Orgins of St. Benedict's Monastery (convent). Mother Benedicta (Sybilla) Riepp was born in Waal, Bavaria in 1825. Having entered St. Walburg Convent in Bavaria, she made her profession of vows there at the age of 21. Six years later, she was one of the first volunteers to go to America to teach the children of the German immigrants. She was appointed the superior of that first group and is, therefore, regarded as the foundress of the Bavarian branch of Benedictine Sisters in America. Though of slight and delicate build and barely able to meet the challenges of frontier life in Pennsylvania, Mother Benedicta was strong in her determination to follow the German immigrants to the farther mid-western frontier which later became the state of Minnesota. Her legacy to the American foundations was her steadfast effort to achieve autonomy for her sisters in America. Because he took responsibility for the sisters' coming to the New World, Abbot Boniface Wimmer, OSB, felt he had jurisdiction over them and often determined internal affairs of the convents, including accepting candidates and appointing superiors. Mother Benedicta returned to Europe to have their cause for autonomy presented to Rome. Eventually her efforts succeeded, but broken in health, she returned to America--to St. Cloud, Minnesota--where she died of tuberculosis at the age of 33. She is buried in the cemetery at St. Benedict's Monastery, St. Joseph. General translation of Mother Benedicta's vow formula at St. Walburg Convent, Bavaria: I, Sister Maria Ana Benedicta, promise before God and his Saints, Stability, and Conversion of my morals, Obedience, Poverty and Chastity according to the Rule of Saint Benedict and the Statutes of this Monastery, which was constructed in honor of Saint Walburga, Virgin, in the presence of Reverend Mother (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives; McDonald, pages 8, 14-19, 49).
Family Films, Inc. (Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota)
Date Created:
1952 - 1954
Description:
"Vocation Panel" references vocations to the religious life and includes a broader definition of vocation. A panel of students describes the various choices. The panel includes: Patricia Welch, Kathleen Sauer, William Studer, Judy Heaton, Al Rudolph, Susan Timmers and Joyce Latzka. "Vocations Panel" is one of thirty-nine films in the "Christ in the Home" series created in the early 1950s by Family Films for a weekly television series for Channel 11 (WMIN-TV) in the Twin Cities. Each program is based on a feast day, special observance or noteworthy Sunday in the liturgical year. Family Films, Inc. was formed in 1952 and operated out of a studio in Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota. The production team includes Father Edward Ramacher, photography; Father Vincent Huebsch, sound; Father Gordon Mycue, program director; Arnie Pung, KFAN engineer; Dick and Don DeZurik, Cathedral High School students who help with tapes in the library; Sisters Marold Kornovich and Arlynn Haan, teachers at Saint Augustine School; Edmund Linnemann, organist.
Sacred Heart Chapel interior, St. Benedict's Monastery. "On entering the chapel, the first object to captivate the eye is the high altar, because of its singular artistic design of which there is no duplicate in existence."
Sacred Heart Chapel interior, St. Benedict's Monastery. This photograph, though flawed, gives an excellent view of the sanctuary as it was built in 1914. The sanctuary floor was Kasota marble in artistically interchanged pink and buff and, in its center, had a dial six feet in diameter of polished Pavanazzo marble surrounded by a scroll of gold mosaic. Around this large dial were four small dials of Numidian African (red) marble. There were also a number of designs in Tennessee marble in the sanctuary as well as in the different aisles which are mainly terrazzo. (Chronicles, ppage141-145) This view also shows the marked elevation of the sanctuary floor.
Sacred Heart Chapel interior, St. Benedict's Monastery. From floor to the ceiling of the dome is over 120 feet (Height of chapel to tip of cross on dome is 135 feet.)
From the fields, the harvested potatoes were taken to winter storage in a huge root cellar (60 feet in diameter) that had been constructed out of the sand pit dug on the campus at the time of building Sacred Heart Chapel in 1911 - 1914.
Family Films, Inc. (Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota)
Date Created:
1952 - 1954
Description:
"The Story of Guadalupe" tells Catholic beliefs about Mary. It relates the story of the appearance of Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, to Juan Diego in Mexico. Mary Ann Voigt, Ron Altmann, Eugene Jurek and Judy Gretsch tell the story of this miracle. "The Story of Guadalupe" is one of thirty-nine films in the "Christ in the Home" series created in the early 1950s by Family Films for a weekly television series for Channel 11 (WMIN-TV) in the Twin Cities. Each program is based on a feast day, special observance or noteworthy Sunday in the liturgical year. Family Films, Inc. was formed in 1952 and operated out of a studio in Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Family Films, Inc. (Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota)
Date Created:
1952 - 1954
Description:
"The Life of Mary" relates when Mary, the Immaculate Conception, was assigned as patron of the USA. A shrine was built in her honor in Washington, DC. The life of Mary is told using various artistic depictions. "The Life of Mary" is one of thirty-nine films in the "Christ in the Home" series created in the early 1950s by Family Films for a weekly television series for Channel 11 (WMIN-TV) in the Twin Cities. Each program is based on a feast day, special observance or noteworthy Sunday in the liturgical year. Family Films, Inc. was formed in 1952 and operated out of a studio in Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota. The production team includes Father Edward Ramacher, photography; Father Vincent Huebsch, sound; Father Gordon Mycue, program director; Arnie Pung, KFAN engineer; Dick and Don DeZurik, Cathedral High School students who help with tapes in the library; Sisters Marold Kornovich and Arlynn Haan, teachers at Saint Augustine School; Edmund Linnemann, organist.
Family Films, Inc. (Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota)
Date Created:
1952 - 1954
Description:
"The Holy Land" is narrated by Rosemary Krauel using slides of her tour of the Holy Land. She relates the sites visited to the texts of Scripture. "The Holy Land" is one of thirty-nine films in the "Christ in the Home" series created in the early 1950s by Family Films for a weekly television series for Channel 11 (WMIN-TV) in the Twin Cities. Each program is based on a feast day, special observance or noteworthy Sunday in the liturgical year. Family Films, Inc. was formed in 1952 and operated out of a studio in Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota. The production team includes Father Edward Ramacher, photography; Father Vincent Huebsch, sound; Father Gordon Mycue, program director; Arnie Pung, KFAN engineer; Dick and Don DeZurik, Cathedral High School students who help with tapes in the library; Sisters Marold Kornovich and Arlynn Haan, teachers at Saint Augustine School; Edmund Linnemann, organist. (Editorial note: the 35 mm slides are dark).
Family Films, Inc. (Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota)
Date Created:
1952 - 1954
Description:
"The Dignity of Labor" explains the origin of Labor Day. Manual labor is dignified in relating how Jesus, Mary and Joseph, as the Holy Family, worked together. A father and son discuss the role of labor and the importance of asking Christ's blessings on work. Jeff Hennes, Ron Altmann and the Nearman family participate in the discussion. Typically the school year begins after Labor Day and the film shows the father blessing his son before he leaves for college. "The Dignity of Labor" is one of thirty-nine films in the "Christ in the Home" series created in the early 1950s by Family Films for a weekly television series for Channel 11 (WMIN-TV) in the Twin Cities. Each program is based on a feast day, special observance or noteworthy Sunday in the liturgical year. Family Films, Inc. was formed in 1952 and operated out of a studio in Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota. The production team includes Father Edward Ramacher, photography; Father Vincent Huebsch, sound; Father Gordon Mycue, program director; Arnie Pung, KFAN engineer; Dick and Don DeZurik, Cathedral High School students who help with tapes in the library; Sisters Marold Kornovich and Arlynn Haan, teachers at Saint Augustine School; Edmund Linnemann, organist.
Family Films, Inc. (Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota)
Date Created:
1952 - 1954
Description:
"The Cold Spring Shrine" story is narrated by Father Victor Ronellenfitch, OSB, Father Louis Trauffler and Michael Schmitt. They tell the story of the grasshopper plague, hence the shrine is known as the Grasshopper Chapel. "The Cold Spring Shrine" is one of thirty-nine films in the "Christ in the Home" series created in the early 1950s by Family Films for a weekly television series for Channel 11 (WMIN-TV) in the Twin Cities. Each program is based on a feast day, special observance or noteworthy Sunday in the liturgical year. Family Films, Inc. was formed in 1952 and operated out of a studio in Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota. The production team includes Father Edward Ramacher, photography; Father Vincent Huebsch, sound; Father Gordon Mycue, program director; Arnie Pung, KFAN engineer; Dick and Don DeZurik, Cathedral High School students who help with tapes in the library; Sisters Marold Kornovich and Arlynn Haan, teachers at Saint Augustine School; Edmund Linnemann, organist.
Schools in north-central Minnesota (1871-1909). Father Francis Pierz invited the Benedictine sisters from St. Joseph to teach in Pierz where he and his parishioners had begun building a school in 1869. The school had not been completed by the time the sisters came in 1871, so they lived with some of the parishioners until the upstairs of the log school house was completed as the sisters' convent. The school on the first floor accommodated 100 pupils. For the sisters, this was a first experience of staffing a rural school and living at such a distance from the motherhouse. However, rural schools mushroomed quickly throughout the Northwest Territory. By 1910, the sisters staffed over 40 such schools outside St. Cloud and the Twin Cities area. Needless to say, the teachers endured many hardships in these rural areas. If they were lucky, equipment consisted of desks and a piece of blackboard. Attendance was variable and classrooms were overcrowded (sometimes 80 in one small room). At times there were no classrooms other than the church, the church basement or sacristy. Cold and hunger prevailed and the ever-present hostile controversy of public versus parochial schools affected school discipline. Salaries were sparse or even non-existent (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives ; McDonald, pages 68-69).
Schools in north-central Minnesota (1871-1909). The first log school, though built by the parishioners, was supported by government funds and was, therefore, also the district school for Pierz. By 1889, the public versus parochial school controversy demanded a clarification of schools. The parishioners then claimed the school they had built as their St. Edward's Parochial School. Later, the second floor of the school was opened as a high school. The school was then renamed St. Joseph's School (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
Schools in north-central Minnesota (1871-1909). In 1887, Sisters Clara Billig and Appolonia Jensen began teaching in this one-room parish/district school and convent in Buckman. A combination parochial-district school continued there without opposition for at least another 50 years (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
Schools in north-central Minnesota (1871-1909). In 1881, the Benedictine sisters began teaching in the parish/district school in Luxemberg, averaging 90-100 pupils for a number of years and increasing to 140 as its peak enrollment. In subsequent years the enrollment stabilized to around 100 pupils. The parish continues to support its Catholic school and the Benedictine sisters who have served there for 124 years (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
Origins of St. Benedict's Monastery (convent), St. Joseph, Minnesota. From its beginnings in the eleventh century, St. Walburg Convent in
Eichstätt, Bavaria, survived many trials of fire, war, famine, and secularization. "Fortunately for America, when the call came to plant a branch house in the new soil of the New World, the religious spirit of St. Walburg Convent was at its height." (McDonald, page 7). In 1851 St. Walburg Convent, EichstÃtt, Bavaria, was challenged by an invitation from Boniface Wimmer, OSB, (a missionary monk from Bavaria in America as early as 1846) to go to America to teach the children of the German immigrants. On June 18, 1852, Sister Benedicta Riepp with Sisters Walburga Dietrich and Maura Flieger blazed the trail for the Eichstätt sisters to the New World by way of the steamer, "Washington." They reached New York amid the confusion of fire crackers and shooting cannons for the July 4th celebrations. Undaunted, they traveled on to settle in St. Marys, PA. New members soon joined them. With the second group (3 nuns and one candidate) from Eichstätt, they were ready to establish other convents in frontier settlements, among them the Northwest Territory in the area which later became the state of Minnesota. In summary, the origin of St. Benedict's Convent, St. Joseph, MN, can be traced as follows: in 1852, the Bavarian branch of Benedictine Sisters who came to America first settled in St. Joseph's Convent, St. Marys, PA.; in 1857, a small group of sisters from St. Joseph's Convent (PA) ventured to the western frontier -- to St. Mary's Parish, St. Cloud, MN; in 1863, the St. Cloud group of sisters moved to St. Joseph, MN. In St. Joseph, they established St. Benedict's Monastery which became the largest Benedictine monastery in the world. (Early records refer to St. Benedict's Monastery as St. Benedict's Convent.) [St. Benedict's Monastery Archives (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives; Sister Grace McDonald, OSB, With Lamps Burning, pages 7-10).
Family Films, Inc. (Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota)
Date Created:
1952 - 1954
Description:
The film "Saint Valentine", introduces Saint Valentine as a priest and martyr. It explains how the feast is built on ancient pre-Christian practices. It features the Jeff Hennes family celebrating Valentine's Day and tells why we exchange valentines. "Saint Valentine is one of thirty-nine films in the "Christ in the Home" series created in the early 1950s by Family Films for a weekly television series for Channel 11 (WMIN-TV) in the Twin Cities. Each program is based on a feast day, special observance or noteworthy Sunday in the liturgical year. Family Films, Inc. was formed in 1952 and operated out of a studio in Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota. The production team includes Father Edward Ramacher, photography; Father Vincent Huebsch, sound; Father Gordon Mycue, program director; Arnie Pung, KFAN engineer; Dick and Don DeZurik, Cathedral High School students who help with tapes in the library; Sisters Marold Kornovich and Arlynn Haan, teachers at Saint Augustine School; Edmund Linnemann, organist.
Family Films, Inc. (Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota)
Date Created:
1952 - 1954
Description:
"Studio Open House" shows the setting where the films were produced. It features and describes the equipment used. It introduces us to the production crew. This is an example of production methods in the early 1950s. The film introduces the production team which includes Father Edward Ramacher, photography; Father Vincent Huebsch, sound; Father Gordon Mycue, program director; Arnie Pung, KFAN engineer; Dick and Don DeZurik, Cathedral High School students; Sisters Marold Kornovich and Arlynn Haan, teachers at Saint Augustine School; and Edmund Linnemann, organist. "Studio Open House" is one of thirty-nine films in the "Christ in the Home" series created in the early 1950s by Family Films for a weekly television series for Channel 11 (WMIN-TV) in the Twin Cities. Each program is based on a feast day, special observance or noteworthy Sunday in the liturgical year. Family Films, Inc. was formed in 1952 and operated out of a studio in Holy Angels Church, St. Cloud, Minnesota.
St. Clotilde Music and Art Academy (1890-1906). When the sisters built a new hospital east of the Mississippi River, the former St. Benedict's Hospital was converted to an art/music academy for 40 students. The enrollment of this academy grew to 50. At the same time, the sisters opened a kindergarten in the academy for 26 three to nine-year olds; later that enrollment increased to 57. When a third hospital was built on Ninth Avenue next to the former St. Benedict's Hospital, St. Clotilde's Academy was closed and the building became a school of nursing (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives).
St. Benedict's Academy (1883-1909); St. Benedict's Monastery (convent), St. Joseph, Minnesota. While the sisters stressed simplicity in the matter of dress for St. Benedict's Academy students, school dresses could be of any style or color, but black sateen aprons were worn over them during school hours. On Sunday a plain black uniform (with a brooch for the collar) and earrings were to be worn. These regulations made occasions for dressing up something special (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives; McDonald, page 105)
