A man becomes a monk in order to form a relationship to God. The opening words of St. Benedict’s Rule call the reader to hear God’s invitation to this relationship: “Listen carefully, my son, to the master’s instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. This is advice from a father who loves you.” On February 2, 2023, Novice Daniel Chinn continued his search for God by professing temporary vows and receiving the name Br. Gabriel. By doing so, Br. Gabriel confirmed his earlier decision to enter Conception Abbey in order “to give myself away to God, letting Him and this community ..read more

Abbot Benedict Neenan   |   Br. Bernard   |   Fr. Paul   |  Br. Mark   |    Br. Placid    |    Fr. Pachomius    |    Br. Anselm    |    Fr. Victor   Abbot Benedict Neenan, OSB I had considered monastic life for several years before entering Conception and even tried a smaller, less active monastery first, but it was the openness and welcoming spirit of the monks at Conception and a recognition that I needed both a good community and me ..read more

The annual Abbey Trails 5K Run / 2-Mile walk brought guests from near and far to Conception Abbey on Saturday, May 6 to celebrate health and wellness. Morning rain cleared just as more than 250 people arrived to participate in the walk, run, health fair, and brunch. The 5K course began at the Abbey’s circle drive entrance and went north on 136 to just north of Jefferson C-123 school, and back. The two-mile walk course included four laps around the Conception Abbey campus. We are physical, intellectual, and spiritual beings, and Conception Abbey acknowledges exercise as an important factor ..read more

At 3:51 p.m. on Monday, 17 April 2023, our beloved confrere, Father Donald Grabner, OSB put aside all matters of worldly concern in his final obedience to the upward calling of God and passed into the eternal. Fr. Donald was in his 95th year of life, and a Jubiliarian in both monastic profession and priesthood. Fr. Donald had been resident in our St. Stephen’s Infirmary since 2018. He had been serving as chaplain to the Franciscan Sisters of Savannah, Missouri, when he suffered a fall in his quarters there, sustaining a broken arm. After hospitalization and considerable physical therapy, it wa ..read more

Information shared from the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph.  Camp Savio announces move to Conception Abbey for Summer 2023 March 20, 2023 The Diocesan Office of Youth Ministry is thrilled to announce that Camp Savio will be held at a new location this year. “The monks of Conception Abbey are pleased to welcome Camp Savio and the youth of our diocese to our home this summer,” said Abbot Benedict Neenan, OSB. “We pray that this partnership will serve our young people as they seek Christ in fellowship and prayer, that the diocese will benefit from their spiritual gro ..read more

FR. NORBERT   |   FR. DANIEL   |   FR. ROGER   |  ABBOT EDMUND   |    FR. PATRICK    Fr. Norbert Schappler, OSB | 70 years ordained   We give thanks to God for Fr. Norbert’s many years as a priest of our Lord Jesus Christ. As the oldest and most senior in the community, he deserves our respect and praise. Living with and learning from him in my few years, I see three “platinum” threads: his dogged fidelity to the monastic life; his meticulous care for books, art, and genealogy; and his responsible s ..read more

Loyal friends make impact Though the landscape and the faces of Conception have changed over time, we are grateful for that which has remained the same: our mission of prayer, our dedication to seminary formation, and the loyal support of friends who have made such growth possible.  Jim and Marnie Weidmaier of St. Joseph, Missouri, are two such friends. When our Partnering for Future Priests (PFP) event began as a dinner auction in 2009, they were among the first attendees, and they never missed a single event following. Now, in its current form as the virtual Day of Giving, the Weidmaier ..read more

By the Work of Their Hands Br. Jacob Kubajak, OSB, wasn’t born on a farm, but his mother’s family farmed, and as a kid when they visited, he would help his uncles with various tasks around the farm, which first sparked his interest in agriculture. When he went off to college years later, he pursued a degree in animal science and he spent a year and a half during college on a farm, milking cows and working with hogs and beef cattle. He continued on to graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning a Master’s degree in Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology. When Br. Jacob fi ..read more

In 2020, Abbot Gregory Polan and I planned to lead a group of pilgrims to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the founding of our Swiss motherhouse, Engelberg Abbey, to visit several other monasteries in Switzerland and Germany, and to attend the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, which is only performed every 10 years. The pandemic delayed the trip by two years, but it was well worth the wait. In addition to Abbot Gregory and me, our group included Abbot Donato Ogliari, OSB, of Monte Cassino in Italy, our two youngest monks, Br. Simeon and Br. Mark, and about 20 other friends of the Abbey ..read more

The monks and seminarians of Conception Abbey and Seminary College, joined together with friends, family, and donors to bless Good Shepherd Hall, the new seminary residence hall.   The building’s blessing was Sunday, August 28, as part of Conception’s Seminary Open House event, where nearly 300 people gathered under a large white tent for a meal and fellowship following Sunday Mass in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.   “This new building represents not only an update of our facilities but also the continued renewal of our work of priestly formation,” said Very Rev. Victor S ..read more