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
Alumnae/i and Friends Celebrating the Sesquicentennial
Saint John's will also commemorate its 150th with celebration events in cities around the country.Saint John’s Sesquicentennial Celebration
Calendar of Events
The focus of the 150-year history commemoration is the celebration and advancement of the ministry of Saint John’s in the life of the church, the community, and in the lives of those who share its hospitality.
We are in the process of planning a number of events to celebrate our 150th anniversary. Below is a list of what has been planned to date. We will be adding more details too. Please check back often to get the most up-to-date information.
April 5, 2006 Saint John’s at 150: Opening Celebration
Join us in Collegeville for an evening presentation on the opening day of the Saint John’s Sesquicentennial commemorating the departure on April 5, 1856, of five Benedictine monks from Saint Vincent Monastery in Pennsylvania for Minnesota.
April 30, 2006 Minnesota Landing – A Celebration of Thanksgiving
Church of the Assumption in Downtown Saint Paul
Come celebrate with us the anniversary of the arrival of the Benedictine monks in Saint Paul on May 2, 1856, and the monastic community’s long service to parishes and its commitment to ecumenism.
May 20, 2006 Family Fun Day: Remembering Swayed Pines
You are welcome to join us in Collegeville for a campus-wide community festival celebrating the anniversary of the arrival of the five Benedictine monks in Saint Cloud on May 20, 1856 and 150 years of Benedictine presence and commitment to community.
May 20 to October 29, 2006 Saint John's at 150: Images from the Past
The Stearns History Museum in Saint Cloud is the venue fpr an exhibition of historical photographs friom the archival collection of Saint John's Abbey.
June 23/24, 2006 Feast of Saint John the Baptist: A celebration of Thanksgiving
Come to Collegeville to give thanks with us on the feast of our patron Saint John the Baptist as we celebrate a solemn Vesper Service and the principal Eucharistic Liturgy of the Sesquicentennial. These two days also commemorate the discovery of Indianbush as the location for the Abbey and its school.
Summer 2006, July 1-7, The 21st Annual Monastic Institute, the School of Theology
For more information regarding the program for this summer with a special theme, “One Heart, One Soul, Many Communities.” Check back often to learn what the School of Theology’s offerings will be as we celebrate our Sesquicentennial.
August 19 to October 4, 2006 The Road to Compostella
Visit the Alice B. Rogers and Target Galleries at Saint John's University for this exhibition of spectacular paintings by artist Father Jerome Tupa, OSB, of Saint John's Abbey. Learn more about this journey by viewing this special video.
September 27, 2006 Benedictine Heritage Day
This is a special day set aside for the Saint John's and Saint Benedict's academic and monastic communities to celebrate their Benedictine values, roots, past and look to the future.
September 29, 2006 Music Day – Homecoming Weekend
You are invited to join us in Collegeville at an evening organ, choir and orchestra concert celebrating 150 years of music at Saint John’s.
October 22, 2006 Abbey Guesthouse Dedication
Learn more about the Saint John's Abbey Guesthouse and Church Pavilion, a place for Prayer, Hospitality and Spiritual Renewal. The dedication will be this fall as part of the ongoing Sesquicentennial celebration. More details about the dedication will follow soon.
January 15 to February 3, 2007
Mystical Arts of Tibet: Photography and Sand Mandalas
Explore the artistic world of another monastic tradition, that of the Tibetan Buddhists, at the Alice B. Rogers Gallery, Stephen B. Humphrey Theater and Saint John's University Art Center. Photography, sand mandala art painting and music will be featured by Tibetan Buddhist Monks of Tibet’s Drepung Loseling Monastery.
January 22, 2007 MPR 40th Anniversary Celebration
By invitation to MPR members, donors, employees and various commitee members. This is a reception to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Minnesota Public Radio sponsored by Minnesota Public Radio, Saint John's University and the College of Saint Benedict. MPR will also sponsor events open to the public during the weekend before. Check www.mpr.org for more information.
March 14, 2007 Dancing on the Edge, Celebrating 150 years of Benedictine education
This is another special day planned just for the academic and monastic communities of Saint John's and Saint Benedict's so that our students, faculty, monks and sisters can enjoy the fruits of their shared campus lives together and plant seeds for the future.
April 19-22, 2007 The Three Hermits
Enjoy this church opera inspired by author Leo Tolstoy, with music by Stephen Paulus and libretto by Michael Dennis Browne performed in the Great Hall.
May 6, 2007 World Premiere of "Listen!"
Take part in the world premiere of a newly commissioned work based on the Rule of Saint Benedict (text by Delores Dufner, O.S.B. and music by Eric Ewazen) performed by Cantus, the internationally-renowned chorale ensemble, in the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater at 2pm. The performance will be followed by a reception with composer Eric Ewazen (NYC), Cantus, and librettist S. Delores Dufner, OSB.
June 10-13, 2007 Community: The Art of Living Together
For more information, please contact Patrick Henry
This three-day gathering will assemble about 300 participants to gather new perspectives on community. This Conference will be designed around a set of questions exploring the Art of Living Together from the perspectives of culture, religion, economics, sociology and art.
June 23-24 2007 Abbey's Monks' Family Weekend
By invitation only for immediate families of monks. More details to follow.
October 5-7, 2007 Creativity Days – Homecoming Weekend
Take part in the celebration of the extraordinary tradition of creativity among faculty, staff and alums of both Saint John’s and Saint Benedict’s.
November 9-10, 2007 Saint John's at 150 Closing Celebration
Join us again in Collegeville to conclude the observance of the Sesquicentennial and celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first day of class at Saint John’s on November 10, 1857. A social begins at 3:00pm, our program is at 4:00pm and Mass will be at 5:00pm.
Please visit Saint John's in Collegeville to learn more about the Abbey. A map of the campus is available here.