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Meinrad Schallberger celebrates golden jubilee
Fr. Meinrad Schallberger, O.S.B. was one of two Benedictine priests celebrating their golden jubilees at Ascencion Monastery in Jerome, Idaho on Sunday, Sept. 7. Fr. Meinrad served eight years as chaplain at the Monastery of St. Gertrude and St. Mary’s Hospital at Cottonwood. He and Fr. Norbert James Novak both 71 years old, both made their monastic professions at Mount Angel Abbey in Mount Angel, Ore., on Sept. 8, 1958. They renewed their vows on Sept. 7 at the 9 a.m. Mass with a reception following. Fr. Meinrad was born April 3, 1937 at Mt. Angel, Oregon and Baptized Joseph Ignatius. His name was changed to Meinrad (a Swiss saint) when he made his monastic profession with Fr. Novak and two other classmates. On May 7, 1964, he was called to the priesthood. After 13 years of managing the Benedictine Press at Mt. Angel Abbey, he was sent to the new monastery in Jerome, arriving by Greyhound bus on March 9, 1982. Most of his monastic life for the 26 years on the Jerome farm property has been one of filling in when no one else was available and then moving on when the situation was resolved. One of his most satisfying memories was his involvement for 15 years in ministry to the divorced and widowed. After serving 8 years as chaplain in Cottonwood, he is now wearing a maintenance hat at the Monastery of the Ascension. Now that he has entered his 72nd year of life, he wants to better prepare for life eternal with his loving God forever. He lives the monastic way of life for one reason only – to keep him focused on Christ. |
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