Rectors of the Saint John’s Seminary

Athanasius Meyer, OSB1898-1899
Bernard Kevenhoerster, OSB1899-1907
Alcuin Deustch, OSB1907-1909
Severin Gertken, OSB1909-1922
Odilo Kohler, OSB1922-1928
Basil Stegmann, OSB1928-1929
Ulric Beste, OSB1929-1939
Gregory Roettger, OSB1939-1950
Rt. Rev. Msgr. William A. Renner1950-1963
Fr. Harold Dimmerling1963-1969
John Eidenschenk, OSB1969-1971
Alfred Deutsch, OSB1971-1977
Kieran Nolan, OSB1977-1980
William Skudlarek, OSB1980-1984
Fr. Mark Willenbring1984-1988
Kevin Seasoltz, OSB1988-1992
Timothy Kelly, OSBJuly-November, 1992
Dale Launderville, OSBDecember, 1992-August, 1997
Robert Pierson, OSBAugust, 1997-June, 1999
Luke Steiner, OSBAugust, 1999-2001
Abbot John Klassen, OSB2002-2007
Michael Patella, OSB2007-

From 1949 until 1988, the seminary was under the jurisdiction of the bishop of the St. Cloud Diocese. See the Summer 1988 SJU Alumni Magazine article (p. 11):

 “In conjunction with the appointment of a new Rector, Bishop Hanus and Abbot Jerome announced revision of the 1949 agreement between the Diocese of St. Cloud and Saint John’s Abbey concerning the seminary. For 38 years the diocese has owned and managed the seminary building and provided personnel for the seminary program. Under the new arrangement the diocese will continue to assist in staffing the seminary, but will transfer ownership of St. Cloud Hall [now Emmaus Hall], the seminary building, to Saint John’s. The seminary program will continue under the auspices of the Abbey and the University.”