News

Students, faculty, monks and staff donated 25 units during the April 27, 2017, blood drive.

Twenty-one members the Department of Arkansas Parks and Tourism toured Abbey grounds and buildings on April 25, 2017.

2017 Palm Sunday procession (monks, parishoners, students) from Centenary Hall to Abbey Church

The trip to the Arkansas Made Arkansas Proud Craft Fair this weekend was a great success! Our booth made up part of the 100 different vendors that packed War Memorial Stadium. With a total of approximately 1,730 individuals in attendance, this was a great opportunity to share about Subiaco’s mission as well as presenting our products into a different market. Overall this venture brought $2,122.95 of revenue to the Abbey and generated much good will.

The profession of a Beaumont, TX, resident and 2011 graduate of Subiaco Academy as a Benedictine monk took place in the Subiaco Abbey Church February 2, 2017. During Vespers on February 2, 2017, Novice Zach Boyer presented his written and signed petition to Abbot Leonard who then welcomed his public profession of monastic vows for three years. Reflecting this change in his state of life, the Abbot assigned him a new name. After three years from that time, he will be eligible to make his final, perpetual vows. Br. John Paul (Zach) Boyer comes from Beaumont, Tx where he lived most of his life before coming to Subiaco in the 2007-2008 School year as a freshman in the Academy. He is a graduate of Port Neches Elementary, St. Anne’s Middle School, Subiaco Academy, and Benedictine College in Atchinson. Kansas.

Annual trip to Subiaco Academy art room for a calligraphy class. Br. Ephrem was pleased with progress made by the St. Joseph (Paris) students.

Br. Basil Taylor, O.S.B., made his solemn profession of vows as a monk of Subiaco Abbey at the 10:30 a.m. Mass on January 28, 2017, in the Abbey Church. Having completed the period of triennial vows, he professed this life-long commitment as a Benedictine monk. He has served at Subiaco Abbey as assistant librarian, assistant archivist, and in the Abbey vineyard. Br. Basil was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He graduated from Christ the King, then Trinity Jr. High and Southside High School all in Fort Smith. For a while he studied forestry at the University of Arkansas Monticello, after which he worked in information technology for a couple of years. For a time he worked in a number of bars, owning one himself for a while. Following this he worked at Trane AireSystems in Fort Smith in charge of the computer support there and a number of sales offices in the southern region. After 6 years there he decided to pursue the calling to religious life. Having to come to Subiaco Abbey for summer camp when he was younger, he decided with God’s help to make it his new home. After he made temporary vows, then Abbot Jerome Kodell, OSB, asked him to finish his bachelor’s degree at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, which he did in the spring of 2016, graduating Magna Cum Laude in Environmental Studies.

Br Reginald Udouj, OSB, and Br. Cassian Elkins, OSB, were ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Anthony Taylor of the Diocese of Little Rock at the 10:00 a.m., Mass on December 30, 2016, in the Abbey Church. Br.Reginald will complete his 3rd year of theology at St. John Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota, in May 2017. He attended Christ the King Catholic School in Ft. Smith, Subiaco Academy (class of 1979) and High Point University in North Carolina before making profession as a monk of Subiaco Abbey in September 2012. Br. Reginald will complete his theology studies and be ordained to the priesthood in the spring of 2018. In May 2017 Br. Cassian will complete his 3rd year of theology at St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in Indiana. He attended Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic School in Church Point, LA, as well as Our Lady of the Lake University for his undergraduate degrees in philosophy and theology. He did graduate work in philosophy at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC, before making profession as a monk of Subiaco Abbey in 2012. Br. Cassian will complete his theological studies and be ordained to the priesthood in the spring of 2018.

Subiaco's procurator Glenn Constantino '82 and I visited on December 1 with a number of alumni and friends of Subiaco. Ryan Gehrig, class of '91, is the CEO of Mercy Ft. Smith. He showed us the recently renovated St. Edward Chapel.

On the First Sunday of Advent, Subiaco's monks sang the Rorate and recited traditional Advent prayers at the evening meal in the Abbey refectory.  The Rorate comes from Isaiah 45:8 which gives exquisite poetical expression to the longings of Patriarchs and Prophets, and symbolically of the  Church, for the coming of the Messiah. "Rorate coeli desuper et nubes pluant justum" (Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the just)."

Monks and friends processed to the monastic cemetery on November 2 to pray for all the deceased members of the monastic community.

On October 15, 2016, Br. Jude will have wood creations, Br. Basil candles, Br. Ephrem calligraphy, and Novice Zach soap for sale at the St. Joseph (Fayetteville) Catholic Church from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

The periodical "Human Development" recently published an article on the Psalms that was written by Fr. Jerome. Click on the title to read the article.

Father Aaron Pirrera, OSB, age 72, monk of Subiaco Abbey, died peacefully September 18, 2016, at Sparks Regional Medical Center, Fort Smith, Arkansas. The Christian Wake Service will be held at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 20, 2016, in the Abbey Church. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 21, 2016. Click on the link for the full obituary. 

Abbot Leonard was in Rome for the every-four-years meeting of the Benedictine Abbots of the world. On September 8th, Abbot Loenard had a chance to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican. In his talk to the Abbots, Pope Francis said today’s society “is increasingly showing its need of mercy” and described Benedictine monasteries “as oases of spirituality” where people can obtain that mercy. The Pope’s comments came on Thursday during an address to participants of the International Congress of Benedictine Abbots and Abbesses taking place in Rome.

We have three novices this morning. . . .

With the recommendation of their seminaries, Abbot Leonard has now called Br. Cassian and Br. Reginald to receive ordination to the Order of the Diaconate. Bishop Anthony Taylor, of the Diocese of Little Rock, has graciously agreed to ordain them on December 30, 2016, at 10:00 am, in the Abbey Church of St. Benedict at Subiaco Abbey. Congratulations to both monks as they prepare for their ordination.

Br. Dominic Faciane was recently chosen as the new Fine Arts Department Chairperson for Subiaco Academy. In addition to already serving as our Abbey Choirmaster and a teacher in our Academy, Br. Dominic will be now able to further use his talents in the larger Fine Arts Department of the Academy. Congratulations on this appointment by the Academy!

Br. Roch McClellan, O.S.B., and Br. Damien Cafaro, O.S.B., made their solemn profession of vows as monks of Subiaco Abbey at Mass on August 20, 2016, in the Abbey Church. Having completed the period of triennial vows, they professed this life-long commitment as Benedictine monks.

More than forty alumni, monks and friends enjoyed the August 5, 2016 baseball game between the NW Arkansas Naturals and the Tulsa Drillers.