Seminary News
Encountering Christ Retreats Q+A
In January, the Abbey Guest Center offered its first Encountering Christ retreat. These silent retreats will be offered consistently throughout the year with weekend retreats for men and weekends for women. These retreats are designed to address the hunger in today’s Catholic for a profound and personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Fr. Paul Sheller, OSB,…
Abbot Robert Schoofs enters eternal rest
At around eleven o’clock on the morning of Saturday, 6 January 2024, our beloved confrere, Abbot Robert Schoofs, OSB, passed into eternal rest. Abbot Robert was in his ninety-fifth year of age, and a Jubilarian of both profession and ordination. He had resided in St. Stephen’s Infirmary at Conception since his arrival here from St.…
Conception Abbey hosts grand anniversary celebration
CONCEPTION, Mo. (December 15, 2023) — “On December 8th the little monastery was blessed by Father Frowin with great joy and he and the candidates moved in. On the 24th he went over the prayers of the breviary with them and that night in the humble frame church, which in its simplicity was reminiscent of…
5 Reasons Why Benedictine Spirituality Stands the Test of Time
Reports show that Church attendance in the United States continues to decrease. More young people claim no religious affiliation, and others give the impression that, as a society, we are too sophisticated or advanced for faith in God. The Church’s efforts to evangelize focus on how to address our post-Christian world. Without minimizing any of…
Service to the Church
Jubilee Celebrations of 2023 ABBOT MARCEL | FR. XAVIER | FR. QUENTIN | BR. JUSTIN | FR. MARTIN | BR. ELIAS | FR. REGINALD Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB | 60 years ordained Abbot Marcel has exercised his 60 years of priesthood primarily as a teacher of theology and…
Retreats to feature Benedictine Spirituality
2024 Encountering Christ Retreats Benedictine Spirituality You have most likely heard of Ignatian Spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises. Conception Abbey is now offering a series of retreats rooted in Benedictine Spirituality. These Benedictine Retreats focus on addressing the greatest hunger for today’s Catholics and are aptly named, “Encountering Christ” retreats. These retreats aim to help…
Fr. Samuel Russell, OSB, enters eternal rest
On Tuesday, 14 November 2023, our beloved confrere, Father Samuel Russell, OSB surrendered the cares of earthly life to answer the final calling of his Lord and Savior. His monastic life had been one of diligent service to his community and the wider Church, encompassing a broad array of assignments from maintenance and manual labor…
Fr. Clarence Wiederholt enters eternal rest
We announce the peaceful death at Conception Abbey, Conception, Missouri, on the 27th day of October 2023, at the age of 93 of REVEREND CLARENCE EUGENE WIEDERHOLT Retired Priest of the Diocese of Jefferson City Last of the Founding Fathers of the Diocese Father Clarence E. Wiederholt was born on January 5, 1930, in Conception,…
A Family’s Sacrifice
This might shock you, but monks come from families. No matter what you have heard, they were not hatched or dropped off at the monastery doorstep shortly after their birth. They were born into this world, much like you, experiencing the most formative years of their lives as part of a family. Some monks are…
Notable Visitors of Conception’s History
Empress Zita of Bourbon-Parma | Blessed Stanley Rother | Von Trapp Family | Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Empress Zita of Bourbon-Parma Empress Zita, born in May of 1892, was the wife of Emperor Charles I and the last Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. Her husband, Emperor Charles I, was named Blessed…