Scenic retreat center became temporary seminary

Across Minnesota, college seniors ended their semester in an unprecedented way: distance learning online due to the coronavirus pandemic. For nine seniors from St. John Vianney College Seminary, there was an additional element: the backdrop of a secluded, 50-acre retreat center along the St. Croix River.

Two freshmen, one sophomore and one junior joined them there, along with two SJV formators and spiritual directors: Father Jonathan Kelly and Father Joseph Kuharski, who provided leadership and the sacraments.

The 13 college seminarians completed classes online and their formation on site during a seven week stay-in at Dunrovin Christian Brothers Retreat Center, 10 miles north of Stillwater outside Marine on St. Croix.

Dunrovin provided a good environment for study, said senior Joe Wappes, because life at the university can get packed. “I felt like I could have more peace, more time to read and pray and study,” he said.

The college-level seminarians lost their regular classrooms when the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, where the seminary is located, suspended in-person classes in March and closed dormitories to prevent spread of the coronavirus.

As the campus at St. Thomas closed down, Father David Blume, director of vocations for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, immediately worked on a plan to best accommodate SJV students from the archdiocese. In talking with Archbishop Bernard Hebda, he determined the retreat center would be a great option for cloistered living, studying and continuing formation — similar to the environment The St. Paul Seminary developed for its major seminarians in the wake of the pandemic.

Dunrovin had been a trout and game preserve until the 1940s, when a local businessman bought it, using it first as a country home and, later, a full-time residence. It offered its first retreat in 1964 and is overseen by the Christian Brothers, the religious community whose ministries also include Benilde-St. Margaret’s in St. Louis Park, Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul, DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis, Holy Family Catholic High School in Victoria, Totino-Grace High School in Fridley and St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona.

“The key reason Dunrovin was chosen was for its seclusion,” Father Blume said. “It’s not a high traffic area and it’s a pretty safe place as long as nobody has the virus.” All retreats had been canceled so no outsiders were visiting.

Men from 20 dioceses attended SJV this past school year. Eighty-five seminarians from outside the archdiocese returned home. Father Blume offered the 19 archdiocesan seminarians the choice to stay at Dunrovin for the rest of the semester or complete online classes from home.

He described how the cloister would operate, provided a list of safety protocols and encouraged the young men to discuss the option with their parents. It was completely voluntary, he emphasized. Thirteen said yes and six said no.

Along with the two priests, they began the cloister March 25, the feast of the Annunciation. For two weeks, they lived in restricted-access quarantine to make sure everyone was well. And they were.

“When we started, ‘the clean team’ … wiped down every surface twice a day with Clorox wipes,” Father Blume said. The men were encouraged not to touch their face and to wash their hands thoroughly. “I encouraged them to take as much time as it would take to say a Hail Mary.”

The men slept in private rooms on one floor of a dormitory-style building; rooms on a second floor were configured into study areas. Dunrovin boosted its internet capacity so students could reliably continue online classes. A Dunrovin employee prepared food in the kitchen once a week and froze it. She wiped surfaces with disinfectant, including the entire kitchen, and exited from a back door.

As an outdoors person, Wappes, a member of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony, enjoyed opportunities for sports and being outside. “We got to go canoeing a few times on the St. Croix,” he said, “and I did a little fishing.” Other days, the seminarians played football or ultimate Frisbee, went on hikes or made a bonfire on a nearby sandbar.

“We prayed out there and read Scriptures around the fire,” said senior Ryan Sustacek, a member of St. Michael in St. Michael. “Honestly, it’s kind of like a storybook, a dream come true.”

Having a chapel on site was a big plus, too, Wappes said. “That’s the center of our life.”

The men chose household tasks based on their skills and interests. Some devoted their time to the liturgy, others helped with music, outdoor activities, organizational tasks and communication, kitchen and cleaning duties. “Some performed outdoor tasks and built bonfires for us,” Father Kelly said.

Seminary formation often asks the men to do things they’re not comfortable doing, so they learn to stretch and challenge themselves, Father Kelly said. “At Dunrovin, we allowed the guys to play to their strengths, and I think they really enjoyed that.”

“It really brought out a lot of gifts that they might not have even known they have,” Sustacek said.

Living in community provides a special freedom to rejoice, said senior Tim Lyngdal, a member of St. Paul in Ham Lake. “We had Holy Week together which was very profound, very spiritual,” he said.

The men watched Mel Gibson’s 2004 film “The Passion of the Christ” together and then prayed the rosary. Lyngdal remembers praying with the crucifix they had taken off the wall and placed in front of the altar, as the lights were dimmed. “The setting was so profound, so beautiful and really just brought the rejoicing to a whole new level as a community throughout the Easter season together,” he said.

Building bonds with other seminarians was a great outcome, Wappes said. “And we learned a lot about how to live better in community.”

Sustacek also valued getting to know the priests. “You see how much they love being a priest, how much they love Jesus,” he said. “I really hope I can be a holy priest like them. Just seeing how much they love God, I am so inspired.”

Because all the archdiocese’s senior seminarians were at Dunrovin, the group even held a Dunrovin version of “senior night” shortly before the cloister ended May 16. Archbishop Hebda, SJV rector Father Michael Becker, Father Paul Gitter and Father Blume attended, but maintained social distance. They enjoyed dinner and cake. The area was decorated and photos of the seniors were displayed.

Following tradition, each senior stood up, was affirmed by one other seminarian and shared advice for the younger men, as well as things for which they’re grateful.

“That was a huge gift … to close out our time, and do so in such an intimate way as an archdiocese and with our brothers,” Sustacek said.

Father Kelly said Dunrovin was meant to provide a haven during a pandemic, but he had no idea of the blessings that would result — from the students’ growth and for the seniors, in particular, to move to the next stage in their formation with deepened friendships.

One of the lessons learned, Father Blume said, is that even in a pandemic, the world doesn’t have to completely stand still.

“You don’t have to shut down the seminary,” he said. “Our seminarians can still be learning. They can still be praying. They can still enter into the life of a seminarian together outside the seminary. It was a phenomenal experience.”