Generosity Ignites Community: The Coborn Family Gifts The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition to Sisters of Saint Benedict, College of Saint Benedict

A gift that began with one family’s generosity has become a lasting expression of faith, tradition, and shared purpose at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota.

St. Joseph, Minnesota– “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 9:10–11)

The Bible teaches us that generosity and kindness are self-multiplying forces. We are so pleased to announce that the College of Saint Benedict in Collegeville, Minnesota, has been impacted by this kind of generosity.

The story of the gift began when the Coborn Family Foundation benevolently chose to gift a Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible to the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict. The sisters, in turn, chose to increase the gift’s reach by donating the seven-volume illuminated Bible to the College of Saint Benedict, creating an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to encounter the beauty and meaning of this remarkable work.

“These days, people are often feeling that we are in a time of darkness. This Bible is something so beautiful and so good,” said Prioress Karen Rose. “The giving and receiving of it is a sign of confidence and belief that there is another way to live. That there’s light and there’s life and there’s goodness in the world. We were honored to receive the Bible from the Coborn family and are thrilled to share it with the College of Saint Benedict, which is part of our legacy.”

Leadership with The Saint John’s Bible and with Saint John’s Abbey and University had long tried to find ways to gift a Heritage Edition to the Sisters of Saint Benedict. So, leadership was incredibly moved when the Coborn family decided to make the gift possible.

“When I first heard that the Coborn family was interested in gifting a Heritage Edition to the Sisters, I just thought, ‘How incredible,’” said Brian Bruess, President of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. “It’s a beautiful expression of generosity, and incredibly profound.”

When the Foundation approached the Sisters with the gift, the community was preparing to move into a smaller monastery as part of its long-term planning. Though incredibly honored by the gift, the Prioress wanted to ensure the Bible would have a home where it could be seen, studied, and appreciated rather than placed in storage.

Sharing it with the College was the natural solution. The Sisters founded the institution, and although the relationship between the two communities has evolved over the years, their connection remains strong.

“We’re still four separate institutions,” said Prioress Rose, referencing Saint John’s Abbey, the Sisters of Saint Benedict, the College of Saint Benedict, and Saint John’s University. “But we’re really focusing more on what we can do together, and I feel that giving a Heritage Edition to the College of Saint Benedict is part of that bigger picture. It symbolizes how we can accomplish more if we do it together.”

The Dedication Ceremony: Shining a Light on Community and Stewardship

The institutions officially welcomed the gift with a prayer service designed to honor the generosity of the Coborn Family Foundation and celebrate the acceptance of the gift.

On a rainy day in mid-September 2026, the seven volumes were carried into the chapel by the Sisters and others close to their community. Readings drawn from the volumes reflected on light and the call to let one’s light shine. At the conclusion of the service, representatives of the Sisters and the College came together, closing the books and physically passing them from one generation of stewardship to the next.

The ceremony also included the Sisters’ historic torch. Torches were used until the 1960s as part of the Pageant held at the College of Saint Benedict at the start of each academic year to symbolize the passing of the light. Prioress Rose passed the torch to College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University President Brian Bruess, who carried it as he led the congregation out of the chapel and across campus.

For Bruess, the symbolism captured the significance of the gift.

“To have the Sisters, our founders and sponsors, the women who envisioned the College of Saint Benedict, invite us to hold the torch on their behalf, was profound,” said President Bruess. “There’s a really significant gravitas and a sense of responsibility that comes with this gift.”

Mary Geller, Associate Provost for Student Success at the College, was similarly moved by the Sisters’ generosity.

“I have always experienced nothing but generosity from the sisters,” said Geller. “When they told us they were going to give us the Bible, I was really moved and touched.”

The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition as a Living Resource

The Heritage Edition will have a permanent home in Clemens Library, where a custom wooden display and storage case built by the monks of Saint John’s Abbey will hold all seven volumes. Crafted with wood from the Saint John’s Arboretum, the case will reflect another connection between the Benedictine communities and their shared commitment to stewardship.

One volume will be displayed while the others remain accessible for readers to explore. The College also plans to incorporate the Bible into coursework across disciplines, including art, English, history, philosophy, and theology. The volumes may also become part of campus worship and liturgical celebrations.

“Our responsibility now is to make it as available as possible and to integrate it into the student and employee experience,” said Bruess.

That accessibility is central to the Bible’s purpose. Commissioned by Saint John’s Abbey and University in 1998, The Saint John’s Bible brings together contemporary biblical scholarship, traditional calligraphy and original artwork to create a handwritten, illuminated Bible for the modern world.

“It’s my pleasure to offer a full-hearted invitation to all to now benefit from this gift and this symbolic sharing of this gift,” said Bruess. “I invite students, parents, siblings, and community members to participate in igniting the spiritual imagination of the world, through The SaintJohn’s Bible.”

Through the generosity of the Coborn Family Foundation and the Sisters’ decision to share the gift, it will be a living resource for discovery, conversation, and contemplation, carrying the Benedictine tradition forward while inviting new generations to encounter the power of the Word.

The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Program would like to express immense gratitude to The Coborn Family Foundation for their incredible generosity. It is a privilege to watch as this gift grows in scale and impact. Thank you.

The Saint John’s Bible: Ignite the Spiritual Imagination

To read more stories similar to this one, visit the blog on saintjohnsbible.org, subscribe to our e-newsletter, Sharing the Word, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.