News

On February 6, 2026, Sister Raffaella Petrini, FSE, President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, gave a lecture for Mount Angel Seminary’s Pastoral Symposium and dialogued with members of the Seminary community. Participants in the symposium included Fr. Jeff Eirvin, the Seminary’s president-rector, Bishop Peter Smith, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, Seminary faculty and staff, monks and seminarians. Sister Petrini’s keynote talk, Complementary Gifts: Collaborative Leadership in the Church, was part of the Seminary’s Archbishop Robert J. Dwyer Lecture Series, an ongoing formation series named for the 5th Archbishop of Portland in Oregon.

Sister Petrini is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist and was appointed by Pope Francis as President of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State on March 1, 2025. According to Vatican News, that appointment made her “the first woman to hold the highest leadership position within the Vatican’s administrative structure.” Prior to her current role, she served as Secretary General of the Governorate of the Vatican City State since 2021. Sister Petrini has also been a member of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops and on the Board of Directors for APSA (Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See) since 2022.

In the first part of her talk, Sister Petrini spoke in detail about the administrative organization of the Vatican City State and her responsibilities as President. Even though Vatican City is the smallest country in the world both in terms of square kilometers (0.44 km²) and population (695 citizens, 892 residents), the administrative responsibilities are complex and diverse. As a country situated within the Republic of Italy, “the enclave has a daily need to interact with the external world,” said Sister Petrini. Much of her work also involves the many employees and their families who contribute to the daily life of the Vatican City State. This includes institutional communications that help employees connect their daily tasks to a higher purpose to a nursery school for employees’ children. “The fraternal agape is an essential part of our activities,” said Sister Petrini.

She also described the unique experience of serving as President of the Governorate from the death of Pope Francis to the election of Pope Leo XIV, a time of profound grieving and new graces. “The city was literally still. Everything stopped. It was like an empty world for just a few days,” said Sister Petrini, describing the moment of Pope Francis’s passing. The immense amount of work and care involved during the official period of mourning and preparing for the conclave made it “a very prayerful time, a very sacred time,” she said.

In the second part of her talk, Sister Petrini outlined five principles for collaborative leadership from her administrative experience: presence, formation, diverse gifts, complexity and service. She spoke about the importance of delegating tasks responsibly, where the leader must know enough about many different roles to responsibly entrust those roles to others. “As priests and religious, we do need to care about competence, skills, when we go out there,” she said. “We are called to work with resources that are not ours.” Sister Petrini highlighted that a servant leader brings out the best in others to serve the common good. “The greater talent of a modern leader in any ecclesial or non-ecclesial context is the capacity to have people work together, to bring the skills together,” she said.

At the conclusion of the symposium, Fr. Eirvin gave an icon on behalf of Abbot Jeremy to Sister Petrini in appreciation for her visit. Written by Br. Claude Lane, OSB, the icon, “Our Lady of Mount Vernon,” is based on a painting of the Virgin Mary reading a book that originally hung in the home of George Washington. Sister Petrini expressed her gratitude and joy to be at Mount Angel Seminary and engage with the community.

Read more about Sister Petrini’s visit to Mount Angel Seminary on the Vatican City State’s website.

—Ethan Alano

The bipartisan, bicameral action responds to public concern over Abiqua Falls potentially
being privatized, ensuring access for all Oregonians

From the Offices of Majority Leader Bowman, Senator Girod, Representative Lewis

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact:
Rep. Bowman, Rep.BenBowman@oregonlegislature.gov
Sen. Girod, Sen.FredGirod@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep. Lewis, Rep.RickLewis@oregonlegislature.gov

SALEM, Ore. – The Joint Committee on Ways & Means Subcommittee on Capitol Construction has released its capital construction budget bills, which include funding that authorizes the state to explore and initiate the potential acquisition of Abiqua Falls, and pursue permanent public ownership of one of Oregon’s most treasured natural landmarks. The plan for public ownership of Abiqua Falls is championed by Democrats and Republicans in both the House and the Senate.

Located near Scotts Mills in Marion County, Abiqua Falls is renowned for its dramatic 92-foot waterfall cascading over columnar basalt cliffs into a pristine pool below. Earlier this February, The Abbey Foundation of Oregon, a supporting organization of Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary, listed the property sale after over 100 years of stewardship.

The bond allocation will allow the state to pursue purchasing the property and placing it under public ownership and management, ensuring public access for generations to come.

“Today, we are making sure that our children and grandchildren inherit not just stories about Abiqua Falls, but the ability to stand there themselves,” said House Majority Leader Bowman (D – Tigard, Metzger, S. Beaverton). “This place should belong to all of us. Oregon owes a debt of gratitude to the Abbey Foundation for their century of stewardship, and their partnership in ensuring public access forever.”

“Following the example set by the late Governor Tom McCall, Oregon is pledging that Abiqua Falls will continue to be protected and accessible for generations to come. It is the Oregon Way,” said Senator Girod, Co-Chair of the Capital Construction Committee (R -Silverton).

The effort to bring Abiqua Falls into public ownership has been strongly supported by the Abbey Foundation of Oregon, which has advocated for long-term stewardship of the property and responsible conservation of its surrounding landscape.

“It is with deep gratitude and hope for the future that the Abbey Foundation of Oregon entrusts the stewardship and legacy of Abiqua Falls to the state of Oregon,” said Dr. Amanda Staggenborg, Director of Communications for Mount Angel Abbey. “The beauty of Abiqua Falls will be enjoyed by generations of Oregonians and all those who love Oregon’s natural wonders.”

The use of General Obligation bonds through the Capitol Construction Bill reflects Oregon’s commitment to investing in public assets that provide lasting value.

“The acquisition of the Abiqua Falls property ensures that it will be in the public domain into the future for all to enjoy. This will be a valuable resource and a treasure for the enjoyment of generations to come,” said Rep. Lewis (R – Silverton). “I am grateful for the efforts of those who have worked diligently to bring this acquisition to fruition.”

The initial steps of the acquisition process will move forward in coordination with state agencies and local partners, with additional details about management and public access to be announced.

The Capital Construction bills including SB 5701 will go to the House and Senate for final votes later this week.

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 Annual Four-Day Concert Celebrates 55 Years of Classical Music

Contact:
Dr. Amanda Staggenborg
amanda.staggenborg@mtangel.edu

(SAINT BENEDICT, Ore.)- Mount Angel Abbey today announced the dates for the 2026 Abbey Bach Festival, featuring the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and other composers, set for July 29 through August 1, 2026. This year marks 55 years of the Abbey Bach Festival celebration on the historic Mount Angel hilltop.

This year’s performances include cellist Luiz Fernando Venturelli, saxophone quartet Cerus Quartet, Galvin Cello Quartet, and many others led by world-renowned pianist and artist director Alon Goldstein. Each evening includes a concert in the Abbey church and a concert in the Damian Center. The event also features a special Bach for Kids performance for children on August 1. Mount Angel Abbey’s monastic community will also provide a picnic buffet supper on the Abbey grounds with local and regional specialties, including German sausage and seafood.

Prior Teresio Caldwell, OSB, the co-executive director of the Bach Festival, expressed his enthusiasm for the return of the annual festival. “The Bach Festival has been one of the Abbey’s rich ways of promoting art and culture and keeping alive the tradition of classical music.  It is also one of the ways in which the monks practice hospitality in the Benedictine tradition.”

Tickets are available at mountangelabbey.org/bach.

About Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary

Mount Angel Abbey, a Benedictine monastic community founded in 1882, is dedicated to a life of prayer, work, pastoral ministry, hospitality and education. Mount Angel Seminary, an apostolate of Mount Angel Abbey and the largest seminary in the West, forms men for the Roman Catholic priesthood. The Abbey Foundation of Oregon supports the monastic community’s mission of service to the Church.

Mount Angel Seminary Partners with Five ATS-Accredited Seminaries and the
Seminary Formation Council for Priestly Mentorship and Training

Contact:
Dr. Amanda Staggenborg
amanda.staggenborg@mtangel.edu

(SAINT BENEDICT, Ore.)- Mount Angel Abbey has received a grant of $10 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish a new, large-scale national mentorship training initiative for the Program of Priestly Formation, 6^th ed. Mount Angel Seminary (MAS), an apostolate of Mount Angel Abbey, will lead the effort in partnership with collaborating institutions.

The project will feature collaboration with:

• Saint Mary Seminary (Cleveland, OH)
• Saint Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary (Boynton Beach, FL)
• The Saint Paul Seminary (Saint Paul, MN)
• USML Mundelein Seminary (Mundelein, IL)
• Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary (Philadelphia, PA)
• The Seminary Formation Council

The project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. This initiative is designed to help theological schools across the United States and Canada prioritize and respond to the most pressing challenges they face as they prepare pastoral leaders for Christian congregations now and into the future. The grant to Mount Angel Abbey is one of 45 that was approved in this competitive round of funding to support theological schools as they lead large-scale collaborations with other seminaries, colleges and universities, and other church-related organizations.

Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, Abbot and Chancellor of Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary,  expressed the significance of the award, stating, “For nearly 140 years, our monastic community has operated the Seminary as our primary apostolate, forming priests for many dioceses in this country who are prepared for the ever-changing demands of pastoral ministry. We joyfully accept this award which allows us to continue this important work of priestly formation and to bring it to a new level, and I am confident in Fr. Eirvin’s leadership as he guides us through the development and implementation of this initiative.”

This collaborative endeavor prepares pastoral leaders at the foundational level: by forming the mentors who form them. This integrated mentorship model ensures that priestly formation does not end at ordination but culminates in the Vocational Synthesis Stage, newly mandated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in the Program of Priestly Formation, 6^th ed.

“As we prepare the next generation of priests for a changing world, equipping them for leadership, administration, and relational demands is vital for the success of parish life,” said Very Rev. Jeff Eirvin, President-Rector of Mount Angel Seminary. “Through the generosity of the Lilly Endowment and collaboration with multiple other seminaries and ministries nationwide, Mount Angel Seminary is excited to lead a new initiative that equips mentor priests to confidently accompany new clergy through a healthy integration into parish ministry, setting a solid foundation for the rest of their lives.”

Lilly Endowment launched the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative in 2021. Since then, it has provided grants totaling more than $700 million to support 163 theological schools in efforts to strengthen their own educational and financial capacities and to assist 61 schools in developing large-scale collaborative endeavors.

About Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary

Mount Angel Abbey, a Benedictine monastic community founded in 1882, is dedicated to a life of prayer, work, pastoral ministry, hospitality and education. Mount Angel Seminary, an apostolate of Mount Angel Abbey and the largest seminary in the West, forms men for the Roman Catholic priesthood. The Abbey Foundation of Oregon supports the monastic community’s mission of service to the Church.

About Lilly Endowment Inc.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of about religion and lift up in fair, accurate and balanced ways the roles that people of all faiths and various religious communities play in the United State and around the globe traditions in the United States and across the globe.

By: Dr. Amanda Staggenborg

In a polarized world, the concept of “togetherness” is frequently discussed and at times, intensely debated. The “why” often conflicts with the “how.” At Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary, togetherness is more than merely a concept or discussion point but a way of life. From September 29 to October 3, Christian scholars from around the world gathered to think with “the mind of Christ,” (citing 1 Corinthians 2:16) sharing scholarly work that engages spiritual reflections for practical application. Faculty from Mount Angel Seminary joined with scholars from leading institutions, including Duke University, Boston College, Providence College, The Catholic University of America, the University of Exeter, and several others, to reflect on “Trinitarian Ontology,” exploring the centrality of the Eucharist and the Trinity as the source and form/shape of the Synodal Church, in an effort to enrich scholarly discussion but also applied in everyday life. The week-long workshop featured a Mass and remarks from Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod at the Vatican, who participated in all of the Workshop’s discussions.

Created by Abbot Jeremy, Abbot of Mount Angel Abbey and Chancellor of Mount Angel Seminary, in discussions with Cardinal Grech and Monsignor Piero Coda, Secretary General of the International Theological Commission for the Vatican, the Workshop focused on five focal points: the Mystical Identity of the Church as communion, the decisive mystagogical significance of Christian initiation, the formation of the synodal Church in light of the Eucharist and Trinity, the practice of conversation in the Spirit, and the sacramental efficacy for the evangelization of the synodal Church. Enriching discussions and reflections about morality, symbolism, literature, and other topics offered the basis for reflection among the invited group, representing different theological disciplines. Each session began with a short theological contribution from one of the participants followed by a period of prayerful silence, allowing the participants to listen and think deeply before sharing their reflections on the topic.

“What’s in the middle is the Holy Spirit,” shared Abbot Jeremy, reflecting and quoting the third chapter of the Rule of St. Benedict guiding the spirit of the gathering. He stated that for this reason, Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary is the perfect space for deep, varied conversation:

“As often as anything important is to be done in the monastery, the abbot shall call the whole community together and himself explain what the business is; and after hearing the advice of the brothers, let him ponder it and follow what he judges the wiser course. The reason why we have said all should be called for counsel is that the Lord often reveals what is better to the younger. The brothers, for their part, are to express their opinions with all humility and not presume to defend their own views obstinately …. In the monastery no one is to follow his own heart’s desire.”

Holly Taylor Coolman from Providence College, expressed her enthusiasm for the Workshop, stating that “there is consistent interest in making sense of connections.”

Joy surrounded the conversations, with several stating how uplifted they were to participate in such a creative, rich model, necessary for current society. In lives rooted in the guidance of Christ’s teachings, one contributor proclaimed the originality of the event, categorizing the Workshop as a “cross between a retreat and academic conference.”

At the beginning of the Fellowship of Scholars, Cardinal Grech expressed his gratitude to Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary for “having chosen to dedicate this International Seminar to the theme of synodality in the life and vision of the Church,” calling this initiative both “precious and indeed necessary in the current phase of implementation of the 2021–2024 Synodal Process.” At the beginning of Mass for the Solemnity of the Archangels, Mount Angel Abbey’s patronal feast day and the first day of the Fellowship of Scholars, he described the Abbey as a true “spiritual oasis.” At the conclusion of the week, he shared his experience at the Abbey that, “the monks have so much to share, both from their reading and their own experiences. It is a place of beauty and beauty is a way that leads to God and it’s also a place of silence. Nowadays, we lack silence. But in silence, we can listen, really hear what the Spirit is trying to convey.”

The Fellowship of Scholars, gathered in the Holy Spirit, is a prophetic sign to the Church and the world of God bringing together unity in diversity for the proclamation of the Gospel. As Cardinal Grech shared in his opening remarks, “the Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit in which all those anointed by the Spirit at Baptism (and Confirmation) are enlightened by the Spirit of truth in order to contribute to the faithful reception of the Gospel in the various contexts of ongoing world history.”

As many currently feel a shifting of values, moral integrity and intellectual curiosity around the world, Christian scholars at Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary display, through their rich conversations and dedication to synodality, that the timeless example of Christ continues to guide and shape our lives.

Additional photos from the Fellowship of Scholars are available on Flickr.

Eucharist and Trinity as Source and Form of the Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission

(SAINT BENEDICT, Ore.)- The Mount Angel Institute at Mount Angel Abbey and Mount Angel Seminary are hosting a unique theological and ecclesial gathering titled “Eucharist and Trinity as Source and Form of the Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission.” The Workshop is being held this week from September 29 to October 3, 2025, gathering Seminary faculty and theologians from around the world.

The Workshop addresses the Eucharistic and Trinitarian dimensions of Christian life as the source and shape of the Church’s synodal identity and mission.

“We are so honored that Cardinal Grech and Msgr. Piero Coda wanted to hold this workshop at Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary, and we feel, by the grace of God, that we are ready to host such a gathering,” stated Abbot Jeremy.  “For more than 30 years our Seminary faculty has been working on these very themes, and we have in place a theological curriculum that systematically connects the parts of the Eucharistic celebration to the various themes that are studied in the theological academy.  In this light, Trinity and Synodality appear as central themes of what all Catholics encounter in any celebration of the Eucharist.  This workshop shares our faculty’s experience with other theologians from around the world, and through Cardinal Grech we have a direct channel to share our findings throughout the Universal Church.”

The Workshop’s objectives include contributing to the broader Synodal Process of the Catholic Church, expanding upon the first and second sessions of the 16^th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2023-2024, establishing continued theological reflection on synodality.

Program Highlights

The Workshop features daily Mass, communal prayers with Mount Angel’s monastic community and academic sessions involving short theological contributions followed by group dialogue. Theological contributions from Mount Angel Seminary faculty include:

• Eucharist, Trinity and Communion Ecclesiology with Shawn Keough, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and Life in Christ with Liam de Los Reyes, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and Mystagogy with Anna Petrin, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and Christian Humanism with Ted Papa, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and the Arts with Katie Jo LaRiviere, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and Tradition with Justin Coyle, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and Synodality with Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, STD

Following each theological contribution is a period of prayerful silence, allowing the participants to listen to the Holy Spirit and reflect on what they heard and received. The dialogue that follows consists in sharing the fruits of this prayerful reflection to discern the movements and inspirations of the Holy Spirit.

*Full daily schedule available upon request

The Workshop also welcomes Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod from the Vatican. Now that the Church is in the implementation phase of the Synod, Cardinal Grech has expressed the importance of having “synodal experiences, to experience the conversation in the Spirit that has made our communities grow so much.” His presence and participation at the Fellowship of Scholars highlights the significance of this theological workshop and its methodology for the universal Church.  While he is at Mount Angel, the Cardinal is also holding a session with all the seminarians of Mount Angel Seminary.  The workshop also welcomes Msgr. Piero Coda, the head of the Vatican’s International Theological Commission.

Please direct media inquiries to Dr. Amanda Staggenborg, Director of Communications and Engagement, at amanda.staggenborg@mtangel.edu.

Additional photos from the Fellowship of Scholars are available on Flickr.

About Mount Angel Abbey

Mount Angel Abbey, a Benedictine monastic community founded in 1882, is dedicated to a life of prayer, work, pastoral ministry, hospitality and education. Mount Angel Seminary, the largest seminary in the West, forms men for the Roman Catholic priesthood. The Abbey Foundation of Oregon supports the monastic community’s mission of service to the Church.

Mount Angel Abbey Brings Annual Benefit Back to the City After Six Years at the Abbey

(SAINT BENEDICT, Ore.) — Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary, today announced that the Seminary Benefit Dinner, held on the Abbey Hilltop virtually and in person since Covid, will return to the city of Portland. The dinner will be held at the Hilton Portland Downtown on November 8, 2025.

“The Seminary Benefit Dinner has always been about sharing the life of the seminarians at Mount Angel Seminary with our generous benefactors,” stated Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, chancellor of the Seminary. “We love to bring you to Mount Angel where you can see it live, but we also want to arrange a large gathering of Catholics all at once in the heart of downtown Portland to bring the Seminary community to you. We had to stop this during Covid. Now we are glad to come back to display Catholic strength supporting the formation of priests for many dioceses in the Western States.”

The Seminary Benefit Dinner, established in 2004, supports Mount Angel seminarians and raises awareness of Mount Angel’s monastic community, which has operated the Seminary since 1889. This annual event draws nearly 1,000 attendees from the many dioceses we serve throughout the Western States, Hawaii, Alaska, and beyond, uniting to raise funds to support the education and formation of seminarians and the Seminary’s priestly formation programs.

“The return of the Seminary Benefit Dinner to Portland after six years is a tremendous affirmation of the deep ties between Mount Angel Seminary and this community,” said Mount Angel Seminary president-rector Father Jeff Eirvin. “This event not only celebrates our shared commitment to the formation of future priests, but also honors the enduring support the Archdiocese of Portland has so generously provided.”

For more information, including ticket and hotel information, please visit mountangelabbey.org/sbd.

Please direct media inquiries to Dr. Amanda Staggenborg, Director of Communications and Engagement, at amanda.staggenborg@mtangel.edu.

About Mount Angel Abbey

Mount Angel Abbey, a Benedictine monastic community founded in 1882, is dedicated to a life of prayer, work, pastoral ministry, hospitality and education. Mount Angel Seminary, the largest seminary in the West, forms men for the Roman Catholic priesthood. The Abbey Foundation of Oregon supports the monastic community’s mission of service to the Church.

Bishop Kevin Vann, Bishop of the Diocese of Orange, celebrated his 20th anniversary of episcopal ordination with Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, and the monks of Mount Angel Abbey on July 13, 2025, with Mass in the Abbey church. He was the principal celebrant and homilist for the Mass, giving thanks to God and to the monks of Mount Angel for the support and friendship they have offered him as Bishop of Orange.

Born in 1951 in Springfield, Illinois, Bishop Vann is the oldest of six children. In 1974, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. After working for a few years in medical technology, he entered the seminary in 1976, first at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Springfield and then Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. On May 30, 1981, Father Vann was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Springfield. He was sent to study Canon Law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum), where he met and befriended then-Father Robert Prevost, the future Pope Leo XIV. Father Vann earned his doctorate in Canon Law in 1985.

In the Diocese of Springfield, Father Vann served as parochial vicar, administrator, pastor, judicial vicar, and dean in various assignments. On May 17, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI named Father Vann as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, to help Bishop Joseph Delaney, who was ill. Bishop Delaney passed away on July 12, 2005, the day before Father Vann’s episcopal ordination. Bishop Vann was ordained as scheduled on July 13, 2005, with Archbishop José Gomez as consecrator and Archbishop Raymond Burke and Bishop George Lucas as co-consecrators. After serving in the Diocese of Fort Worth for seven and a half years, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Vann as Bishop of the Diocese of Orange on September 21, 2012.

In his homily at Mount Angel for his 20th anniversary, Bishop Vann spoke about the Benedictine influence in his life from his seminary days forward. Addressing the monks, he said, “Most importantly, with all of you, as an oblate … I have found stability and family.” Bishop Vann made his final oblation as a Benedictine oblate of Mount Angel Abbey on July 26, 2024. He expressed his gratitude for the monks’ primary apostolate, Mount Angel Seminary, saying: “I am grateful, above all, to experience your solid formation and care for our seminarians, which is a blessing in a time when the number of our candidates is increasing significantly, and I’m grateful that we send you this year the ones we have.” Bishop Vann himself is an alumnus of Mount Angel Seminary, having earned his Doctor of Ministry on May 11, 2024.

As they prayed in the Prayer of the Faithful for the Mass, the monks of Mount Angel continue to offer prayers in joyful thanksgiving for Bishop Vann’s two decades of episcopal ministry, “that the Lord who anointed him to shepherd his people may continue to pour upon him the gifts of wisdom, courage, and pastoral charity.”

—Ethan Alano

“I’m sorry, I have to ask, what are you?” This question, posed to four of us monks wearing habits in the Salem Hospital elevator while visiting a sick confrere, reminded me how distinct religious clothing is. Not simply long black robes, hoods, and sandals, however, monastic clothing is an external sign of an ongoing interior conversion. While the initial reasons for some decisions made about monastic clothing have become obscure as the centuries have passed, the larger themes of unity and self-sacrifice have endured. St. Benedict devotes just one brief section to “the clothing and the footwear of the brothers,” chapter 55 of the Rule, but, like the rest of the Rule, much can be gleaned by a closer reading of this section.

The balance and discretion characteristic of St. Benedict is particularly evident when he writes, “The clothing distributed to the brothers should vary according to the local conditions and climate because more is needed in cold regions and less in warmer. This is left to the abbot’s discretion” (RB 55:1-3). With Benedictine monasteries currently established on the six major continents, this provision shows great foresight by someone writing in 6th century Italy. The garments St. Benedict lists for monks in this chapter are a tunic, cowl, scapular, shoes, and sandals; he prescribes monks to have two of these “to provide for laundering and night wear” (RB 55:10). Monks today wear these same garments.

Monks receive different articles of the habit as they progress through formation at Mount Angel. Postulants entering the monastery receive a belt and a tunic. The belt is traditionally associated with the virtue of chastity and girding one’s loins. In continuing to the novitiate, monks are invested with the scapular, which is blessed by the abbot in a short rite preceding Vespers. Monks making their simple vows after completing the novitiate receive a hooded scapular. Monastic hoods are often raised while praying or reading Scripture, but also during the funeral procession of a monk. After simple vows, monks making their solemn profession receive the cuculla, a traditional choir robe typically worn on Sundays and solemnities. There is no distinctively clerical part of the habit today; solemnly professed priests and brothers at Mount Angel wear the same habit.

As clothing trends change rapidly in society, there is a certain timeless quality to monastic garb. The black color of the tunic and scapular is a reminder that the monk has died to the world and that he now lives a life hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3). The tunic may not have had particular significance when St. Benedict prescribed its use, but likely was commonly worn during his lifetime. The scapular, a rectangular piece of cloth that resembles a cape and apron, was a work garment that helped keep the tunic clean for liturgical use. Today, however, monks engaged in manual labor remove their habit and wear contemporary work clothing to keep their tunic and scapular clean. St. Benedict says that monks should have both shoes and sandals (RB 55:6). Presumably shoes would be worn for manual labor and in the colder winter months. Both shoes and sandals are worn by modern monks, with an emphasis on simplicity.

The Benedictine habit is simple, devoid of the ubiquitous branding seen today. St. Benedict writes that, “Monks must not complain about the color or coarseness of all these articles, but use what is available in the vicinity at a reasonable cost. However, the abbot ought to be concerned about the measurements of these garments that they not be too short but fitted to the wearers” (RB 55:7-8). Mount Angel monks are fitted for their habits before beginning as postulants and are mended as needed. In a world frequently focused on customization and individual taste, monks inherit the habit, rather than designing their own. Seeing habit-wearing monks reminds Abbey visitors that they, and the larger world, are being prayed for constantly. It also reminds the monks that “nothing is to be preferred to the work of God” (RB 43:3) and that “[our] way of acting should be different from the world’s way; the love of Christ must come before all else” (RB 4:20-21). The habited monk is “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14) and must pray that his thoughts and deeds are in accord with the will of God.

—Br. Alexander Delsman

Many monastic words and titles are uncommon. When the intentionarius begins describing the horarium (even my word processor is saying the word is spelled incorrectly), one unfamiliar with the terminology might feel the need for a translator. Here are a few words used in the monastery and their meanings:

• Bona Opera – The “good work” or Lenten practice chosen by a monk, including a book to be read, that is given to the abbot for his blessing before the beginning of Lent.
• Confrere – A fellow member of the monastic community, a brother.
• Chapter Room – Where the solemnly professed monks meet to discuss the business of the Abbey and vote on proposals for the Abbey.
• Customary – A book that details the customs, practices, and procedures of the monastery. One example at Mount Angel is tucking one’s napkin into the scapular during meals.
• Custos Domus – Literally “the keeper or custodian of the house,” the custos domus is the monk who trains other monks for household chores and helps ensure the monastery is clean.
• Grand silence – The complete silence observed in the monastery from the conclusion of Compline in the evening until breakfast.
• Hebdomidarian – A rotating weekly role, this monk leads prayers and reads the short readings at the Divine Office.
• Horarium – The daily schedule of prayer and work that monks live.
• Infirmarian – The monk who takes care of the brothers who are temporarily sick or chronically ill, including helping monks recovering from surgeries and ailments.
• Intentionarius – The monk who coordinates the Mass intentions, which are made for both the living and the deceased.
• Martyrology – The listing of the saints who were martyred on each day of the year. This is read at the conclusion of dinner and includes where they were killed, what year, and sometimes the circumstances of their death.
• Necrology – The lives of the monks of Mount Angel, read every other year at the conclusion of dinner. Necrology entries frequently mention the schooling, work assignments, hobbies, circumstances of death, and dispositions of the deceased brethren.
• Refectory – Where the monks eat in silence, listening to the reading of Scripture and an edifying book of the abbot’s choosing.
• Reliquarian – The monk who serves as custodian of the monastery’s relics, maintaining their documentation and presenting them to the faithful.
• Scullery – The area connected to the refectory where dishes and utensils are stored. This is where the weekly table servers prepare the food to be served to their brothers.
• Statio – The ordered lining up of monks in the monastery to process into the church, providing a valuable time of recollection for the monastic community. This is done daily for Vespers at Mount Angel and also for anticipated Vigils and Lauds on Sundays.
• Triforium – The area on the second floor of the Abbey church above the choir stalls. Infirm monks can continue to pray the Divine Office with their confreres from the triforium.

—Br. Alexander Delsman