Father Boniface Hicks Has New Book
Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B., has a new book, published by Sophia Institute Press, The Hidden Power of Silence in the Mass: A Guide for Encountering Christ in the Liturgy. It is his fifth book and was released in April. Father Boniface serves as director of spiritual formation for Saint Vincent Seminary as well as director […]
Retreat Office Offering Two European Pilgrimages For 2025
The Archabbey Retreat Program will again offer two European pilgrimages for 2025, both in May. Father Philip Kanfush, O.S.B., procurator of the Archabbey and professor in the Education Department at Saint Vincent College, will lead a pilgrimage to Ireland to follow in the “Footsteps of Saint Patrick.” Father Killian Loch, O.S.B., prior of the Archabbey, […]
Skidaway Island History Book Details Work of Benedictines
A book about the Benedictine mission on Skidaway Island by Laura Seifert is now available. Entitled Faith in Education at the Skidaway Island Benedictine Mission, it examines the complexities of Catholic education for freed African Americans in the Deep South and how the Benedictines, in 1877, built a mission and boarding school for them. The […]
Hastings Food Pantry Reaches 9 Million Pound Mark
Now approaching its sixth anniversary in its location at 139 Huber Street, Hastings, the Saint Bernard Food Pantry has reached another milestone: more than nine million pounds of food distributed. Father Thaddeus Rettger, O.S.B., (photo above, at left) and a group of volunteers established the pantry to serve the northern Cambria County area. The present […]
Professor, Author, To Give Pope Benedict XVI Lecture
Dr. Matthew Ramage, author, professor of theology at Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas, and adjunct professor of sacred scripture for the graduate program at Holy Apostles College and Seminary, will give the annual Pope Benedict XVI Lecture of Saint Vincent Seminary at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 23, in the Archabbey Basilica. His talk is entitled “Science, […]
Monks Magazine Wins Four CMA Awards
Saint Vincent Monks, the magazine of Saint Vincent Archabbey, garnered four national awards from the Catholic Media Association, awarded during CMA’s annual convention in Atlanta. The summer 2023 issue’s feature on the bookbinding work of Father Thomas More Sikora helped the publication net three of the awards, while the story on the Benedictines’ work in […]
Bishop Elias Lorenzo To Address Red Mass
Most Rev. Elias Lorenzo, O.S.B., an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark, will be the keynote speaker at the Fifty-Fifth annual Red Mass, which is sponsored by the Diocese of Greensburg, Saint Vincent Archabbey, College and Seminary and the Saint Thomas More Society. This year’s event will take place at the Christ Our Shepherd […]
Father Myron M. Kirsch, O.S.B.
Father Myron Kirsch, O.S.B., 78, a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey who served as athletic director for Saint Vincent College for 40 years, died Sunday, September 8, 2024. Father Myron took on the role of athletic director in 1983, just as Saint Vincent was transitioning into a co-educational institution, and presided over the introduction of […]
Retired Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B.
Retired Archabbot of Saint Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., 79, died Tuesday, July 23, in Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, following a brief illness. The eleventh Archabbot of Saint Vincent, serving from 1991 until he reached the retirement age of 75 in May of 2020, he was the second longest-serving archabbot in the 178-year […]
Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B.
Retired Saint Vincent Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., eleventh archabbot of Saint Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, passed away the evening of July 23, 2024 following a brief illness. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.
Junior Monks Renew Vows
After making simple vows, monks spend three years as junior monks, pledging renewal of their temporary vows, before being considered for solemn, or final vows. Renewing their vows for another year are, from left, Brother José Rosa, O.S.B., Brother Finnbar McEvoy, O.S.B., Brother Aidan Sheridan, O.S.B., Brother Bede Maxson, O.S.B., and Brother Roman Pallone, O.S.B.
Brother Bosco Hough Professes Solemn Vows
Brother Bosco (Douglas John) Hough, O.S.B., a 2018 graduate of Saint Vincent College, made solemn profession of monastic vows, or vows for life, on July 11, 2024. He graduated from West Shamokin Junior/Senior High School, Pennsylvania, in 2014 and studied early childhood and special education at Saint Vincent College, graduating in with a Bachelor of […]
Three Novices Arrive
Three novices were invested with the monastic habit on the morning of July 10, following their arrival on the first of the month to begin a year of discernment. They include Salvador Isaac Garcia of Mexico, Abe Reeder of Park Hills, Kentucky and James Bobak of Grand Island, New York. All spent time as postulants […]
Two Monks To Profess First Vows
Two men who have spent a year of discernment as novices at Saint Vincent Archabbey will profess simple, or first vows at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 10 before Archabbot Martin de Porres Bartel, O.S.B. They will continue their discernment as junior monks for three years. Brother Irenaeus (Le Thien Minh) Nguyen, O.S.B., is from Vietnam, […]
National Eucharistic Pilgrimage To Process Through Greensburg June 11-12
Designed to be a powerful, once-in-a-lifetime witness of how Jesus Christ invites us to encounter Him in the Eucharist, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage will process through the Diocese of Greensburg June 11-12. The pilgrimage is the first of its kind, with pilgrims planning to walk 6,500 miles city to city, coast to coast. The Diocese […]
Priest, Two Deacons To Be Ordained Saturday
Three monks from Saint Vincent Archabbey will be ordained to the priesthood and diaconate Saturday, May 26 in the Archabbey Basilica. Brother Romuald Duchene, O.S.B., of St. Paul, Minnesota, will be ordained to the priesthood. Brother Gilbert Heater, O.S.B., of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and Brother Romanus Davitt, O.S.B., of Anniston, Alabama, will be ordained to […]
Father Nathan J. Munsch, O.S.B.
Father Nathan (James) Munsch, O.S.B., a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey, died Wednesday, March 20, 2024, following a four-year struggle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Father Nathan served in parishes in the dioceses of Altoona-Johnstown and Greensburg and taught at both Saint Vincent College and Saint Vincent Seminary, serving as the Seminary’s director of pastoral […]
Bishop Elias Lorenzo to Celebrate Feast Day Mass
Most Rev. Elias Lorenzo, O.S.B., an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark, will be the principal celebrant and homilist at Mass at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 21, in honor of The Feast of St. Benedict. This day is celebrated by Benedictines around the world. Abbot Elias professed vows as a Benedictine monk of Saint […]
Father Stephen Concordia, O.S.B., Translates Chant Books
The call to a religious vocation may manifest itself in various ways to the men and women who hear it. It may come through prayer, meditation, reading, or even just be an urge or desire to be closer to God. But for Father Stephen Concordia, O.S.B., the call really did involve listening—listening to, and then […]
Brother André Melli Becomes Citizen
Brother André Melli, O.S.B., a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey since 1993, and a native of Vinhedo, São Paulo, Brazil, became an American citizen on February 16, 2024. Brother André professed solemn vows in 1998 at São Bento Monastery in Vinhedo, which has been a dependent priory of Saint Vincent Archabbey since 1964. Brother André […]
