Saint John’s Abbey
College of Saint Benedict / Saint John’s University
Saint John’s Preparatory School
Saint Benedict’s Monastery Sesquicentennial
Benedictines in Central Minnesota — 150 Years

Saint John’s Abbey and University Sesquicentennial Closing Celebration

November 9, 2007

Remarks of Tim Marx, Commissioner of Housing

·Governor Pawlenty regrets very much that he is unable to be here today to celebrate with you this sesquicentennial event. It is my good fortune and honor, however, that he has sent me, as the one Johnnie in his cabinet, to serve as the official representative of state government.

· As a Johnnie who arrived here over 30 years ago, here is my personal testimony to the profound impact of  Saint John’s Abbey and University:

o   As a student of Father and former St John’s President Coleman Barry, I was taught that a principal value of a Catholic college education, and more specifically, a Benedictine college education, was a “world view” , or in his imitable German,  a “weltanschauung”, a spiritual, intellectual, and moral foundation to guide one’s life. This can be relied on always to provide perspective and balance to the challenges and joys which each day brings. 

o   I benefit, as many Johnnies have, of leaving Saint John’s not only with a, weltanschauung, a degree, and my best life-long friends, but also with a life-long partner in love, in my case Monica, from our sister school the College of Saint Benedict.

o   As preparation for public service, I learned the fundamentals of political economy from Fr. Jeremy Murphy, Dr. Joseph Farry, and Dr. Joseph Friederick whose texts and treatises I still keep close. I frequently work with other Johnnies, and we have reflected that the precepts of the  Rule—to “listen with the ear of our hearts”, to be of service to others regardless of personal agenda,  and to be stewards— as everything with which we are entrusted has a higher purpose—should transcend party preferences and ideological leanings.

·  Now if I, as just one common Johnnie, can provide testimony of the daily impact and benefit of the experience and time here, imagine this multiplied by some 20,000--by all of those who have graduated from Saint John’s over its 150 years--and what this has meant to all of us collectively, to our families, friends, and colleagues; to our parishes and places of worship; to our work places, our communities; to this state, the nation, and the world. And imagine, as well, the opportunities and impact this foreshadows for the next 150 years of this exceptional and blessed institution.

· And so it is my honor, in official capacity, to present this proclamation, on behalf of the State and people of Minnesota which, in part, reads as follows: 

WHEREAS     Five Benedictine monks from Saint Vincent Abbey in Pennsylvania arrived in the Minnesota Territory in 1856 and founded Saint John’s Abbey, a Benedictine monastery of men; and

WHEREAS     One hundred and fifty professed monks and one novice at Saint John’s Abbey continue to serve the Church, Minnesota and the world through the Abbey, Saint John’s University, Saint John’s Preparatory School, the graduate School of Theology and Seminary,  the Liturgical Press, parishes and missions; and

WHEREAS     Saint John’s Abbey and University, having established creative and leadership endeavors and institutes for promoting academic excellence, fair and challenging athletics, the arts and architecture, mutual understanding and peace, fostering social justice, communication, and cultural, ethical, interreligious and ecumenical dialogue; and 

WHEREAS     Saint John’s Abbey and University having built and nurtured flourishing institutes and facilities, such as the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library, the Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research, the Jay Phillips Center for Jewish-Christian Learning, the Saint John’s Arboretum, Saint John’s Pottery, Minnesota Public Radio, Arca Artium, The Saint John’s Bible, the Monastic Institute, Saint John’s Abbey Woodworking, and the Saint John’s Abbey Guesthouse; and

WHEREAS     For one hundred and fifty years these Benedictine men, along with the faculty and staff of Saint John’s, and with the support of the people of Minnesota, have faithfully witnessed to their Benedictine charism of prayer and work, through great sacrifice and losses at times, as in the 1894 tornado which devastated their buildings and lands, and have continued to serve us through their wisdom, courage, intellect and spiritual gifts, making a significant, remarkable and visionary contribution to the cultural, intellectual, social, political and religious life of Minnesota, the Midwest, the United States and the world.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, TIM PAWLENTY, Governor of Minnesota, do hereby congratulate Saint John’s Abbey and University for their 150 years of service to the people of Minnesota and proclaim November 9, 2007 as:

Saint John’s Abbey and University Day

in the state of Minnesota.

Seal

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Minnesota to be affixed at the state Capitol this ___ day of November in the year of our Lord two thousand and seven, and of the State the one hundred forty-nineth. 
TIM PAWLENTY, GOVERNOR

_________________________________

MARK RICHIE               
SECRETARY OF STATE