Father Magnus Wenninger OSB

 

Father Magnus, a native of Park Falls, Wisconsin, came to Saint John's and professed vows in 1940 and was ordained a priest in 1945. Mathematician and philosoher, Father Magnus has achieved international recognition for his work with polyhedrons, and his books on polyhedrons have been tranlated into Spanish, Russian and Japanese.

In recent years Father Magnus has worked with other polyhedron scholars to develop computer software which can be used to develop polyhedron models. He remain in close communication with his fellow "polyhedronists" around the globe through e-mail and his website.

 

 

 

 

Brother Paul Richards OSB

 

Brother Paul was born and raised in Virginia in Minnesota's "Arrowhead." He professed vows on July 11, 1979. Shortly thereafter he founded the Saint John's Boys' Choir which he directed for 25 years.

During that time he led the Choir on several successful national and international tours. He stepped down as director in June 2007.

Br. Paul has a reputation for being well organized and the person to contact to get things done. He is the new formation director for the abbey. This means that he is the immediate superior for the novices and junior monks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Father Jerome Tupa OSB

 

Fr. Jerome was born Timothy John in Rollette N. Dak. and became a monk at St. John's Abbey in Minnesota in 1962. From an early age he was a painter and sculptor. However, he had little success with his work until he went to paris where he lived and studied for about 5 years before receiving his doctorate in 1976. During this period he was in a milieu of art and architecture that influenced his vision of the world and of the creative act. From that time he was an avid painter exhibiting in Paris, Bordeaux, Nice, Rome and throughout the United States.

 In recent years he has been working with the concept of pilgrimage as a metaphor for our journey in life. Having searched for a new genre of expression from the religious paintings of the last 200 years Tupa has explored the spiritual journey and a new iconography by first of all using the images of the dance followed by a series of shrines and artifacts from the catacombs. His more recent works have been inspired by the architecture of California and Europe in the pilgrimages of the western world: the California Missions, the pilgrimage road to visit the relics of Peter and Paul in Rome and the great trek from Paris to Compostela in Spain to pray at the tomb of San Diego.

 At present Fr. Jerome is working to complete the last great pilgrimage of the Christian West and that is to Jerusalem, the great geographical focal point for all of Christian and Jewish spirituality.   

To read more please go to Fr. Jerome's website.

 

 

 

 

Brother Mark Kelly OSB

Brother Mark Kelly hails from Ford City, Missouri. He professed vows at Saint John's Abbey in 1960. Saint John's visitors who marvel at the beauty of the campus can give a tip of the hat to Brother Mark who has had charge of the grounds crew for much of his career. 

Like students returning to touch bases with their favorite profs, dozens of alumni who worked with Brother Mark on the grounds crew wouldn't visit the campus without searching out the red truck (his office on wheels) and thanking him for his contribution to what they learned while students here. He has spent so many hours tending the various playing fields at Saint John's that generations of athletes have come to think of him as an honorary coach.

 

Brother Ken Kroeker OSB

 

Brother Ken was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and before entering the monastery at Saint John's he was for a time a Trappist monk in Canada. A registered nurse, he earned a bachelor of nursing degree at the College of Saint Benedict. Br. Ken was admitted into the National Honor Society for Nursing in 1997.

Br. Ken sings in the abbey schola and, regardless of weather, jogs daily. He can usually be found dressed in white on duty in the Abbey-University Health Center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Father Cletus Connor OSB

Father Cletus is a native of Edgerton, WI. He was born June 15, 1937, professed as a monk 11 July 1968, and ordained to the priesthood on May 27, 1972.

Fr. Cletus has served as pastor in a variety of parishes and currently he is pastor of St. Boniface parish in cold Spring. The pastor's apparel isn't always this colorful as it is when he hosts the annual parish festival. A talented flautist, he often shares his gift at social and liturgical functions.

 

 

 

 

Father Timothy Backous OSB

 

A native of Aberdeen, South Dakota, Father Timothy entered the monastery in 1979 and was ordained in 1986. He earned his doctorate in moral theology at Rome's Alphonsianum.

Known across the campus simply as "Timo," he currently serves as Head of School at Saint John's Preparatory School and as an occasional pastoral assistant at the Basilica of St. Mary's in Minneapolis. An alumnus of the Saint John's Men's Chorus, he continues to keep his singing voice in shape.

 

 

 

 

 

Father Stephen Beauclair OSB

Fr. Stephen is a native of New Rockford, ND.  He made profession as a monk on June 11, 1961 and was ordained a priest June 3, 1967. As a novice he was given the name "Bruno," but he prefers his baptismal name.

Fr. Stephen has spent his monastic career as a parish priest and currently serves as pastor of St. Peter & Paul parish in Richmond.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brother Paul-Vincent Niebauer OSB

Brother Paul-Vincent hails from Phillips, Wisconsin. Before entering John's Abbey in 1995, he spent 13 years as a circus performer and ringmaster. After becoming a monk of Saint John's he taught theater and directed plays and musicals for the Saint John's Preparatory School for 13 years.

He now is the vocation director for the abbey and also teaches a college class in acting for musical theatre in addition to serving as a faculty resident in one of our college dormatories.  Brother Paul-Vincent occasionally entertains his confreres with his juggling and fire-eating!

 

 

 

 

Father Edward Vebelun OSB

Father Edward was born in Lisbon, Ohio, in l968. He professed vows at Saint John's in 1995. His ordination to the priesthood took place on June 5, 2004.

Before entering the monastery at Saint John's, Fr. Edward served in a variety of service roles, including stints in a juvenile detention center, a university service program in the Appalachian mountains, and as a VIDA volunteer in a Colorado homeless shelter.

He volunteered to serve at Saint John's priory of Trinity Benedictine Monastery, located in the "Japanese Alps," even before his priestly ordination. As Father Edward continues to advance in his mastery of Japanese, he serves in a variety of pastoral roles in the Benedictines' service to Japanese Christians. Presently he is the sub-prior of Trinity Benedictine Priory.

 

 

 

 

Brother Christopher Fair OSB

Brother Christopher (right) hails from Omaha, NE. He made profession as a Benedictine September 14, 2000.

After extensive training in woodworking Br. Christopher was named Shop Steward of Saint John's Abbey's Woodworking.  He will continue the Abbey's long tradition manufacturing fine furniture from oak and other hardwood, much of which was harvested from the Abbey's woodlands. 

In addition to being a fine wood craftsman, Christopher is also a poet, enjoys baking and makes wonderful wooden toys for the annual Saint John's Crafts Fair.

 

 

Father John Patrick Earls OSB

Father John Patrick, born and raised in San Angelo, TX, made vows as a monk on July 11, 1960, and was ordained a priest on June 11, 1965.

"JP," as he is most commonly known by confreres and students, has an advanced degree in English Literature. He taught literature with a droll sense of humor for many years in the Saint John's English Department, and has been recommended for professor emeritus.

He served as Formation Director for the Abbey through June 2008. He also has a reputation for completing crossword puzzles in record time.