Three Benedictines celebrate
jubilees at Saint Meinrad

On July 31, the Benedictine monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey in St. Meinrad celebrated the jubilees of monastic profession of Father Prosper Lindauer, Brother Charles DeSutter and Father Cassian Folsom.

Father Prosper joined the order 60 years ago, Brother Charles has been a monk for 50 years and Father Cassian became a Benedictine 25 years ago.

A native of St. Henry, Ind., Father Prosper made his profession of vows on Aug. 10, 1945, and was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1950. He completed his studies at Saint Meinrad then received a master’s degree in Greek with minors in Latin and linguistics from St. Louis University.

Father Prosper taught at Ferdinand High School in Ferdinand, Ind., and was assistant pastor of the Ferdinand parish in the Evansville Diocese from 1951-52. He taught Greek and Latin at Saint Meinrad’s high school and college from 1953-65. For the next five years, he made vestments for the monks and vestments that were sold by the monastery.

In January 1970, with the permission of the archabbot, Father Prosper became a hermit and lived in a farmhouse outside Ferdinand, where he spent much of the day in prayer and celebrated the Byzantine Divine Liturgy. Since 2003, he has resided in the monastery.

A native of Ghent, Minn., Brother Charles professed his vows as a Benedictine monk on Feb. 10, 1955.

He has served in a variety of assignments at Saint Meinrad, including working in the kitchen, bakery, vegetable garden, Scholar Shop, Guest House kitchen, Abbey Paint Shop, Archabbey Library and monastery infirmary. He also served the monastery by helping with landscaping work.

For two years, Brother Charles assisted at one of Saint Meinrad’s daughter houses, Prince of Peace Abbey, in Oceanside, Calif. He currently serves on the house prefect staff and enjoys creating icons.

A native of Lynn, Mass., Father Cassian professed his vows as a Benedictine monk on Aug. 6, 1980, and was ordained a priest on April 29, 1984. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Saint Meinrad College in 1977 and a Master of Divinity degree in 1984 from Saint Meinrad School of Theology. Other degrees include a master’s degree in religious studies from Indiana University in 1981 and advanced degrees in sacred liturgy from Sant’ Anselmo in Rome in 1989.

From 1989-93, Father Cassian served as choirmaster for the monastery. He taught sacramental theology at Saint Meinrad School of Theology from 1989-92. In 1993, he began teaching at Pontificio Instituto Liturgico in Rome then served as the institute’s acting president from 1997-2000.

In 1999, Father Cassian became the prior of a monastic community that was moved to Norcia, Italy, the birthplace of St. Benedict, in 2000. He still serves the Benedictines as the leader of that monastic community. †