For Christmas 2016, in a touching tribute to their confreres who have passed into God’s Eternal Kingdom, members of the Norbertine community placed a Christmas wreath on each headstone in the St. Norbert Abbey cemetery. Below, several Norbertines share their thoughts about the headstones they selected and the impact that these respective Norbertines had on their lives.
This August, the Norbertine Volunteer Community (NVC) welcomed two members to its 2016-2017 program. These young adults are dedicating 11 months to serving the greater Green Bay community while living together in community.
Kimberly Tadlock(left) from Vancouver, Washington, graduated from Whitworth University (Spokane, Washington) in 2016 with a major in mathematics and a minor in philosophy. She is serving at St. Thomas More Catholic School as the campus ministry coordinator and at Ss. Peter and Paul as a faith formation volunteer.
“I have a passion for helping children get a quality education and firm foundation in the faith. I hope to gain a better knowledge of what my gifts and abilities are, and how they can be put to use in the service of others—the service of God.”
Jaclyn Geyer from Tacoma, Washington, is a 2015 graduate of Whitworth University. She is serving at St. Willebrord Parish as a pastoral ministry intern, where her duties include adult faith formation and office assistant responsibilities.
“I wanted to work in an environment where my skills would best be used to serve. As a history major, when I heard about the kind of work they needed it seemed like a great fit! I also hope to use this time to grow in my faith and discern where God is directing me in the future.”
To learn more about the NVC, a full-time service opportunity and outreach program of the Norbertine community, contact nvc@norbertines.org.
On Saturday, August 27, 2016, at the First Vespers of the Solemnity of St. Augustine, Johnathan F. Turba and Anh Q. Tran will be vested in the white habit of the Norbertine Order. Rt. Rev. Gary J. Neville, O. Praem., Abbot of St. Norbert Abbey, will preside over the vestition ceremony.
On Sunday, August 28, 2016, the Solemnity of St. Augustine, Frater Michael J. Brennan, O. Praem., will profess Solemn Vows, forming a mutual lifelong commitment to the canonical life between himself and the entire professed community. Abbot Neville will preside over the solemn rite.
Given these special rites, this liturgy will be longer in duration than most Masses celebrated at the abbey, and we will welcome many of Frater Brennan’s friends and family from out of town.
We are grateful for your prayerful presence at St. Norbert Abbey; we welcome you to that Sunday’s celebration, as well. However, we wanted to inform you of the unique and blessed rituals that the Sunday, August 28, liturgy will include!
August 29, 2016 — Mass of Diaconate Ordination of Deacon Michael Brennan, O. Praem.
Frater Michael Joseph Brennan, O. Praem.
Profession of Solemn Vows and Ordination to the Diaconate
… I have found my way home here at St. Norbert Abbey.
—Deacon Michael Brennan, O. Praem.
Frater Michael Brennan, O. Praem.
Frater Brennan, 39, is the son of Michael and Dorothy Brennan of Michigan City, Indiana, and a son of Queen of All Saints Catholic Church in Michigan City. His parents now belong to St. Pius X Catholic Church in Granger, Indiana.
Frater Brennan was vested in the white Norbertine habit in August 2011 and professed Simple Vows in August 2013.
A 1995 graduate of Marquette Catholic High School, Michigan City, Frater Brennan graduated from St. Norbert College (SNC) in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and psychology and a minor in religious studies.
In 2001 he received a Master of Education degree from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. He was also named Teacher of the Year at Our Lady of Prompt Succor, White Castle, Louisiana (1999-2000), and at Ascension Catholic Middle School, Donaldsonville, Louisiana (2001-2002), and received the Young Alumni Award from SNC (2005).
Frater Brennan anticipates completing his Masters of Divinity in May 2017 and an M.A. in Scripture in the fall of 2017. Both degrees will be granted by Catholic Theological Union, Chicago. Frater Brennan will be ordained a Norbertine priest on May 27, 2017.
“As I shared with our guests on the occasion of these celebrations, I have found my way home here at St. Norbert Abbey. I am most grateful to God, to my fellow Norbertines, family, friends, and all those I have met along this journey. I owe much to those who have prepared me for these joyful moments of solemn profession and ordination. I look forward to my ongoing growth and formation as I serve the People of God as a Norbertine deacon at Old St. Pat’s in Chicago and here in our local community. Thank you to those who have supported me, challenged me, and prayed for me. I ask for your continued guidance as we all strive ‘to be of one mind and one heart on the way to God.’ ” —Deacon Michael Brennan, O. Praem.
Frater Johnathan Fredrick Turba, O. Praem.
Vestition
I feel incredibly blessed to be joining the Norbertines.
—Frater Johnathan Turba, O. Praem.
Frater Johnathan Turba, O. Praem.
Frater Turba, 28, is the son of Michael and Patricia Turba of Platteville, Wisconsin, and a son of Immaculate Conception Parish in New Richmond, Wisconsin.
Upon completion of his high school studies in Platteville, Frater Turba graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in choral music education, emphasis in voice and piano.
Since graduating from college Frater Turba served as an elementary, middle, and high school teacher of general music and as a choral director for the Iola-Scandinavia School District in North Central Wisconsin. In 2016 Frater Turba received the Outstanding Young Conductor Award from the Wisconsin Choral Directors Association for his dedicated work in the schools.
The first-year Norbertine novitiate (in which Frater Turba will participate) will take place at St. Norbert Abbey.
“Upon my vestition, walking into the abbey church clad in a white habit of my own was a joyous and humbling experience. When everyone applauded to welcome Anh and me into the community, I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support. I feel incredibly blessed to be joining the Norbertines. As I begin my novitiate at the abbey, I look forward to learning more about the Norbertine heritage and about the surrounding community while also growing in my faith.”—Frater Johnathan Turba, O. Praem.
Frater Anh Quoc Tran, O. Praem.
Vestition
God’s merciful heart and compassionate love have guided my wandering heart to the new adventure …
—Frater Anh Tran, O. Praem.
Frater Anh Tran, O. Praem.
Frater Tran, 26, son of Linh Van Tran and Son Thi Nguyen, is a son of Hien Linh Parish in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
After graduating from St. Mary Springs High School, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Frater Tran studied at St. Norbert College. He graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in global business.
Since graduating from college Frater Tran earned two master’s degrees in servant leadership and business administration from Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he served as house coordinator at A Place of Grace Catholic Worker House.
The first-year Norbertine novitiate (in which Frater Tran will participate) will take place at St. Norbert Abbey.
“To me, the vestition was absolutely a blessing from God, especially having my parents from Vietnam here witnessing this initiation of my new beginning. God’s merciful heart and compassionate love have guided my wandering heart to the new adventure which is full of hope and yet beyond my imagination. Because of that, I thank you, Lord!”—Frater Anh Tran, O. Praem.
The March 17, 2016, “Glimpses of the Past” in The Green Bay Press-Gazette highlighted the death of the first American Norbertine abbot, Abbot Bernard Pennings, O. Praem., who passed into God’s Eternal Kingdom on March 17, 1955. In De Pere, Wisconsin, Abbot Pennings established the first permanent Norbertine foundation in the United States, as well as St. Norbert College—the only Norbertine college in the world.
Rev. Dr. Jack MacCarthy, O. Praem., has dedicated much of his life to caring for the physical and spiritual needs of the people in Peru. Earlier this year he visited for three weeks, attending to the Centro de Salud in Santa Clotilde and the 13 outlying clinics, as well as attending meetings with the Bishop and the Board of Directors of PANGO. He shared many stories of his South American ministry during a recent interview on northeast Wisconsin’s CW 14 Sunday “Focus” television program.
For a detailed account of Fr. MacCarthy’s medical ministry, see the Fall/Winter 2013 issue of Abbey Magazine (pages 4-9).
