Reflections
on the Monastic Life
Fr. Sebastian Schmidt
I am Fr. Sebastian Schmidt, O.S.B. I was the fifth of ten children from a very poor family in a poor little town, Hosmer, SD, in 1934. My baptismal name was Leopold, although before I entered the monastery, everyone called me “leo”.
My earliest memories inform me that practically from infancy I wanted to be a priest – God alone knows why – and never considered anything else. I had served Mass from 4th to 8th grades, and since I knew my pastor very well, I asked him at the beginning of my 8th grade to help me find a minor seminary for high school. He asked me if I wanted to become a monk. I had no idea what a monk was, so I asked, “Are they priests”?. When he said “yes”, I too said “yes”. (I only learned later that he had belonged to a monastery in Germany before coming to the U.S.) That week he was paying a visit to his friend, Fr. Cuthbert Goeb, then abbot of Assumption Abbey in Richardton, ND, and he later informed me that if I studied for Assumption Abbey, I would receive a full scholarship for room and board. That’s how I came to the Abbey in September, 1948, graduated from high school in 1952 and from the tiny junior college in 1954. In June of 1954 I entered the novitiate where I received the name Sebastian. I made first vows on July 11, 1955, graduated from St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN in 1957, made final profession in 1958, and was ordained a priest in 1960. Having finished my theology studies in 1961, I was now ready for my first full time assignment.
I had volunteered to go to our Priory in Bogota, Colombia, S.A. and I was sent there on July 31, 1961. There followed thirty-nine years of all kinds of work in our two schools in Bogota. (With interruptions, however, of assignments at Assumption Abbey, one for two years, and the other for three.) These included teaching a variety of subjects, coaching sports teams, serving as chaplain, and being head of the school. I also held a variety of positions in our small monastic community.
In December 1999, having reached the age of 65, I returned to the U.S. and was assigned to be pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in Glen Ullin, ND. In 2003, St. Ann in Hebron, ND was added to my assignment. I briefly retired to the Abbey, but assumed a new assignment as chaplain at a retirement center in Rochester, MN in August, 2007.Finally, at the end of May, 2009, I retired here at Assumption Abbey.
During my many years as a member of this community, I have always enjoyed the variety of jobs at which I was able to work, In one way or another, I was always able to make my priesthood a part of the work. Community prayer, community support, working together in community – what great blessings these have been. I entered the monastery because I wanted to become a priest and a monk like those men who had taught and mentored me as an adolescent. Now, in my old age, I am still trying to emulate some of them, and I trust that with them, I will soon be thanking and praising God for the gifts of my
I am Fr. Sebastian Schmidt, O.S.B. I was the fifth of ten children from a very poor family in a poor little town, Hosmer, SD, in 1934. My baptismal name was Leopold, although before I entered the monastery, everyone called me “leo”.
My earliest memories inform me that practically from infancy I wanted to be a priest – God alone knows why – and never considered anything else. I had served Mass from 4th to 8th grades, and since I knew my pastor very well, I asked him at the beginning of my 8th grade to help me find a minor seminary for high school. He asked me if I wanted to become a monk. I had no idea what a monk was, so I asked, “Are they priests”?. When he said “yes”, I too said “yes”. (I only learned later that he had belonged to a monastery in Germany before coming to the U.S.) That week he was paying a visit to his friend, Fr. Cuthbert Goeb, then abbot of Assumption Abbey in Richardton, ND, and he later informed me that if I studied for Assumption Abbey, I would receive a full scholarship for room and board. That’s how I came to the Abbey in September, 1948, graduated from high school in 1952 and from the tiny junior college in 1954. In June of 1954 I entered the novitiate where I received the name Sebastian. I made first vows on July 11, 1955, graduated from St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN in 1957, made final profession in 1958, and was ordained a priest in 1960. Having finished my theology studies in 1961, I was now ready for my first full time assignment.
I had volunteered to go to our Priory in Bogota, Colombia, S.A. and I was sent there on July 31, 1961. There followed thirty-
During my many years as a member of this community, I have always enjoyed the variety of jobs at which I was able to work, In one way or another, I was always able to make my priesthood a part of the work. Community prayer, community support, working together in community – what great blessings these have been. I entered the monastery because I wanted to become a priest and a monk like those men who had taught and mentored me as an adolescent. Now, in my old age, I am still trying to emulate some of them, and I trust that with them, I will soon be thanking and praising God for the gifts of my
