Abbot John Klassen OSB has retired from his leadership of Saint John’s Abbey in Minnesota after 23 years of leadership. As Abbot John enters retirement he expects to stay involved with Bridgefolk but is stepping back from his leadership role there as well.
Sr. Ann Marie Biermaier OSB of neighboring St. Benedict’s Monastery has agreed to replace Klassen as Bridgefolk’s Catholic co-chair.
In 2001, only a few months into his service as abbot, Klassen invited Bridgefolk to make the abbey its home. As Bridgefolk organized itself in the following year, he became Bridgefolk’s Catholic co-chair, a role that he enthusiastically continued until now.
Sister Biermaier is director of the Studium program for visiting scholars at St. Benedict’s Monastery and is on the board of the College of St. Benedict. She has participated in Bridgefolk for many years and joined the board in the Spring of 2023.
Klassen retired at midnight on January 7 as he approached his 75th birthday. Having begun a discernment process upon the announcement of his retirement months earlier, the monks of Saint John’s Abbey began meeting on January 8 to select their new abbot. On January 9, they selected Fr. Douglas Mullins to be the 11th abbot of the community. To the surprise of all present, the community required only a single ballot to reach its decision, according to Fr. Eric Hollas.