Priest and Parish Celebrate Milestones
Bruno, SK. — On August 21, 2014, more than 250 parishioners and visitors celebrated the 110th anniversary of the St. Bruno Parish, Bruno, Sask. and the 90th birthday of Fr. Joseph Ackerman, OSB, pastor (left). The celebration included a festive mass and pot luck supper. Beside Fr. Joseph is Abbot Peter Novecosky representing all the Benedictine pastors who have served the parish for the past 110 years.
Fr. Joe speaks with some parishioners at the potluck supper at the parish celebration.
Rock the Mount 2014
Carmel, SK– Several monks took part in the youth rally of Rock the Mount at Mount Carmel on Saturday, Aug. 16. More than 400 young people attended. The 5:00 mass was celebrated by Bishop Donald Bolen of Saskatoon, an oblate of St. Peter’s Abbey.
Novices Introduce Themselves to Oblates
By Fr. Paul Paproski, OSB
The five novices of St. Peter’s Abbey, who were invested on the feast of St. Benedict (March 21 2013), introduced themselves to the Oblates at their March 23 meeting. The novices expressed their appreciation to the community of St. Peter’s Abbey and the Oblates for welcoming them, and said they look forward to their new vocation.
Three of the novices, Linden Predy, 19, of Saskatoon; Christopher Weber, 36, of Hanover, Ontarion; and Peter van Ginkel, 50, of Winnipeg adopted religious names of saints. Linden will now be known as Br. Stephen; Christopher will be called Br. Damian; and Peter is Br. Benedict. The other two novices are Br. Andreas Hofer, 29, of New Zealand, and Br. Dominic Leo, 42, of Vancouver.
Br. Andreas Hofer, originally from Austria, came from New Zealand where he was self-employed in residential, commercial and industrial construction, as well as carpentry, joinery and cabinet making.
Br. Stephen Predy, the youngest novice, attended the University of Saskatchewan for the last year. Br. Benedict van Ginkel is a professional music teacher and has been playing the organ for monastic office and teaching Gregorian chant.
Br. Damian Weber completed a year of studies in theology at the Seminary of Christ the King in Mission, B.C. Previously, he worked five years in the lay apostolate through the Secular Franciscan order. He resided in the Diocese of Antigonish, N.S. where he lived and worked at Our Lady of Grace Monastery, doing maintenance and assisting in the retreat house.
Br. Dominic Leo worked as an Information Technology (IT) technician and programmer/analyst in Vancouver for the Knights of Columbus. He finished two years of seminary training at the Benedictine monastery of Westminster Abbey in Mission, B.C.
