News

A look into the little-known titles of monastic assignments Prior Custos Cellarer Porter Refectorian Intentionarius Infirmarian What kind of work do the monks do? There are many job assignments that take place within the monastery itself, often hidden from the public eye, but just as important for the daily upkeep of the monastery and for serving the community. Though the monks refer to ...

Particularly important for seminarians is fostering a fervent love of the Blessed Virgin Mary and calling upon her maternal mediation. The Second Vatican Council’s decree on priestly training, Optatam Totius, said of those preparing for priesthood: “They should love and venerate with a filial trust the most Blessed Virgin Mary, who was given as mother ...

Celebrating Our Jubilarians Fr. Anthony celebrates 80 years of service and fidelity  There are often firsts in every family, so even in a monastic community, we too have the pleasure of participating in an event happening for the first time. This year, on March 12, our Fr. Anthony Shidler, OSB, celebrated 80 years as a professed Benedictine ...

In serene silence, the gentle glow of candles takes over the darkness, just as Jesus’s birth fills the world with hope. The rhythm of monastic chanting fills the night with a humble simplicity like that of the stable on Christmas Eve.   While the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at Conception Abbey is closed to the public ...

Br. Isidro Ramos, OSB, a monk of Conception Abbey assigned to St. Benedict’s Priory, Benet Lake, Wisconsin, died early Saturday morning, November 28, in Harvey, Illinois. He was 74 years of age and professed as a Benedictine monk for twenty-four years. One of twelve children of Mr. and Mrs. Salvador Ramos, he was born January 1, ...

By the Work of Their Hands A Feature on Archbishop Jerome Hanus, OSB A first-time guest to the Abbey came upon one of the monastery grounds workers with an old baseball cap, wearing a pair of dirty blue jeans and a saturated gray T-shirt. “Excuse me, sir…” the lady uttered. “Yes, ma’am,” replied the man. She questioned, ...

This article was originally published in Tower Topics, Spring 2020 Understanding Religious Roles Sometimes it can be difficult to understand the differences and similarities between the title “Brother” and “Father,” a priest of Conception Abbey and a priest in a parish not associated with the Abbey, or even the monks at Conception and the seminarians studying at Conception ...

CONCEPTION, Mo. (June 19, 2020) – Conception leadership is pleased to announce that we have raised just over $1.6 million of the $2.8 million needed for us to receive the $1 million challenge grant from the Mabee Foundation. This leaves $1.2 million to fundraise by January 14 to receive the grant. In February of this year, ...

Fr. Albert walks into the fourth-grade classroom with his usual grin on his face. The students light up as he enters the room, and he is immediately received by a chorus of greetings. They put down their pencils and direct their attention to their pastor who stands before them in the front of the classroom. ...

There are often firsts in every family, so even in a monastic community, we too have the pleasure of participating in an event happening for the first time. This year, on March 12, our Fr. Anthony Shidler, OSB, celebrated 80 years as a professed Benedictine monk. For the first time in our community’s 147-year history, a ...

  5 Spiritual Lessons to Learn From This Crisis by Fr. Paul Sheller, OSB, Dean of Spiritual Formation at Conception Seminary College It is obvious that the news and outbreak of the COVID-19 virus is a very difficult time for all of us, and in every challenge, there are deeper spiritual lessons that we can learn. I hope ...

CONCEPTION, Mo. (February 3, 2020) — To aid Conception in its final push to raise funds for the construction of the new seminary residence hall component of the Brothers Living in Unity campaign, the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation has awarded Conception Abbey and Seminary College with a $1 million challenge grant.   The challenge grant outlines ...

This news release was originally written by the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions. The McManus Award is the highest honor bestowed by the nations’ liturgists and it recognizes significant contributions to furthering the liturgical renewal in the United States. This year, it was, appropriately, presented to Abbot Primate Gregory Polan, OSB — acknowledging his more than ...

CONCEPTION, Mo. (December 4, 2019) — Conception Abbey and Seminary College have received a $2 million gift toward the Monastic Retirement Endowment component of the Brothers Living in Unity campaign. St. Benedict’s Priory in Benet Lake, Wisconsin, has committed the $2 million gift as a symbol of their reunification with Conception, which took place in ...

In the early afternoon of Tuesday, 12 November 2019, our beloved confrere,   Abbot Andrew Garber, OSB,   passed into eternal rest. Abbot Andrew was a Jubilarian of both profession and ordination. He had resided in St. Stephen’s Infirmary at Conception Abbey since his arrival here in 2016 from St. Benedict’s Abbey at Benet Lake WI, when the latter ...

CONCEPTION, Mo. – On Saturday, September 7, 2019, Br. Luke Kral, OSB, and Br. Matthew Marie, professed solemn vows as monks of Conception Abbey in the presence of their family, friends, seminarians, and monastic confreres.    In the ceremony, Br. Luke and Br. Matthew made perpetual commitments to live as monks of Conception’s monastery, vowing obedience, stability, ...

CONCEPTION, Mo. — On the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Thursday, August 15, 2019, two young men professed simple vows as monks of Conception Abbey in the presence of their family, friends, seminarians, and monastic confreres. For a religious community, receiving a new member is a sign of joy and vitality and ...

Abbey joins dioceses in response to Church crisis CONCEPTION, Mo. (August 5, 2019) — Concern for transparency and accountability has prompted many dioceses and religious orders to publish information about members within their groups who have had allegations of sexual abuse of minors made against them.   With that goal, Conception Abbey is providing the names of eight ...

VIDEO: Solemn Profession of Monastic Vows for Br. Joseph O’Neill CONCEPTION, Mo. – On the Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter, May 18, 2019, Br. Joseph O’Neill, OSB, professed solemn vows as a monk of Conception Abbey in the presence of his family, friends, seminarians, and his monastic confreres.   In the ceremony, Br. Joseph made a ...

Conception, Mo. – The 24th annual Abbey Trails 5K Run / 2-Mile walk brought guests from near and far to Conception Abbey on Saturday, May 4 to celebrate health and wellness.   Saturday morning was cool, clear and brisk, creating perfect weather for more than 250 participants, an increase of about 25 from 2018.   The 5K course began at the ...