The Honorable Lyle E. Strom
GUEST OF HONOR
Dr. Robert and Mrs. Susan Recker
HONOR ARY CHAIRMEN
You’re Invited!
Dr. William and Mrs. Deb Thomas
Mr. Brian and Mrs. Cindy Engel
GENER AL CHAIRMEN
GUEST OF HONOR
THE HONORABLE LYLE E. STROM
W
e are pleased to announce The Honorable
Lyle E. Strom as the Guest of Honor for this
year’s Night of Knights, Knights in Tuscany.
Lyle and Regina Strom were married in 1950,
and together they had seven children, two
of whom attended Mount Michael; Bryan
’86 and David. The Strom family has fond
memories of attending many Fall Festivals as
well as Night of Knights events.
After graduating from high school Judge
Strom joined the Merchant Marines as a radio
operator. As he worked alongside his fellow
Marines he was very impressed by their level
of knowledge and personal conduct. From that
point on Judge Strom committed to his goal
of higher education in law. While attending
Creighton University School of Law, Judge
Strom was a member of Alpha Sigma Nu and
received the award for the Highest Triennial
Average for the Class of 1953.
He was in private practice in Omaha from
1953 until he was appointed to the U.S.
District Court for the District of Nebraska
in 1985. From 1987 until 1994 he served as
Chief Judge of the District Court. In 1995
he became a Senior Judge for the Court. He
serves as chair of the Gender Fairness Task
Force for the Eighth Circuit, co-chair of
the Federal Practice Committee of the U.S.
District Court for the District of Nebraska,
as a member of the Eighth Circuit Judicial
Conference committee to Study Restructuring
of the Judicial Conference, and as a member
of the Executive Committee and Board of
Trustees of the Mid-America Council of Boy
Scouts of America.
HONORARY CHAIRMEN
DR. ROBERT and MRS. SUSAN RECKER
Volume 56, Issue 11
Spring 2011
Dr. Robert and Mrs. Susan Recker have been
in the Mount Michael family for many years
and were grateful to be chosen as Honorary
Chairmen for the 22nd annual Knights in
Tuscany Dinner and Auction. The Reckers’
two sons, Robert L. ’84 and Michael ’89 both
graduated from Mount Michael and now their
grandson Jacob is a sophomore. Everyone in the
Recker family enjoys attending Mount Michael
school events and sporting events, as well as the
Alumni Reunions and the Fall Festival.
Robert and Susan have always dedicated
time to serving others and promoting medical
research. After graduating in 1963 from
Creighton University School of Medicine,
Robert joined the Air Force to serve his
country. While Robert was in school and in
the Air Force, Susan started her career at the
Osteoporosis Research Center. After his time
in the Air Force, Robert returned to Creighton
University to do research in the osteoporosis
field alongside his mentor Dr. Heaney.
Dr. Recker is currently the Director of the
Creighton University Osteoporosis Research
Center and Susan is the administrator for the
Sister Anne Evers Endowed Research Fund,
which raises money for young investigators to
complete pilot studies in preparation for larger
research studies and grants. They are truly
committed to their work and firmly believe
in their service to help anyone impacted by
osteoporosis.
Dr. and Mrs. Recker celebrated their 50th
wedding anniversary last summer with friends
and family. Susan is past president of Omaha
Town Hall and currently belongs to the Christ
Child Group and St. Theresa the Little Flower
Circle of Mary Our Queen. She has been
getting her feet wet as a Night of Knights
volunteer helping with silent auction inventory.
Letter from the Abbot
O
ne of the indelible impressions of the liturgy
on Holy Thursday is the re-enactment of Jesus
…Thank
you to
all who
serve and
volunteer
at Mount
Michael…
washing the feet of his disciples. Both by word
and deed, Jesus taught his disciples that those
to be first in the kingdom of heaven were to be
those who served. The theme of the articles in the
Michaeleen this month is service. In a monastery,
it can be easy to take people for granted. There
are many chores to which I never give a second
thought. I don’t have to cook my own food. I don’t
have to wash my own clothes. In the summer, I
don’t have to mow the lawns when it rains. The
buildings are air conditioned. In the winter, I
don’t have to shovel the sidewalks when it snows.
The buildings are heated. I don’t have to do the
maintenance. I don’t have to pay the bills. I don’t
have to worry that my car is properly serviced.
However, someone does have to tend to all these
necessities. Clothes get dirty. Light bulbs burn out.
Cars break down. Even if I happen not to notice,
someone does take care of all these chores. It is too
easy to allow the people who provide these services
to become invisible.
Monks are committed to a life of prayer. At
Mount Michael in addition to the daily Eucharist,
the monastic community comes together four
times a day to celebrate the divine office. That
investment in a life of prayer is only possible
with time freed from other tasks. One blessing of
community life is that a fairly distributed set of
chores allows each monk sufficient time to take
care of personal assignments and still have time
for both communal prayer and private prayer.
The danger of course is that we forget that others
are serving us so that we have the liberty to give
God praise. So I think it is important to at least
acknowledge and thank those people who serve
us so graciously and faithfully, and mostly without
any recognition.
Nancy washes the laundry, cleans the rooms and
keeps the monastic building in always presentable
order. Lois and Ken keep the school building
clean and sparkling. Judy and Paula prepare meals
during the week. Br. Jerome and Br. Luke see that
we are well fed on the weekends. Br. Mark takes
care of the vehicle and oversees the many acres of
monastic property. Br. Matthew delivers our mail
and answers the phones. Fr. John mows the lawns,
plows the snow and keeps the grounds fit for a
monastery. Br. Mel cares for the horses which are
used for summer camp. Jim, Wilber and Russ see
to the maintenance of the buildings. Fr. Louis,
Br. William and Michael take care of financial
reports, health insurance, car insurance, liability
insurance. They pay the bills and secure services
when unusual needs arise. Br. William fills the
car with gas and tends the water treatment plant.
Br. Joseph prepares altar, books and vestments
for the celebration of the Eucharist each day.
He also washes choir robes and washes dishes
at lunch. Br. Patrick washes morning dishes
and helps with guest rooms. Br. Luke keeps us
supplied with plenty of reading material. Kim,
Michele, Amanda, Br. Benedict and Br. James all
work in the development office to ensure that we
hopefully leave no one with ties to Mount Michael
neglected. Br. Francis concentrates on keeping all
the help entertained. Most of the monks share the
duty of waiting tables for one another. None of
this includes the monks and other staff members
who spend hours in the classroom or helping with
other forms of supervision of students. That is all
service, too. I am quite sure this list of chores is not
exhaustive. I am sure I will have missed someone.
Nonetheless, I appreciate the service of all these
people who make my life so much easier. I am
grateful to them all, even if it goes unsaid. And
with this letter, I want to say a most sincere thanks
to them all.
ANNUAL REPORT AMENDMENTS
Rt. Rev. Michael Liebl, O.S.B.
We endeavored to make the lists contained in the Annual Report as complete and as accurate as possible.
Please make note of the following corrections and accept our apologies for these errors:
The Class of 1983 Alumni Participants includes Mr. Jeff Jamrog and Dr. Alex Schabauer.
The Class of 2006 Alumni Participants includes Mr. Jono Matt.
The Steier Group, Inc. ~ Mr. and Mrs. Jim Steier Jr. were Silver Knight Sponsors for the 2010 Night of Knights.
The total gifts for the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year should be listed in the $10,000-$24,000 category.
Dr. and Mrs. Alex Schabauer ’83 should be listed in the $1,000-$1,999 category.
Mrs. Joseph F. Svehla should be listed as Mr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Svehla and it should be noted that Mr. Svehla
is since deceased.
A memorial in honor of the 40th Wedding Anniversary of Dr. and Mrs. Robert Swerczek was requested by
Ms. Mary Pospichil.
2
Memorial Information
Often inquiries are made about our memorials,
for relatives and friends, living or deceased. At
Mount Michael one can enroll families or friends
in our memorial foundation. This consists of daily
remembrance at the Eucharist and the Divine Office
by the monks of Mount Michael Abbey. Upon
enrollment, we will notify the family with a card.
The suggested offering for this memorial enrollment is:
INDIVIDUAL
One Year
$50
Lifetime
$250
Five Years
FAMILY
$100
One Year
$100
Lifetime
$500
Five Years
$200
Mass Information
Deaths
Emma Berning
Grandmother of Nick Wessling ’96
Donald Donovan
Father of Dennis Donovan ’67
Emilija Jonusas
Grandmother of Tristan Anzalone ’10
Lucille Konecky
Mount Michael Benefactor
Francis Liewer
Father of David Liewer ’66
Donata Prendergast
Mount Michael Benefactor
Casper Theisen
Father of Mark Theisen ’68 and
John Theisen ’70
Timothy Slattery
Grandfather of Sean Slattery ’14
Lillian Venteicher
Grandmother of Colton Venteicher ’08
and Dillion Venteicher ’11
If you find that your pastor is unable to
conveniently take care of Masses you wish to have
celebrated for your particular intentions, Mount
Michael Abbey welcomes the requests for such
intentions. We will see to it that the Masses are
celebrated as promptly as possible.
The offering you make should correspond with
that suggested by the diocese in which you reside.
Your pastor will be able to inform you of what the
stipend of a particular diocese may be.
Mass Intentions $10.00
Please address such requests to:
Mass Intentions
Development Office
Mount Michael Benedictine Abbey
22520 Mount Michael Road
Elkhorn, NE 68022
Births
Brody Petersen, December 19th, 2010, 8 lbs. 5 oz.
Chris ’01 and Jane Petersen
Lillian Grace Bahr, January 18th, 2011, 7 lbs. 9 oz.
Walt ’87 and Cheryl Bahr
Please send your announcements to the Mount Michael Development Off ice, Mount Michael Benedictine Abbey,
22520 Mount Michael Road, Elkhorn, NE 68022 or email to [email protected]. Thank you.
3
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
S
…like a
Fourth
of July
sparkler…
ometimes I get the impression that Mount
Michael is like a Fourth of July sparkler;
one source of energy but sparks flying in all
directions. This issue of the Michaeleen is a good
example of what I mean. In this issue you will
read about Eagle Scouts, Dean’s List Honors,
Night of Knights, Alumni News, the Alumni
Retreat, Golf Classic, Alumni Reunions, Mom
Prom and Mother-Son Retreat. Then from the
Weekly Bulletin: Pizza Night, Basketball games
and highlights, speech contests, swimming,
diving, wrestling and bowling. And then there
is the bulletin board: band and choir practice,
Harvard Model Congress, trap shooting,
winter conditioning, college careers, and the
Steubenville Retreat. All of this in addition to
nine classes or study periods every day, plus
prayer time….It is enough to make you tired
just reading about it.
But it can also energize you knowing that
it all flows from our goal to be a Benedictine,
Catholic, college preparation school for young
(energetic) men committed to academic
excellence, working toward integrating a life of
spirituality, scholarship and Christian formation
flowing from the Gospel and the Spirit of St.
Benedict. Hopefully all of this activity is rooted
in our mission and our goal to produce sound
minds in sound bodies in our students.
This much I know for sure, it makes the
winter months pass very quickly.
Abbot Raphael Walsh, O.S.B.
K NIGHTS on a M ISSION
T
he students of Mount Michael are spending Spring Break helping others. The mission group
will travel the entire trip together leaving Omaha on Saturday, March 5th, flying into Mexico
City. Upon arrival they will meet with their Mission Director, Fr. Juan Gabriel Guerra, and two
other missionaries. The group will gather their belongings and board a chartered bus to Santiago
Tuxtla, Veracruz (approximately five hours from Mexico City). There they will settle in, meet
the townspeople and their sponsor family. After Mass on Sunday the real work will begin. Our
group of 14 Mount Michael students, four dads, Mr. Cormier, Mr. Crawford and Fr. Dan will be
building a home for a family in need. This area and town was hit hard by flooding and winds from last
year’s hurricane. Many people lost their homes and food. The family they will be helping is a 75-year-old
grandmother taking care of her seven grandchildren (mother is deceased). The oldest two children are 20 and 17
and both have Down’s syndrome. They lost their home and all their corn for food. Some of our group will also be going to help many
of the villagers rebuild their kitchens with an outdoor cookstove. We hope to build as many of those as we can. Our group has been
working very hard to raise enough funds to accomplish these projects. The group will also be helping Father Juan and Father Dan with
home visits and daily Masses and enjoying time (sports, games) with the village children. Through their example of Christian faith,
work and compassion, our young men will be truly doing and experiencing the work of Christ. By Thursday they hope to have projects
completed. They will depart to visit some pyramids and then head to Mexico City for sightseeing and Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe.
They will stay at a local parish school in Mexico City and depart for Omaha on Saturday the 12th.
Mission Youth is an apostolate of the Regnum Christi Movement that works with bishops and pastors to evangelize by engaging
and sending out youth to bear witness to Christ. By providing programs and training for youth as missionaries, Mission Youth (MY)
seeks to re-energize Catholic life and foster greater parish involvement. MY offers teens a chance to step out and make a difference in
the world around them. Every mission provides R.E.A.L. (Relate to others, Encounter Christ, Act on your Faith, Learn the Faith). The
group was founded in 1995 and has organized over 700 missions in the U.S. and internationally.
Questions and concerns of safety are a number one priority for us and of course for Mission Youth. The staff at MY are in constant
contact with the missionaries to monitor safety. We feel confident knowing our group will be accompanied by the local people who
work with the missionaries there; also, we have Fr. Juan, who is originally from Veracruz, with our group. We ask for many prayers for a
successful Mount Michael Extreme Mission. I am so very proud of the young men in our community who chose to take this challenge
to be a part of the first International Extreme Mission team from Mount Michael High School. Their hard work is going to make a
difference in the lives of the people they serve in Mexico.
~ By Cindy Engel, Trip Organizer and Current Parent
4
2010-2011 DEAN’S LIST FIRST SEMESTER HONORS
FIRST HONORS 1) minimum GPA of 3.5
2) satisfactory personal conduct
SENIORS
JUNIORS
FIRST HONORS
Sang-won Bahng
James Benson
Alex Bittles
Michael Bohnhoff
Darren Chew
Jacob Connealy
Patrick DeWald
Alex Engelkamp
Joshua Hankins
Joel Hotovy
Bryce Howe
Paul Huss
Jin Su Im
Gabe Karstrom
Connor Keegan
Michael Kellar
Gunhwan Kim
Kevin Koch
Peter Kritenbrink
Zachary Loeffelholz
Grant Parr
Eddie Ridder
Clayton Taylor
Ian Taylor
Bobby Thomas
Dean Tiwald
Joshua Tucker
Vincent Van Haute
Dylan Venteicher
Sungha Yim
Yuan Zhou
SECOND HONORS
Bata Dumba
Ryan Fuxa
Tanner Hendricks
Lucas Holloway
SECOND HONORS 1) minimum GPA of 3.0
2) satisfactory personal conduct
Noah Kenney
Joshua Mitten
Jake Rauterkus
Graham Willer
SOPHOMORES
Martin Anderson
Tyler Bolden
Jared Bourek
Lukas Buehler
John Byrne
Nicholas Cairney
Neal Colaric
Michael Collins
Matt Denton
Harrison Engel
Joe Ernst
Tommy Feichtinger
Jun Haeng Ho
Joe Im
Jacob Kenney
Taylor Korensky
Sean Kruger
Evan Murray
Keenan Reilly
Songa Rugangazi
Michael Sojka
Joe Stellato
George Townsend
Nate Van Haute
Richard Woods
SECOND HONORS
Trevor Anderson
Joe Bastian
Michael Duce
Alex Gass
Tea Hyun Hwang
Derek Loseke
Ned McNally
Jacob Peffer
Garret Sehn
Ian Sheets
Daniel Sjostedt
Joe Sobczyk
Connor Spiegel
Chris Thomas
Ian Thomas
Thomas Walter
FRESHMEN
FIRST HONORS
Michael Budler
Gabe Cohen
J.T. Cronin
Peter DeWald
Garrett Frazell
Tony Gao
Hunter Hottovy
Benet Kinghorn
Joe Kucirek
Tommy Maliszewski
Connor Moynihan
Yun Sik Oh
Grant Ramm
Jacob Recker
Randy Speer
Jimmy Steier
Vincent Harvey
Christian Jones
Cory Keegan
Paul Kujawa
Mark Loeffelholz
Joshua Policky
Nick Scheer
David Wooten
SECOND HONORS
FIRST HONORS
FIRST HONORS
Ed Berry
Matthew Bohnhoff
Jarrett Crnkovich
Cameron Engel
Will Ernst
Rowan Gruber
Alex Hynes
Charles Jarosik
Andrew Johannes
Thomas Kalil
Lucas Lanphier
Justin Lytle
John Mikulicz
Matthew Okalebo
Kyle Silke
Wilhelm Sleddens
Jackson Taylor
Scott Townsend
Griffin Willer
SECOND HONORS
Preston Hendricks
Jared Jamrog
Steffen Wells
As we pray for the success of Night of Knights,
we join with the psalmist in singing:
“The ends of the earth stand in awe at the sight of your wonders.
The lands of sunrise and sunset you fill with your joy.”
Creator God,
We thank You for Your abundant gifts
and the creative talents You bestowed upon us.
As we celebrate Knights in Tuscany
may we be attentive to the marvels of Your creation
and by our work build up Your creation.
Bless our Night of Knights’ preparations
and help us to exercise our gifts on behalf of this effort.
Bless all whose time, talent, and treasure
support our educational efforts.
We pray through Christ our Lord.
~ By Father Louis Sokja, O.S.B.
5
MOUNT MICHAEL EAGLE SCOUTS
Gabe Karstrom, MM Senior
Gabe has enjoyed being involved with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts since he was a 3rd Grader at St. James-Seton
School in Omaha. His hard work in Scouting culminated on Oct. 3, 2011, when he participated in an Eagle Court of
Honor where Troop 91 awarded 12 new Eagle Scouts, including Dan Kamppinen and Mike Duce. US Senator Ben
Nelson, Congressman Lee Terry and Nebraska Senator Beau McCoy attended. Fr. Richard, Mr. Hellem, and Miss
Sullivan also participated in the celebration.
Gabe has gone to summer camp with Troop 91 at Camps Ben De La Tour in Colorado, Geiger in Missouri,
Cedars near Fremont, NE, and Lewis and Clark in South Dakota. He has camped at all of Mid-America Council
campgrounds. His most memorable Merit Badges are Swimming and
Sailing, which he earned on Lewis and Clark Lake. His dad remembers
hiking over to the stage at Mahoney State Park during the first “MidAmerica Council Scout Quest” in 2003, and overhearing Gabe say to
his brother Andrew, “See, I told you Scouts was fun!” Andrew is now working to
complete his Eagle this year.
Gabe’s Eagle project was to create the movable goals and sidelines for a soccer
field in the Elk Creek Crossing Park after obtaining approval from the Omaha
Parks Department and donations of material from Menards and Lowes. Gabe has
gained inspiration from many people; the most obvious is his father who is also
an Eagle Scout. The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young
people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values including duty to God and one’s
country, trustworthiness, loyalty. . . and reverence – similar to Mount Michael’s code of honor.
~ Submitted by Mr. Tim and Mrs. Maria Karstrom
Shawn Sanders, MM Senior
Shawn Sanders was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout on April 5, 2009, in recognition of
successful completion of all requirements for Scouting’s highest rank.
To become an Eagle Scout a scout must complete a minimum of twenty-one merit badges,
twelve required, and complete an Eagle Scout Project that benefits a religious institution, school, or
community.
Shawn completed thirty-seven Merit Badges, most of them by attending four Boy Scout summer
camps, as a member of Troop 91 of Elkhorn, Nebraska. The required Merit Badges he completed
were Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the
World, Communications, Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Science, Family Life, First Aid,
Personal Fitness, Personal Management and Swimming. The following twenty-five were chosen
by Shawn: Archery, Aviation, Canoeing, Climbing, Computers, Dog Care, Fishing, Indian Lore, Journalism, Leatherwork,
Mammal Study, Medicine, Metalwork, Orienteering, Pioneering, Reading, Reptile Study, Rifle Shooting, Salesmanship,
Skating, Small-Boat Sailing, Snow Sports, Water Sports, and Wood Carving.
Shawn’s Eagle Scout Project was a community improvement project at Riverside Lakes, Waterloo, NE. The project was
the cleaning, scraping and painting of twenty-seven fire hydrants with red safety paint and building three park benches along
the walking trail. He demonstrated his leadership ability by planning and carrying out the project. Fourteen boy scouts from
Troop 91 helped complete the Eagle Scout Project, including Gabe and Andrew Karstrom.
The awarding of the rank of Eagle Scout has helped Shawn in many ways. The best way I can explain it is a statement by
a teacher at Mount Michael, who told me when he was a freshmen, he spoke first and listened second, as a senior he listens
first and then speaks.
~ Submitted by Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Tammy Sanders
Joe Stellato, MM Junior
My Eagle project was moving a gazebo from an inner courtyard where it got little use to a playground where parents could
sit and watch their kids play. I had to lay new footings for it to sit on. It took the whole troop to lift it up and move it to its
new location. This helped St. John’s Catholic school in that: a) the gazebo was in a better location and would be of use to
more people and; b) St. John’s did not have to do it themselves.
Being an Eagle Scout has helped me to become a leader. All the years of scouting leading up to becoming an Eagle Scout
taught me leadership along the way. The project itself, of course, taught me how to organize and successfully motivate a group
of individuals in order for them to work as a team and get the objective accomplished. But within scouting was not the only
place I as an Eagle am a leader. Eagle Scouts must conduct themselves in a way consistent with the Scout Oath, Motto and
Law, thereby acting as a leader by example.
Being an Eagle Scout has helped me here at Mount Michael. My skills and traits of organization, good character, honesty,
and hard work learned through Boy Scouts have allowed me to succeed and flourish in the Mount Michael environment.
~ Submitted by Mr. Andrew, Mrs. Janice, and Joe Stellato ’12
6
FOREVER IN SERVICE
Martin Anderson, MM Junior
Martin is a member of Troop 26 from Douglas, WY. He has been involved with Boy Scouting since he was in
the second grade. While a Cub Scout he earned the Arrow of Light award, which is the highest award in Cub
Scouts, and the Catholic religious award, Parvuli Dei, both in 2005. In addition to earning the rank
of Eagle Scout on August 9, 2010, he earned the Ad Altare Dei award, the Catholic religious award for Boy
Scouts, in 2009.
For the required service project for the Eagle rank Martin organized a city-wide blood drive during the
summer of 2010. He enlisted the help of the Knights of Columbus, Council 6558 from Douglas and Glenrock,
WY, to recruit donors, make reminder calls, set up and take down the donation room, provide snacks and drinks
and to provide publicity. The goal was set at 28 donors and of those 28, 18 were to be new donors. Martin and
his team surpassed the goal by recruiting 24 new blood donors and a total of 42 donors. He worked with United
Blood Services from Casper and
Cheyenne, WY.
His Eagle Court of Honor will be March
6, 2011, in Douglas. He is the son of Joe and
Jeanne Anderson and he has two younger
sisters, Jennette and Theresa.
~ Submitted by Mr. Joe and
Mrs. Jeanne Anderson
Daniel Kamppinen, MM Junior
Daniel started the scouting program upon entering Kindergarten at Annunciation – Troop 131,
in Minneapolis. As a young scout he loved learning new skills, building cars and boats, camping
and all the outdoor activities. He created a special bond with the other scouts and adult leaders.
He also shared this bond with his father, Bill Kamppinen, former scout and a volunteer leader for
both the Minneapolis troop and the Omaha troop.
Daniel joined Troop 91 upon our move to Omaha, where he pursued his Eagle Scout Award.
His project was to build a “Free” Library of Christian books and Bibles for the children and adults
in the Elkhorn area. This library of books is housed at Bethany Lutheran Church in Elkhorn.
Daniel collected over 500 books for this project. On October 8th, Daniel received his Eagle Scout
Award along with 12 other young adults from Troop 91. His grandparents Bill and Bettie Powell,
from Utah, and Grandmother Nancy Kamppinen, of Michigan, traveled to attend the ceremony.
~ Submitted by Mrs. Joanne Kamppinen
Mike Duce, MM Junior
Mike Duce has been in scouts since kindergarten. In Colorado, where he started school, he participated in a beginners
program. He was hooked immediately. He began “officially” as a Tiger cub in first grade. When Mike and his family moved
to Nebraska Mike’s dad, Ron, became the Cub Scout pack leader. Cub Scout activities were visiting fire and police stations,
pinewood derby, food drives, summer camps, and monthly activity meetings.
In sixth grade Mike crossed over to boy scouts. Mike had weekly meetings, activities,
volunteer requirements, and a campout every month of the year. Summer camps were held
in Colorado, Missouri, South Dakota, Nebraska, and the boundary waters of Minnesota.
In addition to learning valuable skills and leadership qualities, Mike earned 27 merit
badges from lifesaving to sailing, shotgun shooting to the study of natural sciences. Mike
held several leadership positions such as patrol leader and senior patrol leader. He was
elected Senior Patrol leader two consecutive terms.
In 2009 Mike began the process of completing his Eagle Scout rank. The project he
chose was a prayer path and meditation station for grounds at Bethany Lutheran Church
in Elkhorn. He had to construct a meandering path in a field that was 5 feet wide and
100 feet long, consisting of gravel and stone which also included landscaping and a
prayer bench. This process involved meeting with church officials and Boy Scout officials
for approval, design, and coordinating all materials for donation to complete it. With
volunteers coordinated by Mike, it took 150 hours total to complete the project. Mike is
still involved in Scouts. He attends meetings when he can to assist the leaders with the
new scouts. Mike will also attend a camp this summer to volunteer his time for new scout training.
When Mike received his Eagle Scout rank, he was one of 12 boys from his troop to receive this rank. Senator Ben Nelson,
Congressman Lee Terry, and State Senator Beau McCoy attended the ceremony held at Bethany Lutheran Church.
~ Submitted by Mr. Ron and Mrs. Jessica Duce
7
EAGLE SCOUTS continued
George Townsend, MM Junior, aka Mazakan Pesniz, Eagle Scout
To say that George is an Eagle Scout falls short of describing his position within the Boy Scout organization.
George is Boy Scout, a tiger, a cub, a bear, a Webelo, a Tenderfoot, a Second Class, a First Class, a Star, a Life, a
member of the Order of the Arrow, and more!
While George has lived three school terms at Mount Michael Benedictine, he has worked three summers at
the Mid-American Council’s resident summer camp – Camp Cedars, working as a staff counselor teaching merit
badge classes in First Aid, Emergency Prep, Journalism, and Photography. At seventeen years of age George has
trained hundreds of young men in first aid and disaster preparedness, the critical skills that boy scouts are closely
associated with. This upcoming summer he will serve as the camp’s Health and Safety Director leading a group of
instructors teaching this year’s new first year scouts lifesaving skills.
For the investment that George has given to scouting
he has developed a level of self-confidence and maturity,
and a unique set of life experiences that exceeds those
of most young people his age. He has slept under canvas for more
than 200 nights, made shelters out of snow and slept in them when
the outside temperature was below zero degrees, traveled twice to
Washington, D.C., independent of his family, and earned two fifty
mile trek awards. He has white water rafted on the Salmon River,
fished in northern Canada, canoed the Mississippi River, explored
the roots of our nation in Jamestown and Williamsburg, Virginia,
and participated in the centennial celebrations of the Boy Scouts of
America outside Washington, D.C..
Each Eagle Scout completes an Eagle Project. George’s project
refurbished four trap houses at the Papillion Gun Club. The
Papillion Gun Club, a non-profit organization, supports seven High School and Junior High School trap teams. The club’s
four trap houses were scraped of old paint, caulked, re-painted, numbered, and the house doors and hardware replaced.
Additionally, sod and weeds were removed from around the houses and mulch added to deter the weeds’ seasonal return.
Yes, George is a Boy Scout!
~ Submitted by Mr. Jerome and Mrs. Janice Townsend
Mr. Tom Sander, MM Latin Teacher and Dean
During my Eagle Scout Court of Honor my Scoutmaster challenged me to give back to scouting. I had learned a lot by the
time I earned the rank of Eagle Scout at age 15, but greater scouting experiences lay ahead. Much can be done in scouting
after a boy obtains the rank of Eagle Scout. Scouting, along with my Catholic faith, instilled in me a desire to serve others.
Lord Baden Powell, the founder of Scouting, wrote that “the real way to get happiness is by giving out happiness to other
people. Try and leave this world a little better than you found it, and when your turn comes to die you can die happy in
feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best.” Eagle Scouts can give out happiness through
volunteering in the community, staying involved in their troop (I have been an Assistant Scoutmaster in my troop since age
18), or working at a camp. Some of the highlights of my scouting career took place after graduation from high school.
Local scout councils have summer camps, but there are three National High Adventure Bases: Philmont Scout Ranch
in Cimarron, New Mexico, Florida Sea Base in the Florida Keys, and Northern Tier based out of Ely, Minnesota with sites
in Canada.
The summer after graduating from high school I worked
at Sea Base teaching scouts about snorkeling and sailing. The
following summer I worked at Philmont and led scouts hiking
in the mountains of New Mexico. One year in college between
semesters I worked the winter program at Northern Tier and
enjoyed activities such as cross-country skiing and dogsledding.
The summer after graduating from college I worked at the
International Scout Center in the Swiss Alps. Working in
Switzerland exposed me to a different culture and allowed me to
interact with scouts from across the world. Being on staff at scout
camps expanded my horizons.
Being an Eagle Scout has taken me not only to various
geographic places but also enabled me to think daily about doing
a good turn. Scouting played a large role in my decision to become an educator. Baden Powell stated: “stick to your Scout
promise always - even after you have ceased to be a boy - and God help you to do it.” The Scouting journey does not end with
obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout. I am still a Scout.
~ Submitted by Mr. Tom Sander
8
IN THE BLEAK OF WINTER
There is an incredible Christmas hymn entitled: In The Bleak Of Mid-Winter.
The first verse is:
In the bleak of mid-winter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone,
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak of mid-winter, long ago.
Perhaps it is more than a pity that
we do not hear this hymn more than
just during the Christmas season. The
“bleak” of winter is certainly felt more
acutely as the winter season lingers on,
rather than just during mid-winter as
the hymn goes. January and February
can be and often are the bleakest months
of most years. It is little wonder that many
people suffer from seasonal syndrome and
need to move to sunnier climates.
However, there are lots of ways to look at this
season as a good one and a season that makes everything
look better and brighter for those who can endure it.
One needs to think about colors during the bleak of
winter and just maybe this article and photos will help us
to be reminded of what is shortly to come.
It is not without design that many seed companies
send out their catalogues during the bleakest part of
the winter season. Who would not dream and fantasize
about the growing season, fresh vegetables and beautiful
flowers during the season of little or no color.
So in this article I would like to remind our readers
of the three acres adjacent to the Development Office
and the color those three acres will be showing off in
a very short period of time. I am speaking of the
garden that has become a rather lucrative adventure
for Mount Michael.
The present location of the garden is now
approaching twenty years. It was moved to this
location to be more accessible for working it,
but another reason was to allow more people
to see it and to partake of it. When one
drives up Mount Michael Road, proceeding
to the Development Office, it is nearly
impossible to miss the garden.
One addition to the garden
that has provided lots of color
is the addition of flowers.
And each year a few more
people understand the
wonder of the flowers
and the beauty that
these flowers can
bring to occasions that are milestones in
peoples’ lives.
This past growing season, the families
who came to understand this were the
family of Matt Core of 2004 and the
family of Andy Worthington of 2001.
Each of their mothers wanted to take
advantage of Mount Michael’s garden
and decided to use flowers from Mount
Michael’s garden for their pre-nuptial
parties. Each family was able to prepare
arrangements that were creative, unusual and
beautiful. Needless to say, each family was grateful to
have such a resource to make the occasion so memorable
and beautiful.
Mount Michael would like to remind its public
that such an opportunity is always possible during the
growing season. In fact, it is even possible if no one is
available on the grounds to assist customers. Although
the regular market place is the restored white barn on
the Mount Michael grounds – Journey’s End Farm, it
is now possible to come out and cut flowers whenever.
There is a miniature barn, a replica of the large one, in
front of the garden. It has a hayloft door that can be
opened and contributions can be dropped inside after a
customer has done flower cutting.
The last verse of In The Bleak Of Mid-Winter is:
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would give a lamb.
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can give him, Give my heart.
Giving flowers would be a wonderful gesture
for anyone and giving flowers from Mount
Michael would also be giving to us as well.
Be reminded that the bleak of winter will
soon give way to the beauty of color in
Mount Michael’s garden.
Father John Hagemann, O.S.B.
9
ALUMNI NEWS
21st Annual Mount Michael Benedictine DJ Sokol
Memorial Golf Classic in Memory of Nick Gentile ’01
Nick Gentile embodied the very best that
Mount Michael has to offer. Just as he did in all
his endeavors, Nick made the very most of his
time at Mount Michael and helped others make
the most of theirs. He loved everything about
Mount Michael and was unyieldingly loyal to
his school, to his friends, and to his country.
Nick’s untimely death in January, 2005,
surprised and saddened everyone who knew
him. Fittingly, his funeral was at Mount
Michael, the place he loved so much. Even as
Nick’s countless friends mourned their loss, they
celebrated his life and the legacy that he left at
Mount Michael.
Nick thrived during his time at the Mount.
His love for the outdoors and sense of adventure
made it a natural fit for him. Nick was a person
to whom people were drawn, and because
of his infectious energy and enthusiasm,
he forged powerful friendships with his
classmates, teachers, deans, and the Monks. His
contribution to the spirit and character of his
graduating class, and of the school as a whole, is
immeasurable.
After graduating from Mount Michael in
2001, Nick joined the Air National Guard. The
events of September 11, 2001, carried him into
active duty, and that day he stood guard over
Air Force One at Offutt Air Force Base. He
later served in the Middle East, doing his part
to protect America’s freedoms. For that, we owe
him a debt of gratitude.
On a more personal level, those who knew
Nick well owe him another debt of gratitude
– for making the Mount Michael experience
all that it was. Simply put, Nick was the very
best friend a person could ask for. He was quick
with a smile and a joke, and his love of life
carried quickly to those around him. To be a
friend of Nick’s was to live every moment to its
fullest. In that, and in so many other ways, Nick
represented the Mount Michael experience at
its finest, and Nick and his legacy will never be
forgotten.
~ Submitted by Andrew Collins ’01
DJ Sokol Memorial
Golf Classic
1st Annual Alumni
Service Retreat
Friday, June 3, 2011
Tiburon Golf Club
10302 South 168th Street,
Omaha, NE 68136
12:30pm Check In
1:00pm Shotgun Start
6:00pm Dinner and Awards
Alumni Reunion
Featuring Years: ’61, ’66, ’71,
’76, ’81, ’86, ’91, ’96, ’01, ’06
Saturday, June 4, 2011
10
Mount Michael Armory
6:00pm Social Hour
7:00pm Dinner
Hosted on the Mount Michael Campus
Alumni 21+ Welcome
Saturday-Sunday, July 9-10, 2011
Participate in an
Organized Service Project
Stay in Dorms and Attend Mass
Bonfire to Reconnect with
Fellow Alums
Annual Alumni Meeting
BITS and PIECES
W
hen we speak of “spirituality” within our
Church we can further make delineations such
as Ignatian ( Jesuit) Spirituality, Franciscan
Spirituality, Dominican Spirituality, etc. Of
course here at Mount Michael we speak of our
own Benedictine Spirituality. The monks make a
conscious effort to promote our unique monastic
experience with its concomitant spirituality
in every way we can. We do this through the
witness of our daily monastic life, and when we
are more visible as when on parish assignment,
visiting the sick or giving retreats. We are
proud of our Benedictine tradition and this is
something we try to pass on to our students
under the heading of Benedictine Values.
Benedictine values are easy to preach about but
they are much more difficult to live.
As you may know, at the beginning of each
school week the Mount Michael students and
faculty gather in chapel for a few minutes to
listen to one of the monks speak on a particular
Benedictine value. The members of the monastic
community have been studying and trying to live
these values in our monastic life for years, yet we
(the monks) would be the first to admit that on
some days we are more successful than others.
We are encouraged frequently by the Abbot,
other monks, and through our work and study
to continue to incorporate these values into our
community and personal life.
Recently one of the Benedictine
values emphasized with our students is
MODERATION. Saint Benedict, in his Rule,
speaks of the importance of moderation in
all things. Benedict was not into extremes;
he preached a life lived in community where
moderation, balance, and simplicity were
hallmarks of successful living. Whether it is
speaking to others, eating and drinking at table,
working or praying, Saint Benedict preached the
importance of moderation, balance, and simplicity
in all activities of the monks and their monastery.
As one Benedictine writer has said,
as Benedictines “strive for balance and
Save T he Date!
April 2011
9 22nd Annual Knights in Tuscany
May 2011
15 Class of 2011 Graduation
June 2011
3 DJ Sokol Memorial Alumni Golf Classic
4 Alumni Reunion
measuredness that avoids excess….We believe
in development of the whole person. We seek to
practice physical, emotional and spiritual wellness
as individuals and as a community.” At Mount
Michael we foster this approach to life among
our students. We, as a monastic community,
faculty and staff, encourage Mount Michael
students to excel not only in the classroom or
the athletic field but in all that they do—be it
at home with the family, at work with others,
or within the community. Through bonds of
friendship, prayer and mutual respect and care
for each other we can foster the idea of
Benedictine moderation within the entire
Mount Michael community.
Over the years lay people, both Catholic and
non-Catholic, have been drawn to Benedictine
Spirituality. For those individuals who wish to
incorporate into their daily lives these types of
values, we have the Oblates of Saint Benedict.
A publication on the Oblates defines them as
“Christian individuals or families who have
associated themselves with a Benedictine
community in order to enrich their Christian
way of life. Oblates shape their lives by living the
wisdom of Christ as interpreted by St. Benedict.
Oblates seek God by striving to become holy
in their chosen way of life. By integrating their
prayer and work, they manifest Christ’s presence
in society….The role of Oblates is to live in the
world, to become holy in the world, to do what
they can to bring the world to God by being
witnesses of Christ by word and example to those
around them.”
We have an Oblate Chapter here at Mount
Michael. We meet about ten times a year for a
couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon—you
do not have to attend every meeting. If you
think you might be interested in a spirituality
program like this, contact me at 402-289-2541 or
[email protected].
“…By
integrating
their
prayer and
work, they
manifest
Christ’s
presence in
society…”
Prior Richard Thell, O.S.B.
July 2011
9-10 Mount Michael Alumni Service Retreat
August 2011
17 First Day of 2011-2012 School Year
17 3rd Annual Youth Rally
18 56th Annual Fall Festival
September 2011
More events added as information becomes available! Check back each issue,
or visit our website at www.mountmichael.com.
11
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PAID
MAIL U.S.A.
A Quarterly Publication of
MOUNT
MICHAEL Benedictine
BENEDICTINE ABBEY
Mount Michael
Abbey & SCHOOL
22520 Mount Michael Road • Elkhorn, NE 68022-3400
Phone 402-289-2541
Abbot
Abbot
President
School President
Director
D
irector of Development
Development
Principal
School Principal
Director of Admissions
Admissions
Rt. Rev. Michael Liebl, O.S.B.
Abbot Raphael Walsh, O.S.B.
Kim Volpone
Kimberly
A. Volpone
Tom Ridder
Eric Crawford
MICHAELEEN Staff
Michaeleen
Staff
Editor
Editor
Monastic Editor
Editor
Publishing Editors
Editors
Amanda Erwin
Rev. Richard Th
ell, O.S.B.
Thell,
O.S.B.
Mary Cormier
Cormier, Michele Whitaker
Father John Hagemann, O.S.B.
Brother Luke Clinton, O.S.B.
Brother August Schaefer, O.S.B.
Mount Michael Directory
Mount Michael Chapel
Visitors are always welcome
Daily Mass 7:15am • Sunday Mass 9:30am
Saturday 8:00am
Alumni Association
For information about meetings/events or to
report news: 402-253-0953
[email protected]
Liturgy of the Hours (Monday-Saturday)
Morning Praise 6:30am
Noon Day Prayer 11:45am
Vespers 5:15pm
Night Prayer (In the Abbey) 7:00pm
World Wide Web
www.mountmichael.org (Abbey)
www.mountmichaelhs.org(School)
(School)
www.mountmichael.com
www.mountmichael.net (Alumni)
Prayer Needs and Spiritual Direction
Theodore, O.S.B., 402-206-2089
Abbot Theodore,
St. Benedict Guest House
Gift Shop/Lunches/Teas/Dessert
Day Retreats
Br. Jerome Kmiecik, 402-206-2069
School Admissions
Eric Crawford, 402-253-0946
[email protected]
Vocation Ministry
For information about monastic life:
Brother August, [email protected]
Office
Development Office
Kim Volpone,
402-253-0964
Kimberly
A. Volpone,
402-253-0964
[email protected]
Oblates of St. Benedict
Prior
Richard
Thell, O.S.B.,
x1002
Br. Jerome
Kmiecik,
O.S.B.,402-289-2541
402-206-2069
[email protected]
In this
Issue…
Knights
on a Mission
BOARD of
OF Directors
DIRECTORS
Board
4
William J. Behrendt
Jude Beller ’92
Eric Crawford ’00
Robert D. Goldsmith
Laura Hickman
Sara York Kenny, Ph.D.
Thomas McKnight, M.D.
Thomas
Robert Lanik
Rt. Rev. Michael Liebl, O.S.B. ’68
Mary Kay Miller
Brian Morrissey ’84
Ravi Nath, Ph.D.
Br. James Pope, O.S.B.
Thomas Ridder
Thomas
Todd Rohweder
Rev. Louis Sojka, O.S.B. ’81
Audrey Suing
Rev. Richard Th
Thell,
ell, O.S.B.
Kimberly Volpone
A. Volpone
Rt. Rev. Raphael Walsh, O.S.B.
Bernard J. Wilson, Jr. M.D. ’84
Emeritus Peggy Sokol
6
Eagle Scouts
9
Winter
10
Alumni