John credits the Benedictine Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery in Yankton, SD for his introduction to Benedictine life. As a student at Mount Marty College in Yankton, John had the opportunity to have many of the Sisters as professors; he also became individually acquainted with several of the Sisters through the campus ministries Prayer Partner program. After graduating from Mount Marty in 1995, John worked as a teacher in Kansas City for two years. He then moved to California and spent several years working as an inventory controller for an electronics company.

Sensing a call to religious life, John decided to move back to South Dakota in order to include his family in the process of discernment. He visited several of the Sisters at Sacred Heart who recommended that he look into Mount Michael.

Since coming to Mount Michael, John has tapped into his farming roots by helping Fr. John in the garden and Br. Mel with the horses for Camp St. John. During his postulancy John will learn about Mount Michael’s history and continue to discern whether he fits into its future.