment, Virgil received a helpful piece of advice from Bishop Marion Forst of the Diocese of Dodge City who told him he’d regret it if he bypassed such an opportunity. Plus, if things didn’t work out in Connecticut, he could always come back to Kansas. So off the Dechants went.

Virgil’s rise up the corporate ladder in New Haven came nearly as fast as his rise through the Kansas State Council. This was aided in part through the work he did modernizing the K of C insurance business and growing its membership. In 1977, he replaced McDe-

vitt as supreme knight of the Order. He would hold the position for 23 years.

Under Virgil’s leader-ship, membership in the Knights of Columbus would grow to more than 1.6 million and local coun-cils jumped to more than 11,000. K of C insurance would earn top ratings on an annual basis from Standard & Poor’s and A.M. Best. By the time of his 2000 retirement, the K of C insurance program had $40 billion of life insurance in force and $8.5 billion in assets.

While his business savvy was unquestioned, perhaps Virgil’s greatest contribution to the Knights of Columbus was transform-ing the Order from a men’s organization to a modern, family-first organization. This effort actually began back in Kansas during his days as a state deputy, where he insisted that Ann join him at all K of C functions. Soon others followed suit and started bringing their wives along to meetings; then they began bringing their chil-dren. Virgil and Ann brought this same vision with them to New Haven, and since, the Knights of Columbus has prospered.

Virgil and Ann also strengthened the ties between the Knights of Columbus and the Holy See. The order was instrumental in the 1982 construction of a chapel in the basement of St. Peter’s Basil-ica to honor Saints Benedict, Cyril and Methodius—the patron saints of Europe, and the 1985-86 renovations to the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica, which hadn’t been touched in hundreds of years. In 1982, the Knights of Columbus created the Vicarius Christi Foundation—the brainchild of Virgil—to provide funds annually to the Pope for his personal charities. Together, Virgil and Ann were named to the Pontifical Council for the Family

So strong was the relationship between the Dechants and Pope John Paul II, in 1987 the Holy Fr. granted Virgil the title of “Gentle-man of His Holiness,” making him a member of the Pontifical Lay Family. He served in this role during the pontiff ’s 2005 funeral, escorting U.S. President George W. Bush and other dignitaries at the funeral.

In 2012, the Knights of Columbus awarded Virgil the Gaud-ium et Spes Award, its highest honor, joining a prestigious list of past recipients which include Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Virgil and Ann Dechant returned to Kansas in 2001, where they still live today. They have four children, 11 grandchil-dren, and four great-grandchildren.

the Lumen Vitaehonoring service to christ and his church

Virg il & Ann Dechant by John DechantD an & Terr i C are y by Steve Johnson & J.D. Benning

Virgil & Ann Dechant

Dr. Carey served in the military in Vietnam eventually rising to the rank of Colonel in the United States Air Force.

Dan & Terri moved to Atchison in 1995 with their sons Chris and Matt. Dan was proud to have his sons receive the same Benedictine education that he had received.


Dan and Terri Carey have been dedicated to Catholic education for many years. A 1968 graduate of St. Benedict’s College (now Benedictine College), Dan returned to his alma mater in 1995 to serve as president. Terri, with a Master’s degree in Reading, was the beloved librarian at Atchison Catholic Elementary School. The two were instrumental in the turnaround that saw Benedictine College grow from a struggling institution with fewer than 700 students to the nationally recognized Catholic college with more than 1,800 students it is today.

In his speech at the Abbot’s Table, Dan reflected on life as a student at St. Benedict’s college: “A young priest, Fr. Barnabas Senecal, was our prefect on 3rd floor of Freshman Hall. The History Dept. was world class featuring Fr. Victor, Fr. Columba, Fr. Peter, and Fr. Roy. Fr. Hilary Heim was the Dean and Fr. Alcuin was the President. Fr. Eugene & Fr. Conrad helped students get into [medical] school. Coach Nolan and Coach Samuels’ basketball teams won a national championship in 1967 and Quarter Finals another year. We never missed a game. Opposing teams described the gym environment with the monks lined up on one end and the snake pit student section on the other end as playing between “heaven and hell!”

In addition to steady enrollment growth during Dan’s tenure as president, Benedictine College saw the renovation of the long-abandoned Freshman Hall into the state-of-the-art residence facil-ity now known as Elizabeth Hall. The monastic community was overjoyed to see the restoration of the historic building that served as the monastery until 1929. Dan also led the effort to complete the Student Union, construct the football stadium, renovate the Haverty Center including the return of the original Raven Roost, as well as the completion of St. Scholastica Plaza and additions to the Amino Center. It was also during this time that the college began the Discovery Program and created the Executive Master’s in Business Administration curriculum. Financially, Dan was able to grow the college’s endowment and saw the first profit in many years.

Terri was celebrated for her service as the librarian at Atchi-son Catholic Elementary School; she was lauded by many parents for her skills as an educator. Kelly Vowels, Vice President for

Advancement at Benedictine College, was grateful for the role that Terri

played in the education of her own children, “Terri was able

to create a fabulous read-ing program; my children

greatly benefited from Terri and her love of reading. The students knew when they

walked into the library that Mrs. Carey was going to love [them] and help them.”

Marlys Haverty, a Benedictine College parent and supporter, felt that Terri was a great example for the students, “Terri embodies the idea of Benedictine hospital-ity.” Chris and Matt Carey, sons of Dan and Terri and Benedictine College Alumni, would often bring friends over to the president’s house, located on the west side of the campus, and Terri would welcome them and often host students for dinner. She was highly regarded as Benedictine’s “First Lady” and was known for her engaging personality, creativity and the warm Benedictine hospitality she extended to every guest at college events, many held in the president’s home.

In accepting the Lumen Vitae Dan reflected on his time as president:

“I was initially thrilled to be appointed as President of Bene-dictine College. That thrill soon turned to fear.

The first year I was not sure the college would survive. Fortunately, we were able to strengthen our Board and our Administrative team, energize our alums and share our vision for a thriving Benedictine College. We had a lot of help in the early years of beautifying the campus. The Ferrells helped us save Freshman Hall from the wreck-ing ball. More importantly, that restoration was critical in restoring hope and confidence in our students and our alums. Built by the monks in the 1890s as the Abbey, this historic structure is the anchor of campus.

Mick and Marlys Haverty brought a vision for the Raven Roost which reflected their respect for history and tradition and their love of art.

In the end, it’s about all of us working together in order to leave a special college, an abbey, or a monastery better than we found it: knowing we are only stewards for a short period of time.”

Dan & TerriCarey

- save the date -the Abbot’s Table

april 22, 2017sheraton crown center -kansas city, mo.


monks on a missionWhen the monks arrived in the Kansas Territory in 1855, they sought to provide the sacraments as missionaries. Though the monks take vows of stability to the abbey in Atchison, occasionally they must venture beyond the monastery to serve the faithful. These are just some of the ways the monks have recently worked to spread the Gospel.

In 1961 Pope John XXIII asked the “priest rich” countries to send priests to the “priest poor” countries. Responding, Abbot Cuthbert chose to make a foundation in Brazil. In 1962 three men were chosen to begin this venture. They established themselves in central west Brazil at the small city of Mineiros. Along with founding a monastic community they assumed the parochial apostolate for the city and surrounding area, a ministry that continues today.

s e r v i c e t r i p sm o s t e i r o s ã o j o s és t . j o s e p h p r i o r y

m i n e i r o s , g o i á s , b r a z i l

a b r i e f h i s t o r y

m o n k s i n e u r o p e

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pignon, haitibr. leven and bc students served the people of haiti and provided assistance with a new parish school.

volcán, panamafr. brendan led a group of focus missionaries to assist with a catholic sports camp.

comayagua, hondurasfr. brendan led focus missionaries on a trip to assist the missioners of christ with evangilization.

san antonio, txfr. simon led a group of bc men to serve catholic charities and others in need.

abbot james albersAbbot James, along with all of the abbots of Benedictine communities around the world, will convene for the Congress of Abbots in Rome.

br. luke turnerBr. Luke has been appointed to the International Benedictine Finance Council, assisting Abbot Primate Notker Wolf with financial matters. He travels to Rome twice annually for meetings.

fr. daniel mccarthyFr. Daniel serves on the faculty at the Pontifical Institute of Liturgy in Rome, Italy. He serves on the faculty at the University of Leuven in Belgium and teaches summer courses at Ealing Abbey in London.

Fr. Daniel is working with former Papal Latinist Fr. Reginal Foster on a series of books detailing “Reggie’s” method of Latin instruction.

Fr. Marion Charboneau completed doctoral studies in history and is working on his dissertation on the Civil War. He is serving as a professor at Benedictine College.

Fr. Meinrad travels to Calcutta, India, each year to lead retreats for the Missionaries of Charity, the religious order founded by Mother Teresa. Fr. Meinrad also led a pilgrimage touring Benedictine sites in Italy.

selected works:

k a n s a s m o n k s a b r o a d

bishop herbert hermesbishop emeritus of prelacy of cristalandiaactive in social justice ministry

prior duane royleader of priory communityactive in pastoral care in minieros

fr. joaquim carvalhouniversity of mineiros - board chairman2016 minieros citizen of the year

fr. vinicius queiroz rezendepastor - são bento parishdiocesan youth ministry leader

fr. josias da costateacher at colegio agapéactive in pastoral ministry

9,090Families served

by monks at Mineiros parish.

Monks provide the sacraments for 30,000 Catholics in Mineiros, Goiás, Brazil

Monks serve as spiritual advisors and chaplains to a variety of lay ministries in Brazil.


T h e s e a re j u s t a f e w o f t h e g o o d w o r k s d o n e b y t h e m o n k s – a l w a y s s t r i v i n g f o r t h e g o o d o f t h e w o r l d a n d t h e g l o r y o f G o d.

s e r v i c e t r i p s

h i g h l i g h t s• Offering retreats for: college students,

sisters, priests, and the imprisoned in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, and Missouri

• Giving talks to youth and church groups

• Witnessing marriages for alumni and friends

• Confirmations in Kansas

• Monks forming FOCUS and SPO missionaries

• March for Life in Washington D.C.

• Hosted 2015 Junior Institute – forming monks from around the country

s e r v i n g i n 2 2 s t a t e s a n d d . c .

abbot james albersconfirmations throughout kscelebrating masses on ewtn - al

fr. brendan rollingfocus - az, co, fl, ga, mn, mo, & pawitnessing marriages - mo & mn

fr. meinrad millerleading retreats - in, mo, & newitnessing marriages - co, ks, & mo

fr. matthew habigeroffering conferences - al & ncretreats for prison oblates - co

fr. jay kythecourage international- miwitnessing marriages - mo & mn

br. leven hartonyouth ministry - ks mivocations work - ks, mo, & tn

fr. roderic gillerjesus caritas - azhospice, prison, & military ministry - ks

fr. jeremy hepplerleading retreats - kswitnessing marriages - mn

fr. simon bakerleading pilgrimages & retreats - co, fl, ks, & txwitnessing marriages mo & tx

fr. maurice haeflingcare for holy cross abbey - cocongregation finance council work - il

selected works:

1,403Families served

by monastic pastors.

11Masses

celebrated in parishes and chaplaincies

daily.

s e r v i c e b y t h e n u m b e r s

states with oblatesstates where monks ser ved

Monks serve more than 2,300 students from grade school to graduate programs in Kansas, Rome, Belgium, & England.

Monks staff six parishes in Northeast Kansas providing the sacraments to more than 1,400 families.

Oblates live according to the Rule of St. Benedict, joining the monastic community in its life of common prayer from afar.

Monks celebrate Masses and provide reconciliation each day for the students, parishioners, prisoners, and sisters whom they serve as chaplains.

Over 700 people gathered to support the prayer and work of the Monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey at the fourth Annual Abbot’s Table at the Sheraton Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo. The monks presented the Lumen Vitae Medal to Past Supreme Knight of Columbus Virgil Dechant and his wife Ann, and Past Benedictine College President Dr. Dan Carey and his wife Terri. The event offered guests a look into the lives of the monks through a series of dramatic and humorous videos, which have become the signature of the Abbot’s Table. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas commented that “the videos are more anticipated than any Super Bowl ad!”

Abbot James Albers, OSB, announced that the monks received an anonymous $100,000 challenge gift to sustain their lives of prayer and work. The guests responded with tremendous generosity by meeting this challenge.

Abbot Barnabas Senecal, OSB began the evening with a heart-warming rendition of “O God, You Search Me.” Event Emcee Benedictine College Professor Dr. Edward Mulholland offered his gratitude to the monks and remarked that his children, in grade school, high school, and college, attend schools at which monks serve as chaplains and on the faculty and staff. “This has to be rare. In fact, I don’t know anywhere else in the world where this is even possible,” said Dr. Mulholland. “It is a unique circum-stance that highlights how unique these men of God are.”

As Abbot James prepared to present the Lumen Vitae Medal to Virgil & Ann Dechant, he was joined on stage by an honor guard of 30 Knights of Columbus in full regalia. More than 75 knights attended to celebrate the Dechants’ lives of service and listen to Virgil’s impassioned remarks on religious liberty. “I feel confident that the defense of the natural right to religious liberty is as congenial to the sons and daughters of St. Benedict as it is to the Knights of Columbus. Today it is under attack.--- In thanking you for the honor you have bestowed on Ann and me, I wish you well in your continuing efforts on behalf of evangeliza-tion and religious freedom.”

A plethora of friends and Benedictine College alumni and supporters praised the work of Dr. Dan & Terri Carey. Dr. Carey offered his gratitude to the monks. “We are here not to be honored but to pay tribute to you and your sponsored educational commu-nities,” said Dr. Carey. “Terri and I are here tonight with grateful hearts. In the end, it’s about all of us working together in order to leave a special college, an abbey, or a monastery better than we found it.”

The event closed with an announcement that the fifth Abbot’s Table Banquet will be April 22, 2017, at the Sheraton Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo. The Lumen Vitae Medal will be presented to Elmer Fangman, a friend of the monks and past Dean of Students at Benedictine College, and Auxil-iary Bishop Robert Barron of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Bishop Barron is renowned for his work with Word on Fire ministries and a variety of other media; he is the second most followed prelate online, trailing only Pope Francis.

For more information about the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey, photos and videos from the Abbot’s Table see Kansasmonks.org or find the monks on Face-book and Twitter.

For a free DVD of the Abbots Table program e-mail [email protected]

Abbot’s Table

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Abbot’s TableB a n q u e t U n d e r w r i t e r s

Founder’s Table John & Terr y Gi l lcr ist Terr y & Michel le Sexton

Abbot’s TableJ.E . Dunn Construct ion Mitchel l Capital Management

Prior’s GuildApostles of the Inter ior L i fe

B enedict ine Col legeL arr y & Tresa Buessing

Countr y Club BankB ob & Shirle y Chenoweth

Sean & Jul ie DohertyEdward Jones Investments

Rosco Halse y Exchange Nat ’ l . Bank & Trust Co.

Jim & Z ibbie Ferrel lMichael R . & Marlys Haverty

Family FoundationKuckelman, Torl ine, Kirkland & Le wis

MGP Ingredients , Inc .Kathy & Jack Ne wman

Jim & Katie O’Br ienSisters of Mount St . Scholast ica Monaster y

B ob & Janet Whole y

Ta b l e S p o n s o r sMonte Cassino

B enjamin & Vicki Bi l ler

Koechner Family

L i lek & Malone

Ann & Frank Ur yasz

SubiacoB ob & B etty Albers

Bank Midwest

Guadalupanas Sisters Hank & Susan Keele y

Robert & Diane Harton

Tom & Joan Kemlage

Ke vin & Pam Kramer

McAnany Construct ion

O’Malle y B e verage, Inc .

B ob & Carolyn Reintjes

Doug & Joanna Rivard

Vil la St . Francis

Dennis & Carol Wetta

B enedict ine Col lege Knights of Columbus Counci l #4708

NursiaA .L . Huber G eneral Contractor

Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas

Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home

Ray & Mar y Jo B ecker

B enedict ’s Br itt le in honor of Tom & Sandy

Fitzmaurice

Mike & Lisa B oddicker

Patr ick & Kate Carr

Charle y & Janel le Carr igan

Diaconate Candidates of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas

Equestr ian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

Fel lowship of Cathol ic Universi ty Students

Molly & Tom Freeman

Knights of Columbus Assembly #3141, Leawood, KS

Knights of Columbus Atchison Counci l #723

L athrop & Gage LLP Robert Roone y

John Lynch

Maur Hil l -Mount Academy

Oblates of St . B enedict ’s Abbe y

Sutherland Family

Treanor Architects , AGP Inc . , Kinstler & Associates , L at imer, Sommers & Associates , Hoefer

Custom Stained Glass

Mark & Barbara Wetta

Pat Smith & Tom Whalen

Past State Deputies of Kansas Knights of Columbus

Tom & Micke y Z arda


1020 N. 2nd Street, Atchison, KS 66002Kansas Monks USPS 290-760

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St. Benedict’s AbbeyAtchison, Kansas

Summer 2016 | Volume 11 | Number 1

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W e m a y n o t a l l b e c a l l e d t o b e m o n k s – b u t t h a t d o e s n ’ t m e a n y o u c a n ’ t l i v e a c c o r d i n g t o t h e R u l e o f S t . B e n e d i c t –

b e c o m e a n O b l a t e o f S t . B e n e d i c t ’ s A b b e y .

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n :S e e o u r w e b p a g e k a n s a s m o n k s . o r g / o b l a t e s

o r c o n t a c t F r . M e i n r a d M i l l e r - o b l a t e s @ k a n s a s m o n k s . o r gp h o t o s a b o v e f r o m 2 0 1 5 R i t e o f O b l a t i o n

kansas monks summer 2016

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