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ConvFALLe 2004rsatio Saint John’s SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY•SEMINARY Conversatio On the Cover Saint John’s School of Theology•Seminary Alumni/ae Planning Team gathered in May to look at ways to help SOT•Sem to be of service to alumni/ae, and for alumni/ae to more supportive of each other. Features Dan McKanan awarded Luce Fellowship 8 Certification: Leading the Way in Preparing Lay Ministers 9 for Service to the Church Dignitas Humana: Staying behind, saving lives, and making a difference 12 Called, Gifted and Now Certified 14 Departments Dean’s Message: Viva Cornelius! Sorting out Lay Ministerial Identity 3 Abbot’s Message: The Priesthood & Benedictine Spirituality 4 News 5,10 Student Profile: Randy Jerome 6 Book Reviews 7 Sexton family pledges $1 million to SOT•Sem 10 Alumni Profile: Steve and Christy Arnold 11 Faculty Profile: S. Susan Wood, SCL 17 Faculty & Staff Achievements 18 Faculty and Staff Changes 19 Board Profile: Dan and Lynn Fazendin 20 Development Message: Your Legacy - The Future of the Church 21 Alumni/ae Updates 22 Conversatio is published twice each year by the Development Office of Saint John’s School of Theology•Seminary. Dean Editor Photography Dr. William Cahoy Anna M. Kampa Greg Becker Patricia Weishaar Director of Development Contributing Writers Anna M. Kampa and External Relations Kaira J. Adam `00 Todd A. Butler `02 Rev. Carl Wilkens Kaira J. Adam `00 Dr. William Cahoy Jeffrey Kaster Abbot John Klassen, OSB John Molene For comments, questions or story ideas, contact: Anna M. Kampa, Editor, Saint John’s School of Theology·Seminary, Collegeville, MN 56321; 320-363-3570; or e-mail at [email protected]. 2 Saint John’s School of TheologySeminary DEAN’S MESSAGE VIVA CORNELIUS! Sorting out Lay Ministerial Identity heard the word.” Not surprisingly, “the circum- questions, so in 2001 we convened a think tank cised believers who had come with Peter were of leading theologians to do just that. e fruit astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had of their labor was published this year, Ordering been poured out even on the Gentiles . en the Baptismal Priesthood: eologies of Lay and Peter said, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for Ordained Ministry (reviewed on page 7). In baptizing these people who have received the addition, S. Susan Wood, SCL, and Charlotte Holy Spirit just as we have?’ So he ordered McCorquodale have served as consultants to them to be baptized . .” A decision endorsed, the bishops’ committee drafting a statement after a good bit of controversy, at the Council of on lay ecclesial ministry. Jeff Kaster serves on Jerusalem (Acts 15). several state and national committees drafting What does this have to do with ministry certification standards. In a more unconven- in the Church today? In both cases, the Spirit tional response, we hired Charlotte as part of a is acting and we are struggling to understand, Lilly grant to work with the Minnesota Catho- respond, and adjust our practices and structures lic Education Association and the six dioceses to what the Spirit is already doing. We at Saint of Minnesota to develop a program of certifica- Recently, in thinking about the emer- John’s are blessed to work closely with lay stu- tion for lay ministers. With her as a catalyst, gence of lay ministry in the Catholic Church, dents preparing for full-time, professional min- the bishops of Minnesota in December became I have frequently returned to the conversion istry in the church. It is clear that the Spirit the only bishops in the country to approve a of Cornelius in Acts 10. You remember the is at work in these men and women. is is common set of certification standards for their context: A dispute in the church (yes, even a vocation. It is equally clear dioceses. Our hope is that then) about whether Gentiles could be bap- that we as a Church need to Like Cornelius’ certification might provide tized. e answer seems so obvious to us bap- figure out what this means and conversion, the a framework for a ministe- tized Gentiles that it may be hard to imagine how to respond theologically phenomenon of lay rial identity and mutually the difficulties around what was probably the and structurally. What is the supportive relation with the most momentous decision in the history of ministerial identity of a profes- ministry stretches Church. the church. Indeed, if anything was obvious sional lay minister? How does our categories and e Spirit is at work then it was that Gentiles should not be bap- it fit in the bigger picture of raises significant calling women and men tized. After all, Jesus was a Jew. All the dis- the church’s manifold ministry: theological as to serve as lay ministers. ciples were Jews. Jesus spoke to Gentiles but episcopacy, priesthood, perma- Many of you have heard he called none to be his followers. Everyone nent diaconate, vowed religious well as structural that call and responded. who had ever been baptized was a Jew. What life, volunteers? questions. Many others have could be clearer than that baptizing Gentiles Saint John’s School of responded to a call to the was against tradition and the will of Christ? eology•Seminary is contributing signifi- priesthood, diaconate or religious life. Still Enter Cornelius the Gentile. “One after- cantly to the Church’s work of sorting this others to serve as volunteers. e School of noon he had a vision” in which an angel told out. Most concretely, we have contributed eology•Seminary has responded by prepar- him to send for Peter. Meanwhile, Peter was by extending our tradition of quality theolog- ing those who come forward as well as we can having his own vision that “what God has made ical education to lay students, which we have and by contributing to the Church’s reflection clean, you must not call profane.” Luke tells us been doing for 40 years. As part of this we on the meaning of the Spirit’s actions. that even after hearing this three times, Peter have recently developed a formation program How will ministry be done in the 21st was still “greatly puzzled.” Nevertheless, he for lay students that the U.S. Bishops Sub- century? Like Peter, we may all be a bit puzzled went to Cornelius, explaining that he was vio- committee on Lay Ministry has consulted as as we see ever fewer priests. Yet we go forward lating the law against visiting Gentiles because a possible model. Like Cornelius’ conversion, confident that the Spirit is active in the church- “God has shown me that I should not call the phenomenon of lay ministry stretches our even if in ways we did not expect. us has it anyone profane or unclean.” categories and raises significant theological as always been. Viva Cornelius! Peter then proclaimed the Gospel to Cor- well as structural questions. nelius and his household. “While [he] was As a theological school, part of our mis- still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who sion is to help the church think through such Dr. William J. Cahoy, Dean Saint John’s School of TheologySeminary 3 ABBOTS MESSAGE THE PRIESTHOOD & Benedictine Spirituality Christ because if we come to know him, come into the center of the community everything else falls into place. and become part of it. Hospitality 2) Listening and Mindfulness. Lis- and community, when they are working tening is a fundamental Benedictine together, provide a trusted, safe place practice. It is also essential to priestly for people to talk about what their real ministry. Good listening depends on experience is. mindfulness, on being fully present to 4) A spirituality that is biblical and another person or to a group. The pri- liturgical. The spirituality of a mon- mary purpose of listening is for the sake astery is biblical and liturgical. The of understanding the other. Second Vatican Council urged a return Sometimes we know what we should to the sources of Christian life. The do, but we just can’t work up the nerve. Council affirmed that the liturgy is the We thrash around in classic conflict single most powerful formative energy avoidance. We just want to talk to some- within the Church. Every time we come one, use the person as a sounding board, together to celebrate the Eucharist or and hear ourselves speak what we need other sacrament, or for other prayer, we The Rule of Benedict has offered to do. At other times we just need to are more or less aware of who we are as much spiritual guidance to monastic empty our hearts. There are no solu- the Body of Christ. That is why per- communities for over 1,500 years. It tions, just the human condition. sonally giving ourselves to the liturgy is also provides a unique and valuable spir- 3) Receive all guests as Christ. Saint so important and why what a celebrant itual focus for priesthood. Benedict urges us “to receive all guests does with liturgy is so important. It is 1) Prefer nothing to Christ. In his as Christ.” Hospitality is central to also why it is so important to engage the Rule, Benedict urges his monks to prefer Christian life because it biases us toward energies of the community, as ministers nothing to Christ, to stay focused on respect and care. It takes us out of our- of word and sacrament, as ministers of Christ, on the Gospel, on the saving selves, toward the other. It is easy for us music and dance, as ministers of hospi- words and deeds of Jesus, on the dying as individuals to become hopelessly self- tality and environment.

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