Fall Newsletter: Fr. Thomas Leitner, OSB

Dear Friends,

Luke Anthology, Donald Jackson with contributions from Aidan Hart and Sally Mae Joseph, Copyright 2002, The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

During the Eucharist on Sundays, we hear passages from the Gospel of Luke this year. In the illumination, Luke Anthology of The Saint John’s Bible, artists Donald Jackson, Aidan Hart and Sally Mae Joseph present several of these together. In my prayer with this image, several details drew my eye. The colorful garment stands out that the father holds in hand while running toward his wayward son. The father is ready to embrace his son who has turned away from the pigs that represent the poor choices he has made. The father, with an expression of goodness and mercy on his face, is going to clothe him with the festive garment and to put a ring on his finger as an expression of his dignity as son of this merciful father.

I also feel drawn to the gold of the angels who rejoice about the sheep, lost in a dark place who has been found, and who also joyfully surround the poor man, Lazarus, who rests securely in the embrace of Abraham. Then my eyes wander to the representation of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, which are bathed in that same golden light; and this gives me goose bumps. Can it be that the forgiving love of our heavenly Father even embraces those who have committed these atrocities? Certainly, the red that dominates this whole illumination so strongly also is the color of blood. Jesus did not only tell the parable of the Good Samaritan, he himself became that Samaritan to the point of shedding his blood for a lost and wounded humanity…

On July 17 we celebrated the grand opening of our permanent and interactive display on The Saint John’s Bible. The Rev. Dr. John Ross, Executive Director of its Heritage Program, said in his keynote address: “We have lost the skill of patient and prayerful reading… The opportunity to experience The Saint John’s Bible is to encourage a space for rest, a time to slow down, and an invitation to carry this slower pace into our daily lives.” – Please come to pray with this 21st century hand-written bible and its stunning illuminations, alone or with your group!

On this same day, we marked the 25th anniversary of St. Benedict Center’s opening with a panel of friends sharing their experiences at the retreat center and about ideas on how it can continue to fulfill its mission in the future. – I am looking forward to seeing you again soon!

Fr. Thomas Leitner, OSB, Administrator

Summer Newsletter: Fr. Thomas Leitner, OSB

Dear Friends,
Twenty-five years ago, St. Benedict Center opened its doors! The first overnight groups and private retreatants came in June. On July 11, 1997, the Feast of Saint Benedict, the center, and its chapel was solemnly dedicated. Later in July, Sr. Rosann Ocken, the current prioress of our Missionary Benedictine Sisters in Norfolk, NE, offered the first sponsored one-day retreat titled, Anger: Changing Curse into Blessing. Milestones since then were an addition with 16 single guest rooms, three spiritual direction rooms, and an exercise room in 2005, and the completion of our new permanent displays of The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition and on our worldwide missionary work in 2020.

This anniversary fills my heart with much gratitude. The Lord has done such great things at this place in the hearts of so many throughout these years! As a retreat leader, spiritual director, and confessor, I have been privileged to experience the goodness of so many people, their sincere seeking of God, their perseverance in their faith and their strength in dealing with numerous challenges.

At the dedication, our abbot at the time from our German motherhouse, Fr. Fidelis Ruppert, Ph.D., spoke in his keynote address about Benedictine hospitality. Saint Benedict writes in his Rule: “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ for he himself will say, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” The dignity of the guest is the dignity of Christ. The guests are to be offered food and drink, but they also need nourishment for soul and spirit, which satisfies their hunger for love and acceptance, their hunger for God and peace of heart, their hunger and longing for orientation, and a deeper understanding of life and love. Fr. Fidelis continued, “Saint Benedict’s hospitality should be like an oasis in the desert of life, where people can find spring waters of new life and a place of rest and relaxation in the shadow of God’s presence.”

In St. Benedict Center’s kitchen, we have a very good new team under the leadership of Bradley Weber and Andrew Janousek. Brad worked even as a schoolboy in the kitchen of Mark and Patty who have now retired. – Plus, excellent food for the soul continues to be available here on the hill. Among our upcoming sponsored retreat offerings, I’d like to point you, especially to the weekend about mindfulness, sobriety, and mercy on July 29 – 31 with our former prior Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB, Ph.D., who comes to us from Rome, Italy. – I am looking forward to seeing you again soon!

Fr. Thomas Leitner
OSB, Administrator

News Release: Retreat with Father Mauritius Wilde

The Rev. Mauritius Wilde, OSB, PhD, will present a retreat titled, Sober and Merciful: Saint Benedict’s Journey of Mindfulness at Saint Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, on July 29 – 31, 2022. Saint Benedict suggests a way on which we will be able to let go of our “ego” – at least a little bit – and become open to the fullness of life. What he recommends to the Abbot of the monastery, is helpful for all: Sobriety not only of the stomach, but as a basic attitude of mindfulness. How can we courageously let go of thoughts, desires, and emotions, in order to face our own truth? How can we accept the reality of ourselves and become merciful to others? This retreat is an invitation to discover what God has in store for us every day.

Father Mauritius has been a Benedictine monk of Muensterschwarzach Abbey, Germany, since 1985. He studied Philosophy and Theology, and then earned his PhD at Tuebingen University with a thesis on Meister Eckhart. He worked as teacher and educator at the abbey’s high school and, for eleven years, was the director of the abbey’s publishing house, Vier Tuerme Verlag. For five years he was the prior of Christ the King Priory near Schuyler. Currently he serves as prior at Sant’ Anselmo, the Benedictine study house in Rome, Italy. Fr. Mauritius is the author of several books, including Be Yourself: The Call of a Christian (Paulist), and directs retreats regularly. His blog can be found at www.wildemonk.net. For his reflections on the Holy Rule of St. Benedict, listen to Spirit Catholic Radio or visit www.DiscerningHearts.com.

The retreat begins on Friday, at 7:30 p.m. and ends on Sunday after Lunch. The program fee is $70; room and board charges are additional. Register at www.StBenedictCenter.com or call (402) 352-8819.

Rev. Anselm Gruen, OSB to Speak at St. Benedict Center

Schuyler, NE – The Rev. Anselm Gruen, OSB, PhD, one of the most frequently read spiritual authors of our time, will present a one-day retreat at St. Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler on Saturday, June 25, 2022. His retreat is titled, Sacred Rituals for Every Day.

People feel a new need for rituals today. This includes religious rituals in communal worship, which we often observe more consciously today, as well as personal rituals that shape our everyday living in the family, in business and in society. Personal sacred rituals help us to experience each day with its special quality and to begin it in such a way that we are embraced by God's blessing. “Rituals are more than habits or routine activities of life. Rituals have a religious meaning. They show us the bigger horizon under which we live, the horizon of God,” Fr. Anselm said. All of the rituals suggested and practiced on this retreat are simple, practical, and require little to no preparation. Father Anselm is a great guide to lead you whether you are experienced at doing such rituals or not.

Father Anselm Grün is Germany’s most well-known monk, a Benedictine of Münsterschwarzach Abbey, a counselor and spiritual advisor, sought-after speaker and retreat master. He is widely respected for his ability to present classic Christian spirituality in a modern context. In his numerous retreats and talks around the world, Fr. Anselm responds to the needs and questions of the people. “It is an important goal for me to interpret Scriptural texts in a way that people understand them,” he said. “As a Missionary Benedictine, I want to proclaim the Christian message in a way that people sense, this is about me, this is not far away from me.” Fr. Anselm’s numerous books, among them, Sacred Rituals for Every Day (Paulist), Images of Jesus (Continuum), Everybody Has an Angel (Crossroad) and Angels of Grace (Crossroad), are international bestsellers. His books have been translated into 35 languages and are especially popular in Germany, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Korea and China. 300 titles are available and over 20 Million copies have been sold worldwide. Fr. Anselm will come to us from Germany for this special event.

The retreat runs from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Guest rooms are available for those who would like to spend the night. The program fee is $ 40. Please bring your own sack lunch. Lunch is available at the Center for $ 12.08 (includes tax), if you request it in advance. Register now by clicking on the button below or call 402-352-8819.

News Release - Henri Nouwen Retreat at St. Benedict Center

The spirituality of the famous priest and writer Henri Nouwen will be the topic of a weekend retreat at St. Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, on April 29 – May 1, 2022, presented by Wil Hernandez, PhD, Obl. OSB, and titled, Everyday Spirituality: Living the Ordinary Extraordinarily.

Henri Nouwen

According to Henri Nouwen, “To live in the present, we must believe deeply that what is most important is the here and now” and, thus, “we must learn to live each day, each hour, yes, each minute as a new beginning, as a unique opportunity to make everything new.” Employing Nouwen’s rich insights into our spiritual life in conversation with the core features of both Benedictine and Ignatian spirituality, we will examine during this weekend retreat more closely how the ordinariness of our daily existence can be lived out extraordinarily when we learn to be truly present in the moment. Wil will also draw from his new book, Accidental Monk and share some of his experiences during his own prolonged retreat in a Benedictine monastery.

Wil Hernandez

Wil Hernandez is an international retreat leader, a spiritual director, and the author of Mere Spirituality: The Spiritual Life According to Henri Nouwen (SkyLight Paths Publishing, 2015), as well as of a trilogy on Henri Nouwen published by Paulist Press. All year round he conducts retreats, workshops, and seminars and teaches courses focused on the spirituality of Nouwen in both Catholic and Protestant institutions in the U.S. and abroad through The Nouwen Legacy, an outfit he manages which is dedicated to promoting the enduring legacy of Nouwen (www.nouwenlegacy.com). Wil is the founder and executive director of CenterQuest, an ecumenical hub for the study and practice of Christian Spirituality (www.CQCenterQuest.org). He holds a private practice in a professional office in Pasadena, California, doing counseling, life coaching, and spiritual direction. As an active member of Spiritual Directors International (SDI), he serves on the Editorial Panel of Presence Journal and regularly conducts Nouwen workshops at SDI conferences. Wil is also an active Benedictine Oblate of Saint Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, CA.

The retreat begins on Friday, at 7:30 p.m. and ends on Sunday after Lunch. The program fee is $ 70; room and board are additional.

News Release: Marriage Retreat with Sharon & Dr. Steve Doran at St. Benedict Center

On April 22 - 23, 2022, Deacon Dr. Steve Doran, MD, and Sharon Doran, MA, the teaching director of Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study, Omaha, will offer a retreat at St. Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, titled, The Beauty of Marriage: Ever Changing, Ever New.

A marriage retreat for couples at every stage of their marital journey. Join Steve and Sharon Doran for a deeper look into the evolving mystery of Marriage. God uses His primordial sacrament in His eternal plan of salvation for all His beloved creatures and entrusts married people to help Him in a unique way. Come and see how God has entrusted you and your spouse to be part of His own redemptive plan through your gift of marriage.

Deacon Dr. Steve and Sharon Doran have been married for 36+ years. They have 5 grown sons/2 daughter in laws and 6 grandkids. Doran’s are the Co-Founders of the international Seeking Truth Catholic Bible Study for the past 12 years. Steve, is a practicing Neurosurgeon and Permanent Deacon who serves as the Bioethicist for the Archdiocese of Omaha. Sharon is a Scripture Teacher, Speaker and certified Spiritual Director in the tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola. They look forward to sharing their marital journey with other couples on the road!

The program begins on Friday, 7:30 p.m. and closes on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.

Spring 2022 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

Once the Prophet Ezechiel had an impressive vision of a whole valley filled with dry, lifeless human bones (Ch. 37:1-14). God asked him, “Can these bones come to life?” Ezechiel, aware of his own powerlessness but filled with deep trust in God responds, “You alone know that.”

Donald Jackson, illuminating this passage for The Saint John’s Bible, presents us with the dry bones of our time. He shows broken glass from terrorist attacks, the eye glasses taken from Jewish people before they were gassed at Auschwitz, and the skulls of other genocide victims of the twentieth century. The junk car points to environmental degradation.

Above all this, however, he depicted the rainbow, representing God’s unconditional faithfulness to humanity. And the little golden squares of God’s working in the world even find their way into the scenario below. If we would look at the whole illumination we would see God’s words written across the bottom: “I will put my Spirit into you and you shall live.”

This Scripture passage and its illumination fills me with hope. We can hold out in prayer to God the victims of war, terrorism, abortion, domestic violence, and environmental destruction, the suffering of refugees and immigrants, etc., and the perpetrators of such injustice. We also can respond to God’s question, “Can these bones live?” with: “You alone know that.” We may trust that God’s Spirit can work even at these places of desolation and that He will show us how we can cooperate with the Spirit bringing resurrection and new life.

A good place for such hope-inspiring prayer is St. Benedict Center and especially our display of The Saint John’s Bible. Please spread the word about it and bring your own group or church for a retreat or just for a tour! Especially worth noting among the upcoming events of our program schedule is the one-day retreat on June 25 with our brother monk from Germany and best-selling author Fr. Anselm Gruen, OSB, on Sacred Rituals for Our Everyday Life. These rituals will help us let our faith shape our day-today living.

At Christ the King Priory, you will see a new face: Fr. Anastasius Reiser came from our motherhouse in Germany, the Abbey of Münsterschwarzach, to be a member of our monastic community. Welcome to Nebraska, Fr. Anastasius! - I am looking forward to seeing you again soon!

Fr. Thomas Leitner, OSB, Administrator

News Release: Retreat on Icons at Saint Benedict Center

On January 28 - 30, 2022, The Very Rev. James L. Secora, will come to St. Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, and present a weekend retreat on, Windows to Heaven: Encountering and Encountered by Jesus in Icons.

Fr. Jim Secora

Encounter and be encountered by Jesus through this ancient means of revelation. It has been said what the written word of Scripture is to the ears, icons are to the eyes.  Learn a brief history of icons and then spend a weekend with scripture and these "windows to heaven."  This is a retreat of both lectio divina and visio divina. Time will be given to presentations of a variety of icons, personal and group reflection.  The Saint Benedict Center invites you to come gaze and contemplate  these "windows" which can offer greater "insight" on your spiritual journey.

Father Jim is a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa presently living in Ames, Iowa.  Ordained in 1975, Fr. Jim's ministerial assignments have included: full-time high school teaching; instructor in the archdiocese's permanent diaconate formation process; chairperson of the archdiocese's worship commission and master of liturgical ceremonies to the late Archbishop Daniel W. Kucera; thirty-three years as parish pastor and presenter at various workshops.  Father Jim is also an Oblate of Christ the King Priory in Schuyler since 2010.  He holds a B.A. from Loras College, Dubuque, IA; a M.Div. from St. Mary's Seminary and University, Baltimore, MD; and a M.Ed. from Boston College, Newton, MA. Praying and reflecting with icons are essential components of Father Jim's prayer and ministerial life. 

Social distancing and wearing a mask is recommended. Friday, 7:30 p.m. to Sunday after lunch.

News Release: Lee Elliot, Father Philipsen to Speak at Saint Benedict Center

On October 23-24, 2021, Lee Elliot, MS, and Father Todd Philipsen will direct a retreat at St. Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, titled, Learn How to Live a Wonderful Life. 

Gain skills to improve your personal, family and business relationships! Research in the field of positive psychology has shown us how to be at peace, enjoy life, and have an exceptional life. Among other things, it helps us to effectively resolve problems and to reduce grudges. Happiness, trust, and resilience can grow. This work has shown exceptional results when applied to the world of work and to our personal relationships. It fits exceptionally well with the teachings of Jesus. Research is showing us how His teachings can improve business results as well as significantly improve our lives and those of the ones we love. This engaging retreat involves interactive learning and will significantly help participants to live an exceptional life!

Lee Elliott, is the Executive Director of the Wonderful Life Project, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in addressing complex, difficult people issues such as building work environments to enhance recruitment and retention of employees. His research interests have focused on an emerging revolution in the field of management: Wisdom-based Management (also known as “positive organizational scholarship”). Lee is a pioneer in this field and has proven its effectiveness in a variety of work settings. Lee led efforts in numerous businesses that resulted in dramatically improved employee recruitment and retention. His work won first in a worldwide competition of employers. For over 20 years, Lee has worked to improve lives at work and at home by teaching the research of positive psychology. William Dendinger, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Grand Island, wrote, “I can fully endorse the Wonderful Life Project. It addresses the spiritual values that lead to happiness.”

Father Todd Philipsen, ordained in 1989, is the pastor of St. Patrick's Parish in Chadron. Lee significantly helped him guide his co-workers during his previous assignment as pastor at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Grand Island.

Social distancing and wearing a mask is recommended. The retreat begins on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and ends on Sunday after lunch.  The program fee is $60; room and board are additional.  For more information visit www.WonderfulLifeProject.org.

Father Joel Macul, OSB to Speak at Saint Benedict Center

On September 25, 2021, Prior Joel Macul, OSB, will direct a retreat at St. Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, titled, God’s Last Word: Love to the End. The Prophet Hosea’s Embodied Faithfulness.

Fr. Joel Macul, OSB

Participants will spend the day with the Prophet Hosea and hear how Israel’s lack of fidelity to her relationship with her Lord is met repeatedly with God’s willingness to respond to her with forgiveness and reconciliation. In the give and take of this relationship, God’s faithful love remains steadfast. From anger to compassion, Hosea leads us into the mystery of our God. Any time spent with Hosea and the God for whom he speaks should leave us with a profound sense of being loved beyond measure even as we acknowledge that have gone astray. Reading Hosea invites us to take a look where we might mirror this faithful love of God.

Father Joel Macul, OSB, STL, was the abbot of St. Paul’s Abbey in Newton, NJ, from 1997 to 2015. Prior to that, he taught Scripture at Tangaza College and the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. He came to the monastery in Schuyler in January 2017 where he serves as prior.

Social distancing and wearing a mask is recommended. - The program fee is $35; lunch is available at the Center for $ 11.23 (includes tax), if you pay for it before the program starts. Register now by clicking the button below or call 402-352-8819.

Fall Newsletter

Dear Friends,

“Unless one learns how to relish the taste of Sabbath… one will be unable to enjoy the taste of eternity in the world to come. It was on the seventh day that God gave the world a soul and the world’s survival depends upon the holiness of the seventh day… Six days a week we wrestle with the world, wringing profit from the earth; on the Sabbath we especially care for the seed of eternity planted in the soul.” These are words of the well-known rabbi, Abraham J. Heschel, from his book, The Sabbath.

Creation, Donald Jackson and Tomlin, Copyright 2003 The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, USA.

The opening illumination of The Saint John’s Bible interprets the first creation story in the book of Genesis (Gen 1:1 – 2:4a). God’s Spirit brought light, order and life to what was formless wasteland at first. The divine presence is indicated by the thin ribbon of gold running through the chaos of the first day and by the golden squares that increase in number from day to day. On the third day, the illumination shows a satellite image of the Ganges Delta in India. God made the water recede and the dry land appear. On the sixth day, we see prehistoric cave paintings from Nigeria and Australia, pointing us to the first human beings. Below on this sixth panel the coral snake appears, indicating the dangers that come with human freedom of choice.

The seventh day is bathed in gold, representing the Sabbath rest of God. God stepped back from the work of creation, rested, and again found it good, very good. We humans need times of rest and reflection, too, times of caring for the seed of eternity planted in our souls. The Christian Sabbath, the Sunday, can fulfill this purpose and, perhaps even more profoundly, a time of retreat at a place like St. Benedict Center.

The doors of the retreat center and of the monastery are open again, at least for the time being, for visitors without a reservation. Individuals are most welcome to join us once again for Mass and prayer at the monastery. Please note the time change: on all weekdays, we now celebrate the Eucharist at 11:00 a.m. On Sundays, the monastic community comes to the larger chapel at St. Benedict Center for Mass at 9:00 a.m. It is also open to the public.

Now all three of our new interactive displays are accessible to everyone, including the one at the monastery, showing and explaining our Benedictine way of life. Consider making a reservation to bring your bible study, faith formation, religious education, senior or artist group for a tour, especially of The Saint John’s Bible display! You can also set some time aside during a one-day or overnight retreat that you schedule for learning about and praying with The Saint John’s Bible. - I am looking forward to seeing you again soon!

Fr. Thomas Leitner, OSB, Administrator

News Release: Dr. Michael Bauer to Speak at Saint Benedict Center

On July 15 - 16, 2021, Dr. Michael Bauer, professor for organ and church music, will come to St. Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, and direct a retreat titled, Faith and the Arts: A Creative Exploration.

Saint Augustine asks the immortal question: "What do we love, if it be not beauty?" What, indeed? There are many paths to beauty and many different ways in which beauty intersects with human living. Arts ministry enables the church to encounter beauty through an extraordinary variety of creative ventures accomplished by individual artists, parishes, and organizations. It encompasses all the fine arts (music, dance, architecture, the visual arts, literature, poetry, and film) as well as the wider arena of human creativity. This experiential course will explore the notion of arts ministry, and help participants understand this model of ministry through talks and worship services involving each of the fine arts in conjunction with discussions of the different issues involved in arts ministry.

Michael Bauer, DMA, holds a doctorate in organ and choral conducting. He directs the doctoral church music program at the University of Kansas, which features multiple courses in the area of the Judeo-Christian Tradition and the Arts. Along with colleagues in Northeast Kansas and Missouri, he founded Imago Dei, a Kansas City-based non-profit organization that worked in the area of Christianity and the Arts. He has also founded and run three church arts ministries, and is the author of Arts Ministry: Nurturing the Creative Life of God’s People (Eerdman’s). He is married to Dr. Marie Rubis-Bauer, the Director of Archdiocesan Music in Omaha.

The program fee is $60, for students $25; room and board charges will be added. – Social distancing will be observed, please bring your mask..

News Release: Fr. Cyprian Consiglio, OSB to Speak at Saint Benedict Center

On June 5, 2021, internationally known musician and speaker Father Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam., from Big Sur, California, will come to St. Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, and speak on, Prayer in the Cave of the Heart: The Universal Call to Contemplation.

Prayer is an art that cannot just be taught. It must be experienced, lived, and practiced. Father Cyprian will draw on his experience as a Camaldolese monk to give us an accessible refection on prayer that is based on Father Bede Griffith's "universal call to contemplation." In Fr. Cyprian’s teaching, the contemplative traditions of East and West intersect to invite readers into prayer that makes them present to the Spirit who is already present to us. Fr. Cyprian, while firmly rooted in a disciplined, monastic life of unceasing prayer, finds seeds of truth in the great religious traditions that can inspire us on our spiritual journey. He will also bring his guitar and sing!

Father Cyprian Consiglio is a monk, musician, and spiritual teacher. He is a member of the community of New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, CA. An internationally known performer, recording artist, and composer, he has numerous collections of original sacred, world, and liturgical music to his credit. A student of the world’s spiritual traditions, Consiglio has offered retreats and conferences around the world and authored the book Prayer in the Cave of the Heart: The Universal Call to Contemplation, plus numerous articles for several books and periodicals.

The program fee is $40. Lunch is available at the Center for $ 11.23 (includes tax) if you pay for it BEFORE the program starts. Guest rooms are available at St. Benedict Center for the weekend. Room and board charges will be added to the program fee. – Social distancing will be observed, please bring your mask. Register below or call 402-352-8819.

News Release: Retreat with Father Larry Gillick

The Rev. Larry Gillick, SJ, will present a retreat titled, We Live by Faith, but not by Insight at Saint Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, on April 29 – May 2, 2021. This Ignatian Silent Retreat will offer those participating the invitation to intimate prayer. There will be scripture-based conferences with plenty of time for hearing and listening. The presentations will not be a workshop or lecture series, rather encouragements for being available to the Risen Jesus seeking to comfort his friends. Reverent silence will surround us while we allow God to pray around and within us. 

Jesuit Father Larry Gillick was ordained a priest in 1972. His former assignments include Spiritual Director for the younger Jesuits, Rector of the Jesuit Community at Creighton Prep in Omaha, and Superior of Mulumba House.  He currently serves as Director of the Deglman Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Creighton University.  He is a sought after retreat master around the country and spiritual director of students, faculty, alumni at Creighton University, and people from far and wide.

The retreat begins on Thursday, at 5:45 p.m. and ends on Sunday after Lunch.The program fee is $80; room and board charges are additional.

Spring Newsletter

Dear Friends,

“Lord, teach us to pray.” The disciples of Jesus had seen him pray at deserted places and even during his ministry. Thus, the wish grew in them that Jesus would instruct them on what to say in prayer and on how to pray. In response, Jesus teaches them the Our Father and he tells them the parable of the friend who will be sure to fulfill the request of his friend even if he has to rouse the whole family at midnight (Luke 11:5-8). He also tells them to pray to God as a Father who will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:9-13). 

Life in Community, Donald Jackson and Aidan Hart, Copyright 2002 The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, USA.

Thus, we, too, can courageously present all our petitions to God. We do not have to be afraid to impose on God. We can urge God to fulfill our requests. That is what the story of the two friends tells us. We can pray to God with great trust because he is our Father who gives us good gifts, who fills us with his Holy Spirit and with his love.

This illumination of The Saint John’s Bible shows the early Christian community at prayer. We see Mary and the apostles gathered in the Upper Room where they awaited the gift of the Holy Spirit. We also see an altar with God’s Word and the Eucharistic Gifts, plus a table set for a meal. Folks of our time have joined the early Christian community.

We need one another in prayer and on our spiritual journey, especially after the past twelve months, which were so different and in many ways difficult for us. St. Benedict Center is open and we have scheduled new retreats. I would like to point out especially the one-day retreat on June 5 titled, Prayer in the Cave of the Heart: The Universal Call to Contemplation. The presenter is Prior Cyprian Consiglio from New Camaldoli Heritage in Big Sur, CA, who will show connections and differences between the contemplative traditions of the East and the West. 

For those on retreat, our new interactive state-of-the art displays are available. One features The Saint John’s Bible, the first hand written bible, commissioned by a Benedictine monastery in more than 500 years on approximately 1,150 pages and including 160 stunning illuminations. A second new display tells the story of our Missionary Benedictines monks and their work in four continents in evangelization, education and care for the people. On our website, you can have a first impression of the displays.

Saint Johns Bible Display

Benedictine Missionary Work Display

Monastic Way of Life Display (Not open to the public yet)

I am looking forward to seeing you again soon!

Fr. Thomas Leitner, OSB, Administrator    

Retreat on The Saint John’s Bible

The Rev. Michael Patella, OSB, will present a retreat titled, Encountering the Gospels in The Saint John’s Bible at Saint Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, on Sunday, October 11, 2020. The images in the Gospel books of The Saint John’s Bible invite us to meet Christ and follow him in discipleship. With prayer and reflection, and by using the Bible’s calligraphy and illuminations, this retreat will guide participants to view new ways of understanding Christ’s call.

Fr. Michael Patella is a monk of St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, MN. He holds a license in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and a doctorate in Sacred Scripture from the École biblique et archéologique française in Jerusalem. Fr. Michael is a professor of New Testament at Saint John’s University and teaches in its School of Theology and Seminary, where he also serves as the seminary rector and director of the Holy Land Studies program. Fr. Michael has written in the area of Luke-Acts, Paul, Mark, and angelology. His work, Word and Image: the Hermeneutics of The Saint John’s Bible (Liturgical Press), addresses the theology, art, and interpretation of The Saint John’s Bible. Father Michael has numerous publications, and is currently writing on the Gospel of Luke for the New Jerome Biblical Commentary. He has also supplied many reflections for Give Us This Day, a daily prayer book published by the Liturgical Press. Father Michael is a member of the Catholic Biblical Association and the Society of Biblical Literature. He chaired the Committee on Illumination and Text, a group of artists, theologians and biblical scholars, which guided the planning and production of The Saint John’s Bible, together with Donald Jackson, its artistic director.

The retreat begins with Mass and blessing of The Saint John’s Bible display at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m.

News Release: Retreat with Father Volker Futter, OSB

The Rev. Volker Futter, OSB, will present a retreat titled, How Can We Live a Balanced Life in the Midst of the Manifold Demands of Everyday Living? at Saint Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, on September 17 – 20, 2020. In his Rule, St. Benedict gives us some helpful hints for how to find the right balance between prayer, work, human relationships and rest. Benedict encourages us to move from working without stopping to praying without ceasing and to the experience of God’s presence in all things.

Father Volker Futter, a Missionary Benedictine monk at Christ the King Priory, brings rich experience from pastoral ministry in numerous parishes around the country and in South Africa to his retreat work. He is the subprior and Oblate Director of Christ the King Priory.

The retreat begins on Thursday, at 6:00 p.m. and ends on Sunday after Lunch. The program fee is $80; room and board charges are additional.

Retreat for Health Care Providers and First Responders at St. Benedict Center

Deborah Sheehan, M.A., from Omaha and Patrick Davis, M.A., from­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ North Carolina will offer A Time Away for Health Care Providers and First Responders at St. Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, on September 8 – 9, 2020. Health care providers and first responders are on the front line of care in dealing with the coronavirus. Long work hours, the suffering of patients and families, potential threat to their own life and family, uncertainty and little relief can take a toll on them in body, soul and spirit!

If you are a healthcare provider or first responder, we invite you to give yourself the gift of rest, relaxation and respite, a time to consider what these last months have meant for you. This retreat will be a space for paying deeper attention to what has happened beyond the surface details. What it has meant for you? What would be helpful for you going forward? Have there been blessings in the midst of this? This retreat will be a time to renew and recharge for the days ahead.

This retreat has been designed with your needs in mind. We have put together a team of very competent presenters. Plus, we found donors who will support this retreat financially so that we can offer it very reasonably for the total price of $50!   

Deborah Sheehan, M.A., is an adjunct lecturer in the Creighton University Christian Spirituality Program, as well as an experienced spiritual director and retreat director. She has worked in a variety of settings to help young people and adults deepen their understanding of embodied spirituality, including teaching and practicing BioSpiritual Focusing for over two decades.

Patrick Davis, M.A., is an adjunct teacher for emerging professionals in community colleges and has worked in a variety of health care settings. He has a private practice as a leadership and career coach for individuals in transition and is an experienced retreat leader with training in various forms of holistic health and bodywork. 

The Rev. Sally Carlson, Jane King, M.A., and Marisa Gilbert, M.A., will also be available for spiritual direction.

The program begins on Tuesday, 9:00 a.m., and closes on Wednesday after lunch. Attendance is limited to fifteen participants! Please register here or call St. Benedict Center at 402-352-8819 for more information.

Summer Newsletter

Dear Friends,

It is nice that St. Benedict Center is open again and can serve its purpose of being an oasis of peace, prayer, reflection and renewal for many. It is still quieter than it usually is when we are open. This gives us much time to attend to all that is needed for keeping everyone safe.

Among the upcoming programs, I would like point you especially once again to the retreat on July 10 – 12, which Wil Hernandez, Ph.D., a spiritual author, Benedictine Oblate and expert on Henri Nouwen’s writings from California, will direct on Zoom. You can attend the retreat either while staying at St. Benedict Center or from your own home.

Also, I would like to point out the one-day retreat on August 1 with our prior, Fr. Joel Macul, OSB, S.T.L. The topic is the message of the Prophet Amos which is so topical at a time when in this country we are reminded in a painful way of our original sin of racism and injustice. Amos can help us, Fr. Joel says, “to name where God wants his mercy to work justice.”      

For your inspiration and reflection about the human relationships in your life I would like to offer you another podcast by Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB, in which he speaks about Encountering Foreign Worlds with The Little Prince. Fr Mauritius was the prior at our monastery till 2016. – I am looking forward to seeing you again soon!

Fr. Thomas

St. Benedict Center is Now Open

Dear Friends,

St. Benedict Center reopened yesterday and I am happy that we will see many of you again before long. We have been busy getting ready for reopening by rearranging furniture for social distancing, reorganizing the food service and more. We will continue and step up our disinfection practices throughout the facility. Everyone’s safety is our top priority. Please click here for more information.

Besides the retreats that take place in the traditional fashion, we will offer occasionally now also retreats and programs via the Internet through Zoom. The first one of them will take place on July 12-14, 2020. Wil Hernandez will not come to Schuyler. Instead, he will conduct his retreat on Henri Nouwen on Zoom (see below). You have the option of either participating at the Center or joining it via Zoom anywhere you are in the world in your own home. Zoom Capacity is limited to 50 participants (first come, first served basis). All the best and many blessings during these summery days!

Fr. Thomas