Seminarian enters into eternal life.

Thursday, January 22, one of our seminarians, Alan Brown, passed to eternal life rather suddenly and unexpectedly. During prayer that morning in the student chapel he left and went over to the infirmary. He was having chest pains and pain in his arms. The nurse on duty called for the ambulance and he was taken to the hospital at Maryville. After being evaluated there it was decided he needed to be transferred to the hospital at St. Joseph where they have a team of cardiologists available. He was taken there but suffered a major heart attack and died about 3:45 PM. Alan was a senior studying for the diocese of Jefferson City. He was looking forward to graduating in May and then going on for theology studies in preparation for ordination. His death was a shock to the seminary community and to all of us who knew him. He was a very friendly and thoughtful person. His picture is posted below.Alan's funeral will be at Moberly, Missouri on Monday, January 26. Classes have been canceled here and the students will go to the funeral. Two chartered buses have been ordered to take them as well as some of the faculty/staff. Keep Alan and his family, as well as the seminarians, in your prayers.

Some of the seminarians went to Washington, DC this week to take part in the "March for Life." They went by chartered bus so that is a long trip and I'm sure they were all very tired when they returned.

Father Anthony, a member of our community, received word this week that his brother, Brother Stephen, died at St. Meinrad Archabbey. Father Anthony had two brothers who were members of St. Meinrad's and both are now deceased. Father Anthony is one of our older monks, but still very active.

We have had some warmer weather this week but this morning it is again down to zero so winter is definitely still with us.

Father Albert Bruecken, O.S.B., had colon surgery a little over a week ago at Heartland Hospital in St. Joseph. He returned home to our infirmary on Wednesday of this week and will spend some time there recuperating. Brother Mark has also been in the infirmary this past week so we have just about had a full house there.

Peace to all of you who read this blog.
Fr. Kenneth, O.S.B.

Cold, cold, cold................

I don't like to make this blog just a report on the weather but sometimes the weather seems to be the predominant thing in our lives. We have been having some very cold weather. It seems that one cold front moves away and another one moves in right away. This morning, for instance, our temperature was 11 below zero. The windchill was about 25 below zero. It makes you appreciate the nice warm building we live in but the gas bill will reflect that of course.


In other news Abbot Gregory has called Father Joel Derks, O.S.B., home from his assignment as chaplain at St. Bernard's Hospital, Jonesboro, Arkansas. Father Joel just celebrated fifty years of profession as a monk this past fall and will now be the spiritual chaplain for the infirmary residents, as well as help in other ways here at the monastery.


The students all returned this past Sunday. I believe five students did not return, either because they graduated at the end of the first semester or decided the priesthood is not their vocation. However, we also accepted seven new students for the second semester. The students had registration on Monday and began classes this last Tuesday.


All our monks from Conception who are away at school have returned to their various schools to continue studies for the second semester. That included: Brother Pachomius, Brother Guerric, Brother Macario, Brother Anselm and Brother Victor. It was good to have them home for Christmas. The three monks from other monasteries attending school here have also returned: Brother Gabriel, from Worth Abbey in England; Brother Gerard, from Christ in the Desert Abbey in New Mexico and Brother John, from the Priory at Norcia, Italy.


This a picture of my family taken in August, 1953, just before I entered the novitiate. In the front are my parents: Joe and Alice (Gladbach) Reichert, In the back from left to right: Fr. Kenneth, Raymond (now deceased), Harold, Jim (now deceased) and my youngest brother Ed who died of cancer at age 19 in 1955. We never did get a chance to have a more formal family picture taken.

Last week of Christmas season

Since we celebrated the feast of the Epiphany last Sunday and will celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord this coming Sunday, January 11, the Christmas season is coming to a close. I hope it has been a time of many blessings for all of you.

This past weekend I was at Cameron, Missouri to celebrate the weekend Masses at St. Munchin Church there. I understand this is the only church in the United States that is named after this Irish saint, St. Munchin. It is a very friendly parish and they are very welcoming. I always enjoy going there for weekend assistance.

This past weekend Father Joachim Schieber celebrated his 90th birthday. He is the oldest member of our community. Father Joachim was born and raised in this area and still has many relatives in the local community. He has been a professed member of Conception Abbey for almost 70 years. Presently he resides in our infirmary but is still very active.

Father Joachim Schieber, O.S.B.

Brothers Guerric and Macario had to leave last Saturday to return to St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana to continue their theological studies. On Monday Brother Pachomius had to leave to return to Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon for his last semester of studies before his ordination to the priesthood. Brothers Anselm and Victor will leave this coming Saturday to return to Catholic University of America in Washington, DC to continue their studies. Our own students too will be returning this weekend to begin the second semester.


A number of monks are gone this week for various things. All will be returning of course in time for the second semester to begin. I myself will go to Kansas City tomorrow to spend a couple days with my brother and sister-in-law.