MINDFUL OF THEIR INITIAL MISSION at the Abbey’s founding in 1856 to the German immigrants and seeing similarities in today’s local Latino community, the monks of Saint John’s feel called to continue this 165-year-old mission to serve immigrants of central Minnesota, some of whom have been in the USA for years if not decades. In addition to offering the pastoral assistance of monks to cover the spiritual and sacramental needs of these Latino immigrants, the Abbey is committed to providing basic counseling and support in matters of the immigrants’ legal and material necessities. With the support of the Saint John’s Abbey Center of Latino Ministry, the Latino community and Saint John’s Abbey together will continue the labor of building up the Church—the Body of Christ—in central Minnesota.