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OUR NEWLY PROFESSED: We were blessed tonight to witness the Rite of First Profession of a monk. Novice Michael DeFoore of Van Buren, Arkansas, made his three-year simple vows of Stability, Conversatio Morum, and Obedience. Abbot Elijah gave him the name... (click on the title above for more details)

SOLEMN PROFESSION: Our monastic community at Subiaco was blessed to welcome a new solemnly professed monk into our Chapter. Sam Jannise of Beaumont, TX, was led by God to join our Benedictine community in 2018. After his short time as a candidate, he entered into ... (click on the title above for more details and a photo)

Through the swift investigation by Sheriff Jason W. Massey and the Logan County Sheriff's Office, Arkansas, both of our stolen altar reliquaries have now been found and returned to the monastery. Both of these reliquaries were sealed into the altar on March 31, 1959, when Bishop Albert L. Fletcher of the Diocese of Little Rock consecrated the altar and Church. The Sheriff reported that ... (click on the title above for more details and photos)

The main altar at the Abbey Church of St. Benedict was desecrated tonight in an act of vandalism and theft. (click on the title above to see more details and photos.)

DIACONATE ORDINATION DATE: Abbot Elijah has announced that he has tentatively approved Brother Raban Heyer, OSB, to be ordained a transitional deacon by Bishop Anthony Taylor on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at 10:00 am in our Subiaco Abbey Church. By that time, Brother Raban will have completed all but one year of his seminary formation at Pontificio Sant'Anselmo in Rome, Italy. During this next year, Br. Raban must complete his ongoing academic studies, receive the recommendation of the Prior of Sant'Anselmo, be installed in ministries, and undertake a canonical retreat. Pray for Br. Raban in his continued studies for the priesthood! UIOGD!

SOLEMN PROFESSION DATE: On Wednesday, August 31, 2022, the Subiaco Chapter of Solemnly Professed Monks considered the petition of Br. Gabriel Jannise to be accepted for solemn profession. Br. Gabriel had completed his candidacy, his novitiate, and was entering into his final months of temporary profession. The Chapter approved his petition and Abbot Elijah has now set Wednesday.... (click on the title to read more)

Father Elijah Owens, OSB, was elected the eighth abbot of Subiaco Abbey on Thursday, July 7, 2022. He follows the tenure of Abbot Leonard Wangler who served for seven years as the seventh abbot of Subiaco before resignation. An abbot is the head of a monastery of monks chosen to guide and lead the monastery. More specifically, the Abbot of Subiaco is the spiritual head and Father of the thirty-five men living the Benedictine monastic way of life at Subiaco Abbey. 

50 YEARS!!!!!: Our monastic confrere, Fr. Mark Stengel, was ordained a priest on June 9, 1972. Over the course of years, he has devoted himself to service as: a missionary in Belize, an Academy dean and faculty member, an Oblate Director, Formation Director, and many other house positions assigned by the Abbot and too numerous to count. We pray you continue for many more years in God's faithful service as a monastic priest. Happy Anniversary! UIOGD!

Fr. Patrick Boland and Br. Ambrose Fryer have been selected to attend a summer leadership program in Rome, Italy, from July 10-22. This program is jointly sponsored by the Monastic Institute of the Pontifical University of Sant'Anselmo and the Institute of Management and Strategy at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. This program... (click on the title to read more)

SOLEMN PROFESSION VOTE: On Wednesday, March 9th, the Subiaco Chapter of Solemnly Professed Monks received the petition of Br. André Bedore, O.S.B., who requested that he be allowed to make his solemn profession as a monk of our abbey. In accordance with Canon 657 §1, the Chapter voted to accept Br. André's petition and... (click to read more)

Due to the reopening of churches, we are seeing a very low number of viewers to our livestreamed masses (an average of 20 each week). Therefore, after the Easter Sunday mass of April 17, we will cease the regular livestreaming of Sunday services. Check back to this website and our social media platforms for when we stream special events like graduation and solemn professions.

On Tuesday, February 1st, we were honored to see Candidate Michael DeFoore of Van Buren, Arkansas, be invested into the novitiate of Subiaco Abbey. Novice Michael had spent the past six months as a Candidate at our Abbey getting a taste of monastic life. Having been vested by the Abbot at Vespers with the scapular over the monastic tunic, Novice Michael will... (click to read more)

Subiaco monk, Fr. Lawrence Hoyt, was born on April 1, 1877, in Iowa. He came to Subiaco in March of 1897 and professed his vows as a monk of our monastery on October 16, 1900, receiving the name Lawrence. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Edward M. Fitzgerald at St. Andrew Cathedral in Little Rock on June 25, 1904. For almost five... (click to read more and see photos)

The newest edition of The Abbey Message can now be found and read by clicking the title above. This is our quarterly publication that details many of the activities of Subiaco.

IN THE NEWS--BEER & HOT SAUCE!: Arkansas PBS recently visited our abbey to learn about our hot sauce and beer brewing operations. Br. Sebastian and Fr. Richard are interviewed by Lauren McCullough for the first part of this "Good Roots" segment. Click on the title of the post to access the link to view and listen. UIOGD!

ARCHIVES—“BACULUM SENECTUTIS”: Celebrations involving the anniversary of the monastic profession of a monk are ones we look forward to each year. The 50th anniversary of monastic profession (sometimes referred to as a “Golden Anniversary”) are especially ones that our monastic order has honored and celebrated with particular flourish. For many years, abbeys in our Confederation even celebrated a... (click to read more and see photos)

ARCHIVE SUNDAY—SAWMILL & LOGGING: On March 15, 1878, the three founders of our monastery arrived from Indiana. On March 16th they set about building an altar. They had only an old hatchet, but a young man by the name of Mr. Gruwe (later to become a monk and priest) took on the task. Listen here to the tale recounted by Fr. Luke Hess: [A few saplings, cut in the bush, were nailed together with... (click to read more and see photos)

ARCHIVE SUNDAY—OUR WATER TOWER: On December 20, 1927, our monastery of Subiaco was almost completely destroyed by a fire. A lack of water to fight the fire was one of the primary reasons for the extensive damage. To make matters worse, within one year Subiaco would also lose our auditorium to another fire that could not be contained. The monks quickly resolved to get control of this lack of water by deciding to... (click to read more and see photos)

ACCEPTED FOR SOLEMN PROFESSION: Last night (26 May) the Chapter of Solemnly Professed monks of Subiaco Abbey met and considered the application of Br. Ambrose Fryer to be accepted for solemn profession in our monastic community. John Fryer of Alexandria, LA, following the call of God, entered our abbey in 2017 and undertook a period of Candidacy, followed by his novitiate of a year and a day. On Feb. 2, 2019, he then... (click to read more and see photos)

MONKS IN TRANSITION: One of the great gifts of monastic life is the ability to explore varying fields of education or professions over the course of your life. Two of our monks (Brother Gabriel and Brother Raban) have just arrived at a major moment of transition. Say a prayer for both of our brothers as they make these wonderful but challenging educational transitions in their lives (one training for nursing and one training for priesthood). Click to read the full story and see photos.