Stewardship
Through our Catholic faith we know that God formed the earth and all it holds and entrusted it to our care. Our love for God ought to be reflected in our promotion of environmental stewardship. As Benedictine monks our vow of stability roots us to our one common home and we make every effort to protect and care for such a place. Our vow of conversatio morum, or “conversion according to a monastic manner of life,” requires simplicity of life and communal sharing of goods and resources. Humility, or fear of the Lord, calls us to be aware that God is in everything and that we are connected to God through the beauty of nature. As Catholics and as monks we share an obligation with all on earth to be stewards of God’s creation.
Saint John's Abbey Arboretum:
A Special Ecological and Spiritual Home
The picturesque landscape of Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum that we enjoy today has been shaped by more than 160 years of community, work, prayer, and a vision for the long term.
This unique convergence of prairie, oak savanna, northern hardwoods, conifers, lakes, wetlands, and bogs cared for by the abbey was dedicated a natural arboretum in 1997. Rather than labeled trees in rows, we feature the incredibly biodiverse and increasingly rare native plant communities unique to this part of North America. Rooted in the Benedictine principles of stability, hospitality, and stewardship, the Abbey Arboretum mission centers around conservation, education, research, and spiritual renewal.
Opportunities to support the health and growth of the Abbey Arboretum
Land Legacy Fund:
Dedicated endowment to support land stewardship activities.
Abbey Conservation Corps:
Regular volunteer opportunities open to anyone over 18 with a passion for the environment.
– No experience necessary –
Saint John's Solar Farm
The Rule of Benedict declares that all who wish to become monks must take a vow of Stability. They commit themselves to live in one place, the monastery, where they will pray and work for life, maintaining it for the monastic community both now and for generations of monks to come. To this end, they must be stewards of their environment. Converting to solar energy is but one way that Saint John’s Abbey practices environmental stewardship in this generation.
The solar installations at Saint John's are the first highly visible step in achieving carbon neutrality. It demonstrates our commitment to the American College and Universities President's Climate Commitment and to the Benedictine value of stewardship. Saint John's hopes this large scale project will pave the way for clean energy in Minnesota.
Sustainable Energy
The solar farm is the product of three generations of solar panel technology:
2009 - Phase 1. 400-kilowatt solar farm. At that time, it was the largest contiguous solar project in Minnesota. 1,820 single-access panels rotate with the sun, tracking from east to west. This section produces about 4% of Saint John's energy needs on an annual basis, and up to 20% of peak power needs in perfect conditions.
2014 - Phase 2. 182-kilowatt addition to the solar farm. 616 south-facing modules fixed at 35-degrees produce an additional 1.6% of SJU annual energy production and up to 8% in peak power conditions.
2017 - Phase 3. At 3 gigawatts, this solar garden is six times larger than phases 1 and 2 combined. Under rules for community solar gardens, the university and abbey can buy a maximum of 40% of the electricity produced. The additional power generated by the farm is sold to Xcel Energy. With the three phases combined, the solar farm provides about 19% of Saint John’s needs and up to 90% in peak power conditions.
Education
Saint John’s Abbey is committed to its educational apostolates. We are grateful that our solar farm may be used by both experts and amateurs to compare the amount of electricity produced by three generations of solar panels, both tracking and fixed systems. The solar panels are used by several departments on campus, especially environmental studies, for research. Additionally, Saint John's Outdoor University has developed an energy class for K-12 students and others.
Tours of the solar field are available for all types of groups, at varying levels of technical knowledge. If you are interested in a guided tour, there are associated fees depending on group size, length of tour, and type of group. Complete the solar tour request form to begin the process of scheduling a tour for your group, and we will correspond with you about the details.
Please note that you are welcome to visit the solar farm on your own at any time. The area is fenced off and while you are not able to walk right up to the panels for safety reasons, you are welcome to walk the perimeter. There is currently one panel with information about the solar farm posted on site and plans for an educational kiosk are in the works.
The Saint John’s Abbey Sugar Shack
The Sugar Shack is the center of the annual Saint John’s Maple Syrup Festival, producing gallons of all natural maple syrup, and inviting participants to join in and learn the entire process of harvesting syrup, from “tapping” trees, collecting sap, and observing the final stages of reduction in the newly outfitted Sugar Shack.