Tower Topics ~ Winter 2002

An opportunity to serve

The following is the complete text of Abbot Gregory’s Oct. 11 announcement of “A Living Tradition,” the capital campaign for Conception Abbey and Conception Seminary College.

This evening carries with it a special air of excitement. For the past two years, the monks of Conception Abbey, along with our faculty, staff, employees, and seminarians, have taken a thorough and careful look into the future of our institution. The primary question we have posed is, “How might we better serve the Church and the wider community?”

In recent years we have been touched with blessings of growth and new life: enrollment in the seminary college has continued to increase and stay steady with over 90 seminarians; more than 11,000 guests, retreatants, and pilgrims come to Conception Abbey each year since re-opening the Basilica; they come for prayer, a place of reflection and quiet, a surrounding of natural beauty, and for liturgy that lifts mind and heart to God; in addition to this, hundreds of youth come here for retreats and tap into a part of Catholic culture which encourages them to think about their relationship with Jesus Christ and questions of vocational calling.

As the members of our seminary’s Board of Regents know, and even at their urging, the monks of Conception Abbey have proceeded with plans for a $10.25 million capital campaign. Our feasibility study has shown what people think we need most to serve them better and the kind of financial support we can expect in successfully carrying out this capital campaign. It is our hope to build a new Welcome Center and to complete a much needed renovation of St. Maur Hall, our 100-year-old seminary building.

For the last fourteen months we have engaged in the silent phase of this capital campaign, contacting major donors and the dioceses that Conception Abbey and Conception Seminary College have served through the years. These friends of ours have been generous. In fact, they have been so generous that we have already raised more than $3 million toward our construction costs. Today, with much hope in Almighty God’s providential care for us, and with the support of many friends, and with the joy and confidence of what has already been accomplished, I announce the beginning of the public phase of our campaign.

It is my further pleasure to announce that the Mabee Foundation of Tulsa, Oklahoma, has generously promised a challenge grant of $1 million, which we will receive if we are able to raise an additional $2 million by July 2003. I would also like to publicly thank Bishop Edward Slattery who accompanied Father Benedict and me in our meeting with the board members of the Mabee Foundation.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the monks of Conception Abbey to extend Benedictine hospitality and service to the world. But as with all of our efforts, we cannot do it alone. Farmers, merchants and craftsmen from the area helped build our beautiful Basilica. Our friends and benefactors enabled us to complete its $9 million renovation three years ago. And since the day that Abbot Frowin and the first monks arrived in Northwest Missouri, many, many friends have prayed for the monks of Conception Abbey and our work.

This was never more evident than on June 10, when our community faced its darkest moment. In the weeks following the shooting of four of our confreres, it was difficult for us to return to the work of this campaign. Yet the outpouring of concern and prayer, solidarity and encouragement only strengthened our resolve to continue. The changes that this campaign will provide will enable us to better welcome our guests and better educate the priests who will lead our parish communities and our Church into the future. All of this will enable us to better serve you.

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