Benedictines offer place of healing, hope for Wetterling family

Jacob Wetterling’s memorial service on Sept. 25 continued a firm commitment by the local Benedictines in response to the child’s disappearance in 1989.

“Nearly 27 years ago, members of the St. Ben’s and St. John’s community, the sisters and monks of the order of St. Benedict and the people of St. Joseph linked arms to search for Jacob,” College of St. Benedict president Mary Dana Hinton said at the outset of the memorial service.

St. Benedict hosted the thousands who attended the Wetterling memorial service at the college’s field house in St. Joseph, Minn. The many attendees filled two-thirds of the floor as they came to pay respects for Jacob and support the family.