the saint louis abbey JOURNAL2009-10 Achievements and The Saint Louis Abbey was founded through the close cooperation betweenAwards Benedictine monks of Ampleforth Ab- bey in England and St. Louis laymen who, in the early 1950s, had a vision of building and maintaining a Catholic college preparatory school of the highest order and supporting a Benedictine monastery to run that school. In 1955 that vision became a reality. Today the Abbey consists of a 150 acre campus in West St. Louis County with a monastic community that operates a day school for talented and motivated young men in grades seven through twelve, and a parish of the Archdio- cese of St. Louis. The heart of the Abbey is centered in the monks, the Benedictine Rule and the vow of stability taken by the monks to remain at the Abbey for life. Radiating from the monks is a warmth that nourishes an ever-wideningPRIZE family RECIPIENTS of students and faculty, alumni, parents, parents of alumni, parishioners and other friends who, in their diversity,FORM are P RIZEbound – to- gether through participation in the life of the Abbey. Matthew R. Menendez IM P ROVEMENT – LAUS TIBI DOMINE Praise to you, O Lord Charles J. Epstein Anthony R. Hayes THEOLOGY – ED ITOR : Douglas J. Hall Julie Lohr James A. Kopfensteiner Matthew R. Menendez ART DIRECTION AN D DESIGN : Shelly Kurtz LITERARY – James F. Fuller CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRA P HERS : Grace Jenkerson Lisa Johnston Brother Mark Kammerer, OSB Brother Cassian Koenemann, OSB Shelly Kurtz Julie Lohr Jerry Naunheim Andrea Nunziante John Notter Patty Erker Michael Schlueter Michael Turco THE SAINT LOUIS ABBEY JOURNAL IS P UBLISHE D BY : Development and Public Relations Office The Abbey of Saint Mary and Saint Louis 500 South Mason Road St. Louis, Missouri 63141-8500 PHONE : 314.434.3690 FAX : 314.434.4526 EMAIL : [email protected] WEB SITES : www.stlouisabbey.org www.stlprioryschool.org THE SAINT LOUIS ABBEY JOURNAL Volume XLIX 2009/10 Table of Contents FROM THE MONASTERY From the Calefactory: .................................................................................................................................... 3 The Blessing of the Millennial and Jubilee Windows: ..................................................................................... 8 Solemn Profession of Brothers Andrew Senay and Cassian Koenemann: ........................................................ 9 60th Ordination of Right Reverend Luke Rigby:...........................................................................................10 Ordination of Brother Linus Dolce: ............................................................................................................. 11 Vocations:.....................................................................................................................................................12 Father Dominic Returns from Saint Anselm's Abbey ................................................................................... 13 Luke Rigby Award: ....................................................................................................................................... 14 Obituaries: ................................................................................................................................................... 17 Necrology: ................................................................................................................................................... 18 FROM THE SCHOOL Headmaster's Message: ................................................................................................................................. 21 Junior School Report: .................................................................................................................................. 23 Achievements and Awards: ........................................................................................................................... 24 Post-Season Honors and Athletics: ............................................................................................................... 34 Class of 2010 – College Choices: ................................................................................................................. 37 Graduation Day: .......................................................................................................................................... 38 College Counseling: ..................................................................................................................................... 42 Technology: ................................................................................................................................................. 45 Faculty Development: .................................................................................................................................. 46 Student Faculty Awards: ............................................................................................................................... 47 Admission: ................................................................................................................................................... 48 Aim High:.....................................................................................................................................................49 Parent Organizations: ................................................................................................................................... 50 FROM THE ALUMNI Year In Review: ............................................................................................................................................ 53 FROM THE PARISH Pastor’s Message: .......................................................................................................................................... 57 Parish Committees: ...................................................................................................................................... 58 Saint Louis Abbey Calendar ................................................................................................................................. 64 Saint Louis Abbey Organizations ...................................................................................................inside back cover 3 Monastery 4 FROM THE MONASTERY alumni monks. When From the Calefactory Father Gregory en- Abbot Thomas Frerking, OSB tered the monastery in 1979, I remember THE STATE OF THE MONASTERY, JUNE 2010 that most in the In the spring of 2010, we have 23 solemnly professed, four in community thought temporary vows, one first-year novice and one choir oblate. The that he would be our total is 29, the average age is a little over 52, and the number under only alumnus monk, 40 is eight. so radically had voca- For some comparison with previous states of this community: tions declined since last year at this time, we were 21 solemnly professed, five temporar- the 1950’s from the ily professed, two novices and one choir oblate for a total of 29. The schools of religious average age was a little over 52, and the number under 40 was seven. institutes engaged in So, in the course of this year, our total numbers have remained the education. Then, in same, our average age has remained the same at 52, and the number 1999 – it would not under 40 has gone from seven to eight. be too much to say, to our amazement In 2001, when we moved into the new monastery, we were 16 – alumni vocations solemnly professed, five temporarily professed, one novice, and one began to come. This has been extremely heartening to us. As for the oblate, for a total of 23. Our average age was 50, and the number immediate future: at present we have three men who have declared under 40 was six. From 2001 to 2010, then, we have increased in their intention to ask to be received into our Postulancy: one in his total numbers by six, our average age has increased by two years, but early thirties, hoping to enter in December of this year; another the number under 40 has increased by two. The number of solemn- in his early thirties, hoping to enter in August 2011; one a young ly professed increased by seven. alumnus of the School, presently 18 years old and in college, hoping Again, in 1995, there were 18 solemnly professed, no temporar- to enter in August 2013. Other men are at various stages of interest. ily professed, no novices, no postulants, and one oblate. The total It should be noted, too, that those who have entered in recent was thus 19 – not 29, the average age was over 50, and there were years have the abilities needed, have completed or are in the process only four under the age of 40, not eight. of completing the education needed, and are beginning to gain the Finally, in 1989, when we became an Abbey, the statistics were experience needed, for holding significant positions of administra- as follows: 14 solemnly professed, two temporarily professed, two tion, teaching, and pastoral responsibility in the monastery, in the novices and two oblates, for a total of 20; the average age was 50 School, and in our pastoral works. Consider the table (see next page) with six under 40. of monks who have completed degrees, or who have begun studying We can say, then, that over the last 21 years our average age has for degrees, since the year 2000; all the degrees earned or antici- remained virtually the same, a little better than normal, while we pated; and in the case of those who have completed their formal have increased in numbers by 45