Father John Klassen OSB, Elected 10Th Abbot of Saint John's Abbey

A Newsletter for the faculty and staff of the CSB/SJU undergraduate program December 2000 Father John Klassen OSB, Elected 10th Abbot of Saint John’s Abbey Father John Klassen OSB, CSB/SJU asso- ciate professor of chemistry, was elected the 10th abbot of Saint John’s Abbey on the morning of Nov. 24. He succeeds Abbot Timothy Kelly OSB, who has completed his eight-year term of office. Abbot John will lead the community of 196 Benedictine monks who sponsor and work at Saint John’s University, St. John’s Preparatory School, and The Liturgical Press as well as in parishes, hospitals and retire- ment centers mainly in Minnesota, and in small monastic communities in Nassau, Bahamas, and Fujimi, Japan. He has the option of serving as abbot for 24 years, until his 75th birthday. Abbot John, 51, is the second oldest of the six sons and two daughters of Paul (deceased) and Catherine (Wiechmann) Klassen. He grew up on his family’s dairy farm near the Stearns County town of Elrosa, just 40 miles west of Collegeville. He is the first of the abbey’s 10 abbots to be born in this immediate area. He attended high school, college and seminary on the Collegeville campus. He became a Benedictine monk of Saint John’s Abbey in 1972 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1977. The newly-elected abbot received a doc- torate in bio-organic chemistry from The Catholic University of America in Washing- ton, D.C., in 1985. He taught chemistry at St. John’s Prep School (1972-77) and Saint John’s University (1983-2000), and was the director of the university’s senior seminar program (1986-88), and of the Peace Studies Program Abbot John Klassen also serves as SJU chancellor. (1988-90). He served as a faculty resident of student housing (1983-89). In his preliminary remarks to the monastic community fol- Abbot John was the director of monastic formation for the lowing the election, the new abbot recognized the enormity of abbey from 1993-99. He has been a director of a Benedictine the task facing him. But he took courage and comfort in an values program for the lay faculty and staff of the university, important word — delegate — and urged his confreres to “Stay and he recently co-authored an essay on “Catholic, close, so together we can continue our wonderful journey to Benedictine Values in an Educational Environment.” God who is within us.” Students Groove With As her career gradually turned from performance to New Movement Class teaching, Dillard has studied new ways of thinking CAMPUS NOTES about movement and physicality. Her study of the prepared by Jo Shroyer, Feldenkrais method, a way of accessing the human Procedures Noted nervous system in order to enhance physical func- for Canceling Classes communication and marketing services account manager tioning, has changed her life as a dancer and con- tinues to inform her teaching. prepared by Pamela Reding, It’s been 15 years since dance was last taught on The Feldenkrais method was developed by executive secretary to the provost the CSB/SJU campuses. This fall dancer and teacher Moshe Feldenkrais (1904-1984), a physicist, engi- The decision to cancel all classes Leigh Dillard changed all that with a movement class neer and respected Judo instructor, who explored at CSB/SJU is made by Neil that marks the return of dance to our campuses. the ways that bodily movement relates to thought, Thorburn, provost for academic “The response from students has been phenome- emotion and learning. He devised a series of physi- affairs, in consultation with Mike nal,” Dillard said, noting that the class is filled with Juntunen, director of transportation. cal exercises that, when combined with focused an interesting cross-section of the student popula- self-awareness, can increase flexibility, foster relax- When a severe storm is in progress tion. “There are people who have been dancing in the early morning hours (prior to ation, enhance well being, and expand potential. most of their lives, but we also have students who the starting of school), announce- “It is a way of using movement to connect your just thought it would be an interesting thing to do. ments concerning the cancellation emotional, thinking self with the physical place you And we have a football player, too,” she said. of college classes are made occupy in this world,” Dillard said. “It’s great for A survey of the students taking the modern through four different methods: dancers and athletes, to stretch their capability and dance class found that some were motivated by the Campus Voice Mail — also prevent injury, but it’s also useful for people Juntunen will send out a campus social opportunity it presented, while others found with such conditions as spinal cord injury, multiple voice mail announcing that class it to be a refreshing and even a spiritual experience. sclerosis and cerebral palsy.” has been cancelled for the day. And for some, it has been a struggle. They are The practice is designed to free us from learned Campus E-mail — Juntunen will uncomfortable with improvisation or find mastering ways of moving and using our bodies, Dillard send out a campus e-mail announc- large dance phrases difficult. explained, and allow new ways of thinking and moving that class has been cancelled “There has been some discomfort,” Dillard said. ing to evolve. “Our lives are locked up in our bodies, for the day. “But I try to make the class structured enough so after all,” she said. “By zeroing in on who we are and Radio — The Communication that people can feel safe.” The students learn factu- then expressing it through movement or dance, we and Marketing Services office will al information about their physical selves — how to can share our experience with the rest of the world.” notify the following radio stations of warm up, use space, improvise movement, and For her part, learning the Feldenkrais method class cancellations. build skills and strength through repetition. “It has has opened up new worlds of creativity in her own WJON (1240)-St. Cloud been interesting to watch the changes in their con- life. “And it has rejuvenated me, changing me more WWJO (98.1)-St. Cloud fidence levels,” she said. psychologically and emotionally than anything KMXK (94.9)-St. Cloud Dillard comes to CSB/SJU with a rich back- else.” Now Dillard is hoping to develop ways to KCLD (104.7)-St. Cloud ground in dance. She co-found the New Dance WILD (98.9)-St. Cloud combine dancing and teaching with a Feldenkrais Ensemble, a residence dance company that was practice working one-on-one with clients. KCML (99.9)-St. Cloud active in the Twin Cities during the 1980s and has KNSI (1450)-St. Cloud Meanwhile, Dillard has brought everything she’s taught dance at the University of Minnesota in KKSR (96.7)- Waite Park learned about dancing, movement and self-expres- Minneapolis and most recently in Greensboro, N.C. KSJR (90.1)-Collegeville sion to the CSB/SJU campuses with this popular KNSR (88.9)-Collegeville new class offering. The KJNB (CSB/SJU) J-term and second KCFB (91.5)-St. Cloud semester classes al- WVAL (800)-Sauk Rapids ready are full. “I can WHMH (101.7)-Sauk Rapids envision a dance pro- KASM (1150)-Albany gram developing here,” WCCO (830)-Minneapolis Dillard mused, adding TV — The Communication and that she also would like Marketing Services office will notify to use her contacts in the following television stations of the Twin Cities arts class cancellations. community to bring KARE-TV (11), NBC artists to our campuses KSTP-TV (5), ABC to enhance an already WCCO-TV (4), CBS strong Fine Arts pro- KMSP-TV, 9), UPN gram. “Most of all, I Blue Screen (6), CSB/SJU really want to stay con- Please note — attending work nected with dance.” The CSB/SJU campus- or class is an individual decision. A few of the 20 students taking Leigh Dillard’s dance class, in a practice room at the es will be the benefici- Benedicta Arts Center. The modern movement class marks the return of dance to the CSB/SJU campuses. aries of that desire. CSB 2 SJU CAMPUS NOTES Nominations Needed for Caritas Award prepared by Susan Gergen, CSB director of alumnae and parent relations Every spring, the Caritas Award is presented to one alumna, one alumnus, one CSB student and one SJU student for outstanding community service or social justice work. In addition, each honoree is able to designate a sizeable dona- tion to her or his community service or social justice organization. Mary Lyons, CSB president, and Dietrich Reinhart OSB, SJU president, enjoy the view from the Great Wall of China We would appreciate your nomi- during their recent trade mission as part of the Minnesota Private College Council delegation. The trade mission, nations for the spring 2001 award. which included college presidents, board members, local business leaders and former U.S. Ambassador Burton Please suggest current juniors or Levin, was organized with the goal of strengthening relations between higher education systems in both countries. seniors and graduates who, within The Chinese Ministry of Education hosted the delegation’s eight-day trip in November. During the visit, the delega- the past five years, have been put- tion focused on three objectives: to assist in the development of a private college/university sector in the People’s ting extraordinary time and effort Republic of China; to increase the number of undergraduate student exchanges; to expand a collective understand- into improving the lives of those ing of the past, present, and future of Chinese culture, education and economics.

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