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Tower Topics ~ Winter 2007 |
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Seven monks celebrate Jubileesby Jessica Walker Father Malachy Riley: 70 years professed
Most of Father Malachy’s priestly life has involved pastoral ministry. His first assignment after ordination was as assistant pastor of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Conception, Mo. In March of 1943, he was assigned to Kenel, S.D., to serve the Indian Missions as pastor until 1945. He then returned to the abbey to be chaplain for the Sisters of St. Francis at St. Francis Hospital in Maryville, Mo. During that time, he also ministered on weekends to the people of St. Mary’s Parish, in Gilman City, Mo. The next four years of his life took him back to the Dakotas to serve the Indian Missions once again; this time as assistant pastor in Fort Yates, N.D. In August of 1950 he left the Dakotas and was briefly assigned to St. Joseph's Parish in Springfield, Mo. At the same time he taught at Drury College. In October of 1950, he came back to Conception to serve the parishioners as pastor of Holy Family, which was located in Conception Junction. He was there for nine years. Father Malachy’s next assignment led him to St. Aloysius Parish in Kansas City, Mo. While serving there as pastor he built a new rectory and served on the Diocesan School Board. Father Malachy was on the move once again in 1963, to serve as chaplain of the Mother of God Priory in Pierre, S.D. After one year of service in Pierre, he returned to the abbey in May of 1964. He was appointed pastor of St. Columba, the recently combined parishes of Conception, Clyde and Conception Junction. The first Mass celebrated in this church was on September 30, 1967 and was also the Silver Jubilee of Father Malachy’s ordination to the priesthood. During that time, he served as state chaplain for the Knights of Columbus. On November 4, 1969, Father Malachy was on the road again. This time he became pastor of St. Rose of Lima, in Savannah, Mo, and chaplain for the Sisters of St. Francis of LaVerna Heights and pastor for St. Patrick in Forest City, Mo. 1971 brought Fr. Malachy back to familiar territory as assistant pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in Springfield, Mo. From there, he was assigned to St. Mary’s Priory in Nauvoo, Ill. where he served as chaplain. After a year, he returned to St. Joseph’s as pastor. During that time he was also chaplain at Mercy Villa in Springfield, Mo., a retirement home operated by the Sisters of Mercy. Father Malachy returned to Conception in March 1976 to become business manager of Conception Abbey. On weekends he assisted at the Immaculate Conception Parish in Brookfield, Mo. for three years. Then in 1981 until 1987, Fr. Malachy served as pastor of St. Columban’s Parish in Chillicothe, Mo. and while there he celebrated his Golden Jubilee of priesthood. On December 17, 1987, Fr. Malachy returned to familiar territory once again, to be chaplain for the sisters of St. Francis, the retirement home of LaVerna Heights and the Village Nursing Home in Savannah, Mo., until 1994. After leaving LaVerna Heights, he was assigned to West Point, Ne. to serve as chaplain for St. Joseph’s Retirement Home from 1994 until 1999. Father Malachy returned home to the abbey in 1999 to retire at St. Stephen’s Infirmary. He tells everyone how happy he is to be home after serving so many years away. Many monks at the abbey admire him for his generous willingness to serve wherever the abbot asked him to go. Father Malachy’s advice for young monks “always do what the abbot tells you and you will be a happy monk.” Two Monks Celebrate 50 years ordained Born Vernon Charles Probstfield, February 16, 1931, in Verona, Mo., he attended high school and college at Conception. After two years of college, he decided God was calling him to become a monk of Conception Abbey. He entered the novitiate in 1951 and was professed on September 8, 1952. Father Regis was ordained April 6, 1957. After ordination he was sent to Catholic University of America to earn his S.T.L. in theology in 1959. He returned to Conception to teach Latin. Father Regis went to Fordham University in New York City in 1960 where he earned his M.A. in Latin. Upon returning to Conception, he became very involved in the seminary and monastery. He was a professor, prefect and Vice Dean throughout the years. In the monastery he was a Socius to the Novice Master and the editor of Tower Topics. In 1969, he was called away again to be the assistant director of the Pastoral Formation Center, in Kansas City, Mo. He became Director of PFC in 1970 and served until 1972. In 1972 he went to McLaughlin, S.D., where he served as a missionary to the American Indians. In 1973, he returned to Conception to again serve the monastery and seminary. His many duties included: Kitchenmaster (‘73-'76), member of the formation committee ('74), Master of Novices and Juniors ('75-'78), Associate Business Manager ('78-'81), Subprior, (‘79-‘81), regular confessor for Juniors, Novices and Postulants ('79-'81). He found himself returning to the Dakota’s in August of 1986, this time to Fort Yates, N.D., where he was assigned associate pastor and director of development for the Catholic Indian Missions for the next nine years. He returned to the abbey in 1995 and was assigned associate business manager. Since 1996, he served as ordofex for the Swiss American Congregation O.S.B. In 1998 he become secretary to the Abbot until 2006. Today he currently serves as ordofex and chaplain of St. Stephen’s infirmary. *** After graduating from Quigley, Robert came to Conception Seminary for a year before entering the novitiate. He made his profession September 3, 1951 and was ordained to the priesthood April 6, 1957. At Conception Father Hugh met Fr. Patrick, and the older monk became his mentor. Since 1955 Fr. Hugh has served the Abbey as main organist, as well as being choirmaster twice from 1971 to 1977 and again from 1989 to 1996. He also edited Altar and Home, a liturgical magazine published by the Abbey from 1955 to 1961. In 1963 Fr. Hugh began traveling. He was sent to St. Knud’s Priory in Copenhagen, Denmark, where for three years he served as a novice master and liturgist. He returned to Conception Abbey in 1965 to teach in the seminary, along with directing retreats and workshops across the nation, which he did for the next 25 years. Fr. Hugh was a spiritual director for the seminary until 1998 and a member of the faculty until 1999. Father Hugh says his relationship with Fr. Patrick Cummins, his retreat work and two extended pilgrimages to the Holy Land were among the highlights of his monastic career, but another deeply spiritual experience ranks up there as well, his time spent as a hermit. In the 1980’s Fr. Hugh began living alone in a one-room frame house on the Abbey property. What began as weeklong stays grew into month long stays. In 1985 he lived in the hermitage for the entire year. Father Hugh left the hermitage in 1987 and for the next three years served as Chaplain for the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in nearby Clyde, Mo. He returned to the Abbey to be choirmaster for a period of time and then was assigned as porter. In 1999 he and a team of several monks wrote, edited and arranged a new Liturgy of the Hours for Conception. His role was to translate Latin hymns and set them to traditional Gregorian chant melodies and to help arrange the three–year cycle of readings from Scripture and patristic literature, as well as edit the intercessory prayers. Today Fr. Hugh resides in Savannah and is a chaplain for the Franciscan Sisters at Laverna Heights. Due to recent health issues Fr. Hugh had to restrict his ministry activities to serving as chaplain. He continues to do theological research and enjoys sharing that in his homilies with the sisters. He has not lost his intense interest in things theological and liturgical nor has he lost his quick wit and humor. The monks of Conception look upon Fr. Hugh as giving a good example of obedient service and showing them a great way to cope with bodily aches and pains in the aging process. Three Monks Celebrate 50 years of monastic profession He was born Lawrence Kosiba on April 3, 1935 in Duncan, Ne, one of eight children including six sisters and one brother. His family moved to Columbus, Ne., where he attended elementary school at St. Anthony’s Catholic School. He knew from an early age that he was not called to the priesthood but when he was in the 8th grade, he wanted to join the Franciscan order as a brother and was told he was not old enough. He found a brochure in the church pamphlet rack on summer school for prospective brothers at Conception Abbey. He made the journey to Conception and stayed until the age of 17. Brother Mark then decided he needed to see some of the world so he joined the Navy. All of the four years he spent in the Navy were education years. He completed high school and received his diploma from St. Bonaventure’s in Columbus, Ne. The next education stint was the Navy’s Hospital Corp. At the completion of his Navy years he returned to Conception where his first assignments were in the carpenter shop and assistant infirmarian from 1957 to 1961. He was then appointed infirmarian, a position he held from 1961 to 1964. In August, 1964 he entered the School of Practical Nursing in Pierre, S.D., and completed a postgraduate nursing program in February, 1966. Brother Mark worked as the emergency room supervisor at St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre, S.D., for a brief period from March, 1966 to July 1966. He was called back to Conception Abbey as the infirmarian in August 1966 and served there until August, 1968. For 18 years, Brother Mark worked as the Director of Development for the Catholic Indian Missions in Fort Yates, N.D., on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. While in Fort Yates he was instrumental in raising funds and through his diligence was able to build new churches and other building projects, provide financial assistance for student education and assist the poor in area communities. He had many responsibilities in addition to development work while in Fort Yates, including coroner and deputy sheriff for Sioux County. He was adopted by the Standing Rock Indian tribe in 1975 and given the name “Black Buffalo Boy”. One of Brother Mark’s greatest achievements was when he was given the highest award given to a non-Indian, the Keeper of the Peace Pipe. His work in development inspired his interest in planned giving and in 1983 he became certified in the National Planned Giving Institute and served on their board for five years from 1985 to 1990. Brother Mark was called back to Conception Abbey in 1986 to serve as the Director of Development for the abbey. He held that position until October, 1987. He went to Cardinal Muench Seminary in Fargo, N.D., to assist them in their Development Department from 1987 to 1988. When he came back to Conception in June, 1988 he was appointed the Director of Planned and Major Gifts. Through his ability to reach out to friends of Conception, he created a planned giving program that will serve the abbey for many years to come. It was also through his fundraising efforts that the capital campaign to restore the Basilica was successful. Before he retired from planned giving and fundraising because of his health, he was a valuable resource for the second capital campaign, A Living Tradition which saw a new welcome center built–St. Raphael Hall–and the remodeling of St. Maur Hall, the main building that houses seminary studies and administration. Currently, Brother Mark is a Porter for the Abbey and remains in touch with many of the friends he acquired while working in development through public relations correspondence. Brother Mark is considered by many of his confreres to be the Father of Development at Conception. He is still the go-to-person whenever a question comes up involving development. *** Jerome Delano Guesnier was born on April 18, 1933 in Seward, Ks. He was the fifth of seven children born to Joseph A. and Vina Marie (Rickert) Guesnier. It was during high school that he felt called to the priesthood. His pastor sent him to Our Lady of the Ozarks Seminary in Carthage Mo., where he received his high school diploma in 1952. After completing studies there, he came to Conception Seminary College and four years later he earned a B.A. in Philosophy. On September 3, 1957 he professed simple vows and was given the name Rene. He was ordained on September 21, 1961. Father Rene’s first assignment after ordination was associate editor of Altar and Home, a liturgical pamphlet, which was published by the monks. Two years later he was assigned assistant pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Springfield, Mo. In 1964 he was asked to serve the people of St. Aloysius Parish in Kansas City, Mo. In 1967 Fr. Rene joined the United States Army to employ his talents as a military chaplain. He was first stationed at Fort Riley, Ks. and from there he went to Vietnam. For a short time in 1970, he returned to the mainland, then was sent back to Vietnam. He was back in the states in 1973, stationed at Fort Carson, Co., and after a year of continuing education in New York at Fort Hamilton, he was on his way to Germany for a two-year tour of duty. Upon returning to the states in 1979, Fr. Rene assumed the chaplaincy at Brooks Army Hospital in San Antonio, Tx., followed by an assignment at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center in Aurora, Co. After a short stay at the Abbey in 1982, Fr. Rene was off to Germany again, where he stayed for the next three years. He returned to Fort Riley, Ks in 1985 and was stationed there until he retired from the military on the 1st of October 1987. After retirement from the army Fr. Rene returned to the Abbey and for the next four years helped as gardener, church janitor, and in St. Stephen’s infirmary. He was then assigned to St. Joseph’s Church in Parnell, Mo., an assignment that lasted from 1991-1993. After this assignment he traveled back to Kansas to be pastor for St. Boniface Church in Sharon for one year, and then assigned to St. Rose of Lima in Great Bend to be their associate pastor. Currently Fr. Rene is serving in his hometown of Seward, Ks., as pastor for St. Francis Xavier Church and living in his boyhood home. In his spare time he enjoys reading, researching family history, hunting, fishing and listening to classical music. *** Father Francis entered the novitiate at Conception Abbey on September 2nd 1957. A year later, he made his first profession of vows and received the name Francis. He was ordained to the priesthood May 26, 1961. For the first five years after his ordination, Fr. Francis served as assistant pastor for St. Aloysius Parish in Kansas City, Mo. After that, he served as chaplain at Federal Prison in Springfield, Mo. In 1965 he traveled to Colorado where he was an assistant pastor in Boulder at Sacred Heart Parish and an assistant in Pueblo. From there, Fr. Francis moved to O’Neill, Ne. to serve as an assistant pastor. Next he journeyed to South Dakota, where he would serve for the next sixteen years of his life. First he was assigned assistant at St. John’s Church located in Rapid City. From there he went to Deadwood where he served as chaplain at St. Joseph’s Hospital. When that ended, he traveled to St. Bonaventure’s in McIntosh to be pastor for thirteen years. Father Francis retuned to this area in 1984 to serve as chaplain at Mount Alverno located east of Maryville, Mo. He then engaged in four months of continuing education at Notre Dame’s Institute for Clergy Education. After completing this course, he was assigned as pastor of St. Peter’s Church in Stanberry, Mo. where he served for five years. From there he was sent to Kansas to be pastor of Holy Ghost Church in Sharon Springs and St. Peter Church in Wallace. Then he became administrator of St. John’s Baptist Church in Meade, Ks., and from there traveled to St. Lawrence Parish in Elizabeth, Mo. where he currently serves as pastor. Full of boundless pastoral zeal and always jovial, Fr. Francis has become somewhat famous in the monastery for two sayings “Pray for snow!” and “Are we going to rebuild the luftagon?" In his spare time he is an avid outdoorsmen who enjoys hunting, fishing, and snow boarding. Br. Cyprian Celebrate25 years of monastic profession After graduating in 1971 from the former Saint Joseph High School Seminary which was owned and operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, he worked in a textile mill in Southbridge, Ma. He entered the United States Air Force in January 1973 and served until June 1976 at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wy. After being discharged from the Air Force, he did freshman year studies at Holy Apostle College in Cromwell, Ct. In the summer of 1977 he applied to the Diocese of Cheyenne, Wy. The diocese sent him to Conception Seminary College for undergraduate studies. During his time at Conception, discernment was foremost on his mind. He became attracted to the monastic life of the monks. After graduating with a B.A. in Philosophy in May of 1980, he traveled to Denver, Colorado to study theology for one year at the former Saint Thomas Seminary. He returned to Conception Abbey and entered the novitiate August 6, 1981. He professed Simple Vows July 31, 1982 and Solemn Vows August 10, 1985. His early monastery assignments included assistant editor of Tower Topics, assistant guestmaster, associate director of the computer center at The Printery House and a teaching assistant in speech and acting, as well as co-director of the Drama Department. Br. Cyprian was granted a sabbatical in September 1990. In November 1991, he returned to the abbey. He taught full time as an instructor in speech and developmental English. It was also during that time he became the Director of Drama, as well as Director of Public Reading. Beginning in June 1994 Br. Cyprian attended Central Missouri State University pursuing a Master’s Degree in Speech Communication. He returned home to the Abbey in August of 1995 to teach speech/communication studies and direct drama in the seminary. Br. Cyprain successfully defended his master’s thesis in August 2002 for final completion of his Master’s degree in Speech and Communication Studies. He became the guestmaster of the Abbey Guest Center in June 2002 and currently holds that position, in addition to his position as speech/communication studies instructor, instructor in the Language, Culture, Church Program, and Director of the Drama Department. For Br. Cyprian being a monk doesn’t come easy. He says he has trouble trusting and surrendering to God on a day-to-day basis. The challenges he encounters in monastic life are made easier by his good sense of humor and his ability to stop, look and listen. This is not easy for someone who tends to be hyperactive. Striving to slowdown externally and internally, looking at things through faith, and listening to God’s will through prayer, public and private, are key components of the daily monastic journey for Br. Cyprian. Since he is French-Canadian on both sides of his family, one of his favorite hobbies is keeping up on all the latest news from the British royal family. We welcome your comments: |
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Born Thomas Riley on October 5, 1914 in St. Louis, Mo., he came to Conception in 1935 attending both college and theology. He entered the community in 1936, made monastic profession July 26, 1937 and was ordained a priest on September 19, 1942.
Father Regis Probstfield, 76, celebrated the golden anniversary of his ordination this year.
Father Hugh Tasch was born Robert Tasch, July 21, 1930 in Chicago. His family left during the Depression to find work in Michigan, but returned in 1938. Eleven years later Robert entered Quigley Preparatory Seminary. It was then he caught wind of a monastery in Missouri at the forefront of liturgical reform and Fr. Patrick Cummins, a man he heard was “50 years ahead of his time.”
Brother Mark Kosiba, 72, celebrated his 50th anniversary of his profession to Conception Abbey on November 13th.
When describing Fr. Rene most say he is a kind man, one that challenges the status quo. Known as a problem solver and one that is dedicated to the truth totally and completely–particularly in church teaching.
Born Donald Stuart on April 14, 1926, he received a Benedictine education, graduating from Maur Hill High School in Atchison, Ks. This was followed by a two-year tour of duty in the United States Navy, from 1944 until 1946. Upon returning to civilian life, he attended and graduated from Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Mo., where he received a degree in biology.
Born Robert Langlois on April 12, 1953, in Southbridge, Ma., growing up he attended Catholic elementary school.