Heart to Heart Summer 2003

TheFinalWordIsLove(Editor’s Note: When Fred M.

Rogers died on February 27, 2003, the impact of both his life and his death was felt through-out the world, but especially in Latrobe, his hometown. He helped found WQED, the nation’s first public television station, and developed “The Children’s Corner” in 1954, where many of his best-known puppets made their debut. The ordained Presbyterian minister returned to Pittsburgh in 1964 and began “Mister Rogers Neighborhood,” which received numerous Emmy Awards and accolades and honors worldwide. He had a long-standing relationship with Saint Vincent and many of its monks. Below are his words

about what Saint Vincent meant to him, taken from the book, “A Benedictine Place,” written for Saint Vincent’s sesquicentennial. Beginning on page 2 is a reflection on his death written by his close friend, Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B.)

From the road, Saint Vincent looks enormous and remote. But once we set foot within its community, we quickly discover how close it really is, and the only thing that’s enormous about it is its heart.

Saint Vincent was part of my very first neighborhood. Growing up in Latrobe, I was always aware of its presence; nevertheless, the bonds of friendship are what made it real to me. Even though my family has always been Presbyterian, one of my grandfather’s good friends was Archabbot Alfred Koch. My mother and father were close to Archabbot Denis Strittmatter. And Douglas Nowicki and I were friends long before he became the present archabbot — so the tradi-tion continues. I certainly hope that my sons and grandsons will be able to know the joy of friendships with the fathers and brothers of this extraordinary Benedictine community.

Whether we talk about it or not, we human beings long to know that we are lovable, that we have value, that what we most deeply hope for is real. We want to be sure that the madness of violence, greed, hatred, even death itself is not the final word of our existence.

We long to know that the final word is Love. God gives that Word for all of us who will receive it . . . through lasting friendships, through the trust of children, through the beauty and power of art and science, through forgiveness, through comfort in sorrow, through hospitality to a neighbor, and ultimately through Jesus the Christ our Lord.

For 150 years Saint Vincent has been helping its neighbors to understand and to experience God’s Word. May it continue to grow from strength to strength and to share its hope and heart with our world which needs more than ever what Saint Vincent has to give.

Fred M. Rogers

300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, Pennsylvania 15650-2690 724-532-6600http://benedictine.stvincent.edu/archabbey/ Volume 14, Issue 1 Spring 2003

Newsletter of the Benedictines of Saint Vincent Archabbey

1

Summer 2003

Christmas arrived a few days early for Rev. Lee R. Yoakam, O.S.B., who had the gift of returning to the Archabbey just a few days prior to the holi-day. The veteran of Operation Desert Storm had just spent nine months in the mountains of Afghanistan, working both as an Army chaplain and as a nurse with the 339th Combat Support Hospital. Articles on

Rev. Lee R. Yoakam, O.S.B.

BenedictineServesAsChaplainInAfghanistan

(Continued on Page 5)

See Page 18

FredM.Rogers1928-2003

his service appeared in The Latrobe Bulletin, The Tribune-Review and The Catholic Accent.

“The idea that I was going to Afghanistan to be a part of Operation Enduring Freedom was a bit scary at first, but then the excitement of the call-up kicked in,” he told the Bulletin’s Drew McMullin. “I served in Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia, so I was able to ready myself.

“When I was in the Nurse Corps, we were really involved in Desert Storm,” he said. “We were a couple of miles from Iraq, and we were in the middle of nowhere. We were the first ones in. Most of the other com-panies followed us and set up around us.”

Serving in the armed forces was a natural thing for Father Lee to do — his father had a career in the Air Force. Father Lee graduated from Grant High

Bishop Anthony G. Bosco leads a prayer during the ordination Mass of Father Brian D. Boosel, O.S.B., and Father Thomas P. Curry, O.S.B., on May 17. (See page 10)

SaintVincentArchabbey HearttoHeartSummer2003

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airing of the Mister Rogers’ Neighbor-hood series which he created over the years.

Saint Vincent has lost a beloved friend and neighbor. We join his family, friends, and countless neighbors in mourning the loss of someone who each day invited us into his neighborhood and affirmed us with his loving and encour-aging words: “You’ve made this day a special day by just your being you. There’s only one person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.” When he was recently honored at Saint Vincent College for his contribu-tion in children’s television, Fred asked the students to pause for a minute of silence and to think about those who have had a profound influence on their lives — those who have helped them to become the persons they are now. We now pause for a moment of silence to think about and to offer thanks for a gentle and caring neighbor who has had a profound influence on our lives. Thank you, Mister Rogers. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Archabbot of Saint Vincent

Our Beloved Neighbor

NewsFromAroundTheArchabbey

Rev. Cyprian G. Constantine, O.S.B., chairman of the Saint Vincent

College Fine Arts Depart-ment, was guest organist for the blessing service, dedica-tory recital and First Vespers of Epiphany at St. Emma Monas-tery in Greens-burg recently.

The pipe organ, constructed by the Organcraft Company of Pittsburgh, was the final item to be completed in the monastery’s new Cor Jesu Chapel.

When the sisters of St. Emma Mon-astery, Greensburg, built their new

chapel they included space for a pipe organ in the design. The new pipe organ was dedicated recently by Msgr. Robert J. Shuda, and played in concert by Father Cyprian, who was instrumental in helping the sisters fulfill their quest for the new organ. Father Cyprian is the Archabbey’s organist/choirmaster. Using two Moller Artiste pipe organs made in the 1940s, craftsmen rebuilt, releathered and rewired the pipe organ using parts from both to make one good working organ. The installation took several months to complete.

At the dedication concert, Father Cyprian played sacred and seasonal works.

He also performed the dedicatory recital for the new Allen organ at Holy Family Catholic Church, Seward, on March 2. He was assisted by Eric Black, voice student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

* * * * *Father Nathan Munsch, O.S.B.,

completed a doctorate in systematic theology from the Theology Department of Boston College in December of 2002. (Continued on Page 4)

The dissertation is titled “The Treatise on the Incarnation of Master Martin. S c h o l a s t i c Chistology in the Late Twelfth Century.” It consists of a critical text of and commen-

tary upon a treatise on the Incarnation written by a Master of Theology named Martin about 1200 in Paris, most likely at the University of Paris. The original text is a commentary on the Sentences of Peter Lombard and is quite lengthy. Father Nathan edited the section on the Incarnation which is about ten per-cent of the text. Even so, this consisted of about fifty pages of text in modern English format. The text is extant in only five manuscripts, two in Paris, two in regional libraries in France and one at St. John’s College, Cambridge. The

The Saint Vincent Community is deeply saddened by the death of Fred Rogers. We extend our heartfelt condolences and promise of prayers to Joanne, his beloved wife of 50 years, to his sons, Jim and John, to his sister, Laney Crozier, and to his entire family.

Through his nearly 50 years of television min-istry to children, Mister Rogers has become a part of many families. I have witnessed first-hand the tremendous impact that he had on the lives of children and families not only in the United States but also throughout the world. While his primary audience has been young chil-dren, people of every age have found words of wisdom and encouragement in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Fred Rogers was not an actor play-ing the role of a wise, gentle man; the Mister Rogers that we saw and loved on television was the same Mister Rogers that we saw and loved in everyday life

and work. People felt a special kinship with Fred Rogers because he spoke in a personal way to the deepest part of their being. He has helped young and old alike to deal with the fears and anxiet-ies of daily life — the fears and anxieties of growing up, of going to school for the first time, of going to the hospital, of growing

up in a broken family and many other concerns and challenges that young children face.

One of Fred’s favorite quotes was from Saint Exupery’s book, The Little Prince. It reads: “L’essential est invis-ible pour les yeux” — “The essential is invisible to the eye.” Fred Rogers was able to touch the invisible within each of us that longs for ultimate meaning and love. Future generations of children as well as adults will benefit from Fred’s often repeated message of affirmation and acceptance through the continued


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HearttoHeart,from the Latin

“Cor ad Cor Loquitur,” or “Heart Speaks to Heart,” is the motto of Archabbot

Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B. It refers to the Archabbot’s

prayer that giving and receiving authentic love may always be the chief charac-teristic of the Saint Vincent monastic community. This

was also the motto of Cardinal John Newman.

This newsletter is published by the Benedictines of Saint

Vincent Archabbey.

Publisher Archabbot Douglas R.

Nowicki, O.S.B.

Development DirectorWilliam P. Malloy

Writer/EditorKimberley A. Metzgar

Contributors to this issue:

Director of Public RelationsDonald A. Orlando

Public Relations AssociateTheresa Schwab

Rev. Gilbert T. Burke, O.S.B.Rev. Omer U. Kline, O.S.B.

Rev. Noel H. Rothrauff, O.S.B.

Saint Vincent Archabbey300 Fraser Purchase

Road, Latrobe,Pennsylvania 15650-2690

724-805-2601kim.metzgar@email.

stvincent.edu http://benedictine.

stvincent.edu/archabbey/

Inside This Issue . . .

The Final Word Is Love........... 1Chaplain in Afghanistan..... 1, 5Our Beloved Neighbor............ 2Archabbey News............. 2, 4, 6Heinz Gift................................. 3Saint Benedict’s Day .............. 5Sacrifice in the Desert ........... 7Jubilarian Day ......................8-9Ordinations...................1, 10-11Gristmill Video....................... 11Bureaucrat to Monk ............. 12Events.................................... 12Fire Department.................... 13Summerhill Anniversary. 14, 16Diaconate Ordination ........... 15The Little Flower................... 15

Unmarked Graves................. 16Muslim Dialogue................... 16Seminary Graduate............... 16Symposium Presenters........ 17Fellowship Awarded............. 17Organ Campaign .................. 18Ministry of Lector ................. 19Oblates .................................. 19A.J. Palumbo......................... 19Vows in Brazil........................ 19Vocation Booklet .................. 20Tribute Gifts........................... 20 Development Corner............ 21Obituaries.............................. 22A Life of Service.................... 23Retreat Schedule .................. 23Ash Wednesday in Rome ..... 23Benedictine Association ...... 24

A leadership grant of $1 million has been made by The Heinz Endowments to create the Fred M. Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College. A formal public announcement of the establishment of the Center is planned for September.

More than 40 years ago, Fred Rogers grasped the vast power of the television medium to serve the needs of children. Over several generations, his work has personally touched the lives of millions of children, parents, caregivers and professionals in the fields of educa-tion, child development, media and public policy. The Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College is an exciting and groundbreaking opportunity to continue his unique legacy of service to children and families by acting as a catalyst for its dynamic application into the future.

Fred Rogers, a native of Latrobe, has been a good neighbor and an integral part of the life of Saint Vincent College for decades. He had a personal and professional relationship spanning more than 30 years with Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., chancellor of Saint Vincent College, whose education and early career focused on child psychol-ogy. In 1979, the College coordinated and hosted a national symposium on Childhood and Creativity celebrating the 25th anniversary of Mister Rogers’ work in public television.

For more than two years, Saint Vin-cent has worked with Fred Rogers in developing his vision for a regional and national resource for education and best practices in early childhood learning and children’s media. Despite his untimely passing, Saint Vincent is committed to moving forward with those plans because of his support and special trust in the project. The Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College will help to reframe the ways that children, from the “early years” are understood and valued. With its emphasis on the social-emotional-cognitive approach to child development, the Center will promote early learning, the primacy of caring relationships between children and adults, and responsible uses of media.

Saint Vincent is grateful to the Endow-ments for its generosity in providing this major gift which makes the creation of the Center a reality. This funding will support part of the personnel and oper-ating costs for the first two years of the Rogers Center operation. Saint Vincent is in the process of meeting with other funding sources interested in fulfilling the long-term mission of the Center.

Fred Rogers received an honorary doctorate from Saint Vincent College in 1973. On May 13, 2000, he was the commencement speaker and recipient of the Saint Vincent Presidential Medal of Honor.

HeinzEndowmentsInitiatesGivingForFredM.RogersCenterWith$1Million


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dissertation was directed by Profes-sor Stephen Brown, chairperson and director of the Institute of Medieval Theology and Philosophy at Boston College.

Father Nathan studied at Boston College from 1996 to 2002 and taught half-time at St. Vincent until last semester while finishing the disserta-tion. The oral defense of the disserta-tion was held at Boston College on November 18, 2002.

Boston College has one of the larg-est departments of Theology of any Catholic university in the country and is commonly ranked as having one of the best theology programs of the Catholic universities in the country.

* * * * *Rev. William A. Beaver, O.S.B., has

had several arti-cles accepted for publica-tion. Liturgical Catechesis will publish “The Trinity and the E u c h a r i s t i c C e l e b r a t i o n : Capturing Our Triune God” in the June/July

2003 issue, and “Unfolding the Incar-nation Through Handel’s Messiah” in the December/January 2003/2004 issue. The Catholic Yearbook will pub-lish a poem titled “Little Ones Die Too” in an upcoming edition. And Pastoral Life magazine published “Ecumenism Enfleshed in Song” in the April 2003 edition. Finally, the National Catholic Reporter, published a poem entitled “Lent and War: A Paradox.”

* * * * *Father Daniel C. Wolfel, O.S.B.,

pastor of St. Mary Parish, Forbes Road, was pictured with some parishioners in The Catholic Accent while participating in the live nativity in Greensburg over the Christ-

ArchabbeyNews(Continued from Page 2)

mas holiday. Contributions benefitted the Westmoreland County Childrens’ Bureau.

* * * * *Rev. Martin R. Bartel, O.S.B., was

pictured with parishioners in The Blairs-ville Dispatch for conducting a used clothing collection to ben-efit area chari-ties. The parish is named for St. Martin of Tours, a fourth century Roman soldier turned monk, who later, reluc-

tantly, became bishop of the French city by that name. A legend recounts that on a bitterly cold day he met a man, nearly naked, begging at the city gate. Martin drew his sword, cut his cloak in two, gave one half to the beggar and wrapped himself in the other half. That night, in his sleep, Martin saw Jesus Christ dressed in the half of his cloak he had given away and heard him say, “Martin has covered me with this gar-ment.” Parishioners collected nearly 200 coats, jackets, sweaters, shirts and other articles of clothing.

* * * * *The works of two western Pennsyl-

vania photographers, Joshua T. Brock of St. Marys and Gary Thistlethwaite of Ligonier, were on display at the Saint Vincent Gristmill Museum and General Store in February.

Gristmill patrons were also treated to a bread and soup luncheon Fridays during Lent. To keep up on events at the Gristmill as they are happening, view the Gristmill’s website at http://benedictine.stvincent.edu/gristmill/.

* * * * *Br. Boniface P. Hicks, O.S.B., was

recently a guest speaker at a meeting of the Oblates of Saint Benedict, Latrobe Deanery.

* * * * *Rev. Lee R. Yoakam, O.S.B., was the

celebrant at a Day of Recollection held by the Saint Vincent College Women’s Auxiliary on March 10.

* * * * *Br. Rogerio Miranda de Almeida,

O.S.B., recently gave a talk at Saint Vincent College on the topic of “Anxious Thought … Søren Kierkergaard and Sig-mund Freud.” Br. Rogerio was at Saint

Vincent for a few weeks between teaching semesters in Rome and Brazil. He will be offering a course in the fall 2003 semester at Saint Vincent entitled, “Neitzsche and Postmodern Thought.”

* * * * *Father Campion P. Gavaler,

O.S.B., and Rabbi Jason Z. Edelstein will teach a course entitled “Catho-l i c - J e w i s h Dialogue” at Saint Vincent College in the fall 2003 semester. The course will be based on the dialogue b e t w e e n Catholic and Jewish schol-ars which was initiated by the Second Vatican Council.

“The dialogue has received new impetus from recent documents developed by scholars as well as by the institutions they represent,” Rabbi Edelstein said. “Students desirous of learning what is going on in the area of Catholic-Jewish dialogue will be invited to study and to explore what it is that unites and what it is that divides the two religious communities.”

Father Campion said that he and Rabbi Edelstein have enjoyed engag-ing in “Catholic-Jewish dialogue” twice a week over lunch since Rabbi Edelstein joined the faculty in 1968. “I hope we will be successful in extend-ing our dialogue to our students so that they may gain a deeper knowl-edge and appreciation of these two great religious traditions,” Father Campion said.

In January 1965, Saint Vincent Archabbey held a three-day sympo-sium in which Catholic and Jewish scholars engaged in dialogue about key biblical and theological ques-tions. This symposium antedated the Second Vatican Council document on Catholic-Jewish relations, which was promulgated in October of that same year. Father Campion said that the Saint Vincent symposium is now recognized as a significant ground-breaking event in the development of Catholic-Jewish dialogue. The papers

(Continued on Page 6)


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School in Portland, Oregon, in 1973 and earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology in 1979 from Old Dominion University, and a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Old Dominion in 1986. He later earned a master of sci-ence degree in administration from Cen-tral Michigan University and a master of divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary. When he earned his degree in nursing he spent about a decade in the Army Nurse Corps and following his discharge he joined the 339th Combat Support Hospital, based in Pittsburgh, as a reservist.

He made his solemn profession of monastic vows on July 10, 1999, was ordained to the diaconate April 10, 2000, and to the priesthood on May 19, 2001.

The tour of duty in Afghanistan was his first deployment as an Army chaplain. In Bagram he was told his unit would treat the injuries of American soldiers and their allies. But his first patients were four children. Father Lee, who holds the rank of major, told Angel Brownawell of the Tribune-Review that his unit had just set up the hospital when an American plane dropped a bomb on a village during a wedding on July 1, 2002. The bomb killed at least 25 civilians and injured about 100, including a five-year-

old Afghan boy who was given little chance of survival. But he beat the odds and was discharged just a few days before Father Lee was scheduled to return home. Most of the wounded the hospital treated were Afghani nationals and coalition fighters, with many injuries sustained from land mines.

“When you have a 19-year-old in the U.S., they think they’re invincible,” he said. “When you have a 19-year-old in a combat foxhole, thoughts of one’s mor-tality crosses one’s mind. It is a privilege to be there to talk about spirituality and one’s mortality.”

“Afghanistan is a very barren place,” he noted. “It is mostly dirt and moun-tains. When you fly over it, all you can see is tundra with sporadic mud huts where people live. It is as close to living in Jesus’ time as I have ever seen.”

The environment was very brutal, with daily dust storms and temperatures rising to nearly 120° during the day.

He flew over the Himalayas in a helicopter and brought home a flag to fly over the American Legion in his parents’ hometown, which is now Arma, Kansas.

Father Lee prayed for victims and patients, Christians and Muslims alike.

“I look at it this way: Our God and their God is the same God,” he said. “We were together in Biblical times, so I didn’t have a problem saying a prayer

for the dying.”He said the cross on the collar of his

uniform identified him as a Christian, and he was often asked questions about religion. Serving both the church and the military poses no conflict, Father Lee said, because war is justified if it preserves peace. If American lives are at risk, the country has a right and duty to defend itself, he said. “Chap-lains have always been with the military fulfilling a duty to help their country for peace.”

He is one of fewer than 100 Catholics in the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps, and Father Lee has been called up again. He left on Saturday, May 8, to report to Fort Stewart, Georgia. At Fort Stewart, he is the only Catholic chaplain. He is also serving as chaplain for Hunter Army Air Field, Savannah, which is near Saint Vincent’s Benedictine Priory.

“The Army is 25 percent Catholic,” he noted. “Currently, there are only 90 or so chaplains in the Army. It is my job, and I am willing to serve. It is like Boniface Wimmer: ‘I am on a mission’.”

Wimmer, Father Lee said, came to the United States to meet the needs of Europeans settling in western Pennsyl-vania. “He was a missionary to those in need and I view myself as a missionary like Boniface Wimmer to serve our mili-tary and their families here in the United States and abroad.”

(Continued from Page 1)

BenedictineServesAsChaplainInAfghanistan

SaintBenedict’sDayMass

Most Rev. Anthony G. Bosco, Bishop of the Greensburg Diocese, was the main celebrant, and Most Rev. Roger J. Foys, Bishop of the Covington, Kentucky, Diocese, was the homilist, at the Saint Benedict’s Day Mass held on Friday, March 21 at the Archabbey Basilica. Bishop Foys is pictured in the photo at right, while Bishop Bosco, center, is pictured in the upper left photo with Father Meinrad J. Lawson, O.S.B., Master of Ceremonies, left, and Br. Thomas P. Curry, O.S.B., who served as deacon for the Mass.


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delivered at this historic meeting were printed in Torah and Gospel, published by Sheed and Ward in 1966.

* * * * *Five Benedictines gave talks at the

weekly luncheon meetings of the Saint Vincent College Religious Studies Club recently. They included Brother Elliott Maloney, “The Transfigura-tion of Jesus”; Father Paul-Alex-ander Shutt, “The Institution of the Holy Eucharist as the sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery”; Br. Benedict Janecko, “Lenten and Penitential Psalms”; and Father Demetrius Dumm, “Jesus, Pilate, and the Truth in the Gospel of John.”

Father Thomas Hart presented “The History of the Rosary” to the club in February. Father Thomas has also had an article, “Ashes, Palms, and the Deadly Sins,” which appears in the Lent 2003 issue of Share the Word, published by the Paulist National Catholic Evange l i za t ion Association. He is also the author of the reflections for the six Sundays of Lent in the

same issue. His work appears in both the English and Spanish editions of the magazine.

* * * * *Father Mark E. Wenzinger, O.S.B.,

who will begin teaching philosophy at Saint Vincent College in the fall 2003 semester, has had his dissertation proposal approved by the faculty of the School of Philosophy of The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. The title of his dissertation pro-posal is “Michael Henry on the Nature of Human Self-Manifestation.” Father Mark has also been awarded a schol-arship for the spring 2003 semester by the CUA School of Philosophy, given in recognition of his exceptional merit as a student.

* * * * *Father Wulfstan F. Clough, O.S.B.,

associate professor of English, led a discussion on the Christian imagery in Lord of the Rings during the Family Weekend held in March at Saint Vincent College. His talk preceded a

ArchabbeyNews(Continued from Page 4)

showing of the J.R.R. Tolkien classic at Lonestar Cinema and Grill. Also during the Family Weekend, Father Paul R. Taylor, O.S.B., discussed the founding and history of Saint Vincent College and the latest news from campus, and Father Frederick C. Byrne, O.S.B., director of Campus Ministry, cel-ebrated Mass in the Basilica.

* * * * *Rev. Philip M. Kanfush, O.S.B.,

has received the master of education degree in special education from the University of Pittsburgh. In addition to his studies and his role as parochial vicar at Saint Vincent Basilica Parish, he is also teaching at Clelian Heights School for Exceptional Children in Greensburg. He plans to pursue doctoral studies in special education.

On January 4, 2003, nine Saint Vincent College students, two Saint Vincent seminarians and Fr. Paul R. Taylor, O.S.B., traveled to Newark, N.J., for the fourth annual trip to Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School. In the group were Melvin Cherry, Hans Ijzerman, Amanda Doman, Julia Cavallo, Dan Furman, Michael Schreck, Joy Tomko, Jodi Abraham, John Paul Otanwa, Samuel Odeh, and group leader David Alderson. The group spent a week at the school attending classes, tutoring, attending Convocation each morning, praying with the monks at Newark Abbey (the sponsoring Benedictine community of Saint Benedict’s), going to athletic events and learning more about Newark and the school. Part of the trip included a day-trip into New York City. Faculty at the school invited the Saint Vincent students to their homes and mentored the students throughout the week.

Students from Saint Benedict’s Prep then visited Saint Vincent College the weekend of February 1 for their annual ski trip. These students represented a par-ticular part of Saint Ben’s called the Renaissance Corporation. They implemented management strategies and tasks at the high school and gained valuable experi-ence for future careers. They skied at Seven Springs Mountain Resort during the day, and enjoyed the events of Saint Vincent College in the evening. The Saint Vincent students who traveled to Newark the month previously hosted the Saint Ben’s students for the weekend.


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Readers who enjoyed Journey Back to Eden, My Life and Times Among the Desert Fathers, by Father Mark Gruber, may be interested in learning that the backdrop of his journal, the author’s year-long study of the Coptic monks of Egypt, Sacrifice in the Desert, has just been published by the University Press of America.

The desert fathers of ancient Egypt are a fascinating historical phenom-enon which interests a great number of people. Sacrifice in the Desert, Father Mark’s newest book, is a study of the spiritual descendants of these monks who live out their lives in some of the most primitive and remote monaster-ies of the Sahara Desert. This scholarly work provides an insight into the histori-cal events which led to the emergence of these monks in the desert and their role as the cultural center of the Copts of Egypt in their struggle for survival from ancient times down to the present. The reader is escorted through the activities of a typical day in a Coptic monastery and is treated to the personal stories of a number of the monks. The reader is also privileged to follow the process by which a Coptic layman is transformed into a Coptic monk. Accounts such as these have never before been accessi-ble to the readers of the Western world.

The work includes a glossary of Coptic terms, a 27-page bibliography of the sources and works cited, followed by an author and a subject index.

Copies of Sacrifice in the Desert are

available from Father Mark, as well as from the editor of the book at 724-532-0955, and from the Saint Vincent College Book Center. The 264-page paperback book is retailing for $62.

Father Mark’s first book on the Coptic monks of Egypt, Journey Back to Eden, is also continuing to receive positive publicity and strong sales reports. In fact, just seven months after its initial publication by Orbis Books, Journey Back to Eden is in its second printing.

Father Mark read from the book in January at Barnes and Noble Bookstore, Greensburg. The book has attained “bestseller” status on several Barnes and Noble measures of book sales. In the travel department it was listed, as of February 21, as first in the top ten sales of the Middle East section (of 172 books recently listed); first in the top ten sales of the Africa section (of 1,142 books recent listings); and third overall in travel books (of 29,008 recent books listed). In the fluctuating accounting of gen-eral book sales across all lines, Father Mark’s book was sales ranked number 335 by mid-day February 20.

In the publicity department, Father Mark was interviewed on the nation-ally syndicated radio show, “Abound in Hope,” which originates in Mystic, Connecticut and airs on a variety of local stations across the country. And Journey Back to Eden was featured in articles in two local newspapers

Rev. Mark Gruber, O.S.B.

“SacrificeInTheDesert”LatestBookByFatherMarkGruberrecently.

“They’re very joyful, very happy. They take a great deal of delight in every moment ... They just find everything interesting and fascinating.” That’s what Father Mark told Deborah Deasy of the Tribune-Review in her feature article on Journey Back to Eden. “They have gardens. They pump water out of the desert floor. ... They grow wheat for bread. ... They grow orange trees. ... They make icons on papyrus. Lots of pilgrims bring them tea.”

He talked about the hardships of life in the desert and the very different perspective of the monks of the Coptic monasteries of Egypt. “The monks see themselves living at the heart of the church and praying for the people from whom they have come. They think their separation — their isolation and solitude — is not a rejection of those people, but precisely the means by which they enter into the heart of those people, in order to serve them. Their prayer is their power.”

Latrobe Bulletin News Editor Marie McCandless reviewed Father Mark’s book in the February 5 edition of the newspaper.

Now an associate professor of anthro-pology at Saint Vincent College, Father Mark wrote the book after spending a year among the Coptic monks of the Orthodox tradition of Egypt 15 years ago.


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Rev.FlavianG.Yelinko,O.S.B.SeventyYears,Ordination

June18,1933

Rev.DemetriusR.Dumm,O.S.B.SixtyYears,Profession

July2,1943

Rev.BrinstanG.Takach,O.S.B.SixtyYears,Profession

July2,1943

Rt.Rev.PaulR.Maher,O.S.B.FiftyYears,Ordination

June21,1953

Rev.PhilipP.Ghys,O.S.B.FiftyYears,Ordination

July25,1953

Br.MarkJ.Evans,O.S.B.FiftyYears,Profession

May17,1953

Rev.ReginaldG.Bender,O.S.B.FiftyYears,Profession

July2,1953

Rev.ThomasW.Devereux,O.S.B.FiftyYears,Profession

July2,1953

SeventeenBenedictinesCelebrate740YearsofServicein2003

JubilarianDayOnJuly11

Saint Vincent Archabbey will celebrate Jubilarian Day on Friday, July 11, feast of St. Benedict, Patriarch of West-ern Monasticism, with a Mass beginning at 10 a.m. in the Archabbey Basilica.

This year seventeen Bene-dictines will celebrate the 70th, 60th, 50th and 25th anniversa-ries of their monastic profes-sions or ordinations.


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Rev.JeremyJ.Bolha,O.S.B.FiftyYears,Profession

July2,1953

Rev.SimonJ.Toth,O.S.B.FiftyYears,Profession

July2,1953

Rev.CampionP.Gavaler,O.S.B.FiftyYears,Profession

July2,1953

VeryRev.KurtBelsole,O.S.B.Twenty-FiveYears,Ordination

May27,1978

Rev.MaurodeSouzaFernandes,O.S.B.Twenty-FiveYears,Profession

June24,1978

Rev.RichardUlam,O.S.B.Twenty-FiveYears,Profession

July10,1978

Rev.DonaldS.Raila,O.S.B.Twenty-FiveYears,Profession

July10,1978

Rev.FrederickC.Byrne,O.S.B.Twenty-FiveYears,Profession

July10,1978

Rev.PatrickT.Cronauer,O.S.B.Twenty-FiveYears,Profession

August29,1978

SeventeenBenedictinesCelebrate740YearsofServicein2003


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Two Benedictines Ordained To Priesthood May 17Brother Thomas P. Curry, O.S.B., and

Brother Brian D. Boosel, O.S.B., were ordained to the priesthood on May 17 by Most Rev. Anthony G. Bosco, Bishop of Greensburg, at the Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica.

Father Thomas is the son of Thomas P. Curry, Sr., and Mary Lou Curry of Great Neck, New York. His sisters are Mary Elizabeth Williams of Floral Park, New York, and Kathleen Mangels of Val-halla, New York.

Father Thomas attended St. Aloy-sius Elementary School and is a 1985 graduate of St. Mary’s High School. He received a bachelor of science degree in quantitative analysis from St. John’s University in 1989, and studied busi-ness at the University of West Florida. He earned the master of divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 2002. As a college student he was named to Who’s Who Among American Col-leges and Universities in 1989. He is a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon Interna-tional Fraternity and served as secretary and president at the Theta Sigma Chap-ter at St. John’s University.

He made his simple profession of vows July 10, 1997, and solemn profes-sion of vows on July 11, 2000. He has served as an assistant director of voca-tions (1998-2000) and as an assistant in the summer retreat program. In 2000 he was named a residence hall moderator at Saint Vincent College and assistant pool manager.

Father Brian is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph L. Boosel of Butler. His broth-ers are Jason, of Prospect, Pa., and

Adam, of Butler. He entered the mon-astery from Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen Parish, Butler.

He attended Butler Catholic Elemen-tary School and Butler Area Senior High School, where he graduated in 1992. He received a bachelor of arts degree in history from Saint Vincent College in 1996 and was a graduate student in history at Slippery Rock University from 1996 to 1997. He earned the master of divinity degree from Saint Vincent Semi-nary in 2002.

As a college student he was named to Who’s Who Among American Colleges and Universities in 1996 and received the Student Government Service Award in 1996. He was a four-year member of

Rev. Thomas P. Curry, O.S.B. Rev. Brian D. Boosel, O.S.B.

the Saint Vincent College Student Gov-ernment Association and was president of the Saint Vincent College Student Government from 1995 to 1996. He served as vice president of the Saint Vincent Seminary Student Association in 2001-2002.

He made his first profession of monastic vows on July 10, 1998, and solemn profession of vows on July 11, 2001. He was ordained to the diaconate on July 13, 2002.

In 1998 he was named assistant archivist of the Saint Vincent Archabbey Archives and assistant master of cer-emonies and sacristan. In 1999 he was named socius of novices in the Archab-bey Formation Program. In 2000 he was appointed Director of Sacristies.

In the photo at left, the Litany of the Saints as seen from a balcony in the Archabbey Basilica. The photo was taken by Father Noel H. Rothrauff, O.S.B. At right, Father Vincent E. Zidek, O.S.B., pastor of Saint Benedict Parish, Carrolltown, prays for Father Thomas Curry, O.S.B., during the ordination ceremony. Father Thomas served his deacon internship with Father Vincent at Saint Benedict. To the left of Father Vincent is Father Benjamin R. Walker, O.S.B., pastor of Saint Peter Parish, Pittsburgh, where Father Brian served his deacon internship.


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Ordination Set For July 12 For Benedictine Studying In Rome

Br. Cajetan P. Homick, O.S.B.

Brother Cajetan P. Homick, O.S.B., will be ordained to the priesthood on July 12 by Most Rev. Anthony G. Bosco of Greensburg at the Archab-bey Basilica. Brother Cajetan is the son of Paul and Patricia Homick of Brackenridge.

He attended Fairmont Elementary School and is a 1987 graduate of Highlands Senior High School. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science, with highest honor, from Saint Vincent College in 1991 and a juris doctor degree from Duquesne Law School in 1994. He received a bachelor of Sacred Theology degree, magna cum laude, from the Pontifical Ateneo di Sant’ Anselmo, Rome, Italy, in 2002.

Brother Cajetan is continuing to pursue graduate studies at the Pon-tifical Lateran University in Rome.

Prior to his arrival at Saint Vincent he served as an attorney for Fried,

Kane, Walters, Zuschlag and Gro-chmal of Pittsburgh (1994-1998); as vice president of the Catholic Cemeteries Association, Inc., of the Diocese of Pittsburgh (1996-1998) and as vice president of the Penn-sylvania Fire Service Institute, Inc., Harrisburg (1996-1998). He is pres-ently a member of the American Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Asso-ciation and the Allegheny County Bar Association.

Brother Cajetan made simple pro-fession of vows on July 9, 1999, and solemn profession of vows on July 11, 2002. He was ordained to the diaconate on July 13, 2002. He was appointed as Administrative Secretary to the Archabbot (1999-2001) and Assistant Fire Chief with the Saint Vincent Fire Department. He served as Assistant Director of the Voca-tion Office (1999-2000). In 2000 he was named socius of novices for the

New Saint Vincent Gristmill Video Wins AwardA new 30-minute video on the Saint Vincent Gristmill is now available. Entitled “More Than Just Our Daily Bread,” the

video takes the viewer from the fields to the kitchen as it traces the story of the Gristmill from the grains grown at Saint Vincent through the grinding process at the Gristmill and then through the baking of Saint Vincent Bread.

Produced by Video Communication Productions, Inc., the video is narrated by Jay Kuntz and Father Paul R. Taylor, O.S.B. Video Communication Productions recently entered the video in a festival competition, where it was judged a finalist and won a Tele Award.

The video was also reviewed recently in Old Mill News, the quarterly publication of the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills. The review noted that the video “offers an infor-mative and well-documented look at the entire cycle of wheat — from field to flour.”

Benedictines from Saint Vincent no longer operate the farm. Lone Maple Farms of New Alexandria, however, continues to plow and plant the grounds around the Archabbey. In the video, Fred Slezak, Lone Maple’s general manager, discusses modern-day farming methods and what it means to him to be able to continue a tradition started by Saint Vincent founder Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, who established the Gristmill in 1854.

The Gristmill was part of Wimmer’s plan to make his growing monastery, seminary and college self-sustaining. The monks grew their own fruits, vegetables and grains, including wheat, corn, barley, oats and buckwheat. The Gristmill’s machinery was even fueled by coal mined on the property. The monks baked their own bread and even made their own beer, a tradition which stopped at the onset of Prohibition. The antique milling equipment and freshwater quartz buhrstones from the Wimmer era are still in use today.

Father Paul, who at one time served as the miller, but now heads the monastic com-mittee operating the Gristmill, describes how the grains are cut, not crushed, by the burhstones, which are now electrically powered. The current miller, Br. Dominic J. Shipsky, O.S.B., is shown operating the equipment and packaging flour. Father Cuthbert A. Jack, O.S.B., concludes the production by showing how he makes Saint Vincent Bread.

The video is available at the Gristmill General Store, which is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Sundays. For further information on the store, which is located on Beatty Road, call 724-537-0304, or refer to the Gristmill’s website: http://benedictine.stvincent.edu/gristmill/.

Archabbey, a position he held until 2001, when he began graduate stud-ies in Rome.


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“From Witty Bureaucrat to Monk” was the headline in the January 5, 2003 edi-tion of The Carlisle Sentinel featuring Br. Bruno Daniel Heisey, O.S.B., who has been a member of the Saint Vincent Benedictine community for two years.

Staff writer Karla Browne noted that “the witty, dapper presence” of Brother Bruno is missed around the courthouse “since he traded his business suit for a monk’s habit.”

Brother Bruno had served for nine years as Deputy Recorder of Deeds working with Cumberland County Recorder of Deeds Bob Ziegler.

Brother Bruno’s father, Jacob, also a county employee, noted that “rarely a day goes by when I’m in Carlisle that someone doesn’t ask how he’s doing. He was right out on the front lines with the public every day — attorneys, abstractors, county employees. A lot of people knew him to one extent or other.”

“I have to confess to really being shocked,” Ziegler told The Sentinel. He describes entering a monastery as “a complete departure from what everyday life is for most folks.”

Browne, interviewing Brother Bruno, wrote:

“‘There is the mistaken notion that a monastery is either a place of silence and serenity or that it’s a penal colony — and neither is the case,’” he says.

“As a junior monk, he divides his days between attending to paperwork in the archabbot’s office and attending classes at the seminary.

“As a novice during his first year at

Saint Vincent, he also raked leaves or pulled weeds, depending on the season.

“That was no problem. I’ve always liked gardening. At my townhouse on North East Street (in Carlisle) I had a garden,’ he says.

“Other jobs that first year at the mon-astery included bagging flour in the abbey’s historic gristmill, built in 1854; scrubbing showers and lavatories; and washing cars in the monastery’s fleet.

“‘Monastic life, especially at a large monastery, can be very busy; and so, if a man goes to a monastery expecting to escape from work or responsibility or the challenge of dealing with other people, he would be as mistaken as if he were going to the hospital for a good

night’s rest,’ Heisey says.“The day’s duties are punctuated by

three periods of communal prayer and further spaced with private prayer.

“‘Life in the monastery has its good days and bad days, just like life outside the monastery,’ Heisey says. ‘There are some days when you can’t imagine doing anything else and there are some days when you can.’

“He views ‘those challenges and con-tradictions’ as a reminder of ‘how much one needs God’s grace.’

“Sitting with about 100 monks and priests three times a day in church, praying and singing psalms, has given Heisey a greater sense of being part of the body of Christ.

“‘The calling to monastic life is partly a discovery that some things in life aren’t important — and living in a mon-astery helps him concentrate on what is important,’” he says.

“After realizing Christian life is ‘not about self-fulfillment but about self-sac-rifice,’ he decided ‘one is going to be encouraged in that realization more in a monastery than in suburbia.’

“On entering the monastery, Heisey gave many of his clothes to the poor, turned over books and heirlooms to family members and friends and put his investments into a revocable trust.”

The article noted that Br. Bruno “is not looking farther into the future than earn-ing his degree.

“Junior monks take three years to dis-cern their path, which could be teaching in the seminary or college on the abbey campus, becoming a parish priest or an administrator at the seminary or college.

“Writing is an occupation that Heisey’s Carlisle colleagues would like to see him continue.”

Richard Tritt, photo curator of the Cumberland County Historical Society noted in the article that Brother Bruno “produced ‘very well-documented research’ in an interpretive style.

“‘He would select subjects that other people hadn’t researched,’ Tritt says, adding Heisey has ‘his own unique style of presenting things. You can see his personality in his writing.’”

Brother Bruno is a past contributor to the historical society’s journal and has published A Short History of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 1751 to 1936. In 2001 the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission named him a Penn Ambas-sador.

FromWittyBureaucrattoMonk

Br. Bruno D. Heisey, O.S.B.

Upcoming Events At Saint Vincent THURSDAY, JULY 10

Reception of novices at morning prayer, Archabbey Basilica. THURSDAY, JULY 10

First vows and renewal of temporary vows at evening prayer, 5 p.m., Archabbey Basilica.

FRIDAY, JULY 11Feast of Saint Benedict, Jubilee Mass, 10 a.m., Archabbey Basilica. Prin-

cipal celebrant and homilist, Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B.SATURDAY, JULY 12

Ordination to the priesthood of Br. Cajetan P. Homick, O.S.B., 10 a.m., Archabbey Basilica, by Bishop Anthony G. Bosco.

TUESDAY, JULY 29Priest Day Mass with Bishop Anthony G. Bosco, 10 a.m., Archabbey

Basilica.


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Anniversaries usually denote a happy occasion. On January 28 of this past year, however, many monks of Saint Vin-cent Archabbey recalled the 40th anni-versary of the 1963 fire which destroyed the bell tower, student chapel, and some dormitories. Later in that year the Saint Vincent Fire Department was established.

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the department, writer Marjorie Wertz wrote a feature article which appeared in the February 23 edition of the Tri-bune-Review. Benedictines mentioned included Brother Patrick R. Lacey, who served as fire chief for 38 years; Brother Joseph M. Adams, the current chief; Brother Cajetan P. Homick and Brother Anthony S. Kirsch, who serves as the engineer. The article noted there are also 21 student volunteers who train in firefighting techniques with the department.

Brother Joseph mentioned that the department’s training consists of courses offered through the state Acad-emy of Firefighters, with state-certified instructors giving an 88-hour course. He noted the department has a 1978 Mack pumper truck equipped with a 1,000-gallon tank and a 1982 ambu-lance that has been refurbished into a squad truck.

Saint Vincent is one of only seven college campuses in the country with student volunteer firefighters, the article noted.

This past year, the college’s Fire Club raised money by selling calendars which featured action photos of the fire department, with proceeds going to the West Penn Hospital Burn Unit.

BenedictineFirefightersMark40thAnniversaryofSVFireDepartment

Br. Patrick R. Lacey, O.S.B.

Br. Joseph M.Adams, O.S.B.

Br. Cajetan P.Homick, O.S.B.

Br. Anthony S.Kirsch, O.S.B.

A recent photo of the Saint Vincent Fire Department in full turnout gear. Three Benedictines are pictured in the group photo, along with many of the student volunteers from Saint Vincent College. The Benedictines are, second row, from left, Fire Chief Brother Joseph M. Adams, O.S.B., Brother Anthony S. Kirsch, O.S.B., the engineer; and Brother Stephen J. Patrizio, O.S.B.


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Benedictine Father Alfred S. Patter-son and members of Saint John Parish in Summerhill welcomed Bishop Joseph V. Adamec of Altoona-Johnstown and Archabbout Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., on May 24 for a Mass marking the centennial of the parish.

The celebration was 100 years exactly after the May 24, 1903 ceremony in which Bishop Eugene A. Garvey blessed the cornerstone for the Summerhill church, which was erected in honor of Saint John the Baptist, according to the Catholic Register, diocesan newspaper.

The need for a Catholic church in

Summerhill was made known to Bishop Garvey by residents of the borough who had been traveling to New Germany to attend Mass at Immaculate Conception Church. On August 7, 1902, J.T. Long, Anthony Weisner and Michael Tully petitioned Bishop Garvey to establish a chapel in Summerhill. Bishop Garvey consented. With the purchase of two lots — one for $175 and the other for $200 — in August 1902, efforts began to raise funds to build the church. A unique fund raising venture gave the new church its name.

Two brothers, Joseph and John Long, each favored the name of their own patron saint for the Summerhill church. Each of the brothers agreed to head a team to raise money for the project. John’s team raised the most funds, and thus the decision was made to call the church Saint John’s.

But while the Saint John chosen as parish patron is Saint John the Baptist, a distinctive feature of the new church was a circular window in the sanctuary, depicting the Beloved Disciple, Saint John the Evangelist. Fifty years after the church was built the window was covered over, but when the church was renovated in 1977, it was once again uncovered.

Efforts to begin a Catholic congrega-tion and place of worship in Summerhill began under the direction of Father Felix Fellner, a monk of the Archabbey. One month after Bishop Garvey gave his permission to go ahead with the project, Father Felix was succeeded by Father Wolfgang Kolbeck. The 86-foot-long by 44-foot-wide wooden frame build-ing, with a vestibule, was completed at a cost of $2,500 for construction and painting, and $335 for stone and foun-dation work in time for the first Mass to be celebrated on Christmas Day, 1903. The church had no organ and no pews; the worshippers sat on planks sup-ported by nail kegs and empty boxes. Sixteen rows of pews, at a cost of $616 were installed in April 1904. Five months later, a $300 main altar was installed. The parish also acquired an 800-pound bell, 35 inches in diameter, from Van Dusen Bell Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio.

In August 1904, Father Clement Strat-man became the first resident pastor, and on October 9 greeted Bishop

SummerhillParishMarksAnniversary

(Continued on Page 16)Rev. Alfred S. Patterson, O.S.B.


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TwoBenedictinesOrdainedToDiaconate

Eight seminarians attending Saint Vincent Seminary were ordained to the diacon-ate on Saturday, April 12, by Most Rev. J. Kevin Boland, Bishop of Savannah, at the Archabbey Basilica. Two were Benedictines from Saint Vincent Archabbey, Br. Paulo Panza and Br. Boniface P. Hicks.

Brother Paulo (top photo) is a son of Mario and Josefina Locatelly Panza. He received a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from the Pontifical University of Campinas. He also studied theology there. He earned a master of divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 1995. He made solemn profession of vows July 11, 1986. At the Benedictine Priory in Brazil, he has served as guest master at the Monastery, and worked to foster Christian vocations. He also served as sacristan and organist there.

Br. Boniface (bottom photo) is the son of William and Mary Hicks of Burke, Vir-ginia. His home diocese is Altoona-Johnstown. He earned a bachelor of science degree in computer science and a master of science degree in computer science from Penn State, and a master of arts degree, with highest honor, from Saint Vincent Seminary.

The Little Flower — New Videotape

Series For Fr. Jacques Daley

Saint Vincent Benedic-tine Father Jacques D. Daley has a new series of six videotapes, on “The Little Flower.” Viewers can follow the “Little Way” of St. Therese to find happiness and peace in this life and the next. Produced by St. Joseph Communications, the videotapes are available for $29.95 (plus $6.35 ship-ping) at: 1-800-526-2151, or on the internet at http://www.saintjoe.com.

Father Jacques also has a series of videos on “Myster-ies of the Rosary,” and on “The Letters of St. Therese.” Both of these sets are available from Archabbey Publications, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, PA 15650.


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Archbishop Michael L. Fitzgerald, who serves as the president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue for the Vatican, offered “A Report on Catholic-Muslim Dialogue” on Friday, April 25 at Saint Vincent College. The talk was spon-sored by the Saint Vincent College Religious Studies Department.

Archbishop Fitzgerald has served as president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue since October 2002 when he was raised to the rank of archbishop.

Archbishop Fitzgerald is the author (with R. Caspar) of Signs of Dialogue: Chris-tian Encounter with Muslims and of numerous articles in various journals including Concilium, Islamochristiana, Pro Dialogo and Spiritus.

The magazine, Inside the Vatican, named Archbishop Fitzgerald as among the “top 10 Catholics” of 2002.

UnmarkedGravesGiveDignityToIndigent

Many years ago, indigent dead were brought to Saint Vincent Arch-abbey to be buried with dignity in a pauper’s section of the Saint Vincent Cemetery.

In a Memorial Day tribute, Mary-ann Gogniat Eidemiller featured the Cemetery in a Tribune-Review article, “Unmarked Graves Pass Through Time With No Remem-brances.” Brother Edward V. Grinder, O.S.B., Director and Manager of the Cemetery, was interviewed for the article.

“Some were buried in coffins and some were just wrapped and put into the ground,” Brother Edward said. “During the flu epidemic, from 1918 to 1923, there was a signifi-cant number of people buried here because their families just didn’t have the money to bury them.

“Often there were no names, just bodies that were found,” he added. “Someone would just bring them here and that’s when the cards read ‘unknown man’ or ‘one-armed man,’ or it simply says ‘baby.’ We don’t know where the graves are, and there are no new burials there because we don’t want to run the risk of disturbing them.”

He noted that there are nearly 100 unknown graves at the cem-etery. During the Depression, many transients hopped off passing trains and came to the monastery for food, Eidemiller wrote.

Garvey who dedicated the church and administered Confirmation.

While Saint John’s began life as a mission of the New Germany parish, with the appointment of Father Clement, the situation was reversed. According to a golden jubilee history of the parish published in 1953: “From that time the pastor resided at Summerhill, and with assistance from Saint Vincent, took care of New Germany. The pastor formerly resided at New Germany, but moved to

SummerhillParishMarksAnniversary(Continued on Page 16) Summerhill because of the larger popu-

lation.” In 1904, the new Summerhill parish had 392 members from a total of 70 families. By 1920, two Masses were celebrated every Sunday in Summerhill, and one in New Germany.

A reed organ was installed in the church in 1919. In 1928 Archabbot Alfred Koch of Saint Vincent Archabbey blessed a new pipe organ. A dedica-tion concert was given by Benedictine Father Valerian Winters.

Renovations have been made to the church throughout its 100-year history, including the excavation of the base-ment for use as a parish hall, a 1969

addition to provide lavatory facilities and a front entrance to the hall, and a 1977 remodeling project that included new plaster and paint, and a new light-ing system.

Saint John Parish has proved to be a fertile ground for religious vocations, with several sons and daughters of the parish embracing ordained ministry and religious life.

Among priest sons of the parish are Third Order Regular Franciscan Father Ronald Bodenschatz of Mount Assisi Friary, Loretto, and Benedictine Father Patrick T. Cronauer of Saint Vincent Archabbey.

Catholic-MuslimDialogueHeld

Br. Boniface P. Hicks, O.S.B., center, receives the master of arts degree, with highest honor, from Saint Vincent Seminary on May 9, from Very Rev. Kurt Belsole, O.S.B., Seminary Rector; and Sr. Cecilia Murphy, R.S.M., Seminary Academic Dean. Br. Boniface is the son of William and Mary Hicks of Burke, Virginia. He earned a bachelor of science degree in computer science and a master of science degree in computer science from Penn State University.


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Three Saint Vincent Benedictines will be among the panel presenters at a symposium, “Religion and Spiritual-ity: Bridge-Building in the Post-Modern World,” to be held Friday and Saturday, October 24-25, 2003 at the Eisenhower/Pasquerilla Spiritual Center at Pennsyl-vania State University.

Father Stephen R. Honeygosky, O.S.B., Director of Catholic Campus Ministry and an English Department fac-ulty member at Penn State University, is the organizer of the symposium. He will be among the presenters at the sym-posium, which will also feature Father Vernon A. Holtz, O.S.B., a clinical psy-chologist, professor of psychology at Saint Vincent College, and former acting academic dean at the college. Father Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B., author and faculty member at Saint Vincent Semi-nary, will also be a presenter.

Friday’s keynote speaker is Richard Rohr, O.F.M., while Saturday’s princi-pal speaker will be Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O. Other panel presenters for the three sessions will be Bishop Anthony Bosco, Greensburg; Sr. Roberta Camp-bell, O.S.B., former prioress, St. Bene-dict Monastery, Pittsburgh; Camille De Blasi, retreat leader, lecturer and Director of the Center for Life Principles, Seattle; Sr. Barbara Fiand, S.N.D., author and lecturer; Arthur Schwartz, researcher and writer in the area of spirituality and human development. The Eucharistic presider and homilist will be Bishop Joseph V. Adamec of the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese.

The symposium is to repair perceived dichotomies in a world in which religion too often presumes spirituality, and spirituality just as often dismisses reli-gion — each taking to the high ground, instead of the plain, where real con-versation and communion foster their compatibility rather than disconnection and mutual exclusion. The symposium is aimed at linking the role of the church on college campuses to the larger church, and of responding to the cur-rent cultural challenge, so evident in the media and in Catholic literature, which

increasingly pits “the spiritual” against “the religious,” and the realm of the Holy against the real world. This ten-sion exists, of course, well beyond the Catholic sphere. The world is especially in need of re-integration, notes Father Stephen.

For more information on the October 24-25 symposium at Penn State, con-tact Father Stephen at 205 Pasquerilla Spiritual Center - Eisenhower Chapel, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, 814-865-4281, or by e-mail at [email protected].

Rev. Stephen R. Honeygosky, O.S.B. Rev. Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B. Rev. Vernon A. Holtz, O.S.B.

ThreeBenedictinesToPresentAtSymposium

FellowshipAwardedFather Stephen R. Honeygosky, O.S.B., Ph.D., received a National Endow-

ment for the Humanities (NEH) fellowship for college and university teachers at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. The Institute, which runs from June 23 to July 31, 2003, is entitled “Cultural Stress from Reformation to Revolution” (from 1500-1660). It will focus on four sites of stress: the Court, the Church, the Theatre, and the Parliament. Father Stephen was selected for his interest and expertise in the Church of this period.

The program focuses on the primary sources, for which the Folger Library is renowned, “that testify to a society in crisis,” one “coping with its own uneasy perceptions that theirs was a world in flux and forever changed” — one, Father Stephen believes, that is not unlike our own.

His summer research will build upon his 1990 NEH fellowship at Ohio State, “The Protestant Imagination: From Tyndale to Milton” and book, Milton’s House of God: The Invisible and Visible Church, to examine John Milton’s Paradise Lost vis a vis Protestant sermons and poetics with a view to another book on English literature and a collection of essays based on a fall conference on reli-gion and spirituality at Penn State.

As Director of Catholic Campus Ministry at Penn State University, Father Stephen has organized a symposium entitled “Religion and Spirituality: Bridge-Building in the Postmodern World” for October 2003.


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Saint Vincent Archabbey is now one-third of the way toward its $1.4 million campaign goal to replace the Basilica organ, Archabbey Director of Develop-ment Bill Malloy reported recently. The organ replacement is the third and final phase of the Basilica renovation that has included the interior and exterior renovation (Phase 1) and the addition of the bells and front spires (Phase 2).

Purchased and installed in 1956 at a cost of $40,000, the Möller organ in the Basilica has been used several times each day for almost 50 years. While not particularly “old” by organ standards, the type of instrument and the conditions in which it operates has caused its repair costs to far exceed its value. Indeed, an instrument that should typically be serviced quarterly is requiring several service visits each

month, and occasionally more than one visit in a given week. Due to the

nature of the deterioration, a committee of organ experts determined that a new instrument should be purchased and installed as soon as possible.

“This three-year campaign will bring out the full splendor of the Basilica, adding the auditory renovation to the visual restoration which has already been completed,” Archabbot Douglas said. “It will allow parishioners and guests to fully experience what its builders could only envision when they first saw the architectural drawings for the Basilica in 1891.”

Donors will be afforded the opportu-nity to pay their pledges over a three-year period, and can choose between monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual payments. Gifts of stocks, bonds and real estate are also helpful. As shown in the organ campaign dona-tion form (left), the opportunity exists to honor or memorialize a loved one. To discuss a gift or naming opportunity, please contact Director of Develop-ment Bill Malloy at or (724)532-6740.

OrganCampaignProgressing

Name:

Address:

City:

State: Zip Code:

Daytime Telephone:

Gifts are tax deductible. Please make checks payable to Saint Vincent Archabbey.

To discuss naming opportunities, contact Director of Development William Malloy,

300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, PA 15650-2690,724-532-6740, e-mail [email protected]

AdoptanOrgan,PipeorKey!Apse organ — $250,000Gallery organ — $250,000Rank of Pipes — $100,000Pedal — $50,000Single Pipe — $25,000Manual of Keys — $10,000Single Key — $500

Please send me a reminder (check one)MonthlyQuarterlySemi-AnnuallyAnnuallySend first reminder on / / month day year

Total PledgeAmount Included


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Oblates ofSaint Benedict

Oblates of Saint Benedict are Christian men and women who choose to associate themselves with a Benedictine religious com-munity in order to strengthen their baptismal commitment and enrich their Christian way of life. If you are interested in entering the Oblate Program and commit-ting yourself to this way of life, you are welcome to contact:

Director of OblatesSaint Vincent Archabbey

300 Fraser Purchase RoadLatrobe, PA 15650-2690

Brother João Batista de Araújo Santos, made simple profession of vows on March 21 at São Bento Monastery in Vinhedo, Brazil. Brother João, 29, is a son of Sebastião Xavier Santos and Therezinha Araújo Santos of Patos de Minas, MG, Brazil.

BrazilMonkProfessesSimpleVowsInMarch

InstalledtoMinistryofLectorTwenty-four seminarians from Saint Vincent Seminary were installed in the Minis-

try of Lector on March 10 by Most Rev. William J. Winter, Auxiliary Bishop of Pitts-burgh. Two Benedictines from Saint Vincent Archabbey who were installed include Brother Paulo S. Panza and Brother Maurus B. Mount. Taking part in the installation were, from left, Brother Paulo, Bishop Winter, Brother Maurus, and Very Rev. Kurt Belsole, O.S.B., Seminary Rector.

The Saint Vincent Community was saddened by the loss of A.J. Palumbo, the coal miner turned philanthropist, whose generosity benefited many colleges and universities in western Pennsylvania, including Saint Vincent College.

“The entire Saint Vincent Community is saddened by the death of our friend and advisor,” Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., said. “He led a fas-cinating life in which he was always committed to hard work, common sense and ethical business practices to achieve success.”

Mr. Palumbo had a long-term relation-ship with the College and the Archab-bey and enjoyed meeting the College students, many of whom have benefited from the generous gifts he and his wife gave. Mr. Palumbo funded the A.J. Palumbo Student Research Endow-ment Fund at the College, which pro-vides grants for undergraduate student research, and the planned conference center to be constructed.

He was a director emeritus on the College Board of Directors, and received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree in 1997, in recognition of

A.J.Palumbo

his vision, integrity, wisdom and hard work in business, for his civic leader-ship, for his generous philanthropy, for his love of family and his commitment to the values of the college. He is survived by his wife, Janet, a son, Anthony J. Palumbo II, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His first wife, Sigis-munda, died in 1986.

Saint Vincent Saddened By Loss Of A.J. Palumbo


20 Volume14,Number1


Volume14,Number1 21

REV. CHAD R. FICORILLI, O.S.B.Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Nissel

REV. MSGR. JOSEPH A. FUNAROMr. Stephen J. Feerick

REV. OMER U. KLINE, O.S.B.Mr. and Mrs. John G. Emerick

REV. GERMAIN L. LIEB, O.S.B.Mr. Richard J. Schulte

JAKE AND MARY MEYERMr. and Mrs. Jack D. Bowser

REV. JONATHAN J. MURRMAN, O.S.B.Very Rev. Thomas R. Miller

REV. JOHN J. PECK, O.S.B.Mr. and Mrs. Angelo J. Mraz

INMEMORYOF:

+REV. BERNARD O’ROURKE, O.S.B., AND +REV. CLAIR GANNON, O.S.B.

Mr. and Mrs. John Bukovac +GEORGE J. BRONDER

Ms. Darlene M. DemyanMr. and Mrs. J. Christopher DonahueMr. and Mrs. Ronald Petnuch

+ GENE AND MARY BURKERev. Gilbert J. Burke, O.S.B.

+REV. ANTHONY J. BURLAS, O.S.B.Mr. and Mrs. Carl D. Burlas

+BROTHER ANTHONY T.

To give a tribute or memorial gift, please make a donation to Saint Vincent Archabbey in honor of or in memory of a friend, colleague or family member. Donations should be mailed to Mr. Wil-liam P. Malloy in the Archabbey Develop-ment Office, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, Pa., 15650-2690, 724-532-6740. Donors from November 1, 2002, to April 30, 2003, include:

Tribute,MemorialGiftsCOSTELLO, O.S.B.

Mr. and Mrs. Louis Von Bruening+HAROLD T. CRONAUER, SR.

Mrs. Marion Cronauer+FRANK CUDNIK

Mrs. Stella M. Cudnik+REV. MARION J. EMLING, O.S.B.

AnonymousMrs. Annette C. BrownfieldMr. and Mrs. John F. DonlonMs. Frances M. GigliottiDr. and Mrs. George E. Sweeney

+JOHN E. GOLOFSKIMr. and Mrs. Lawrence M. Golofski

+PAULINE GOYDANMr. Alexander J. Goydan

+CATHERINE HEALYMr. and Mrs. Joseph Mastrorocco

+REV. ROLAND L. HEID, O.S.B.Mr. and Mrs. Harry KearnsMr. Thomas J. Kuss

+CYRIL HENRYMr. and Mrs. Carl D. BurlasMs. Adalgisa CerasoMrs. Marion CronauerMs. Darlene M. DemyanDr. and Mrs. Edward B. Murcko

+WALTER B. HOBARTMr. and Mrs. Walter B. Hobart, Jr.

+REV. ARTHUR J. HOLTZ, O.S.B.Ms. Laura J. BridgeMr. and Mrs. Ronald HamacherSaint Martin Rosary Altar Society

+DR. ALAN R. JACOBMrs. Debra Jacob

+ESTRINA LUCCIMr. Oswald Lucci

+REV. CHARLES J. MCFADDEN, O.S.B.Mr. and Mrs. Harry Kearns

+JOSEPH E. PFIESTER, SR.The Pfiester Family

+REV. EMERIC J. PFIESTER, O.S.B.Mr. Francis X. AbbottMr. and Mrs. Harry KearnsThe Pfiester Family

+EDWARD G. POMPERMr. and Mrs. Gregory J. Pomper

+REV. KIERAN J. RODGERS, O.S.B.Mr. and Mrs. Andrew F. CeschiniAdie and Bud FeldbauerMs. Jean JohnsonSr. Mary Thomas Rodgers, S.C.

+NORMAN ALEXANDER SAVOLSKISMr. Patrick P. Savolskis

+MAX AND ESTHER SESTILIMr. Ronald J. Sestili

+REV. BRENDAN L. SMETANA, O.S.B.Mr. and Mrs. Martin BozicDr. and Mrs. William A. FeczkoMr. and Mrs. Samuel A. FolbyMr. and Mrs. David ForsytheFriends from Munhall and JeannetteMs. Frances M. GigliottiMr. John V. GrazianoMs. Eleanor A. GrundlerMrs. Stella HenryMiss Rose KarabinosGenevieve and Lawrence LepidiMrs. Elizabeth MontiDr. and Mrs. Edward B. MurckoDr. Lisa C. MurckoMr. Paul P. OnderkoMr. and Mrs. Armand M. PavettiMr. and Mrs. William J. Rager and girls, Danielle, and StephanieSacred Heart Rosary Altar SocietyTony and Naomi SavinskiMr. and Mrs. Charles E. Smetana and familyBertha and Edward SmetanaMrs. Helen E. SmetanaJoann and James SmidanskyMrs. Charlotte SpinoMr. and Mrs. Andrew F. StrculaMs. Elizabeth WileyMr. and Mrs. John P. Zollinger

+NANCY SNELICKMichael, Kathleen, and Ryan Lecker

+DECEASED MEMBERS OF THE STANKUNAS FAMILY

Mr. Edmund E. Stankunas+WINIFRED RETTGER THOMPSON

Michael, Kathleen, and Ryan Lecker+LOUISE TRENTIN

Mrs. Florence Lekavich+REV. HERMAN F. UBINGER, O.S.B.

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Kearns+REV. REMIGIUS B. VEROSTKO, O.S.B.

Mr. and Mrs. Donald S. Pawlak+REV. HUGH J. WILT, O.S.B.

Ms. Agnes M. Nachman

Vocation Booklet“Listen carefully, my son, to the master’s instructions,

and attend to them with the ear of your heart.” — If you

or someone you know is contemplating the monastic

life, contact the Archabbey Vocation Office at 300

Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, PA, 15650-2690, 724-

539-9761, ext. 6655, for a free booklet about life as a

Saint Vincent Benedictine.

INHONOROF:


20 Volume14,Number1


Volume14,Number1 21

Please contact me about remembering Saint Vincent Archabbey in my will.

Please send me a Charitable Gift Annuity Proposal.

Birthdate

Birthdate of other person, if any

Proposal Amount

financial support for the work of the Benedictine Community.

Don’t delay. Before you receive next month’s bank statement, contact Director of Development Bill Malloy to request a proposal that will reflect your specific cir-cumstances. With no cost or commitment, you can see what it could mean to you. You have nothing to lose.

For further information or to request a proposal, please con-tact:

Mr. William P. MalloyDirector of DevelopmentSaint Vincent Archabbey

300 Fraser Purchase RoadLatrobe, PA 15650

(724)[email protected]

Development Corner

CharitableGiftAnnuities:HasThereEverBeenABetterTime?

William P. MalloyDirector of Development

With interest rates at their lowest levels since Dwight Eisen-hower was in the White House, has the income that you are earn-ing on your savings account and certificates of deposits dwindled down to nothing? If so, you are not alone. The current rate on a savings account is only about 1%. And CDs are not earning much more.

Now is the perfect time to con-sider a Charitable Gift Annuity. What is it? Glad you asked. A charitable gift annuity is a simple contract between you and Saint Vincent Archabbey. In exchange for your irre-vocable gift of cash or securities, Saint Vincent Archabbey agrees to pay you a fixed sum of money, each year for life. Married? No problem. We will pay a fixed sum of money each year as long as either of you is alive. And the good news is your interest rate. While the rate depends upon the age of the individual(s) receiving the income, it is not uncommon to earn 7 or 8%, sometimes even more. And that is not all. The benefits of a charitable gift annuity include:

1. You will receive a high-rate, fixed annual income for life.

2. You will qualify for a federal income tax deduction.

3. If you fund the annuity with an appreci-ated asset such as stock, you will incur tax on only part of the gain. Better yet, this tax will be spread out over many years.

4. Your estate may enjoy reduced probate costs and estate taxes.

5. Last, but not least... Because the remain-der will belong to Saint Vincent Archabbey, you will be providing generous and very important

Name

Address

City State

Zip Phone


22 Volume14,Number1


Volume14,Number1 23

Obituaries

FatherMarionJ.Emling,O.S.B.

Father Marion J. Emling, O.S.B., 86, a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey, died Friday, February 21, 2003. He was born Nov. 10, 1916, in Erie, a son of the late George F. and Barbara (Eichenlaub) Emling. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, the Rev. Bertin L. Emling, O.S.B., also of

FatherBrendanL.Smetana,O.S.B.

Father Brendan L. Smetana, O.S.B., 90, a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey, died Sunday, December 22, 2002.

One of 11 children, Father Brendan was born July 15, 1912, in Home-stead, a son of the late Andrew and Mary (Gress) Smetana. He attended St. Francis of Assisi Grade School in Munhall and Holy Name High School in Duquesne. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Saint Vincent College in 1936, and his master of arts degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 1938.

Father Brendan entered Saint Vin-cent Archabbey in 1933, made simple profession of vows July 2, 1934, and solemn profession of vows July 11, 1937. He was ordained a priest June 16, 1940.

From 1934 to 1940, Father Bren-dan worked in various capacities at Saint Vincent College and Preparatory School. From 1940 to 1987 he served in the Archabbey’s pastoral aposto-lates. He was first assigned to St. Mary Church, North Side, Pittsburgh, and was pastor of Saint Cecilia Church in Whit-ney from 1950 to 1952. From 1952 to 1987, he was parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Parish in Jeannette. He retired to the Archabbey in 1987.

Father Brendan authored several arti-cles on religious topics for local news-papers. His postgraduate degree thesis,

Saint Vincent Archabbey.He attended St. Mary Parochial

School and was a 1935 graduate of East High School, both in Erie. He attended the University of Dayton, Ohio, where he earned a bachelor of science degree in education (1940); St. John College, Cleveland, Ohio (1944), St. John Univer-sity, Brooklyn, N.Y. (1959), Case West-ern Reserve University, where he earned a master of arts degree in business administration and economics (1944), a master of education degree (1946) and a doctor of education degree (1949). He earned a master of divinity degree in 1978 from Christ the King Seminary, East Aurora, N.Y.

He made simple profession of vows in the Society of Mary, Dayton, Ohio on August 15, 1936, and perpetual vows on August 25, 1940. He was incardinated into the Diocese of Pittsburgh following ordination on September 30, 1978, by Bishop Vincent Leonard.

Following ordination, he served as associate pastor at St. Louise de Maril-lac Parish, Upper St. Clair, Pittsburgh (1978-1980) and as associate pastor at Holy Innocents Parish, Sheridan (1980). In 1980 he transferred to the Benedictine Community at Saint Vincent Archabbey, where he served as associate chaplain at hospitals in Latrobe and Greens-burg (1982-1994), assistant chaplain of Saint Vincent Infirmary (1994-2003) and Prior’s assistant (1994). He also served as the academic dean of Saint Vincent Seminary (1981-1982).

Prior to his service at Saint Vincent, he was an elementary and junior high school teacher for two years, a senior high school teacher for 13 years, and a university professor for 19 years. He also served three years at Chaminade College, Santa Cruz, Calif., which he founded with Fr. Clemens, S.M., a Mari-anist priest, and one year at St. Mary’s College, Moraga, Calif., as an adminis-trator and teacher.

He has received a number of honors and awards, including membership in the Alpha Sigma Tau Honor Society and Phi Delta Kappa 158 at the University of Dayton.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Benedictine Health and Welfare Fund at Saint Vincent Archabbey, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, Pa., 15650-2690.

“Time Catholic Press — An Apostolate of a Modern Day,’’ received first place in a nationwide competition sponsored by the Literary Awards Foundation of The Catholic Press Association. Father Brendan was also a member of the Knights of Columbus.

In addition to his parents, Father Brendan was preceded in death by five brothers, Charles, Clement, Joseph, Andrew and Edward; and a sister, Frances. He is survived by a brother, Stephen F. Smetana, Esq.; and three sisters, Theresa Simko of North Hunt-ingdon, Bernadette Murko of Ligonier, and Ann Gertrude Boettner of San Anto-nio, Texas.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Benedictine Health and Welfare Fund at Saint Vincent Archabbey, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, Pa., 15650-2690.


22 Volume14,Number1


Volume14,Number1 23

A Life of Service

The Benedictine Community of Saint Vincent has nearly 200 monks who devote their lives to serving the needs of people through a wide variety of pasto-ral, educational, and missionary works, both at Saint Vincent and throughout the world. While the

Yes, I would like to help these monks face the needs of their retire-ment years. Enclosed is my gift of:

$50 $100 $500 $1000 Other

My company will match my gift. Enclosed is the form.

Gifts are tax-deductible.

older monks remain active well past retirement age, they face the same financial hardships that other retir-ees do — rising health care costs and increasing living expenses. The Monastery Health Care and Retire-ment Fund provides older priests and brothers the care they need after their many years of service to the people of God.

Please make checks payable to Saint Vincent Archabbey

Benedictine Health and Welfare FundSaint Vincent Archabbey

300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, PA 15650-2690.

Name

Address

City State

Zip Phone

E-Mail

The monks of Saint Vincent Archab-bey have tended to the spiritual needs of Christian men and women for over one hundred fifty years and have been involved in retreat ministry since 1913. Their group retreats, given annually from May to July, have drawn thousands of retreatants to Saint Vincent over the years.

“The rising demands of contempo-rary life, and the nature and values of our secular society, have the combined effect of eroding our spiritual lives,” said Brother Hugh Lester, O.S.B., retreat director. “It becomes important then, to be aware of this effect and to respond by actively nurturing the spiritual life. A retreat can be a catalyst for spiritual renewal and for concentrating on God’s purpose for our earthly existence.”

Upcoming retreats include:Father Thomas P. Acklin, O.S.B., who

teaches courses in theology at Saint Vincent Seminary, will offer “Growing in Our Relation-ship with Christ,” for the three-day and four-day retreats for men. The three-day

retreat will be from June 20 to 22 while the four-day will be from July 17 to 20. “By the way we live and by growing in a life of prayer, we can enter more deeply into a personal relationship with Christ,” Father Thomas noted. The retreats will provide opportunities to learn how to deepen our prayer and to practice what we are learning, as well as to prayerfully examine our lives.

“From Fragmen-tation to Whole-ness” is the topic of the charismatic retreat, to be con-ducted by Father Thomas P. Curry, who was ordained to the priesthood on May 17. The charismatic retreat

will run from June 27 to 29. This retreat will focus on three topics: self-accep-tance; the enabling power of the Spirit in our lives; and reconciliation and the healing aspect of forgiveness.

For a free brochure or for more information on the Archabbey’s retreat program, contact Brother Hugh Lester, O.S.B., at Saint Vincent Archabbey, 300 Fraser Purchase Rd, Latrobe, PA 15650, 724-805-2139.

SummerRetreatSchedule

AshWednesdayInRome

Brother Cajetan P. Homick, a Benedic-tine from Saint Vincent Archabbey who is studying in Rome, had the opportunity to serve as deacon for a Mass with Pope John Paul II in the Basilica of Santa Sabina on Ash Wednesday. Brother Cajetan, in purple, received ashes from the Pope. In an interview for a story which appeared in the Valley News Dispatch, Brother Cajetan said it was an “overwhelming” honor. Several thou-sand people were in attendance, and the Mass was broadcast worldwide on television. Brother Cajetan has been in Italy since July of 2001, studying for a doctoral degree in Canon Law. In addition to his studies in Rome, he has served as deacon at the U.S. Naval base in Gaeta, Italy, on many weekends.

SaintVincentArchabbey300FraserPurchaseRoadLatrobe,PA15650-2690

724-539-9761http://benedictine.stvincent.edu/

AddressServiceRequested

TheFirstBenedictineMonasteryintheUnitedStates,Foundedin1846

NON-PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT NO. 110

SaintVincentArchabbey HearttoHeartFall2002

24

Saint Vincent hosted a meeting of the Association of Benedictine Colleges and Universities May 29 to June 1. Participants included Prioress Susan Berger, O.S.B.; Rev. Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B.; Dr. Colleen Fitzgerald; Mr. Gerry Gallagher; Dr. Larry Goodwin; Prioress Kathleen Hofer, O.S.B.; Prioress Ephren Hollerman, O.S.B.; Abbot President Timothy Kelly, O.S.B.; Dr. Arthur Kirk, Jr.; Abbot John Klassen, O.S.B.; Abbot Matthew Leavy, O.S.B.; Dr. Mary Lyons; Sr. Mary Clare Neuhofer, O.S.B.; Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B.; Br. Dietrich Reinhart, O.S.B.; Abbot Neal Roth, O.S.B.; Abbot Barnabas Senecal, O.S.B.; Abbot Placid Solari, O.S.B.; Dr. David R. Spangler; Very Rev. James Tingerthal, O.S.B.; Sr. Thomas Welder and Mr. James Will.

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Heart to Heart Summer 2003

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