Br. Dietrich Reinhardt

A Caring Bridge Web site has been established for Br. Dietrich to allow communication about his health to the many people we know care about him and are praying for him. The address is: www.caringbridge.org/visit/brotherdietrich. Personal messages can be left at the site or cards can be sent to Br. Dietrich in care of the Office of the President. Those who go to the site will be asked to sign in with their e-mail address and provide a couple of other pieces of general information.

Dear members of the Saint John's and Saint Ben's Communities,

I am writing to you with a health announcement about Saint John's University President Br. Dietrich Reinhart, OSB.

During a recent physical exam Br. Dietrich had with the Mayo Clinic's Executive Health Program, three nodules were found in his left lung, each of them about one centimeter in diameter, plus a number of smaller nodules in both lungs.

The diagnosis from the biopsy revealed that the nodules found in Br. Dietrich's lungs are metastatic melanoma. This is a very serious situation but with the advances in research and treatment we also have reason to hope. Br. Dietrich had planned to return to Saint John's today, but the doctors at the Mayo want to run some more tests today. He has an appointment on October 10 with a leading melanoma specialist and we will know more after that time.

The Executive Committee of the Saint John's Board of Regents met for a regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday morning.  The Board of Regents and the Executive Committee have expressed their full support of Br. Dietrich and the University and their confidence in the strong administrative leadership team.

Please keep Br. Dietrich in your thoughts and prayers. The support of the Saint John's and Saint Benedict's communities mean a great deal to him.

Jim Frey
Chair, Board of Regents
Saint John's University

Statement from MaryAnn Baenninger, CSB President

To the SJU and CSB Communities,

As we join together to support Br. Dietrich during this extremely difficult time, please know that I and my senior colleagues at CSB stand ready to assist Br. Dietrich and the SJU Community in any way that we possibly can.  I have spoken to Jim Frey, Chair of the SJU Regents, to express our support and to ensure him that the day-to-day operations of the coordinate colleges are in good hands with an excellent joint cabinet, and that those of us at CSB will support our SJU colleagues to the fullest extent of our capabilities.

We keep Br. Dietrich firmly in our thoughts and in our prayers.

MaryAnn Baenninger
President
College of Saint Benedict