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Volume 33, Number 1 |
Richardton, ND 58652 |
January 2005 |
Five Monks Are Jubilarians
by Terrence Kardong, O.S.B.
Sebastian Schmidt came to the Abbey school from Hosmer, South Dakota in 1948 and
graduated in 1952. He made his monastic profession July 11, 1955, so this is his
golden jubilee. He did college work at St. John’s and theological studies in the
Abbey seminary. Fr. Sebastian spent the great part of his life as a member of our
dependent priory in Bogotá, Colombia. Although he was not one of the actual founding
group, his thirty-
Denis Fournier hails from Red Lake Falls in northern Minnesota. He transferred to the Abbey school in 1950 and was in the profession class of 1955, so 2005 marks his 50th anniversary. He did college studies at Collegeville and theology at Richardton, but after ordination in 1960, Fr. Denis did a great deal more graduate study that included a Masters degree in English at Marquette (Milwaukee) and a doctorate in the same subject at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln (1989). As long as the Abbey school was in existence, he was a mainstay of the English department. In later years he taught at the College of Great Falls, Montana, and finally at the University of Mary, Bismarck. Besides being an omnivorous reader, Fr. Denis has lovingly tended the Abbey archives since 1986. Over the years, he also has been active in supplying help to local parishes. After retiring from the classroom, Fr. Denis was happy to alleviate the shortage of priests in Montana, where he serves for seven months of the year in Wibaux/Glendive.
Julian Nix hails from the border town of Wibaux, Montana. He attended the Abbey Prep and graduated in 1966. Unlike many of the monks, he did not attend the Abbey Junior College but studied at Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon. Later he finished college at the University of Montana in Missoula. After some work experience, he returned to Richardton in the late 1970s to join the novitiate. Profession came in 1980, so this is his 25th jubilee. In the early 1980s, Fr. Julian did theological work at Notre Dame, Indiana, and earned a Masters Degree in Liturgy in the bargain. He later did graduate work in Canon Law at Catholic University, Washington, DC. Since 1989, Fr. Julian has led a very stable life as chaplain of St. Alexius Medical Center, Bismarck. In addition to his duties at the hospital, he has found time to minister to the young people at the Youth Correctional Center in nearby Mandan.
John Odermann grew up north of the monastery on a farm that is now under the waters
of the Garrison Dam. He came to college at Richardton and entered the novitiate in
1949. After graduating from St. Martin’s College in Lacey, Washington, he studied
theology at the home monastery. This resulted in his ordination in 1955; hence this
is his golden anniversary of priesthood. Fr. John has found himself assigned to a
great variety of ministries in his years as a member of the Abbey. He spent a few
years in Bogotá in the 1960s, and he also served in various parishes in North Dakota:
Man-
Stephen Kranz came to the Abbey novitiate in 1950. This native of Hastings, Minnesota, was unusual at that time in that he had never attended the Abbey school. Instead of that, he first served in the Air Force and then attended St. Benedict’s College, Atchison, Kansas. After doing his seminary studies at Richardton, Fr. Stephen was ordained in 1955, some fifty years ago. He served as an apprentice priest to such illustrious pastors as Fr. Gregory Borski and Fr. Michael Messer, but in 1973, he found his niche. He became pastor of St. Anthony’s Mission, Mandaree, where he has ministered ever since. The distinctive thing about St. Anthony’s is that it is a Native American parish. Fr. Stephen currently also serves as pastor of St. Anthony’s, New Town, and St. Joseph’s, Twin Buttes, so he puts about 250 miles on the odometer every weekend. But none of this daunts or dismays Fr. Steve who has been a model of perseverance and good Christian joy for all of us.
Fr. Sebastian Schmidt
Fr. Denis Fournier
Fr. Julian Nix
Fr. John Odermann
Fr. Stephen Kranz
