 He joined the Scholasticate of the De La Salle Christian Brothers in Winona, Minnesota, U.S.A. on December 10, 1956.He studied at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, a Christian Brother-run college in Winona and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at the top of his class at the age of 19.He obtained his Master of Arts in English Literature from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., the year after.