By Duane Roy
Boniface Wimmer and Henry Lemke met for the first time, in Munich, May 1845[1], They both were decided to travel to United States as missionaries accompanying the waves of German families migrating in search of land and opportunity. These two former diocesan priests became historical figures in the expansion of Benedictines in North America and in Kansas. As Benedictines, they contributed significantly to 19th century American Catholicism.
After a hundred and fifteen years of Kansas Benedictine missionary activity in mid-USA, Abbot Cuthbert McDonald, third Abbot of St. Benedict´s Abbey, Atchison, KS, and Prior Emilio Jordan, founding Prior of Hungarian Benedictine Saint Gerald Priory, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, met for the first time in early 1960. They became determined to make a Benedictine foundation in Brazil to accompany this largest concentration of Catholics in the world. Father Matthias Schmidt was the founding prior of St. Joseph Priory in Mineiros, in 1962, the first Benedictine monastery in the immense Brazilian Central West. The monks administered parishes in three counties, taught in public schools, and an array of other church ministries and social works.
Kansas Benedictines in Brazil, with their local bishop and other missionaries, implanting Vatican II directives, made significant contributions to church life and human promotion. Living the monastic life in their modest priory situated on the outskirts of progressive town ten to twelve hours removed from the State capitol, initially without phone, TV and asphalt highways, they blended prayer, fraternity and ministry, true to their Benedictine missionary heritage, and in partnership with the Benedictine Sisters, also rooted in this local community.
Gaining the confidence of families, young men requested to join them. Formation of new members offered new challenges. They were distant from major seminaries. They established ties with other Benedictines in Brazil, becoming actively involved with the budding Conference of Monastic Men and Women in Brazil, with quadrennial Latin American Encounters, and with the newly organized Conference of Religious of Brazil, with regional subdivisions. Prior Matthias Schmidt was one of the co-founders in the Central-West Regional. The subsequent prior, Father Ralph Koehler, was active in organizing the newly founded Conference of Monastic Men and Women. In the local diocese, he was long-time member of the diocesan priests´ council, instrumental in elaborating the first statues of this council. Father Herbert Hermes headed the diocesan liturgical committee, and assumed the coordination of youth ministry, while serving as pastor of a dynamic parish. As known, this budding leadership soon left the small monastic group. Fathers Matthias and Herbert were called to the episcopacy in 1972 and 1990 respectively; and Fr. Ralph elected 6th Abbot of St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison, KS. Other monks also dedicated years to service to specific Brazilian dioceses, Fr. Kieran, ten years with Bishop Matthias in Ruy Barbosa, Bahia, and Fr. Duane, seven years with Bishop Herbert in the Prelacy of Cristalândia, Tocantins.
These missionary monks offered formation and encouragement to candidates desiring to become monks also. In 1987, the monks opened a House of Formation in Goiania where candidates and young monks could pursue academic studies. This House of Formation became St. Benedict´s Monastery, inaugurated in January 2003, in Goiânia. Young Brazilian monks soon assumed leadership roles, working with the remaining American monks in education and parish apostolate. Josias Dias da Costa earned a Masters in Philosophy of Education and Father Joaquim Carlos Carvalho became a Clinical Psychologist. The monks expanded into spiritual direction, retreats, conferences, human rights promotion and classroom ministries while blending fraternal monastic observance with parish ministry.
Benedictine spirituality is earthy. There are no ecstasies, visions, stigmas, apparitions or shrines. It is a daily program of prayer and work, mingled with a love for learning in the context of community life governed by good leadership and the help of many brothers. And, of course, dedicated service to build Church where they are planted, in communion with their bishop, lay leaders, fellow priests and other men and women religious.
[1] Oetgen, Jerome. An American Abbot, Washington DC, Cath. Univ of Amer. Pr., 1997, p. 41.
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