Brother Luke Zygmond
Dowal OSB

Monk of Saint John's Abbey
Collegeville, Minnesota

Born: December 18, 1923

Professed: March 21, 1960

Died: September 19, 2025

Zygmond Stanislaw Dowal was born on December 18, 1923, to Vincent and Stephania (Szczawinski) Dowal in Gardner, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Zygmond was the middle child in the Dowal family with an older brother and younger sister. “Ziggy,” as his classmates nicknamed him, attended the local elementary school and then Gardner High School where he graduated in 1941. After the outbreak of World War II, Ziggy entered the Merchant Marines in 1942 and served the war years at sea, sailing all over the world, but mostly in the tropics. After the war, Ziggy continued to sail around the world with merchant ships. During a home vacation in 1956, Ziggy felt a desire to enter religious life. His mentor, Father Tom Lewis, SJ, inspired him to look at the Benedictines.

Ziggy found his way from the sea to the shores of Lake Sagatagan through the kindness of Father Damian Baker, OSB, who was pastor of the Benedictine parish of Saint Anselm’s in New York City. Father Damian recognized Ziggy’s monastic calling and arranged for him to enter Saint John’s Abbey. At the age of thirty-four, Ziggy arrived at Saint John’s in May 1958 to become a brother candidate.

Upon entering the novitiate in 1959, Ziggy received the name of Luke. Brother Luke made his first profession of vows as a Benedictine monk on March 21, 1960. During his early years as a monk, Brother Luke worked in the garden, the carpenter shop, the monastic dining room, and the sacristy. 

In April 1963, Brother Luke was assigned to Saint John’s priory in Tepeyac, Mexico. While in Mexico, Brother Luke made his solemn vows in Rancho De Nuestra Señora Del Lago de Guadalupe to Prior Odo Zimmerman, OSB, on March 5, 1967. During his stay in Mexico, Brother Luke learned how to cook and bake, an interest he would enjoy throughout his life, often providing memorable desserts to his confreres at special meals. Brother Luke once commented about his cooking skills: “It’s another talent. It’s God’s gift. Use them! Especially in a community, if you have talents, you should use them to make life better.”

Returning to Saint John’s in 1967, Brother Luke was appointed sacristan, worked in the Saint John’s University library, and began taking courses at the Saint Cloud School of Nursing to obtain a nursing degree. From 1972-1978, Brother Luke served as the abbey infirmarian for the retired monks of the abbey. In 1976 he oversaw the expansion of the infirmary and its relocation to Saint Raphael Hall.

Brother Luke resumed his tasks as abbey sacristan again in 1978. This became Brother Luke’s ministry for the next thirty years until his retirement in 2008. As sacristan, Brother Luke was the man behind the scenes, preparing for the daily Eucharist and Liturgy of the Hours and cleaning the abbey church and lower chapels, a “liturgical engineer,” as he described the position. The community became accustomed to Brother Luke’s quiet presence and humble service. Blessed with a deep speaking voice, Brother Luke also anchored the bass section of the abbey schola.

One of Brother Luke’s life-long passions was painting. He slowly developed a talent that began when he was a youngster who enjoyed drawing and painting with watercolors. In 1969 he began to paint with oils, having taken only one formal art class on color in 1975. Brother Luke painted flower arrangements, landscapes, seascapes, and an occasional portrait. He was meticulous and detailed in his art, often constructing his own wooden picture frames and giving away most of his paintings. One of his many paintings, entitled “Sunrise at Mount Hood,” enhances a wall in the Founders’ Room of Saint John’s University. About his paintings, Brother Luke said, “They help me keep alive to a sense of wonder in the world.”

After retirement, Brother Luke continued to be active in his monastic duties by volunteering for table reading in the monastic refectory and regularly serving as weekly prayer leader. He inspired his confreres by his steady friendly presence, faithfulness to common prayer, community mindfulness, and optimistic enjoyment of life, and shared his deep spirituality with many lay friends and oblates. Brother Luke loved nature and was in awe of the beauty of all creation. He also enjoyed working in the woodworking shop and endeared himself to his fellow artisans there over many years.

Brother Luke died on 19 September 2025 in the retirement center at Saint John’s Abbey. He is survived by a niece and nephew and the community at Saint John’s Abbey. The monks, family, and friends will receive the body at 7:00 pm on Thursday 25 September and celebrate the Mass of Christian Burial for Brother Luke at 3:30 pm on Friday, 26 September in the Saint John’s Abbey and University Church, with interment in the Abbey Cemetery. The service will be live-streamed on YouTube.com/SaintJohnsAbbey