Saint John's Celebrates Anniversary of Its Church, and The Architect Who Built It

Collegeville, Minn. - On Oct. 24, Saint John's Abbey and University will observe the 40th anniversary of the dedication of its landmark church. The occasion launches as well a centennial celebration commemorating the 100th anniversary of the birth of world-renowned architect Marcel Breuer (1902-1981), who designed the church.

Those who know Saint John's of Collegeville appreciate its sense of place, nestled within the serene and natural beauty of lakes, woods, wetlands and prairie of central Minnesota. For 40 years, the Benedictine Abbey and University Church has anchored that sense of place with its towering bell banner, a 2,500-ton concrete expanse reaching 112 feet above ground and 100 feet in width.

Inside, the structure evokes a sense of shared sacred space. The free-standing balcony rests on cantilevered supports; dramatic folds in the walls and ceiling provide a supportive framework, all of which allows for a spacious interior in which the eye is drawn to the altar, and to the cross suspended in space above it.

The 40th anniversary observance will feature afternoon tours of the church, Mass with the monastic community, a prayer service and an evening presentation by the architects, contractors and members of the monastic community who were involved in the planning and construction of the church.

Tours of the church will be available every half hour from 2 until 4 p.m., meeting at the university's Peter Engel Science Center. Also at the Science Center, a 15-minute video of the construction of the church will run continuously on the video wall. Mass will be at 5 p.m. in the Abbey Church, where evening prayer service is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

A panel presentation of reminiscence, "Building the Abbey Church," led by Hilary Thimmesh OSB, will be at 8 p.m. in the Stephen B. Humphrey Auditorium.

Breuer has influenced generations both as a teacher and as an architect. In addition to the Abbey and University Church, his best known works include the UNESCO building in Paris and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City.

The selection of Breuer by the Saint John's monks to create a master design plan, including the church, is hailed today as bold and brilliant. Forty years ago, it was viewed by some as merely audacious. The monastic community sought a functional design that would meet their needs as a religious community. Benedictines harbor as well a reverence for the powerful meaning that art can give to human expression. They wanted a structure that would convey the wonder of God's presence. In a letter to 12 prominent architects soliciting designs, Abbot Baldwin Dworshak expressed his expectation for " . . . a church which will be truly an architectural monument to the service of God . . ."

Ultimately, the selection of Breuer resulted in a collaborative effort converging monastic spirituality and modern architectural design, producing the design and construction at Saint John's of 11 projects by Breuer.

"Marcel Breuer was chosen for his ability to translate monastic needs into buildings that evidence their roots in Bauhaus notions of honesty, authenticity of materials and simplicity, qualities that likewise both reflect essential elements of monastic spirituality and serve liturgical and communal life," said Br. Alan Reed, Saint John's curator of arts and chair of the Breuer Centennial steering committee.

"Of the buildings planned and constructed over the next 25 years, the Abbey and University Church has gained the most noted reputation in the world of architectural design and church architecture," he said.

Upcoming Breuer centenary events include a lecture on Nov. 14, by architect Robert F. Gatje. He will present "Remembering Marcel Breuer," based on his 23-year association with Breuer. His book, Marcel Breuer, A Memoir, was published in 2000.