21 YEARS AGO TODAY

It was on July 22, 1993, that I began my fourteen year term as Prior of Conception Abbey.  Abbot Marcel asked me in May of that year to serve as Prior, replacing Father Benedict, so he could go away for graduate school.  He told me that I would begin as Prior on July 22 of that year.  I remember it so well as this date is the feast of St. Mary Magdalene.  For some reason it struck as unusual to begin on this feast day.  But, it actually was a very good day.  St. Mary Magdalene is frequently called the "apostle to the apostles."  She is the first one to see the Risen Jesus and was the one who carried the news of his resurrection to the other apostles.  She was a devoted disciple of Jesus and stayed at the cross until Jesus died and was taken down and put in the tomb. 

Last week we had a rather cool week in most of the Midwest.  This week has brought a big change.  Monday especially was a very hot day with temperatures in the mid to upper 90's and high humidity.  It was so warm that today I started wearing a clergy shirt and collar for my work in the nursing home instead of my habit.  It is air-conditioned over there but most of the residents do not like it to be too cool and the chapel seems to get so warm when we celebrate Mass over there.

As many of you know I am a big baseball fan and especially follow the Kansas City Royals.  Fortunately they are on TV up here so I can watch the games, but have definitely become a little discouraged with them.  I thought this would be their year but right now they are about eight games out of first place and have lost their last four games.  They have some very good pitchers but just don't seem to be able to hit.  O well, it's only a sport.  When I was a kid I was always a fan of the old St. Louis Browns (Kansas City did not have a major league team yet at that time).  The Browns ended up in about last place year after year, but I stuck with them until they were moved to Baltimore and took on a new name. 

I have been enjoying pictures that have been put on Facebook or other sites as they work on the renovation of the monastery at Conception.  It is quite a big task but will be nice when it is completed. Here are some photos posted by Bro. Maximilian.

And how about this picture taken in my living room of the house where I live in Norfolk.

Skipper my dog.  But don't worry he is not a real dog.

Just something I picked up at the white elephant sale at

the local parish this past week.

ST, BENEDICT -- JULY 11

This past Friday, July 11, was the Solemnity of St. Benedict, at least here at Immaculata Monastery in Norfolk.  Benedictines have the choice of celebrating the solemnity either on March 21 or on July 11.  The other day then is celebrated as a feast.  At Conception we celebrate March 21 as a solemnity, but here at Norfolk the Sisters celebrate the July 11th day as a solemnity.  We had a beautiful liturgy that day, a special meal at noon and then about 3:30 PM we left for Schuyler, NE to celebrate with the monks there.  After praying vespers we had a delightful dinner and some entertainment. I rode down with a couple of the Sisters from here.

This morning on Sunday, July 13, I celebrated three Masses.  Besides my regular two Masses for the Sisters and the St. Joseph Nursing Home, I celebrated a special Mass at the nursing home at 11:00 AM for the Bergstrom family.  Mildred Bergstrom, who resides at the home, is celebrating her 99th birthday.  The family had asked me to do this some months ago.  After the Mass they invited me to a meal at the Knights of Columbus Hall here in Norfolk.  It was all delightful and an enjoyable day.  

I think I have pretty well finished writing "thank you" notes for my 60th anniversary celebration.  If I missed anyone, I am sorry, and you know I did not omit you on purpose.  Since some did give me monetary gifts I did purchase a Samsung Tablet.  I now have, I guess you could say, another toy to play with, although I do enjoy it for many purposes.  

Here is a picture of the famous pecan at Brunswick, MO, my home town.

It used to be out in the country but is now in this little park located in

the town itself.

I went out and experimented this afternoon with my new tablet 

and took this picture with it.  This is the house where I live.

I think that's about it for this time.  It suddenly has gotten very hot and humid here this afternoon.  Had a little rain and that only made it feel worse.  

God bless you all.

Fr. Kenneth

81 years old and 60 years as a monk

I returned to Norfolk last Thursday, July 3, after spending two weeks on vacation in Missouri.  While in Missouri I celebrated sixty years of being in vows as a Benedictine monk in my home parish, St Boniface at Brunswick, Missouri.  The actual date of my profession of vows was September 8, 1954, but since I could not be there at that time we celebrated it while I was home. On Saturday evening, June 21, our family all got together at my nephew's farm -- Kenny and Julie Reichert's farm. It was a great evening of visiting, eating and, yes, some drinking.  

Then on Sunday morning I celebrated the 10:00 AM Mass at the parish.  The church was filled to capacity and Diane Moser played the organ for the music.  Father Rob Fields, the pastor, concelebrated with me.  After the Mass all went to the Knights of Columbus Hall for a fried chicken dinner.  My thanks go to my family for all they did to prepare for this celebration.  It was much appreciated.  And special thanks to the Knights.

Here are some pictures from the celebration:
Saturday evening:    

From Sunday morning Mass and dinner

It was a wonderful celebration in the parish where I was baptized, made my first communion, was confirmed, served many Masses as a young person, attended all eight years of grade school, celebrated my first solemn Mass etc.  

I also spent some days in Kansas City with my brother Harold.  Last July, about one year ago, his wife of over 61 years died.  So he is still trying to adjust to living alone.  He has three living children and a number of grand children.  He will be 88 years old in December.

So now I am back at Norfolk and still enjoying my work here.  God has been good to me for sure. The card I had printed for this occasion includes this prayer:  "O Lord, you have given me so much, please give me one thing more, a grateful heart."

God bless you all and thank you for all you have done for me.

All photos taken by my nephew Mark Reichert.

Fr. Kenneth

Happy Father's Day

Fr Kenneth.  Photo taken on June 14, 2014 by

Sister Madeleine, osb.

Yes, today is Fathers' day.  Certainly I remember my own father and appreciate him more than ever everyday.  All my brothers and I were born in the 1920's and 30's.  Those were not days when people had a lot of money.  I know both of my parents worked hard to feed us, cloth us etc..   I can honestly say I never remember going to bed hungry.  So today we all take this day to give thanks for the fathers we have or had in the past.  

The day when I begin my vacation is fast approaching. Father Pachomius, from Conception Abbey, should be driving up here on Wednesday of this week to take my place while I am gone.  I plan to leave on Thursday, June 19, and drive to Conception that day.  After spending the night at Conception I plan to drive on to Brunswick on Friday.  

Next Sunday, June 22, I am planning to celebrate the 10:00 AM parish Mass and then the Knights of Columbus will serve dinner.  I am celebrating this year my 60th anniversary of profession of vows. I made my first profession of vows on September 8, 1954.  I will not be able to go to Missouri on that date so will celebrate a little early next Sunday.  It really doesn't seem possible but the years do fly by and we cannot stop them.  I give thanks to God for these sixty years and want to say they have been good years.  Of course we all have our ups and downs in life, but we work through problems and continue to love God and appeciate the many good friends we make.  

For my first profession there were seven of us who took vows that day.  Four of us went on to make final vows in 1957.  Of those four I am the only one still living. The others have already passed on to heaven.  My Dad and Mother were there for my first vows and my brothers Raymond and Ed.  They too, as well as my brother Jim, have passed on to the heavenly kingdom.  Only one brother, Harold, is still living.  

Last night, Saturday, I was invited to the home of Paul and Kathy Moser here in Norfolk for a steak dinner.  It was a very enjoyable evening.  As many of you know my grandmother (Frances Reichert) was a Moser.  As far as we know there is no relation.  I managed to get home just as the rain was beginning and then throughout the night we had 3 1/2 inches of rain.  The most moisture we have had since I arrived here a little over one year ago.

I won't be writing on this blog until after I return to Norfolk on July 3.  Hope to see many relatives and friends while I am visiting in Missouri.  I do have a cell phone:  402-750-9684

God bless you all.
Fr. Kenneth

Missed Feast of Ascension This Year

Interestingly, this year, 2014, I missed the solemnity of the Ascension.  Yes, in the Province of St. Louis, which includes the entire state of Missouri the feast has been transferred to the following Sunday.  In the Province of Omaha, which includes the entire state of Nebraska it is still celebrated on Thursday.  So last week I was at our monastery, Conception Abbey, for our community retreat.  I returned here to Norfolk on Friday, May 30, and so missed the feast this year.  Kind of unusual I thought. 

We had a very good retreat last week.  The conferences were given by Monsignor Kevin Irwin, a priest of the archdiocese of New York, but who has spent much of his life in Washington, D.C. and in Rome.  He has his Doctorate in Liturgy from Sant' Aselmo in Rome and presently teaches at the Catholic University of America.  So the theme of the retreat was the Liturgy.  The conferences were all very interesting and helpful.  

As most of you know the monks have all moved out of the monastery at Conception and today, Monday, June 2, they should be starting with the demolition and then renovation of the monastery.  On one day of the retreat all the monks went to the monastery and the Abbot conducted a little prayer service, thanking all of our predecessors for all their work in building the monastery and asking God's blessing and protection on the workers who will renovate the monastery.  I am posting a couple pictures:

 This is Fr. Kenneth taken in the room and almost the exact

spot where I was shot on June 10, 2002.  The room is now empty

in preparation for the renovation.

Abbot Gregory conducting the prayer service with

the community gathered around him.  When Fr. Norbert and

I were shot in 2002 it was just inside the door you see in

this picture.

Another blessing the community received at the conclusion of the retreat was the ordination to the priesthood of our confrere, Father Macario.  The ordaining bishop was our own Archbishop Jerome Hanus, O.S.B., who just retired after serving as bishop for 26 years at St. Cloud, MN and then as Archbishop of Dubuque.

Left to right:  Father Macario, Archbishop Jerome

and deacon who is a seminarian studying for the

Sioux City diocese

Many guests were present for the ordination including some good friends of mine.  Among those present was Jeremy Long, an alumnus who now lives in San Francisco.

Jeremy Long and Fr. Kenneth

When I left Norfolk to go to Conception there were over forty novice directors and novices from Benedictine women communities throughout the United States here for workshops.  They were still here when I returned on Friday but left then on Saturday.  They seemed to all enjoy their time together.

I believe that Sister Pia Portmann, the superior here at Norfolk, who has been gone most of the month of May, returns tomorrow.

Finally in closing I want to refer my readers to a blog written by Father Paul Sheller, O.S.B., vocation director at Conception Abbey.  All the pictures I have on this blog were taken by him and he regularly posts on his blog.  He includes many photos.

Go to:  http://listenmyson.wordpress.com/

God bless you all.