TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURES Many Hats One Mission: Father Matthew Luft ’02 7 Sister Mary Anthony Wagner, OSB, Award 12 ABOUT THE COVER Ezekiel Prophet of Hope Award 13 Youth in Theology and Ministry Program (YTM) counselors Former SOT•Sem student receives $100,000 and youth enjoy the afternoon for award-winning essay 17 sun on the shores of Saint John's Lake Sagatagan. YTM is for high school age Catholic DEPARTMENTS leadership youth who have had positive experiences of Church Dean’s Message 3 and want to gather with other like minded youth and adults Abbot’s Message 4 to explore faith, leadership and vocation. News 5 This program engages the adult Alumni Profile 6 mentors, who work in parish ministry, in a Masters of Arts Graduates 8 in Pastoral Ministry. Board Profile: John Boyle 10 To learn more about YTM, visit www.YTM-SJU.org. Book Review: Benedictine Daily Prayer 11 Faculty Profile: Father Kevin Seasoltz, OSB 16 Staff and Faculty Update 18 Development Message 21 Alumni Update 22 In Hope of Ressurection 23 Conversatio is published twice each year by the Development Office of Saint John’s School of Theology•Seminary. Dean Editor Contributing Writers Dr. William Cahoy Anna May Kampa Christy Arnold Dr. William Cahoy Director of Development Photography Brendon Duffy and External Relations Patricia Weishaar Abbot John Klassen, OSB William K. Marsella Joe Young, St. Cloud Visitor Mary Ewing Stamps For comments, questions or story ideas, contact: Anna May Kampa, Editor, Saint John’s School of Theology•Seminary, Collegeville, MN 56321; 320-363-3570 or email at [email protected]. 2 Saint John’s School of Theology•Seminary Winter 2006 Dean’s Message CLARITY OF VISION & CONSISTENCY OF COMMITMENT John Paul II – Requiescat in pace. FEATURES Benedict XVI – In Omnibus Glorificetur Deus. Many Hats One Mission: Father Matthew Luft ’02 7 Sister Mary Anthony Wagner, OSB, Award 12 This past spring we in the U.S. and probably the world, to offer graduate Ezekiel Prophet of Hope Award 13 witnessed a remarkable theological education to women. In the summer of 1958, outpouring of emotion well before Vatican II, even before Blessed John XXIII Former SOT•Sem student receives $100,000 at the death of John was in office, women began studying in the Benedictine for award-winning essay 17 Paul II from people in Institute of Sacred Theology (BIST) sponsored by Saint and out of the Catholic Benedict’s Monastery. Since Saint John’s was already Church. The reaction accredited to offer graduate degrees, this quickly evolved DEPARTMENTS watched on televisions into a partnership with the Seminary (a partnership that around the world evolved into the School of Theology) and the first class Dean’s Message 3 showed the power of the office of the papacy. Even more, finished their degrees in 1962. Abbot’s Message 4 it showed the power of personal witness. In a world In recognition of this historic development the alumni where so much seems determined by polls and the fickle association inaugurated the Sister Mary Anthony Wagner, News 5 winds of public opinion, John Paul’s clarity of vision and OSB, Award this past year. Named for a guiding force consistency of commitment were respected even by those behind BIST and the first dean of the School of Theology, Alumni Profile 6 who disagreed with him. Few, if any, of us will ever come it will be given to women graduates who have prophetically close to the opportunities—and responsibilities—of office and courageously used their gifts for the good of the Graduates 8 John Paul II had. But all of us have the opportunity—and church and the world. Appropriately, and with great joy, Board Profile: John Boyle 10 responsibility—of witness; the opportunity to live out our the first award was given to that first class of women to lives with consistency, commitment and compassion in receive their degrees. Four of them joined us in the spring Book Review: Benedictine Daily Prayer 11 whatever office we find ourselves. of 2005 for a wonderful celebration of their pioneering This is true too for institutions like Saint John’s and work. As you can imagine, the time flowed with stories of Faculty Profile: Father Kevin Seasoltz, OSB 16 the School of Theology•Seminary. While reading the signs their student days and their diverse work since. Staff and Faculty Update 18 of the times, the shifting needs and circumstances of the More recently, Augie Turak, who was a sabbatical church, we are called to maintain a clarity of vision and student in 2002, won the grand prize of $100,000 in the Development Message 21 consistency of commitment. The church should expect inaugural Templeton Foundation essay contest on “The nothing less from us. Our vision, our witness, is needed Power of Purpose.” Augie’s essay, “Brother John,” was Alumni Update 22 now as much as ever. selected from more than 7,300 entrants. Augie says he In Hope of Ressurection 23 Over the decades one of the things that has been came to Saint John’s seeking a place to pray, to learn and to consistent about Saint John’s is quality people teaching think. He found all of that and more. Part of the “more” and living out that vision. In this edition of Conversatio was the realization, through the encouragement of the we celebrate four such people, or in one case a group faculty, that he could write and that he had something to of people, whose contributions have been recognized in say. This essay is the first fruit of that realization. particularly public ways this past year. As it turns out, they Victor Klimoski, graduate of the SOT•Sem and also represent the four major components of the School of Director of Lifelong Learning, received the 2005 Bishop Theology•Seminary community: alums, students, staff, Loras T. Lane Award from the Seminary Department of the and faculty. National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), which It is not widely known, even in the Saint John’s is given for distinguished service to the Catholic seminaries community, but we were the first Catholic theologate of the United States. In presenting it, the NCEA said it Continued on page 20 Winter 2006 Saint John’s School of Theology•Seminary 3 Abbot’s Message HUMILITY AND GIFTEDNESS All ministry is rooted – magic of course and says, “All these I will give you if in our baptism in the you prostrate yourself in homage before me. If you are the Risen Christ and the gifts Beloved, you should have the power to do anything you of the Holy Spirit that are want.” Jesus replies that God’s power in the world is not the given to us in this sacra- power of dominance and control, it is the power of love. ment. Each one of us, How easy for us to try to get our way by the use of force at some point in our life, and power. As Christian ministers we have to be clear about needs to hear the words the way we make decisions in community. We all know how that Jesus heard as he difficult listening in community is, how hard it is to come to came out of the waters of the Jordan, overshadowed by the a balance between the needs of the community and letting Holy Spirit: This is my Beloved Daughter, Son, in whom our gifts be for the upbuilding of this community. I am well pleased. In this simple but powerful scene the relationship between humility and giftedness are in perfect THIRD TEMPTATION harmony. I know the gracious gift of God – I know who I The tempter is not finished, but takes Jesus to the para- truly am. The gifts that are graciously given to me are ori- pet of the temple. “If you are the Son of God, the Beloved, ented toward the building up of the Body of Christ. you should be safe from physical harm” As one commenta- After Jesus is baptized and is fully aware of his identity, tor has said, “If Jesus wants to get down from the temple, he is immediately tested. Now there are choices that are he will have to walk down like everybody else.” Jesus is the wildly inconsistent with his identity. The three temptations Beloved and he cannot use force and power to do whatever are about how Jesus will use his gifts in ministry. Will he he wants. use them in a way that is inconsistent with whom he is as How easily I am tempted to think that God’s blessing Beloved Son, that is, with loss of humility? will protect me from all harm, that God has absolute control over the events in my life. If God were to protect us from FIRST TEMPTATION all harm, God would have to take all of the randomness out Who really is this Beloved of God? Well Satan has of natural processes, and extract all human freedom from some ideas. “If you are the Beloved Son, you should be full. our lives. To know that I am a beloved daughter or beloved You shouldn’t be empty.” Jesus, in his response, says, “I son is to recognize that even in the midst of real awfulness am the Beloved, and I am hungry and empty. I live by the and tragedy, there can be grace and blessing. Word.” You should never be empty. As a gifted minister I can For Christian ministers this story of the temptations, be surprised by the demands of this vocation and profession; coupled with the Baptism of Jesus, provides helpful insights and panic when I find myself empty.