Monks WWI men to Monastery (2)
.
------~-
.-
- -....-- ----
~
swering the calls
.~
Conlrl......
annor served aboard fighter planes
ing the war.
~
Men go from WWII to monastery
By ROB KUNDERT
TH staff writer
The lives of two exceptional
men were twice punctuated
. by answering a call. First. to
serve their country - then to serve
their Lord.
After witnessing the human
tragedy of World War II, the Rev.
Jim O'Connor and Brother AI
Bracket sought the contemplative
life .of a monk at New Melleray
Abbey, located west of Dubuque
and south of Peosta.
The fabric of their eight decades
of life, though different in content,
hold common threads that are
woven into their monastic existence.
Sitting in a room filled with May
sunshine in the stone abbey they.
helped build, they recounted their
youth, war, their decision to enter
"The war was looming on the
horizon. I think that kept UB
from having any occupatiom
in mind. We knew that we
would end up in the Bervice. So
we didn't make any plam
beyond that ".
REV. JIM O'CONNOR,
describing growing up In the years
prior 10 World War II
the vocation and even marriage.
With an objective eye and a smile
belying the contentment of inner
peace, they told their stories.
Fly Boy
The Rev. Jim O'Connor, 81, was
a child of the Great Depression.
gineer heeds inner urging
Iy ordained priest says
id not feel particularly
ious while growing up
NEVANS.PEDERSON
fwriter
Bahl wanted to be an engineer. He
d to get married and have children.
aturday, Bah!'s life took a very different
n. He was ordained a priest of the Arch-
of Dubuque, pledging the rest of his
is church.
,30, grew up in Duhuque, attending
schools and not feeling particularly reli-
s your average Joe-in-the-pew, never a
vout Catholic," he said about his child-
.
,t'r
.\ ....
'~lc .a.-:o;iIIoo"iiIr;;._~
hood. Bahl attended Iowa State University in
Ames and majored in electrical engineering.
Those formative years proved life-changing.
"In college is where I owned my faith for the
first time," he said. "I was trying to figure things
out about life and realized how important my
faith was to me. I also realized that you have
to celebrate your faith in community, to share it
with others."
For several years after graduation, Bahl
worked in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as an engineer
while becoming ever more involved in the life of
his local parish. Eventually he could no longer
ignore a constant inner urging.
"The Lord had been tugging at my heart for
years and at that point I started to listen," Bahl
said. He gave up his job and started pre-the-
ology classes at Loras College. "j still wasn't
Ordained/Please turn to Page 2A
~
...
.~orn June 6, 1924, he spent most
.ofhis childhood in Oak Park, Ill., a
suburb of Chicago. A good Catholic
boy who loved to play baseball in
the streets or park, with an early in-
terest in poetry and writing - he
lived each day one at a time.
"The war was looming on the
horizon. [ think that kept us from
having any occupations in mind,"
he said. "We knew th'lt we would
end up in the service. So we didn't
make any plans beyond that."
The premonition played out. As
his class of 1942 exited Fenwick
High School, it graduated into the
armed services.
His brother Tom had entered the
U.S. Army Air Corps - forerunner
of to day's Air Force - two years
earlier, prior to the country's entry
Please turn to Page 3A
1M: DIve Kettering
Greg Bahl receives the laying on of hands during his ordi-
nation ceremony Saturday at the Cathedral of S1. Raphael in
Dubuque. More photos at www.THonllne.com.
,~
T
-
, l"'..t... ,L,i-J"L' .. ~J .w...-..r~r'7"'l'-.1kI _ ~~_IIi!'" ._~_'~~.\;,p\,-1.. _ ~ ~.....:....o--""'''--'''''''I'''
--
- -
-
--
--
swering the calls
.~
Contributed
onnor served aboard fighter planes
ing the war.
Men go from WWII to monastery
~orn June 6, 1924, he spent most
of his childhood in Oak Park, III., a
suburb of Chicago. A good Catholic
boy who loved to play baseball in
the streets or park, with an early in-
terest in poetry and writing - he
lived each day one at a time.
"The war was looming on the
horizon. I think that kept us from
having any occupations in mind,"
he said. "We knew that we would
end up in the service. So we didn't
make any plans beyond that."
The premonition played out. As
his class of 1942 exited Fenwick
High School, it graduated into the
armed services.
His brother Tom had entered the
U.S. Army Air Corps - forerunner
of today's Air Force - two years
earlier. prior to the country's entry
Please turn to Page 3A
By ROB KUNDERT
TH staff writer
"The war was looming on the
horiZon.lthinkthatkept~~
from having any occupatiom
in mind. We knew that we
would end up in the Bervice. So
we didn't make any plam
beyond that. ".
REV. JIM O'CONNOR,
describing growing up In the years
prior to World War II
The lives of two exceptional
men were twice punctuated
by answering a call. First. to
serve their country - then to serve
their Lord.
After witnessing the human
tragedy of World War II, the Rev.
Jim O'Connor and Brother AI
Bracket sought the contemplative
life .of a monk at New MeUeray
Abbey, located west of Dubuque
and south of Peosta.
The fabric of their eight decades
of life, though different in content,
hold common threads that are
woven into their monastic existence.
Sitting in a room filled with May
sunshine in the stone abbey they.
helped build, they recounted their
youth, war, their decision to enter
the vocation and even marriage.
With an objective eye and a smile
belying the contentment of inner
peace, they told their stories.
Fly Boy
The Rev. Jim O'Connor, 81. was
a child of the Great Depression.
"
,~
-,
..' ./1
.<,~ ~';:::%..'"
~
gineer heeds inner urging
Iy ordained priest says
. id not feel particularly
ious while growing up
NEVANS.PEDERSON
fwriter
Bahl wanted to be an engineer. He
d to get married and have children.
aturday, Bahl's life took a very different
n. He was ordained a priest of the Arch-
of Dubuque, pledging the rest of his
is church.
. 30, grew up in Dubuque, attending
schools and not feeling particularly reli-
s your average Joe-in-the-pew, never a
vout Catholic," he said ahout his child-
I . ..
'~'l ~_.....o-
hood. Bahl attended Iowa State University in
Ames and majored in electrical engineering.
Those formative years proved life-changing.
"In college is where I owned my faith for the
first time," he said. "I was trying to figure things
out about life and realized how important my
faith was to me. I also realized that you have
to celebrate your faith in community, to share it
with others."
For several years after graduation, Bahl
worked in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as an engineer
while becoming ever more involved in the life of
his local parish. Eventually he could no longer
ignore a constant inner urging.
"The Lord had been tugging at my heart for
years and at that point I started to listen," Bahl
said. He gave up his job and started pre-the-
ology classes at Loras College. "j still wasn't
Ordained/Please turn to Page 2A
TH: DaM Kettering
Greg Bahl receives the laying on of hands during his ordi-
nation ceremony Saturday at the Cathedral of St. Raphael in
Dubuque. More pholos al www.THonllne.com.
~~
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ng children
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to his own
olice said.
Dyk, 43,
ns, ages 4
aths
,Miami
kesman
said.
IOe
rlhquake
and hotels
esia on
pie slept,
,000 and in-
s more in
st dis'aster
sunami.
SA
ERS
chanical
ur press, the
today's
mmost
ections do
ethey
ins~ance,
ages appear
ad of in the
. If you have
where a
, consult the
TIONS
-5663
'news item
fair.
wrate. [fyoll
ion is needed,
1\TE
HOT
cinet.com
Page 2A
ituaries..18A
1
lo.li
swerlng.
e ca
s
TH: Dave Kettertne
The Rev. Jim O'Connor (left) and Brother AI Bracket joined New Melleray Abbey after seeing 'he horrors of World War II.
Men go from WWII to monastery
~orn June 6, 1924, he spent most.
of his childhood in Oak Park, III.. a
suburb of Chicago. A good Catholic
boy who loved to play baseball in
the streets or park, with an early in-
terest in poetry and writing - he
lived each day one at a time.
"The war was looming on the
horizon. I think that kept us from
having any occupatio~lS in mind,"
he said. "We knew that we would
end up in the service. So we didn't
make any plans beyond that."
The premonition played out. As
his class of 1942 exited Fenwick
High School. it graduated into the
armed services.
His brother Tom had entered the
U.S. Army Air Corps - forerunner
of today's Air Force - two years
earlier, prior to the country's entry
Please turn to Page 3A
By ROB KUNDERT
TH staff writer
"The war was looming on the
horiZon.lthinkthatkept~~
from having any occupatiom
in mind. We knew that we
would end up in the Bervice. So
we didn't make any planB
beyond that. "
REV. JIM O'CONNOR,
describing growing up in Ihe years
prior 10 World War II
The lives of two exceptional
men were twice punctuated
. by answering a call. First, to
serve their country - then to serve
their Lord.'
After witnessing the human
tragedy of World War II. the Rev.
Jim O'Connor and Brother AI
Bracket sought the contemplative
Iife.of a monk at New Melle ray
Abbey, located west of Dubuque
and south of Peosta.
The fahric of their eight decades
of life, though different in content.
hold common threads that are
woven into their monastic existence.
Sitting in a room filled with May
sunshine in the stone abbey they.
helped build, they recounted their
youth, war, their decision to enter
the vocation and even marriage.
With an objective eye and a smile
belying the contentment of inner
peace, they told their stories.
Fly Boy
The Rev. Jim O'Connor, 81. was
a child of the Great Depression.
.~
Contributed
O'Connor served aboard fighter planes
during the war.
III
Engineer heeds inner urging
Newly ordained priest says
he did not feel particularly
religious while growing up
By MARY NEVANS.PEDERSON
TH staff writer
Greg Bahl wanted to be an engineer. He
planned to get married and have children.
But Saturday, Bahl's life took a very different
direction. He was ordained a priest of the Arch-
diocese of Dubuque, pledging the rest of his
life to his church.
Bahl. 30, grew up in Dubuque, attending
public schools and not feeling particularly reli-
gious.
"I was your average Joe-in-the-pew, never a
very devout Catholic," he said about his child-
"
hood. Bahl attended Iowa State University in
Ames and majored in electrical engineering.
Those formative years proved life-changing.
"In college is where I owned my faith for the
first time," he said. "I was trying to figure things
out about life and realized how important my
faith was to me. 1 also realized that you have
to celebrate your faith in community, to share it
with others."
For several years after graduation, Bahl
worked in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as an engineer
while becoming ever more involved in the life of
his local parish. Eventually he could no longer
ignore a constant inner urging.
"The Lord had been tugging at my heart for
years and at that point I started to listen," Bahl
said. He gave up his job and started pre-the-
ology classes at Loras College. "j still wasn't
Ordained/Please turn to Page 2A
TH: Dave Ketterinl
Greg Bahl receives the laying on of hands during his ordi-
nation ceremony Saturday at the Cathedral of St. Raphael in
Dubuque. More photos al www.THonllne.com.
~,\.t
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)I.. ........I..i
ellations:
om
ervices
kids
y
lIinois
g children
off the
mihotel
to his own
olice said.
Dyk, 43,
s, ages 4
ths
Miami
kesman
said.
IOC
kills
00
rthquake
and hotels
esia on
pie slept,
,000 and in-
smorein
st dis'aster
sunami.
SA
ERS
chanical
ur press, the
today's
mmost
ections do
ethey
insfance.
ages appear
ad of in the
. If you have
where a
, consult the
TIONS
.5663
'news item
fair,
cllrate. lfyoll
iOIl is needed,
!\TE
HOT
cinet.com
Page 2A
ituaries..18A
1~
,
.....,.:i'..
swerlng
s
The Rev. Jim O'Connor (left) and Brother AI Bracket joined New Melleray Abbey after seeing ,:.he horrors of World War II.
Contri......
O'Connor served aboard fighter planes
during the war.
"
:t
,',
Engineer heeds inner urging
Newly ordained priest says
he did not feel particularly
religious while growing up
By MARY NEVANS.PEDERSON
TH staff writer
Greg Bahl wanted to be an engineer. He
planned to get married and have children.
But Saturday, Bahl's life took a very different
direction. He was ordained a priest of the Arch-
diocese of Dubuque, pledging the rest of his
life to his church.
Bahl. 30, grew up in Dubuque, attending
public schools and not feeling particularly reli-
gious.
"I was your average Joe-in-the-pew, never a
very devout Catholic," he said about his child-
"
"
r',t
-, .-'0...&-:;*-.1' "-'.1Id.
Men go from WWII to monastery
,~orn June 6, 1924, he spent most
of his childhood in Oak Park, III.. a
suburb of Chicago. A good Catholic
boy who loved to play baseball in
the streets or park, with an early in-
terest in poetry and writing - he
lived each day one at a time.
"The war was looming on the
horizon. I think that kept us from
having any occupations in mind,"
he said. "We knew that we would
end up in the service. So we didn't
make any plans beyond that."
The premonition played out. As
his class of 1942 exited Fenwick
High School, it graduated into the
armed services.
His brother Tom had entered the
U.S. Army Air Corps - forerunner
of today's Air Force - two years
earlier, prior to the country's entry
Please turn to Page 3A
.
..
By ROB KUNDERT
TH staff write'
"The war was looming on the
horizon. I think that kept us
from having any occupatiom
in mind. We knew that we
would end up in the service. So
we didn't make any plam
. beyond that. ".
REV. JIM O'CONNOR,
describing growing up In the years
prior to World War II
The lives of two exceptional
men were twice punctuated
by answering a call. First. to
serve their country - then to serve
their Lord.
After witnessing the human
tragedy of World War II, the Rev.
Jim O'Connor and Brother Al
Bracket sought the contemplative
life .of a monk at New Melleray
Abbey, located west of Dubuque
and south of Peosta.
The fabric of their eight decades
of life, though different in content,
hold common threads that are
woven into their monastic existence.
Sitting in a room filled with May
sunshine in the stone abbey they.
helped build, they recounted their
youth, war, their decision to enter
the vocation and even marriage.
With an objective eye and a smile
belying the contentment of inner
peace, they told their stories.
Fly Boy
The Rev. Jim O'Connor, 81. was
a child of the Great Depression.
hood. Bahl attended Iowa State University in
Ames and majored in electrical engineering.
Those formative years proved life-changing.
"In college is where I owned my faith for the
first time," he said. "I was trying to figure things
out about life and realized how important my
faith was to me. I also realized that you have
to celebrate your faith in community, to share it
with others."
For several years after graduation, Bahl
worked in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as an engineer
while becoming ever more involved in the life of
his local parish. Eventually he could no longer
ignore a constant inner urging.
"The Lord had been tugging at my heart for
years and at that point I started to listen," Bahl
said. He gave up his job and started pre-the-
ology classes at Loras College. "j still wasn't
Ordai~ed/Please turn to Page 2A
'"
,-
~
ilji
,
'-".
1M: Dave Ketterlnr:
Greg Bahl receives the laying on of hands during his ordi-
nation ceremony Saturday at the Cathedral of St. Raphael in
Dubuque. More photos at www.THonllne.com.
.'
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3A
TELEGRAPH HERALD
SUNDAY, MAV 28, 2006
. TRI-STATE
aftermath changed man's life
Seeing Nagasaki
1A
qualms of conscience for
leaving the abbey nearly 30
years before?
Bracket said he believed it
was God's will. The abbot sug-
gested waiting a year.
In 1992, he returned.
The decision
The effects of war and
monastic life are woven into
the life of each man.
Looking back over his years,
O'Connor said he could see a
direction guided by the hand
of providence.
"I was being channeled," he
said, remembering the days
when he walked to Catholic
school ticking Hail Marys off
on his fingers, not realizing he
was having his first experience
with meditation.
There were the encounters
with girls that could have de-
veloped into a relationship, but
didn't.
"Being in the war, being ex-
posed to life-and-death situa-
tions, seeing guys get killed, it
convinced me of the brevity of
life and what you can take with
you and what you can't," he said.
For Bracket, there is no ques-
tion. The view from the hill
overlooking Nagasaki tipped
the scales.
"It really changed my life,"
he said.
His time away from the
monastery just sharpened his
realizations.
"When I came here the first
time, I wasn't cognizant that I
was going to die some day. You
get a little smarter as you re-
alize that is coming," he said.
One comes into this life
alone and is destined to go out
alone, O'Connor said.
"But still you know you are
united in Christ and you've
done your job," he said .of the
life and labor of a monk.
It's a life of sometimes si-
lence and suffering, to better
connect as being a member of
the mystical body and sharing
Christ's mystery.
"I can't imagine living any
other life than I live," O'Connor
said.
As for Bracket, "I've been
back 13 years and never hap-
pier in my life. Amen."
to their fellow human beings
- 31.000 people killed in-
stantly right there."
He wrote his girlfriend back
home that he was going to be-
come a priest. A year later, he
was on his way home.
In late 1946, he entered a
seminary in Fond du Lac, Wis.
During that time, he consid-
ered the contemplative life of a
monk. A priest suggested the
abbey near Dubuque.
"In the spring of 1948, an-
other guy and I hitchhiked
down here," he said.
His companion didn't go for
it, but Bracket filled out an ap-
plication and was accepted.
Like O'Connor, Bracket was
put to construction work on
the monastery. He was in
charge of plumbing and be-
came adept at it. Local con-
tractors complained that he
was getting wholesale prices
while not being a certified pro-
fessional.
"So I went down to city hall,
took the test, passed it and got
my master plumber's license,"
he said.
His love of the work proved
to be his downfall, a8 his su-
periors felt he spent too much
time on the job and too little
on his spiritual obligations. He
was taken off the job in 1963.
"It was like putting a race
horse in a stable. I couldn't
take it. I asked for a six-month
leave. I went into Dubuque,
got myself a room at the YMCA
and stayed there for seven
years," he said.
Then he met Armella
"Bobbie" Kluck. He asked her
out for a date and two years
later they were married, a
union that would last for 20
years, 10 months and a few
days, he said.
Tragedy struck in 1991 when
she suffered a stroke leading
to further complications.
"I was holding her hand and
knew she was dying," he said.
"I knew right then and there I
would be back here."
A few months passed when
he made the journey to the
abbot, who questioned the
reasons for the return. Was it
because he felt sorry for him-
self because of his loss, or
Abbey life austere
The life of a Trappist monk at
New Melleray Abbey was very
tough in the early days, said the
Rev. Jim O'Connor.
~The ordinary Trappist went
into the monastery and they
throw the key away," he said.
~lt's still an austere life."
The 3,300-acre abbey includes
1,800 acres of working farmland.
The days, which start at 3:15
a.m. and last until 8 p.rn., are
dedicated to work, meditation
and learning, interspersed with
seven periods of prayer, including
Mass.
There was never any vows of
silence as many believe, but
there are strict rules of silence.
Monks learned 500 basic hand
signals to communicate.
The Second Vatican Council in
the early 1960s got rid of man5'
rules and regulations, but it still
is no cake walk.
Those who enter the
monastery don't have a clue of
what it is all about, O'Connor
said. They are enticed by the
environment, the people, and the
work of building and running the
monastery.
"It's only as time goes by and
you become indoctrinated into
the interior life," he said. "The
Lord goes to work on you to bring
about a transformation."
Rob Kunder
camp, he set off to San Fran-
cisco, ready to ship out to the
Pacific theater to fight the
Japanese.
But the war had ended in
early August with the atomic
bombs dropped on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki that led to
Japan's surrender.
Navy crews still were
needed. By the end of August,
he arrived in Japan and was
put on duty aboard a mine
sweeper.
In December, while sta-
tioned near Nagasaki, he and
two others decided to take a
look at the bombed city.
"We hired some lapanese to
take us; they wouldn't go. They
bowed, wouldn't take our
money," he said.
They soon found out why.
"We walked up that hill and
the sight r saw changed my
whole life," he said. "I saw
what human beings could do
In August 1949, James
O'Connor entered New
Melleray.
He was not alone. There was
an influx of men to the abbey
after the war.
The monastery was only half
completed after the Civil War,
when men and money ran out.
"They decided to complete
the . second . half of the
monastery, so all of us liberal
arts guys from college were
broken in as construction
workers," he said.
In addition to the regimen of
farm work, O'Connor quarried
stone, laid foundations and
mixed concrete.
"I el,ded up as a master
stone mason, laying the face
stone for the front of the
monastery," he said.
. . Brother Al Bracket, 78, was
of landing in one pIece. Their born on July 14, 1927, on the
tour completed, the membe~s Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
of the La-Dee-Doo went their A love of the outdoors filled his
separ~l.te ways. Except for an early life with hunting and
occaSIOnal card, they W'ere not skiing. His social calendar
to meet up agan~ for 50 years. didn't suffer as he also enjoyed
Back home, 0 Connor made dating girls.
": bee line for a college educa- "I wasn't a great church-goer,
tJ~f" ., but! prayed a lot," he said.
Being Insh and from His life changed on Dec. 7,
Chicago, my idea was to go to 1941. He was 14.
Notre Dame and see all" the "Us kids were out skiing.
football games I could, he Went in for hot chocolate," he
said. said. "At 5 o'clock in the
But aft~r a ~earand a half evening, one of the neighbor
and mIssing hIS fnends from ladies came in and said, 'The
the old neighborhood, he Japanese bombed Pearl
joined them at DePaul Univer- Harbor,' My question was
sity in Chicago, where he grad- 'Where's Pearl Harbor?'"
uated. As time went by, gas ra-
Still searching for his next tioning and other daily life im-
step, O'Connor entered grad- pacts of the war set in.
uate school. but only for a year MovieTone News reels in the
as he took a tally of his life. theaters spoke of lapanese
What he had seen in the war, atrocities. He saw his friends
the loss of his brother and too head off to serve.
many friends proved to him "I got the bug. I wanted to
the transience of life. join the service," he said, with
"That year and a half at an eye on the Marine Corps. A
Notre Dame was like a retreat Navy recruiter said that if he
where I could spiritually get on signed up with him, he could
the ball and evaluate what was transfer to the Corps.
important in life," he said. "Dumb me, at 17, I didn't
A lecture by a former Army know the difference. He had a
chaplain who spoke of the quota to fill," he said.
monasteries of Europe trig- Too young, he worked on his
gered a search that led to the parents to sign for his enlist-
discovery of a Trappist abbey ment, He was called for active
near Dubuque. dutY in lune 1945. Out of boot
Sailor
Contri......
Lt. Jim O'Connor, shown here
at 20 years old, was in the
U.S. Army Air Corps.
Continued from Page
inro the war. He was among
tIrose sent to fly a P-40
~awk, made famous by
CJ:re Chennault's Flying
T!S' in the China-Burma-
I a theater.
went down behind
e y lines, never to be heard
fJ'!'llh again. The loss influenced
the younger O'Connor to
follow into the Air Corps.
Tests qualified him as a pilot,
bQJl1bardier or navigator. He
chose the latter, thinking he
could use the skills later if he
survived the war.
':One day a sergeant walked
in and announced, 'We have
an overload of potential navi-
gators. We need volunteers to
become pilots. You are all re-
classified as pilots,''' he said.
He hoped to land a place on
a medium bomber like the
B-25 "Mitchell," but again the
service had other ideas.
"In typical Army fashion,
weighing about 140 pounds,
they put me in the biggest ship
they had, a B-17," he said of
the renowned "Flying Fortress."
T,he 19-year-oId O'Connor
Wag made co-pilot of the 10-
member crew ofLa-Dee-Doo.
Together, they survived the
shrapnel-loaded "flak" explo-
sions of anti-aircraft ground
fire' and the streaking attacks
of Messerschmitt fighter planes
in 35 missions over Hitler's
Germany.
"You shared life-and-death
situations with that handful of
mfrt," he said of the bond that
formed. "Your lives depended
oii'i:me another and you are
gd'fng to live or die together,"
Each plane took off with up
to'~',500 gallons of high-octane
filet and 7,000 to 8,000 pounds
ofbombs.
'Nlid-air collisions and crash
lal\'dings were part of the mix.
Ol'rly one in three would sur-
Vive.
''They told us to prepare for
lite'and-death situations, see
the chaplain before you leave
and get squared away with the
L6'id," he said.
''!'he odds of survival in-
c~ased with every mission as
experience bettered the odds
.
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