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Four monks celebrate jubilee anniversaries
Retired Abbot James Jones, 79, the seventh abbot of Conception Abbey,
celebrated the 60th anniversary of his profession this year.
Born Donald Carlin Jones on March 30, 1924, in Kansas City, Abbot James
attended St. James Elementary School, where he learned of Conception
Abbey from his parish priests, who were Conception alumni. He graduated
from Conception High School in 1940 and entered the novitiate two years
later. He made his monastic profession Aug. 30, 1943, and was ordained
March 29, 1948.
After serving ten years as prior Abbot James was elected abbot Aug. 18,
1987, and retired April 14, 1993.
When he wasn’t teaching in Conception Seminary, Abbot James earned
advanced degrees in theology and canon law at Sant’Anselmo and Lateran
University in Rome.
From 1955 through 1958, he served as dean of the Conception School of
Theology, taught theology and canon law until the closing of the
theology school in 1972, and continued to work as a seminary spiritual
director.
His other assignments included chaplaincies at Benedictine Heights College
in Tulsa, Okla., Mount Alverno Convent in Maryville, Mo., St. Joseph and
Baptist Memorial hospitals in Kansas City, Texas Medical Center in Houston,
and the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Mo.
He also served the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph as vice officialis
for the Marriage Tribunal and as director of parish liturgy at St.
Aloysius parish. He was a member of the Priest Senate of the Diocese of
Springfield-Cape Girardeau.
Abbot James has held memberships to the Canon Law Society of America,
the American Theological Association, the American Benedictine Academy,
the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, the American
Correctional Chaplains Association and the National Association of
Catholic Chaplains.
He authored the book De Voto Stabilitatis in iure Benedictino Hodierno
and wrote book reviews for America and The Jurist.
Abbot James currently resides in St. Stephen Infirmary at Conception.
* * *
Historian, teacher and pastor Father Alexander Luetkemeyer, 79,
celebrates the 50th anniversary of his ordination this year. He recently
retired as chaplain to the Franciscan Sisters of LaVerna Heights Convent
in Savannah, Mo.
Born John Luetkemeyer on Nov. 11, 1923 in Freeburg, Mo., Father
Alexander came to Conception Abbey after a stint in the Civilian
Conservation Corps and employment by McDonnell Aircraft. He entered
Conception Seminary and after two years entered the novitiate. He
professed vows in 1948, and was ordained May 14, 1953.
Father Alexander completed his licentiate in sacred theology at Ottawa
University in 1953, and for one year taught theology and history before
going back to school. He earned his masters degree in history and
completed his doctorate studies in 1962. He returned to the classroom at
Conception and was appointed academic dean in 1964, a post he held for
six years, followed by two years as dean of theology.
In 1977, Father Alexander traded academia for parish life, going to
Chillicothe to assist his confrere, Father Alexis Saathoff, at St.
Columban parish. Since then, he has held pastorates at parishes in
Tarkio, Kansas City, Springfield, Jefferson City and Bethany, Mo. He
was assigned chaplain for the sisters in Savannah in 1999.
Father Alexander currently resides in St. Stephen Infirmary.
* * *
Father Augustine Dreiling, 71, celebrates 50 years as a professed monk.
Born Feb. 5, 1932, in Collyer, Kan., Peter Dreiling lived there until he
left for Conception High School in 1945. He would complete his high
school, college and theology studies there, finishing theology in 1952.
He was professed a year later on Sept. 3, and was ordained in 1958.
The soft-spoken “Father Gus” has spent almost his entire monastic life
as a pastor. He currently leads the parish of St. Columba in nearby
Conception Junction, where he has been assigned for 10 years. Beginning
in 1960, he served for 10 years at the Catholic Indian Mission near
McLaughlin, S.D. In 1970, he transferred to the mission at Fort Yates,
S.D., for a five-year tenure.
His next assignment brought him closer to home, as pastor of St.
Aloysius parish in Kansas City, where he served from 1975 to 1980.
For the next nine years he was pastor of St. Columban parish in
Chillicothe, Mo. In 1989 he returned to the Dakotas where he was again
pastor of the Indian missions at Fort Yates and McLaughlin. When
Conception Abbey ended its service to the missions in 1991, Father
Augustine returned to Northwest Missouri to pastor Sts. Paul and
Benedict parishes in Tarkio and Burlington Junction respectively until
his move to his current post.
* * *
Brother Jonathan Clark, 51, who currently is infirmarian and director of
Conception Seminary College Student Health Services,
celebrates the 25th anniversary of his profession this year.
Born Richard Clark in Bethel, Kan., Nov. 11, 1951, Brother Jonathan
entered the novitiate in 1977 and was professed a year later, Aug. 12,
1978. After studying at Conception Seminary College and serving as an
assistant in the retreat house, he entered the field of nursing.
Brother Jonathan received his Licensed Practical Nurse certification
from nearby Northwest Missouri State University in 1981, and for the next
five years served first as assistant infirmarian and then as infirmarian.
He returned to school in 1986 and three years later received his nursing degree
from Maryville University in St. Louis. Except for two years in which he directed
the Printery House customer service department and supervised mailing and shipping,
Brother Jonathan has contributed his nursing skills to the infirmary and
seminary.
In 1994 he earned board certification as a gerontological (care for the elderly)
nurse, and the following year he earned certification as a respiratory
therapist from the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Along with his nursing duties, Brother Jonathan also served as socius
(assistant to director of formation) from 1996 through last year.
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