Kleespie accepted into novitiate

Former Morris resident Nick Kleespie was formally accepted into the novitiate at Saint John's Abbey in Collegeville in mid-September. Among Roman Catholic religious orders, the novitiate constitutes the first year of testing one's vocation in the religious order. Novice (Brother) Nick is one of four new novices who have been formally accepted this year into the novitiate of Saint John's Abbey, a large Benedictine monastery in Central Minnesota that sponsors Saint John's University.

Kleespie is the son of Bill and Sue Kleespie of Morris. He graduated in 2002 from Morris Area High School, and then from Saint John's University, Coll-egeville, in 2006 with a major in music education. He served with the Saint John's Benedictine Volunteer Corps at St. Maurus Hanga Abbey, Tanzania, Africa. He has worked for the Saint John's Boys' Choir, Saint John's University Campus Ministry, and as a Saint John's University faculty resident.