Brother James Krause, FSC (’65)

Brother James Krause believes his most impactful experience years at CBC (now CBU) was Vatican II. The theology classes were slowly moving out of a pre-Vatican II mindset and into a mindset that was more open to the world, more expansive inclusion of all that was human, and was based more on modern Sacred Scripture studies.

Brother Lawrence Leonard (Bruce Gebhardt), Brother James’ Scholasticate Director at CBC, asked him and another young Brother to introduce the guitar into the CBC community Vespers and Compline (prayers) in 1963, which eventually moved into the Mass and brought many CBU lay students to the Sunday and Lenten Masses — who in turn brought over their parents. Exciting times!

After graduation with a degree in Sociology in 1965, Brother James taught for six years in Kansas City, Missouri; five years in Tulsa, Oklahoma; six years in Chiquimula, Guatemala; and one year in Greenville, Mississippi. He also served as the Christian Brothers Vocation Director for seven years, four years as a staff member at Su Casa Catholic Worker in Chicago for Central American refugees and torture survivors, and as a pastoral associate in Hispanic parishes both in Kansas City and St. Paul for 15 years. He helped found Lasallian Tutors, primarily for newly arrived Hispanic children, in Kansas City. 

Presently, Brother James is retired and helping out at the De La Salle Blackfeet School in Browning, Montana and at his local parish. Along the way, he acquired an MA in Scripture Studies and an MA in Religious Studies.

Professor Hatz once told us in class: ‘If you want to know what the fashions will be like among white kids in the U.S. six months from now, go down to the Black community and see what the Black kids are wearing and listen to their music.’ His point: People who are low on the social ladder are usually the ones who start new trends, because they have so much less to lose than those who have more and have to guard what they have (wealth, reputation, ‘What will people think?’). Rap, R&B, torn jeans, high-five, etc.