Saint John's
Benedictine Volunteer Corps
News
New Volunteers
Pictured at right are the ten new Benedictine Volunteers. They were
photographed on graduation day, Sunday, May 11th, 2008.
This group of volunteers will serve all around the world at sites in New
Jersey, Rome, Tanzania, Jerusalem, Guatemala, Collegeville, and Chile.
Top row: Michael Bancks, Brady King, Phillip Hanson, Cole Woodward, Ben
Demarais
Bottom row: Charlie McCarron, Joe Weichman, Mike Leither, Theo Eggermont, Charlie Sawyer
Read the SJU news release or check out their blogs.
Lew Grobe with students in the Hanga library.
Books for Africa Unpacked at Hanga
October 2007
Derek Johnson looks over the new books
with students from the Hanga schools.
Hanga, Songea, Tanzania -- Benedictine Volunteers were on hand when the students
of Hanga Abbey School unpacked their books delivered via Books for Africa.
Father Robert Koopmann OSB was instrumental in channeling the gift to Hanga
from the Abbey and the Saint John's Benedictine Volunteer Corps.
Read the full story below.
Last year Books For Africa shipped two 40-foot containers of textbooks (44 tons
approximating 70,000 textbooks) to Tanzania, and announced the shipment of
additional containers sponsored by Saint John's Abbey, the U.S. Agency For International Development
(USAID) and Cargill. Books For Africa is a non-profit organization based in
St. Paul that serves as the largest shipper of donated textbooks to the African
continent. The founder of Books for Africa is an SJU graduate.
Select any photo for a larger version.
Congratulations!
In June 2007, Benedictine volunteer Andrew Johnson learned that he had been accepted into the Law School of the University of Michigan. He faced stiff competition. Only 350 openings were avaialbe to 6,000 applicants. Andrew spent his time as a volunteer at Collegio Sant'Ansemlo, the international Benedictine house of studies in Rome. Good luck in Michigan, Andrew!
New York! New York!
NEW YORK CITY. --
President Dietrich Reinhart OSB and Father Eric Hollas OSB invited three
former Benedictine Volunteers and the two present Volunteers to an alumni
reception for "Saint John's at 150" on November 17th at The Harvard Club. Left to right: Michael Hahn (speaker at the event), Andrew Dirksen, Nick Briese,
Nick Bancks, and David Sadder. Volunteers Briese and Sadder are
currently stationed at St. Benedict's Prep, Newark, NJ.
Books for Africa
September 2006
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. -- Father Robert Koopmann OSB presented a check for
$1500 to the Deputy Minister of Tanzania on behalf of Saint John's Abbey
and the Saint John's Benedictine
Volunteer Corps (SJBVC). Three Saint John's University graduates -
Paul Conroy '05, Nick Kleespie '06 and Tim Serie '06 - serve as volunteers
at Hanga Abbey, which has four schools.
Full text.
Notice to the Monks of Saint John's Abbey, 8/10/2006
From Sunday, August 13, to Sunday, August 20, three more Saint John's
Benedictine Volunteers will be staying at Saint John's for their pre-service
retreat. They are all SJU 2006 grads.
David Sadder and Nick Briese will serve at Newark Abbey, Saint Benedict's
Prep.
Andrew Johnson will serve in Rome at Sant Anselmo. They will be staying
in the monastery's formation wing on 3rd Quad.
Also next week, but for only Wednesday and Thursday nights, three volunteers
who were serving at these same sites last year will join us.
Michael Hahn,
Andrew
Dirksen and Mark Hoffman will help prepare the new guys, and they will
give a presentation to the monastic community about their year of service.
Their presentation will be at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday.
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Five Benedictine Volunteers Serve
in New Jersey, Rome and Tanzania
--by Daniel Durken, OSB
Saint John's 2005 graduates were "infected to service" at Collegeville.
In this third year since its inception the Saint John's Benedictine Volunteer
Corps (SJBVC) has recruited five graduates of the SJU 2005 class to serve
in Benedictine communities in the United States and abroad.
Andrew Dirksen, political science major from LeMars, Iowa, and Michael Hahn,
political science major from Robbinsdale, Minnesota, work at Saint Benedict's
Prep in Newark, New Jersey. They are tutors of students and teacher assistants
at this seventh through twelfth grade, 575-student, inner city school established
by Benedictines of Newark Abbey in 1868.
Mark Hoffman, music (vocal) management major from Duluth, Minnesota, works
in the library and with the grounds crew at the International Benedictine
College of Saint Anselm in Rome, Italy. Established in 1687 and restored
in 1888, the college enrolls some ninety students in programs of priesthood
and monastic studies, theology, philosophy and liturgy.
Paul Conroy, English major from Monticello, Minnesota, and Andrew Krueger,
communication major from Orono, Minnesota, teach English at the Abbey of
Hanga in Songea, Tanzania. Paul and Andrew participated in the Saint John's
Study Abroad Program in South Africa during the spring 2004 semester and
together climbed Kilimanjaro, the 19,340-feet, tallest mountain in Africa.
Why did these young men volunteer?
Dirksen: "I wanted a change of pace, time to reflect on my future and
the chance to experience a different environment and ethnic group."
Hahn: "I was infected to service during my years at Saint John's."
Hoffman: "I didn't have time in high school or college to do volunteer
work, so this is the opportunity I need."
Conroy: "I want to help others."
Krueger: "I was interested in the Peace Corps, but when that didn't
work I still wanted to do volunteer work." Volunteers are expected to
spend thirty to forty hours a week in the work of the host monastery. They
also pray with the community once or twice a day and join the community for
at least one meal a day. The host community provides their food, lodging
and a small monthly stipend.
SJU alumni interested in joining Saint John's Benedictine Volunteer Corps
should contact Paul Richards, OSB, director of the program, at 320-363-3007
or prichards @ csbsju.edu. +
-- The Abbey Banner (Winter 2005) 25-26
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UPDATE ON 2003 VOLUNTEERS
Following
his year of service in 2003-04 at Colegio San Antonio Abad, Humacao, Puerto
Rico, Quinn Martin (2d from right) )was baptized and received into the Catholic
Church at Saint John's Abbey in early June, 2004. His consideration of this
step during
his years at Saint John's was confirmed by the example of the Benedictines
of Abadia de San Antonio Abad.
Quinn is pursuing a Master's degree at Seattle University in a program for
educating underprivileged students. After his year at Saint Benedict's Prep,
Newark, New Jersey, Nick Banks is studying at the University of Wisconsin,
Madison, for the Master's degree in library science with an emphasis on making
available and presenting information to minority groups.
SJU alumni interested in joining the Saint John's Benedictine Volunteer Corps
should contact Paul Richards, OSB, at 320-363-3007 or write to prichards @
csbsju.edu.
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Two 2004 SJU Grads Join
Saint John's Benedictine Volunteer Corps
Johnnies teach at Saint Benedict's Prep School, Newark, New Jersey
Robert Kirsch and Ryan Radmer, 2004 graduates of Saint John's University,
have joined the Saint John's Benedictine Volunteer Corps (SJBVC) and are teaching
at Saint Benedict's Prep School in Newark, New Jersey.
Robert Kirsch, 21, of Fargo, North Dakota, is a political science major and
intends to enter law school.
Originally excited and nervous about the prospect of working in an inner city
high school, Robert is enjoying the challenge of teaching American history
and coaching debate and mock trial.
Ryan Radmer, 23, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, majored in English. He wanted
to do something different after graduation and attended Brother Paul's presentation
about this volunteer program. Though he initially left the room after the presentation,
Ryan decided to return to talk further with Paul and take the plunge. He is
tutoring students, coaching lacrosse and serving as a teacher's aide.
Saint Benedict's Prep School in Newark was established by Benedictines in
1868 when they arrived in this city to minister to German immigrants. With
a seventh through twelfth grade student population of 575 and a faculty of
65 (of which seven are monks of Newark Abbey), the school's eleven-month calendar
includes a mandatory five-week summer session. Black students account for 67%
of the enrollment, white students 10% and Hispanics 23%. The spirit of the
school flows from its motto: " Whatever hurts my brother, hurts me."
--The Abbey Banner (Winter 2004) 21.
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Volunteers of 2004
In the guests' lounge of Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville, 3 May 2004.
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Saint John's Benedictine Volunteer Corps Paul Richards, OSB,
and Nick Bancks
photo by Daniel Durken, OSB
Two 2003 SJU grads experience
the work and worship of a Benedictine monastery
Now that we have our B.A.s, what's next? That's the question a pair of 2003
Johnnie grads asked themselves last May. They answered the question by joining
the newly formed Saint John's Benedictine Volunteer Corps (SJBVC).
The brainchild of Brother Paul Richards, OSB, subprior of the abbey and founder/director
of the Saint John's Boys' Choir, SJBVC (Buy a vowel!) provides SJU students
and alumni with nine to twelve months of volunteer service at a Benedictine
monastery while participating in the daily life of the community.
The volunteer is expected to spend thirty to forty hours a week in the apostolic
work of the host monastery. He likewise prays with the community once or twice
a day and joins the community for at least one meal a day.
The thought of spending winter in seventy-degree weather persuaded Quinn Martin,
English major from Murray, Utah, to volunteer for Colegio San Antonio Abad,
the high school operated by the sixteen-member Benedictine community of Abadia
de San Antonio Abad in Humacao, Puerto Rico. Fluent in Spanish, he is tutoring
seventh graders and coaching the soccer team.
Describing his experience, Quinn writes, "One of the most interesting
aspects of this program is seeing a Benedictine community close up and behind
the scenes. I also want to give back a little of the education I received as
a student at SJU and to spread the word about Collegeville. 
I am extremely
proud to represent Saint John's and I think about it every time I meet someone
new or wear my SJU t-shirt."
Nick Bancks, biology major from Fairmont, Minnesota, is a volunteer at the
six hundred student, all-boy Saint Benedict's Prep, an inner city school of
grades seven through twelve, sponsored by the twenty-three monks of Newark
Abbey in New Jersey. Nick serves as a teaching assistant for biology classes,
moderates the student publication Newark Studies, coaches track
and cross country, assists with campus ministry programs and lives with the
school's boarding students.
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