ST. PETER'S

ABBEYnewsletter

Vol. 10, NO.4

Spring1987

Our oblates helped us celebrate the feast of St. Benedict, March 21by join­ing us for Oblate Day. Pictured is the festive noon meal.

Anglican bishops of our province. Themain topic dealt with marriage be­tween Roman Catholics and Anglicans.

On April 22 I celebrated Holy Massat the annual diocesan convention ofthe CWL held at Lake Lenore. It wasalso the 60th anniversary of the CWLin the abbacy.

The Knights of Columbus of Saskatch­ewan held their annual convention inRegina later in the week, and I waspresent for the banquet on Saturday,April 25. The state deputy is Joe Kam­mermayer of Saskatoon, a former stu­dent of St. Peter's.

St. Peter's College annual Open House, Feb. 11, attracted over 70 high schoolstudents from the area. They visited, toured and became acquainted with thecollege facilities.

Abbot Jerome's activitiesThe meeting of the W-CC-O,Catholic

Bishops of Western Canada, was heldat the Grey Nuns' Centre, Edmonton,Feb. 27-March 1. It was a pleasantdrive to and from Edmonton, in thecompany of Bishop Mahoney of Saska­toon and Bishop Morand of Prince Al­bert. One of the principal topics dis­cussed was the Catholic Bible Collegein Canmore, Alta., which is now in itsthird year.

I enjoyed very much being presentfor part of the Catholic Youth Con­ference held at Holy Cross High School,Saskatoon, March 6-8. It was most en­couraging to see 450Catholic youth andtheir lively and enthusiastic responseto the talks given by Fr. Don Kimball,of California, and at the Eucharist ST. PETER'S ABBEY NEWSLETTERcelebrated by Bishop Mahoney. Published by the Benedictine community of st.

I attended the meeting of the Cath- Peter's Abbey, Muenster, Sask. four times a year:January, April, July and October.olic bishops of Saskatchewan at Saska- Editor: Damian Yaskowich, OSBtoon on March 16. A good part of the Regular contributors: Abbot Jerome Weber, OSB,meeting was with the Catholic trustees Francis Lohmer, OSB, and Gerald Moran, OSBof the province to reflect on various Photographer: Damian Yaskowich, OSB

aspects of Catholic schools. All photos in this issue by Damian Yaskowich,The next day we met with the three OSB.

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From left, Abbot Jerome Weber and Father Werner Renneberg chat with SistersTimothy Prokes and Sarah Doser.

Discernment dayOn April 9 the ordained members of

St. Peter's Abbey met for a day ofprayer and discernment. The purposeof this day was to share and exchangeideas and suggestions concerning ourfuture ministry in the Abbacy.

The day was facilitated by SistersTimothy Prokes, SSND, and SarahDoser, FSE, of the Ain Karim BodyTheology Centre, Saskatoon.

Discussion focused on sharing re­gional personnel and resources, closingor retaining mission parishes andchurches, and whether we should spe­cify age limits for retirement. The daywas spent sharing our ideas in smallgroups and in the large body. All theobservations were posted for us to con­tinually reflect on.

It is hoped that by prayerfully andjointly sharing on these vital issues, theCouncil of Priests and Abbot JeromeWeber will have a better feel of howour pastors and their people best envi­sion our service in the abbacy over thecoming years.

The Abbacy Council of Priests, com­prised of Abbot Jerome Weber, Fa­thers Leo Hinz, Lawrence DeMong,Werner Renneberg and Andrew Britzwill propose the changes they feelnecessary and in the best interests ofthose we serve. It will be up to AbbotJerome to finalize those proposals.

Cele brationThe monks of St. Peter's Abbey are

hosting a celebration honoring theSisters of St. Elizabeth on the occasionof their 75th anniversary of prayer andlabor at St. Peter's Abbey. This specialday is set for May 18.

The day will begin with a eucharisticcelebration at 10:00a.m. A festive ban­quet is planned for noon, followed bya special program beginning at 1:45p.m. This program will be followed bylunch, tours and visiting.

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Abbey chronicleAround 70 students from high schoolsin this area attended the annual St.Peter's College Open House on Feb. 11.

Father Andrew Britz conducted aliturgy workshop for natives in Qu'Ap­pelle on Feb. 14.

Brother David Gauthier was homefrom the University of Saskatchewanfor the mid-term break, Feb. 13-21.

Father Andrew Britz taught a sessionon liturgy at Canmore Bible School inCanmore, Alta., Feb. 17-21and againApril 1-4.

Father George Brodner was guestspeaker at the spring mini-conventionof the CWL in Humboldt, March 3. Histopic was the sacraments.

March 19is listed as the day the waterofficially broke into our large dugout,assuring us of an abundant water sup­ply for the coming year.

Father Rudolph Novecosky returnedhome March 20 after a two-week stayin the Plains Medical Centre, Regina.He underwent more back surgery elim­inating most the chronic pain which hehas had for the past 10 years.

The German Heritage Society of Hum­boldt adopted as their official logo adesign submitted by Father DamianYaskowich.

Novices Richard Meidl and ThomasWard made a discernment retreatApril 13-16.

Fathers Leo Hinz and Florian Renne­berg gave presentations at the springmarriage preparation course, March22, 29 and April 5. Fathers DanielMuyres and Martin Brodner spoke atthe two additional sessions for couplesentering "Inter-Faith Marriages"March 25 and April 1.

On March 31, Abbot Jerome Webersigned a contract for a teacher to suc-

Accumulated water east of our large dugout eventually made its way into thedugout to bring the water level high enough to assure us of an adequate watersupply.

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Carol Ann Gotch and David Walsh of Winnipeg animated an EnneagramWorkshop at St. Peter's, April 24-26.An earlier workshop was animated by DavidWalsh, April 22-24.

ceed him next year as teacher of theuniversity history class which he hasbeen teaching for many years.

Father Werner Renneberg attendedthe National Federation Council ofPriests (Western Region) meeting atKelowna, B.C., April 20-22.

Father Andrew Britz attended the an­nual convention of the Canadian ChurchPress in Toronto, April 24-26. ThePrairie Messenger is a member of theCanadian Church Press. At this con­vention, Father Andrew was elected amember of the executive.

Brother David Gauthier completed hisstudies at the University of Saskatche­wan, Saskatoon, on April 22 and re­turned home for the summer.

cept and sign his dispensation from tri­ennial vows. He had professed thosevows July 11, 1985.

Father Augustine Nenzel who is a pa­tient at st. Elizabeth Hospital, Hum­boldt, was able to visit the abbey on aday-pass April 28 and May 5.

Upcoming anniversariesFather Matthew Michel, 70th anniver­sary of profession (July 11, 1917)

Father Francis Lohmer, 65th anniver­sary of profession (July 16, 1922)

Abbot Jerome Weber, 50thanniversaryof profession (July 11, 1937)

Brother Alex Mullie, who has been in Father Rudolph Novecosky, 25th anni­Arborfield with his parents since Feb. versary of ordination to the priesthood2, returned to the Abbey April 24to ac- (June 9, 1962)

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Oblates browse through a book displayat Oblate Day, March 21.

Our oblatesThe oblates were doubly fortunate

with their spring gathering on March21 in that this day happened to fall onthe Feast of St. Benedict and so theywere able to celebrate the feast withthe monks of our abbey. Forty-threeoblates signed the register. As in thepast a letter from the director to theoblates is being enclosed with this issueof the Abbey Newsletter.

The summer Oblate Day will takeplace on July 25. We are reasonablycertain Father Albert Ruetz will returnfrom the Holy Land by that day and re­sume his direction of the oblates. Mean­while, for information about the Oblatesof ~t. Benedict of o~r abbey, kindlyWrIte to Rev. FranCIS Lohmer, OSB,Box 2272, Humboldt, Sask., SOK2AO.

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UpdateFather Augustine Nenzel was admit­

ted to St. Elizabeth Hospital, Hum­boldt, Feb. 6, where a series of testsdisclosed a blockage of the bile duct.This accounted for his yellowishjaundice-like color. On Feb. 17he wa~transferred to st. Paul's Hospital,Saskatoon, for further tests and di­agnosis. Ten days later surgery wasperformed to insert a by-pass tube in­to the gall bladder to correct theblockage.

By March 6, Father Augustine wastransferred back to St. ElizabethHospital, Humboldt after the doctorsdiscovered he had cancer of the pan­creas. His condition is slowly weaken­ing - with some good days, others notso good. He was able to spend the after­noon back at the abbey on April 28.

Father Edward Benning continuesregular therapy to help restore moreuse from his left side which was para­lyzed as the result of the stroke he suf­fered in February, 1986. He now con­celebrates at the daily community eu­charist and attends Vespers and Vigilsin chapel. Father Edward also is ableto attend all the community meals.

Father Rudolph Novecosky, who hadsurgery on his back to sever the sen­sory nerves in November, 1986, re­turned to Regina for further surgery onMarch 4. Recovery this round wasfaster, and now Father Rudolph re­ports that most of the pain and discom­fort is gone. He is quickly recuperatingfrom the surgery and reports he feelsmuch, much better.

Community retreatOur annual community retreat will

be held June 8-12, 1987.It will be con­ducted by bishop Frederick Henry,auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Lon­don,Ont.

PM wins awardsThe Prairie Messenger won three

major awards at the annual conventionof the Canadian Church Press, April 26.

In its category, diocesan and regionalchurch newspapers, the PM won thetop award of general excellence. Thejudges praised it for its comprehen­siveness, for offering something forevery member of the family, and forits balance of international, nationaland local news. The judges also com­mended it for its media page, notingthat "families need special aids tomake effective use of the media."

The PM also won an award for thebest feature for its article on FatherBob Ogle. The feature, The Kid fromRosetown Looks over the Horizon, byFather Andrew Britz, was praised forits sensitivity in dealing with a strik­ing subject matter.

Best column award also went to JoanEyolfson Cadham's column, Issues at

Father Harvey Wingfield, administra­tor of st. Ann's Parish, Annaheim sinceSept. 1, 1985, will be returning to St.Martin's Abbey, Lacey, Washington, atthe end of May. His abbot has assignedhim to pastoral duties in Prineville,Oregon.

Home. The judges noted especially hercolumns on commercials as the mostdangerous part of television.

Brother Kurt Van Kuren has beenselected to be a Siehl Scholar of SaintJohn's University, Collegeville, MN,for the academic year 1987-88.He is oneof 97 Saint John's students recognizedboth for academic achievement andleadership qualities.

Rest in peaceIn your prayers please remember ourdeceased confreres:

Father Casimir Finley, 54, Newark Abbey,Newark, New Jersey, died on Jan. 9.

Father Xavier Ackle, 72,S1.Bernard Abbey,Cullman, Alabama, died on Feb. 7.

Brother Godfrey Meyer, 75, Saint Mary'sAbbey, Morristown, New Jersey, died onFeb. 15.

Father Clarence Meyer, 87,S1.Bernard Ab­bey, Cullman, Alabama, died on Feb. 20.

Father Michael Leap, 63, Saint Leo Abbey,Saint Leo, Florida, died on March 16.

Father Alexander Korte, 83, S1. Mark'sPriory, South Union, Kentucky, died onApril 9.

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