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“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

In the midst of the summer, students are arriving at Mount Angel. These are not seminarians retrieving a textbook or binder, but the new class of propaedeutic students who are beginning an intensive year of prayer and discernment. This, the third year of the propaedeutic stage at Mount Angel, is the largest incoming class with 35 new men ascending the hilltop, many for the first time, as they start formation. The Program of Priestly Formation explains the purpose of the year concisely: “One of the primary objectives of the propaedeutic stage is to provide an introduction to the spiritual life and to develop a solid foundation in the seminarian’s life of prayer” (PPF6, 235). By arriving in early July, the propaedeutic students have almost two months to start building an intentional community before returning seminarians in the discipleship and configuration stages return to Mount Angel near the end of August. They will also be able to experience the Saint Benedict Festival on Saturday, July 12th.

Two new priests are assigned to pray and guide this year’s class of students. Fr. Matt Libra, former pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Portland for the past 12 years, was assigned as coordinator of the propaedeutic stage and will begin his work in that role at the beginning of August. Fr. Simon Baker, OSB, of St. Benedict’s Abbey in Kansas, is leading the students until August and will continue as a formator in the Seminary when the academic year begins.

The propaedeutic year is not primarily concerned with rigorous academic formation, but on listening to the Holy Spirit. The USCCB writes, “Conferences that teach a man how to pray, especially scriptural meditation and the art of lectio divina, are essential to the propaedeutic stage. Time for silence, mental prayer, and spiritual reading will help to lay a solid foundation for future stages of formation and ongoing formation” (PPF6, 123). This slow, meditative way of reading Scripture has been practiced by monks for centuries. The Mount Angel propaedeutic students will benefit in a particular way from the contemplative atmosphere that has been fostered by the monastic community in this sacred space for the last 143 years. A few courses taken during the propaedeutic year include those on Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Two dioceses are sending propaedeutic students to Mount Angel for the first time, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston and the Diocese of Pueblo in Colorado. Additionally, the Diocese of Boise, Diocese of San Jose, Diocese of Stockton, and Diocese of Tucson are returning to Mount Angel.

—Br. Alexander Delsman

On Saturday, June 28^th, the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Father Anselm Flores, OSB, a monk of Mount Angel Abbey, was ordained to the priesthood during the Mass of Ordination in the Abbey church, surrounded by his brother monks, concelebrating priests, his family and friends, and friends and employees of the Abbey and Seminary. Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, was the principal celebrant and ordaining prelate, and Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, was the principal concelebrant.

In his homily, Archbishop Sample spoke directly to then Br. Anselm and affirmed that Jesus had chosen him to be a priest out of “pure love … He wants you to abide in him, to live in his love.” The archbishop reflected on the relationship between the ministerial ordained priesthood and Christ’s presence in the Church and how the two cannot be separated.  “It is the priest who stands at the altar in the person of Christ, the High Priest, offering the eternal sacrifice of our salvation, making present the Paschal Mystery in the offering of the Body and Blood of Christ,” said Archbishop Sample. In a word of encouragement, the archbishop reflected on the way that Christ chooses weak and sinful men to make himself present, none of whom are truly worthy to exercise the office of Christ’s priesthood. “But Christ loves us anyway,” he said. “And when we fail, when we fail him, he is always there in his merciful love … He continues to give himself up for us.”

Following the homily, then Br. Anselm made the priestly promises before the archbishop and then prostrated himself between the choir stalls during the chanting of the Litany of Saints. After the laying on of hands and the prayer of ordination, now Fr. Anselm was vested with the priestly stole and chasuble with assistance from Abbot Jeremy. Archbishop Sample anointed Fr. Anselm’s hands with the sacred chrism, so that the newly ordained priest “may sanctify the Christian people and offer sacrifice to God.” Members of Fr. Anselm’s family presented the bread and his chalice with wine to Archbishop Sample, who gave them to Fr. Anselm and exhorted him to “imitate what you will celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord’s Cross.”

After concelebrating the Eucharist for the first time with Archbishop Sample, Abbot Jeremy, and his brother priests, Fr. Anselm distributed Holy Communion to the faithful, sharing the first fruits of his priestly ministry through the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. At the conclusion of the ordination liturgy, Fr. Anselm offered his first priestly blessing to Archbishop Sample and Abbot Jeremy, who both kissed his hands out of reverence for the gift of Christ’s priesthood in him.

On Sunday, June 29^th, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Fr. Anselm celebrated his first Mass of Thanksgiving in the Abbey church. During his homily, he reflected on “the mystery of the repentance of Peter and Paul,” something that all Christians can imitate. “The glory of Peter and Paul is not founded on their feats or labors, but on their glory-making repentance and trust in the one who forgives,” said Fr. Anselm.  “It was precisely through their great failures that they were brought into the incomparably greater love that Jesus has for each and every one of us sinners, no matter how great or terrible our falls.”

Please pray for Fr. Anselm as he begins his priestly ministry among his brother monks and in the larger community. May God who has begun the good work in him bring it to fulfillment.

Click here to view more photos from Fr. Anselm’s priestly ordination.

—Ethan Alano

On Saturday, May 24^th, Br. Matthew Sislow, OSB, received the Sacrament of Holy Orders as a transitional deacon during Mass in the Abbey church. The monks of Mount Angel Abbey welcomed Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, as the principal celebrant and ordaining prelate.

The Scripture readings chosen for the Mass highlighted the significance of being called by God for service to him and his people: “Before you were born, I dedicated you” (Jeremiah 1:5) … “Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received” (Ephesians 4:1) … “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you” (John 15:16). This theme of calling reverberated throughout the liturgy, emphasizing that Br. Matthew receiving sacred ordination was a response to God’s initial call.

In his homily, Archbishop Sample preached on the three-fold ministry of service that the deacon exercises: of the word, of the altar, and of charity. But he also added that the deacon is at the service of unity in the Body of Christ, drawing upon the themes of St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians proclaimed in the Liturgy of the Word. “You, Br. Matthew, as a deacon, here in your community, are also called to be a servant of that unity, to serve your brothers in community, to be that bond of peace that brings about greater unity among your community,” said Archbishop Sample.

After making the promises of the diaconate and prostrating himself during the Litany of Supplication, Br. Matthew approached the Archbishop and received the laying on of hands. Following the prayer of ordination, Br. Anselm Flores, OSB, himself a transitional deacon who will be ordained a priest on June 28^th, helped vest Br. Matthew with the stole and dalmatic, the liturgical vestments of the deacon. During the offertory, Br. Matthew’s parents brought forward the gifts of bread and wine, signifying the offering of their son in service to Christ and his Church.

Please pray for Br. Matthew as he begins this ministry of service as an icon of Christ the Servant in his monastic community and the Church.

Click here to view more photos from Br. Matthew’s diaconate ordination.

—Ethan Alano

“Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.” These words, proclaimed at the dismissal of Mass, have a particular resonance for Mount Angel Seminary graduates who will be serving in several different capacities this summer. Their ongoing formation will continue in various contexts, but each assignment involves applying what they have received spiritually and academically at Mount Angel, especially the Seminary’s curriculum of Communion Ecclesiology.

Stephen Correia (right) with Deacon Owen F. Cummings

Stephen Correia, a lay graduate from Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Albany, received his Master of Arts in Theology. At the request of his pastor, Fr. Maro Escano, Correia will begin coordinating elementary school religious education on July 1. He will also develop adult catechesis programs, help teach OCIA, and serve with the parish’s bereavement committee. Discussing Mount Angel’s curriculum, Correia said, “I especially appreciated that my classes were tied back to the Eucharistic celebration. All classes were centered on this theme. I found this to be very appropriate and useful when taking this information home to the members of my faith community.” Correia plans to continue taking classes at the Seminary this fall, especially in Sacred Scripture, the liturgy, and the sacraments.

Father Ed Burke, Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau

Father Ed Burke, of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau, helped his sister and her horse move from Atlanta to Wasilla, Alaska, on a 4,264-mile road trip after receiving his Master of Divinity degree. He then made his canonical retreat in Alaska before his priestly ordination by Archbishop Andrew Bellisario, CM, in Anchorage on May 30. Fr. Ed said he is most looking forward to hearing confessions in his priestly ministry and finds it heartbreaking when there aren’t enough priests for Reconciliation. Fr. Ed will begin serving as the parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Wasilla beginning on July 1.

Deacon Martin Umeatuegbu (left) with Archbishop John Wester, Archbishop of Santa Fe

Deacon Martin Umeatuegbu, of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, received his Master of Arts in Theology and was ordained to the transitional diaconate on June 5 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Although this was Deacon Umeatuegbu’s first year at Mount Angel, he described the curriculum’s impact saying, “One element of CE (Communion Ecclesiology) which has drawn me to the liturgy is the principle of gravitas which enables me to see the liturgy as the holiest and most solemn prayer where I will be sanctified. It is my hope that people discover that how we live our lives must draw strength from what we celebrate.” Deacon Umeatuegbu is particularly looking forward to the proclaiming and preaching aspects of the diaconate and their ability to guide people towards the sacraments.

Jose Juarez, Diocese of Orange

Jose Juarez, a seminarian for the Diocese of Orange, received his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy this May and will be serving in the diocesan Office of Life, Justice, and Peace in Orange County this summer. He described his assignment saying, “I am confident that this summer will continue to form me in many ways, especially in fostering a fatherly heart.” Juarez will also be going to Jamaica for a mission trip with 16 other missionaries from the diocese to serve with the Missionaries of the Poor. Juarez discussed this ministry of accompaniment’s impact: “I believe the Lord is calling me to grow pastorally by encountering the needs of others and walking closely with them in their struggles and hopes.”

Father Martín de Jesus Ortega, Diocese of Fresno

Father Martín de Jesus Ortega, of the Diocese of Fresno, was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Joseph Brennan on May 24 after receiving his Master of Divinity degree. Fr. Martín described his upcoming pastoral responsibilities saying, “The Lord is entrusting me not only with my own life, but also with his people — to accompany them, to guide them, and to care for them.” Celebrating the sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist are two elements of the priesthood Fr. Martín is most looking forward to. He explained, “I also look forward to being present to people in their daily lives, walking with them in both joyful and difficult moments.” Fr. Martín mentioned “the rhythm of prayer, the peaceful atmosphere, and the strong sense of fraternity among the seminarians and monks” as three aspects of life at Mount Angel he will miss. His first assignment is at the Shrine of St. Therese in Fresno.

—Br. Alexander Delsman

“Is that white smoke?” I asked Br. Gabriel Brands, OSB, as we watched the “chimney stream” from Vatican News in the monastery’s recreation room. I entered shortly after Mass to see if smoke, white or black, was billowing out from the chimney set atop the Sistine Chapel. There was not much excitement for the first few minutes. But quickly, three birds settled atop the roof and began captivating both local and international attention. Moments later, the white smoke began to pour out of the chimney, and we knew that the College of Cardinals had elected the next Holy Father and successor of St. Peter. Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, was one of the first monks to join us as he received a phone call from Fr. Israel Sanchez, OSB, a Mount Angel monk studying in Rome and standing in St. Peter’s Square, sharing that a new pope had been elected.

Monks began filing into the recreation room as we shared in the energy and excitement of those present in Rome. Archbishop Richard Smith, the archbishop-designate for the Archdiocese of Vancouver in Canada, was also one of the first to watch the coverage with the monks. He was making his pre-installation retreat in the monastery and mentioned that he was present in St. Peter’s Square for the last papal election in 2013. The interlude between the white smoke and the announcement of the new pope lasted about 40 minutes, but it felt much longer with the eagerness to hear who will be guiding the Church next as the “servant of the servants of God.” The joy present in St. Peter’s Square was palpable, and monks noted how international and young those present were. Some monks, myself included, tried to ascertain which country’s flags were being waved by the faithful in Rome.

At long last, Cardinal Mamberti made his way out on the loggia to announce the new Holy Father. The name Prevost was said, and monks began confirming with one another that they heard it correctly. We began to realize that the first American pope had just been elected. Some monks began searching for more information about Cardinal Prevost online while others began thinking back to Pope Leo XIII and what his papacy meant for the Church and the world at the dawn of the 20th century. Both Abbot Jeremy and Archbishop Smith have met Pope Leo XIV and had encouraging words to describe their interactions. As we listened to Pope Leo’s first address, Abbot Jeremy translated his opening words in Italian for the monks. The word “pace” or “peace” was used many times during his initial address. We realized that Fr. Michael Shrum, OSB, would be the first priest in the monastery to say Pope Leo’s name in the Eucharistic Prayer at the conventual Mass the following day. As the address concluded, we received the blessing of Pope Leo XIV and returned to various places across the Hilltop with a spirit of joy and thanksgiving to almighty God for the 267th Vicar of Christ.

—Br. Alexander Delsman

The 2025 Mount Angel Seminary Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Exercises marked significant beginnings and endings for the Seminary community. Held on May 10, this year’s commencement was the first under the leadership of Fr. Jeff Eirvin as President-Rector of the Seminary. The 2025 commencement also marked the retirement of Deacon Owen Cummings and the end of his tenure as professor of theology at Mount Angel Seminary after 30 years of generous service. For many of the 21 graduates in the Class of 2025, commencement signified the end of their time at Mount Angel Seminary and the beginning of the next chapter in God’s plan for them.

During his homily at the Baccalaureate Mass, Archbishop John Wester, of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, emphasized that while commencement may be an ending to the graduates’ time at Mount Angel, what continues is their relationship with Jesus Christ that they have cultivated here. “Jesus calls you friends,” said Archbishop Wester, “and he invites you to continue your journey now toward the heart of his Father where he abides.”

In his commencement address, Deacon Owen Cummings, the Distinguished Regents’ Chair of Theology, also spoke about this theme of friendship, calling Jesus’ Last Supper discourses in John 15 “the finest commencement speech I have ever read.” Addressing the entire Hilltop community, Deacon Cummings continued, “You here today, the entire community, graduates and continuing students, academic colleagues and staff, those who began here who now serve in so many different places, and those who sleep in the cemetery below, friends all: you are my glory. Friends all.”

Following the conferring of degrees, Deacon Martín de Jesus Ortega Ascencio, of the Diocese of Fresno, gave the senior farewell, a heartfelt expression of gratitude for all those who made his and his fellow graduates’ seminary formation possible. “Mount Angel is not only a seminary; it is a family, a school of the heart, a place where stones are not stuck but shaped and carved,” he said. Turning to his fellow graduates, he said, “The Church is waiting for you … bring joy, embody Mount Angel … preach Christ.”

After the senior farewell, Fr. Jeff Eirvin presented Deacon Cummings with the Lumen Gentium award, “the most distinguished award given to those involved in priestly formation and education here at Mount Angel Seminary.” The formal citation for the award described Deacon Cummings as a “faithful and luminous servant of Holy Mother Church and steward of the mysteries of God, who as deacon, dean, and teacher serves with the gentle heart of the Good Shepherd.”

After a standing ovation for Deacon Cummings, Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, Chancellor of Mount Angel Seminary, approached the podium and expressed his personal gratitude for Deacon Cummings. “The last 30 years of my monastic life, working side by side with you, is one of the great graces of my life as a monk of this house, to have had you as a friend and colleague,” said Abbot Jeremy. “I thank you, and thank you for announcing together that Jesus Christ is the light of the world.”

The following seminarians received their Bachelor of Arts degrees from Mount Angel Seminary’s College of Liberal Arts: Oscar Contreras Marañón, Diocese of Monterey; Roman Espitia, Diocese of Fresno; Jose Trino Juarez Reyes, Diocese of Orange; Elias Miguel Lopez Corona, Diocese of Monterey; Maliko James Madden, Archdiocese of Seattle; and Anthony Alexis Rizo, Diocese of Reno.

The following student received his Master of Arts (Philosophy): Michael Erin Hamilton.

The following transitional deacons received their Master of Divinity degrees from Mount Angel Seminary’s Graduate School of Theology: Deacon Edward Burke, Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau; Br. Anselm Flores, OSB, Mount Angel Abbey; Br. Francis Lai, CSJB, Congregation of St. John the Baptist; Deacon Edgar Yair Lozano Cuevas; Diocese of Sacramento; Deacon Martín de Jesus Ortega Ascencio, Diocese of Fresno; and Deacon Kenneth Ray Parsad, Diocese of Salt Lake City.

The following students received their Master of Arts (Theology): Stephen Arthur Christopher Gregory Correia; Br. Anselm Flores, OSB, Mount Angel Abbey; Br. Ignatius of Antioch Olivarez, OSB, Mount Angel Abbey; Fr. Michael Shrum, OSB, Mount Angel Abbey; Fr. Anthony Scott Shumway, Diocese of Salt Lake City; and Martin Nchedo Umeatuegbu, Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

Three students received their Doctor of Ministry degrees: Cory Adam Baker; Todd Aaron Cooper; and Fr. Peter Thomas Tynan, OSB, Saint Martin’s Abbey.

To view photos from the 136^th Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Exercises, visit Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary’s Flickr album.

Abbot Jeremy, confreres, family and friends of Fr. Nathan, and the seminary community to which he was so devoted to over the years.

“For He wounds, but He also binds up; He strikes, but His hands heal.” (Job 5:18)

You will recall that on Gaudete Sunday last year, Abbot Jeremy, Br. Claude, and Fr. Nathan celebrated their Golden Jubilee of Monastic Profession. During the Eucharist, each renewed the vows of stability, obedience, and fidelity to the monastic way of life—vows they first made on September 8, 1974.

In reflecting on his life and vocation at that time, Fr. Nathan spoke of growing up in a devout Catholic household in eastern Washington, within the Diocese of Spokane. He shared how the example of his mother’s prayerful life and steadfast devotion to the Church, who along with the Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph, who staffed the local hospital, and the School Sisters of Notre Dame, who taught at the Catholic grade school, left a profound and lasting impression on him during his formative years.

After graduating from primary school, he enrolled in the diocesan high school seminary, Mater Cleri. It was there that he met Dan Lane, the future Br. Claude, and the two became close friends, united by their youthful spirit and shared love for the arts. Following their time at Mater Cleri, Fr. Nathan attended Gonzaga University for two years.

While at Gonzaga, the Jesuits invited several students to visit their Novitiate in Sheridan, Oregon. Fr. Nathan recalled that as the group was preparing to return to Spokane, several of the Jesuit novices suggested they stop at the Abbey on their way back. Fr. Nathan later reflected that it was almost by accident that he came to know of Mount Angel. We, however, know that in God’s designs, there are no accidents.

“For He wounds, but He also binds up; He strikes, but His hands heal.” (Job 18)

Looking back, Fr. Nathan recalled that as the car slowly wound its way up the main drive, he was captivated by the natural beauty: the towering old-growth timbers obscuring the sun, the lush green vegetation, the birds in flight, the squirrels darting about, the tall uncut wild grasses on either side of the road, the Stations of the Cross, the Grotto of the Virgin, the ordered pattern of the cemetery, and, finally, coming to the crown of the hill, the church and the surrounding red-tile roofed buildings. The beauty of the landscape, the valley below, the snow-capped peaks in the distance—the peace and presence of God, he said, was tangible.

At Vespers, he recalled being mesmerized by the monks in choir, their chant, and the graceful unity of their movements during the “Glory Be…” He spoke of that moment as one heavy with the palpable beauty of the divine presence. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “The encounter with beauty is a moment of truth. Through it, we come to know the ultimate beauty, which is God Himself.”

Fr. Nathan concluded his reflections, by saying, “In that instant, it felt as though I had found the answer to the course my life would take.”

“For He wounds, but He also binds up; He strikes, but His hands heal.” (Job 5:18)

In the slow ascent up the hill, Fr. Nathan’s attention would surely have been drawn to what lay directly ahead. Yet, his peripheral vision would have naturally caught glimpses of the Stations of the Cross to the right. Little could he have imagined that, in the years to come, as a monk, the manifold ways he would experience the weight of the Cross, and be propelled to tread the Via Dolorosa.

St. Gregory of Nyssa teaches, God, in His goodness, does not reveal the fullness of His divine plan all at once. He knows such a revelation would overwhelm us and would drive us away in fear. Instead, He unveils His will gradually, according to our capacity to bear it.

“For He wounds, but He also binds up; He strikes, but His hands heal.” (Job 5:18)

Following his ordination to the priesthood in the spring of 1988, Father Nathan was assigned several responsibilities within the monastery: Postulant Master, Socius to the Novice Master, and Master of Ceremonies. He also was elected to serve on the Senior Council. During this time, the Monastery Formation Council was established. He helped articulate protocols for accepting candidates, along with other formation policies.

For the next fifteen years, his assignments focused on the seminary apostolate. He served as the seminary’s public relations officer, as formation director, as vice-rector, and as seminary administrator during an interregnum between Rectors. Additionally, he took on the role of curator for the abbey’s art collection.

Father Nathan’s deep love for the seminary apostolate led him to see the need to strengthen the seminary’s identity, to foster a familial spirit among the faculty, and to enhance the academic and formation programs. His inspiration led to the establishment of the Lumen Gentium award in 1988, marking the hundredth anniversary of the Seminary’s founding. This recognizes those individuals who have made significant contributions to the Church’s pastoral mission and who have exemplified the calling of being a ‘Light for the Nations’ through their lives and work.

He also promoted the Seminary Annunciation Dinner, during which faculty and seminarians are recognized for their achievements over the year. In 2000, he reinstituted the seminary awards medal, which was originally established in the 1889-1890 school year but which had not been given for many years.

Later, as Abbot, he would establish the Seminary Benefit Dinner, which was held at the Convention Center in Portland, to support the seminary’s financial needs. This annual dinner became a major fundraiser for Mount Angel Seminary.

Father Nathan’s dedication to seminary formation was recognized in 2001 when he was invited by the Chair of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Priestly Formation to serve on the drafting committee for the fifth edition of the Program of Priestly Formation.

In the summer of 2001, the monastic community called upon him to serve as its tenth Abbot. As abbot, he led the community through a pivotal time. As the spiritual father of the community, motivated by his deep love of the monastic life he sought to guide the monks in achieving their professed purpose—seeking Christ above all.

Throughout all this, he continued his own education. In 2002, he was awarded a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Dayton. His thesis was titled, Four President Rectors of Mount Angel Seminary: A Story of Educational Leadership, 1972-1990.

As chief steward of the abbey’s temporal goods, he led the effort in 2002 to establish the Abbey Foundation of Oregon. The Foundation brought together individuals with professional expertise to oversee the management of the abbey’s temporal assets while fostering the community’s Benedictine mission in service to the Church in Western Oregon and beyond.

In his administration as Chancellor, he worked closely with the seminary administration and faculty, fostering a strong relationship between the seminary and the monastery to ensure the school was infused with the Benedictine charism. And he sought to strengthen the ties between the seminary and the dioceses associated with it. His efforts helped position Mount Angel Seminary as a recognized institution for priestly formation in the region. He also sought to ensure its governance and administration complied with the Code of Canon Law, the Program of Priestly Formation, and the agencies providing academic accreditation.

In this light, he established the Board of Directors in 2005. This board oversees the seminary’s mission, goals, programs, growth, and annual budget. At the same time, the Board of Members was established, with oversight responsibility for the seminary’s mission, its leadership, its financial assets, and the nomination of the President-Rector.

Abbot Nathan recognized the need to improve facilities for the seminary’s academic and spiritual programs. Under his guidance, the Annunciation building was completed in 2006.

He also oversaw the construction of “Tower of the Visitation” in 2007. This fulfilled a long-standing dream of the monastic community. The tower’s eight bells ring out over the hilltop.

Under Abbot Nathan, the monastery like the larger Catholic Church had to address issues related to past abuse of minors by abbey personnel. Having to address these matters early in his administration took a substantial psychological and physical toll on him. In compliance with ecclesiastical requirements, he established the Office of Child Protection and affiliated the abbey and seminary with Praesidium Inc., an external organization dedicated to promoting a safe environment for minors and vulnerable individuals.

After resigning from the office of abbot in 2009, Father Nathan was appointed pastor of St. Agatha’s Parish in Portland, where he served as a beloved pastor until 2018. Upon returning to the monastery, health challenges prevented him from engaging in active life within the monastic community. Nonetheless, he accepted several roles, including curator of the abbey’s art collection, the chair of the Arts and Environment Committee, the custodian of the abbey museum, and the abbey archivist.

His leadership and administrative burdens were now behind him. The instituting of new programs and initiatives were completed. The responsibility of planning renovations and new construction projects was over.

The ceaseless pressures that once defined his monastic life were no longer present. What was left in their wake was an unfamiliar quiet. What had once been a constant flurry of tasks and obligations gave way to an expanse of time—time that, though long awaited, now became a double-edged sword. The pace and activity of years gone by had perhaps masked the deeper reflections that time had long stored away.

Now, with distractions gone, he found himself confronting not only the accomplishments and blessings of his years, but perhaps also the deeper demands of the vow of conversatio morum. Now there was time to reflect upon the imperfections, the missed opportunities for change and growth, and the missteps that had been had left behind. As it is for anyone, age, poor health, and loneliness amplify the wounds that are left unaddressed. Time, once a friendly companion, now became a mirror—that reflected both the light and shadow of his journey, inclining him to ruminate on all that had been, and all that had not been.

Sometimes God wounds us by allowing us to come face to face with our interior wounds, so we may seek His help, rely on Him, ask for forgiveness for our sins, make reparation, and take responsibility for our actions. In this way, Father Nathan’s later years became a time of deep spiritual reckoning, where silence and stillness became an opportunity for God’s grace—a time to heal the wounds of the past, both seen and unseen.

“For He wounds, but He also binds up; He strikes, but His hands heal.” (Job 5:18)

Pope St. Gregory the Great in Moralia on Job, interprets the suffering of Job and applies it to the Christian understanding of suffering. In Book 5, Gregory reflects on the nature of divine discipline and healing. “The trials which the righteous endure are for their purification, not for their destruction. Though God allows suffering to befall His people, it is not because He delights in their afflictions, but because He wishes to lead them to greater strength, to heal their souls. Just as the physician must sometimes wound the body in order to bring about healing, so God allows the wounds of suffering to cleanse the soul and bring about great glory.”

In his apostolic letter, Salvifici Doloris, Pope St. John Paul II writes: “Christ’s suffering, in a sense, makes visible the whole mystery of human suffering. He, who is the Son of God, became man and took on our suffering. But He does not leave us in suffering, He does not abandon us in the depths of pain. By His wounds, we are healed, (cf. Isa 53:5). The divine ‘wounding’ is not without its purpose; it is a means of healing, an act of mercy and love. For the hand of God, and its providence, allows suffering for the purification of the soul, but always for the sake of restoration. He wounds, but He also binds up; He strikes, but His hands heal.”

Thus, the suffering of Christ is not just a part of the past; it is part of the present. In every moment of suffering that we endure, Christ is present. He gives meaning to that suffering by His own redemptive act. He heals us in our suffering, giving us the strength to bear it and allowing it to lead us toward our ultimate salvation.

This is the meaning of the text from Book of Job and its application to the life of our brother, Father, Abbot, Nathan Zodrow, “For He wounds, but He also binds up; He strikes, but His hands heal.” (Job 5:18)

As we entrust our beloved confrere, Father Nathan, to the loving mercy of God our Father, let us pray:

Lord our God, Artist Divine,
Creator of all — seen and unseen,
in Whom your divine artistry never wanes.
To You we commend Your servant, Father Nathan.
In your mercy, brush away the stain of his sins,
the sulliedness and disorder of imperfection.
Restore the beauty and grace in which You first fashioned his soul.
Open your heart to the crosses he bore in silence,
the trials endured,
the temptations waged,
the tears that fell, and the battles lost.
Bring forth the innocence of his baptism,
the self-offering of his monastic profession,
the image of Christ, the Eternal High Priest,
imprinted upon his soul at his ordination,
the good works and virtues that lie hidden,
and the care of souls he undertook as abbot.
May the very wounds of Christ Your Son,
in the light of the glory of His resurrection and ascension,
be the remedy for every defect, imperfection,
and need of your servant, Father Nathan.
In Your kindness, Lord, count him among the sheep of Your fold,
so that on Mount Zion, with jubilant heart,
he may gaze upon the beauty of Your face,
and You upon his,
in the company of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the Joy of Monks,
our holy father St. Benedict,
and the choirs Angels and all Your Saints
forever and ever.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.

—Fr. Paul Thomas, OSB

On March 11, 2025, 16 seminarians representing 7 (arch)dioceses and 2 religious communities were instituted as lectors and acolytes during the annual Ministries Mass at Mount Angel Seminary. Bishop Jaime Soto, bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento, was the principal celebrant and instituting prelate. Other concelebrants included Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, abbot and chancellor of Mount Angel Seminary, Fr. Jeff Eirvin, president-rector of Mount Angel Seminary, vocation directors and visiting priests, and priests from the monastery and the Seminary.

The readings for the Mass were the daily readings for Tuesday of the First Week of Lent, which providentially resonated with the ministries of lector and acolyte at the service of the word and the altar, respectively. The first reading from Isaiah described the power of God’s word that “shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). The Gospel from Matthew was Jesus’ teaching on the Lord’s Prayer, prayed at every Eucharistic liturgy which the acolyte serves. Reflecting on the Lord’s Prayer, Bishop Soto shared that “knowing what these words meant for Jesus and where they would lead Jesus, our hearts should tremble when we bring his words to our lips.” Addressing the seminarians receiving ministries, he expressed that the Lord’s Prayer is “how you conform your life to the priestly image of the Lord Jesus.”

Following the homily, those seminarians receiving the ministry of lector were called forward by name. Bishop Soto prayed that “as they meditate constantly on your Word, they may grow in its wisdom and faithfully proclaim it to your people.”

Those instituted into the ministry of lector were Tyler Matthew Alt, Diocese of Orange; Br. Thomas Buttrick, OSB, Mount Angel Abbey; Joseph Ryan Canepa, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon; Đavid Huy Đỗ, Archdiocese of Seattle; Br. Pachomius Hamor, OSB, Saint Martin’s Abbey; Edward Joseph Huber, Diocese of Orange; Robert Kelly, Archdiocese of Santa Fe; Seth Mitchell London, Diocese of Orange; Fernando Mendoza Lemus, Diocese of Fresno; John Thien Nguyen, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon; and Cody Wilson Schurter, Diocese of Orange.

After the seminarians receiving the ministry of acolyte were called forward, Bishop Soto prayed that “they may be faithful in the service of your altar, and in giving to others the Bread of Life, may they grow always in faith and love and so build up your Church.”

Those instituted into the ministry of acolyte were Marcos Ricardo Alvarado Trasmonte, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon; Victor Fernando Amador, Diocese of Sacramento; Kinnzy Dorcely, Diocese of Yakima; Alan Matthias Hoetker, Diocese of Orange; and Adalberto Montes Contreras, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon.

All 16 seminarians who were instituted as lectors and acolytes are in the configuration stage of seminary formation at Mount Angel Seminary. The Program of Priestly Formation, 6th edition, describes the conferral of lector and acolyte as “appropriate during this stage, marking the progressive deepening of this self-configuration to Christ both liturgically and in catechesis, evangelization, and active service to the poor.” Please pray for these seminarians as they exercise these ministries in service to Christ and his Church.

Mount Angel Seminary, established in 1889 by the pioneer monks of Mount Angel Abbey, is the oldest seminary in the western United States. It is the only seminary in the West that offers a four-year college and graduate school of theology, and one of only a few in the nation that offer degrees at all levels, baccalaureate through doctorate. Since its foundation, Mount Angel Seminary has educated and formed thousands of priests and many religious and lay women and men for service to the people of God in nearly 100 dioceses and religious communities across the country and around the world.

View more photos from the Ministries Mass on our Flickr.