Nine Monks Celebrate Anniversaries
of Monastic Profession in 2009
Release Date: July 7, 2009
COLLEGEVILLE, MINN. — In 2009 nine monks of Saint John's Abbey mark mark the 60th, 50th, and 25th anniversaries of their profession of vows as Benedictine monks. The monastery's annual celebration of the Solemnity of
Saint Benedict,
Patriarch of Western Monasticism begins with a Vigil Service at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 10. The
monks will honor the jubilarians at Mass on Saturday, July 11, 2009, 10 a.m. The festive day concludes
with the Vigil of Sunday at 7 p.m. in the abbey church.
60 Years in Monastic Vows
Brother Raphael Olson OSB
Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota: 25 May 1929; professed: 21 March 1949
From 1947 (two years before he professed first vows) to 2007, the versatile Brother Raphael wore many hats in service to the abbey. He worked as a sacristan, refectorian, baker, gardener and night watchman. He worked in grounds and beautification and in the woodworking shop. He also served three years as a cook and baker at Saint Maur's Priory in South Union, Kentucky, and ten years as a cook and custodian at Benilde High School in St. Louis Park. Brother Raphael's hobbies still allow him to don a few of those hats: He bakes pies (his apple and pecan pies are especially in demand) and tends his flower garden (mainly gladiolas, about 1,000 of them).
Father Allen Tarlton OSB
Born in Louisville, Kentucky: 4 December 1927; professed: 11 July 1949
After earning undergraduate and theological degrees at Saint John's University and Seminary, in 1953 Father Allen began serving a skein of assignments, mainly as an educator. He taught English at Saint John's Prep School, Saint John's University and Saint Augustine's College in Nassau, Bahamas. Father Allen served pastorally at St. Mark's Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and as the abbey's guestmaster, oblate director, and secretary of the monastic chapter. Among his many interests and hobbies are reading, music, studying history of English monarchy, writing letters, movies, operas and African American history.
Father Hugh Witzmann OSB
Born in Cold Spring, Minnesota, 15 March 1928; professed 11 July 1949
Father Hugh earned undergraduate and divinity degrees at Saint John's University and Seminary and master of fine arts degree from the University of Colorado. He taught mathematics at Saint John's Prep School and taught mathematics, engineering, art history, sculpture, photography and was an artist in residence at Saint John's University. Among Father Hugh's many awards are a Fulbright Scholarship, a Columbia University grant for to study Art and Architecture in Italy, and two grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Father Hugh's main interest is photography.
50 Years a Monk
Brother Nicholas Thelen OSB
Born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, 8 December 1929; professed 21 March 1959
After graduating from Cathedral High School in St. Cloud, Brother Nicholas earned a diploma from Commercial Art and Photography in Minneapolis. During his first dozen years as a Benedictine monk, he served the abbey in the woodworking shop and plumbing shop and as an attendant in the porter's office and at the St. John's Abbey and University information center. He spent four of those years, from 1962 to 1965, working in food service at St. Maur's Priory in South Union, Kentucky. From 1970 to 2008, Brother Nicholas served as maintenance supervisor at St. Anselm's Priory and Holy Trinity Benedictine Monastery in Japan.
Father Donald Tauscher OSB
Born in Milladore, Wisconsin, 16 September 1939; professed 11 July 1959
Father Donald received his undergraduate and master of divinity degrees from Saint John's and a masters degree in educational administration from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He served as an English teacher, prefect and principal at Colegio San Antonio Abad in Humacao, Puerto Rico and as a pastor and chaplain at parishes and medical facilities in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Father Donald served at Saint John's in many roles: as an editor for Liturgical Press, for example, and in 1990 he initiated a peer mentoring group in spirituality. Father Donald's interests and hobbies include spiritual direction and retreats, sacramental ministry, prayer, reading, classical music and Green Bay Packer football. (His nephew, Mark Tauscher is the Packers' starting offensive right tackle.)
Father William Skudlarek OSB
Born in Avon, Minnesota, 6 January 1939; professed 3 September 1959
Father William received his undergraduate and master of divinity degrees from Saint John's, a licentiate in sacred theology from Gregorian University in Rome, and a doctorate in homiletics from Princeton Theological Seminary. Awards he has received include a McKnight grant from the Brazilian Government for work with Brazilians living in Japan. Father William has instructed theology, directed music and liturgy, and has served as a chaplain, abbey spokesperson, missionary in Brazil and Japan, and administrative assistant to the abbot. Among Father William's interests and hobbies are languages (Portuguese, French, And Japanese), cooking, playing the cello and inter-religious dialogue. He serves as secretary general for the Rome-based Monastic Interreligious Dialogue, a Rome-based organization of Benedictine and Trappist monks and nuns.
25 Years Professed
Father Michael Patella OSB
Born in Rochester, New York, 28 December 1954; professed 31 March 1984
Father Michael received his undergraduate degree in English/religious studies from Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, master's degree in American Studies from Boston College; master of divinity degree from St. John's University School of Theology/Seminary, licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, and his doctorate in Sacred Scripture from Ecole Biblique et Archeologique Francaise in Jerusalem. Father Michael was an English, theology and history instructor at St. Mary's Abbey in Morristown, New Jersey. He has served Saint John's University and Saint John's Abbey in a variety of academic and administrative roles and was chair of The Saint John's Bible Project Committee on Illuminations and Texts.
Father Anthony Gorman OSB
Born in Worthington, Minnesota, 17 April 1959; professed 11 July 1984
Father Anthony received his undergraduate and master of divinity degrees at Saint John's, master of library science degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and doctorate in patristic and medieval theology from the University of Notre Dame. He has served in a variety of roles, from abbey fireman to pastoral editor at Liturgical Press to missionary at Holy Trinity Monastery in Fujimi, Japan. Father Anthony's interests and hobbies include softball, bowling, running, reading, writing poetry and copy-editing books.
Brother John Hanson OSB
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, 29 August 1956; professed 11 July 1984
Brother John earned his bachelor's degree in English from Saint John's University. His service includes roles as theology instructor at Saint John's Preparatory School; pastoral minister at Sacred Heart Parish in Freeport and Immaculate Conception Parish in New Munich; liturgical music director for Newark Abbey and its apostolate, St. Mary's Parish, in Newark, New Jersey.
|
 |
Ordination Jubilarians
Media Contact
Abbey Spokesmen
|
