Organ Recital Saturday in Abbey Church

Please join the New Orleans Chapter of the American Guild of Organists for an organ recital Saturday, April 13, at 2 p.m. in the Abbey Church.

Michael Bauer and Sam Garnett, both candidates for the master’s program in organ performance at Loyola University in New Orleans, will be performing.

Bauer, a student of Marcus St. Julien, will be performing the following:

• Variations Sur “Lucis Creator”, JA 27

Jehan Alain (1911-1940)

• Prelude, Fugue, and Variation, Op. 18

César Franck (1822-1890)

• Liebster Jesu, Wir Sind Hier, BWV 731

J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

• Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 541

J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

Garnett, a student of Steven Blackmon, will be performing the following:

• “O Welt, ich miss dich lassen”

• “Schmucke dich, o liebe Seele”

Johannes Brahms 1833-1897

• Fantasia in g minor BWV 542

J.S. Bach 1685-1759

• Wondrous Love, Variations on a Shape Note Hymn

Samuel Barber 1910-1981

• Poems d’automne, Op. 3: Martin Provençal

Joseph Bonnet 1884-1944

The event free and open to the public.

Seminarians Hosting Fundraising Concert

A group of seminarians during the fall concert.

Tickets Available Online and at the Door

Seminarians from Saint Joseph Seminary College are teaming with the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Chapel Choir for a benefit concert on April 20. “Sounds of Solidarity” will be held on the SJSC campus in Benet Hall. A reception will begin at 5 p.m.; the concert begins at 7 p.m.

The concert is being held as a fundraiser supporting education for children in El Salvador and aiding a group of religious sisters, Las Hermanas Nazarenas, who devote themselves to caring for elderly women in El Salvador. Tickets are $25 each for ages 13 and older, and $10 each for children ages 5-13. Children under 5 will be admitted free. Tickets are available online and will also be available at the door the night of the concert.

Last fall the seminarians hosted their first benefit concert to help fund the St. Ben’s basketball team’s trip to a basketball tournament at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago. That event was a success, and they are excited to once again showcase their musical talents for a good cause.

Fr. Matthew Clark Will Lead Seminary College

Fr. Matthew Clark, O.S.B.

The Saint Joseph Seminary College Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the nomination of Fr. Matthew Clark, O.S.B., as the President-Rector of the Seminary College effective immediately.

Fr. Matthew had led the Seminary College in an interim role following the election last summer of the Right Rev. Gregory Boquet, O.S.B., as abbot of Saint Joseph Abbey.

The Board of Trustees’ Executive Committee, comprised of Archbishop Gregory Aymond (New Orleans), Archbishop Thomas Rodi (Mobile), and Abbot Gregory Boquet, recommended Fr. Matthew’s appointment to the full board when it met Thursday afternoon on the Saint Joseph Seminary College campus.

Archbishop Aymond, chairman of the Board of Trustees, thanked Fr. Matthew for his long years of service to the seminary and said he appreciated his willingness to take on this new role. Abbot Gregory concurred, adding that he is excited about assigning Fr. Matthew to this very important ministry.

“Over the past year, Fr. Matthew has been a steady presence, which has been very comforting to the students and staff, as well as the various dioceses that we serve,” Abbot Gregory said.

Fr. Matthew said he's excited to have the chance to lead the seminary college.

"I've worked in the seminary all of my career as a monk and a priest," he said. "It's been my main ministry, and it's wonderful now to have the opportunity to advance the seminary, particularly at this transformational time for seminary formation in the U.S."

The propaedeutic stage, called for by the Catholic Bishops’ Program of Priestly Formation 6th edition, provides an intense year of human and spiritual formation. It was fully implemented at Saint Joseph Seminary College this year. 

"This will be a significant guiding light for our next strategic plan, which I can now begin working on," he said.

Fr. Matthew graduated from Saint Joseph Seminary College in 1980 and received a Master of Theology degree from Notre Dame Seminary. He entered the noviate for Saint Joseph Abbey in 1982, made his solemn profession of vows on July 11, 1986, and was ordained a priest on May 2, 1987.

More Volunteers Needed in Abbey Bread

Abbey Bread production will be increasing soon, and more volunteers are needed to help Saint Joseph Abbey meet the demands of the new schedule.

Bread is currently baked in the wee hours on Mondays and Wednesdays in the bakery on the Saint Joseph Abbey campus. Volunteers work those days to bake, slice, and bag about 500 loaves of bread, which are donated to eight charities on the Northshore and in New Orleans. Beginning in mid-April, however, bread will be baked three days a week, and the number of loaves will increase.

The new schedule will include baking four batches of bread on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Volunteer bakers will need to arrive at the bakery around 8 a.m., and volunteer slicers will need to arrive around 1:30 p.m. Both bakers and slicers will be asked to stay until their shift is complete.

If you are interested in volunteering with Abbey Bread as a baker or slicer, contact Volunteer Coordinator Nikki Smith at volunteers@sjasc.edu or 985.892.1800. You may also stop by the Welcome Center near the front of campus and speak with Nikki about becoming a volunteer.

Seminary's Oratory Gets New Chapel Chairs

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Last spring, through the Saint Joseph Appeal, we asked for your financial help to purchase new chapel chairs with kneelers for the Oratory, Saint Joseph Seminary College’s small chapel located in the Pius X building that is used twice daily for private and group worship. Late last month, 124 new chapel chairs finally arrived on campus and were installed in the Oratory and quickly put in use by our Seminarians.

Thank you for supporting this project and our Seminarians!

Roads Through Saint Joseph Abbey Campus Resurfaced

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

In December 2022, we humbly asked for your financial assistance through the Christmas Appeal to help us resurface the roads through the Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College campus. Last week, most of the roads through campus that are used by the public received their much-needed repairs.

Our roads had deteriorated for several reasons. The 2016 flood caused severe damage to roadway surfaces, as did the subsequent amount of weight caused by heavy equipment and 18 wheelers that came on campus during these years of cleanup and reconstruction. In addition, we have had an increasing number of people on campus, including seminarians, visitors to the Abbey for Mass and Retreats and daily visitors to our Gift Shop and the Abbey Cemetery.

Thank you for helping make this resurfacing job possible with your financial support. We are truly grateful!

Monastic Infirmary Renovation Complete

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

During the summer of 2021, many of you responded generously to our Saint Benedict Appeal request for funds to renovate the monastic infirmary. This month the final order of new chapel chairs arrived, and the infirmary renovation is now complete.

Br. Leo Franca, Saint Joseph Abbey’s infirmarian, is thrilled with the changes and upgrades.

“From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of Abbot Gregory and our monastic community, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed financially to make the renovation of our infirmary a reality,” he said.

Among the changes, flooring was replaced in all areas except the laundry room and shower room; lighting was upgraded throughout the infirmary; and all walls received a new coat of paint.

In the larger shower room, the heating wall unit was replaced, and new storage cabinets and a new sink and mirror were installed. In addition, a new walk-in whirlpool tub was added for monks with certain medical conditions.

Changes were also made to the kitchen and TV room, usually used by monks who are unable to eat in the refectory with the rest of the community. New chairs, including a new lift chair/recliner, a storage unit, refrigerator, microwave, kitchen cabinets and a kitchen sink were added.

“We were also able to double the counter space in the kitchen,” Br. Leo said.

The laundry room includes two new sets of washers/dryers and new cabinets, and the concrete floor has been repainted. In the dispensary, the new items include cabinets, a sink, counter top, shelving units, a small refrigerator for medications, a desk and a chair. Old wooden shelves in the infirmary storage room were also replaced with new metal shelving.

The most important changes to the infirmary were made in the bedrooms. Previously, the infirmary included four small bedrooms that had a very limited amount of space for a wheelchair, walker or home health or hospice equipment. Now, every area is easily accessible and spacious.

“We combined the smaller rooms to make two larger rooms, each with a walk-in shower with a built-in seat, a wheelchair accessible walk-in closet, new pieces of furniture for storage, a television, a privacy curtain, a lift chair, and a desk and chair,” Br. Leo said.

One of the new rooms has two beds available if more monks need to spend time in the infirmary or if the infirmarian needs to sleep in the same room to assist the sick monk during the night. The other room has one bed and plenty of space for all the monks to gather close to the bed of a sick monk.

“When a monk from our monastery is getting close to the end of his earthly life, it is a tradition for all the monks to come to the room of the sick monk in the infirmary and say the prayers for the dying, and later on the prayers after death,” Br. Leo explained. “However, before the infirmary renovation, half of the community had to stand in the hallway outside the room for the prayers because the rooms were too small.”

There are additional bedrooms just outside the infirmary that can be converted to sick rooms if needed. In addition, the room previously used by the infirmarian can house any overflow. Br. Leo said he can now monitor sick monks through technology means and does not have to stay in the infirmary himself.

Again, on behalf of the monks of Saint Joseph Abbey, thank you to all who donated and made the new infirmary a reality!

Organist Performing March 10 in Abbey Church

Thibault Fajoles, an accomplished French organist and young artist in residence at the Saint Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, will give an organ recital on Sunday, March 10, at 3 p.m. in the Abbey Church.

Admission is free, and all are invited to attend.

The program includes:

• Introduction and passacaglia, Max Reger (1873-1916)

•  O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß BWV 622 (O man, weep for your great sins), extract of Orgelbüchlein, Johann Sebastian Bach.

• Pièce en sol majeur BWV 572, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).

• Erbarm’ Dich me in o Herre Gott! BWV 721 (O God, be merciful to me!), Johann Sebastian Bach.

• Prélude is in E-flat minor, extract of suite op 5, Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986).

• Excerpts of Pelléas et Melissande Gabriel Fauré, Transcription by Louis Robilliard:

• prelude

• la mort de Mélisande

Born in 2002, Fajoles came to music through the organ at the age of 13. He studied organ and improvisation for five years with David Cassan at the regional conservatories of Nancy and Saint-Maur-des-Fossés. Fajoles is currently a student at the National Superior Conservatory of Music of Paris (CNSMDP) in the class of Olivier Latry and Thomas Ospital, as well as in the organ improvisation class of Thierry Escaich and László Fassang.

Since 2020, Fajoles has been organist of the Notre-Dame-des-Ardents abbey church in Lagny-sur-Marne and since 2023 has held a position as organist of Saint-Christophe de Javel (Paris 15th).

In December 2023 he was named “young artist in residence” at Saint Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, playing numerous recitals in Louisiana and throughout the United States. 

He is a winner of the Douai organ competition (2018 and 2019 editions), where he won two special prizes, a public prize as well as a first prize for interpretation in the cycle above 16 years old. In 2021 he won the sponsorship prize of the international Hermann Schroeder competition in Germany.

He has given numerous concerts in France (Paris, Saint-Sulpice, La Madeleine, Saint-Etienne-du-Mont, Saint-Ignace; Toul cathedral, Notre-Dame de Royan, and Guîtres abbey church).

He also performs with other instrumentalists in various chamber music groups, with choirs, vocal ensembles as well as baroque ensembles and symphony orchestras. He has worked with the National Orchestra of France and regularly collaborates with the Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris.

In November 2023 he played with the Orchester de Paris under the direction of Daniel Harding in Gustav Mahler's eighth symphony, “Des Mille,” at the Philharmonie de Paris. In November 2023, also at the Philharmonie, he participated in playing the complete organ works of Bach in a 16-hour concert given by teachers and students of the CNSMDP in Paris.

Abbey Art Works Celebrates 15 Years

(Photos Below)

A colorful part of the Saint Joseph Abbey campus celebrates 15 years of art, community involvement, and fellowship in 2024.

Benedictine monks have a history of dedication to learning and the arts, and the monks of Saint Joseph Abbey are no exception. Because of this, in 2009, former Abbot Justin Brown, O.S.B., and Fr. Augustine Foley, O.S.B., met with artist and educator Lyn Hill Taylor to begin establishing Abbey Art Works (AAW).

From the start, this endeavor was different from any seen before. With the motto, “We paint to let our souls know that we are listening,” the contemplative life of the artist was explored, and scholarship and research resulted in a unique program using the teaching of Leonardo da Vinci juxtaposed with modern neuroscience to prove that anyone can learn to paint. This course forms the bedrock all classes are built on at AAW.

Camp Abbey hosted the first Art Works classes, and then, thanks to generosity of former Saint Joseph Seminary College President-Rector Fr. Gregory Boquet, O.S.B., classes moved on campus and into Vianney Hall. Finally, in 2016, Abbey Art Works found its home in the Abbey’s renovated chicken coop.

Inspired by the example of Dom Gregory DeWit, O.S.B., several experienced and talented artist-teachers now offer group and individualized instruction for students to learn and participate in drawing, printmaking, landscape, portraits, and still-life painting. Classes are open to adults from the local community, to SJSC seminarians in their free time, to the monks and to students from the New Orleans area, the Gulf Coast region and beyond.

Abbey Art Works has also hosted many workshops, seminars, lectures and book signings through the years. There have also been demonstrations on printmaking, painting in pastel, watercolor, acrylic, oil, tempera, and en plein air, and on illuminated manuscripts. Each student brings his or her individual perspective to an activity with others, which creates a unique experience for all.

AAW’s instructors are ever aware of the excellence in the diverse arts found in the Abbey’s history, including the monks’ dedication to architectural purity in the design of the Abbey Church; the famous Dom Gregory de Wit murals in the church and the monks’ refectory; the internationally recognized music of Fr. Sean Duggan, O.S.B.; the influential scholarship on sacred art by the late Abbot Patrick Regan, O.S.B.; and the collection of portraits of the Abbots. In addition, Walker Percy, considered one of the foremost 20th century novelists, was a Benedictine oblate of Saint Joseph Abbey and rests in peace in the Abbey Cemetery.

The First Five Years 2009 to 2014

Many of the founders continue to volunteer, participate and share memories of establishing AAW, finding and readying the studio space that was flooded just before opening, and of all the volunteers’ efforts that inspired everyone to persevere with renewed faith and hope.

Volunteers express so well the sentiments of so many during that time and now:

• “Thank you for making Abbey Art Works more than just classes, but a creative haven.”

• “The spiritual environment alone is mesmerizing, and the art school is like no other.”

• “When I cross that bridge I am mentally filled with peace and light.”

The Next Five Years 2015-2019

During this time the Guild of St. Luke was formed as part of AAW’s response to the challenges posed by the damages to the Abbey caused by the great flood of 2016.

Also:

• de Wit’s original oil painting of St. Luke (the patron saint of artists) was donated to the Abbey by the family of Dr. Joseph Perret of New Orleans and remains on display in the Saint Luke Gallery at Abbey Art Works.

• Building improvements continued with the installation of a printmaking studio with a donated intaglio press, new counters and cabinets, overhead lighting, audio-visual equipment for 12 students, a lobby gallery with library space and donated books, the director’s office, and areas for still-life, portraits and more.

The Next Five Years 2020 – 2024

AAW had a growing enrollment in 2020 and was working with the Council On Aging Saint Tammany (COAST) to provide watercolor instruction for seniors in the community. Articles featuring AAW appeared in New Orleans Magazine, The Times Picayune, The Clarion Herald, The Edge Magazine and other publications. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.

 AAW leaders responded to the extended closure of the Abbey campus with the “Thoughtful Isolation” project. Although separated by the lockdown, the AAW community held together online, and more than 70 people participated in the project by creating their own vision of the Abbey Church and pond. Following the COVID shutdown, AAW hosted the “Thoughtful Isolation Art Fest,” and the artists’ pieces hung in the inaugural exhibit of the Saint Luke Gallery. This special event was very well attended and highly praised.

Following that exhibition, the work of two students trained at AAW have been exhibited in the gallery. Shows featured Nancy Tigert’s oil paintings, “Glimpses of Fontainebleau Park,” and Marta Ittenbach’s etchings in “Just Scratching the Surface.”

Next Up in 2024

AAW is hosting another exhibit this month, “Lords of Misrule,” by Abbey Art Works instructor Phillip Sage. The exhibit features his nationally known etchings of Carnival in New Orleans. The exhibit is free and open to the public from 1-3 p.m. weekdays through Feb. 25.

The exceptional group of teachers, students and volunteers at AAW are planning many other creative adventures from scheduled upcoming classes to special activities and celebrations. Please visit www.abbeyartworks.com to get information on upcoming events as it is released.

Questions? Email info@abbeyartworks.com.

Abbey Art Works building

The former chicken coop on the Abbey campus.

The Flood of 2016

The Flood of 2016

Blessing Abbey Art Works

The Studio

de Wit's painting of Saint Luke

Abbot Justin Brown, O.S.B., and Lyn Hill Taylor unveil the painting, which hangs in the studio.

Art Fest

Seminarians Win Back to Back Tourney Championships

Shown with the championship trophy are, from left, kneeling, Emmanuel Legarreta and Jacob Zimmerer; and standing, Coach Brian Cochran, Francisco Maldonado, Logan Simon, Thomas Benson, Tim Talbott, Michael Bradford, Ethan Green, Zach Jolly, Grayson Foley, Evan Lang, Carter Domingue, Joey Piccini, and Fr. Maurice Moon.

SAINT BENEDICT, La. – A group of seminarians from Saint Joseph Seminary College won the 22st annual Fr. Pat O'Malley Invitational basketball tournament in Mundelein, IL, this past weekend. It is the second straight year the team has won the tournament, which brings seminarians from around the country together to compete on the hardwood.

Saint Joseph Seminary swept through pool play with wins over Mount Saint Mary's Seminary (Athenaeum) from Cincinnati, 61-38, host Mundelein Seminary, 49-39 in overtime, and St John Vianney Theological Seminary of Denver, 54-49. The Ravens defeated Mundelein in the semifinals, 35-30, to advance to Sunday's championship game, where they beat Conception College Seminary of Conception, MO, 75-62.

Team members are Ethan Green, Thomas Benson, Michael Bradford, Tim Talbott and Joey Piccini, Archdiocese of Mobile; Grayson Foley and Francisco Maldonado, Diocese of Jackson; Evan Lang and Jacob Zimmerer, Diocese of Fort Worth; Emmanuel Legarreta, Diocese of El Paso; and Carter Domingue and Logan Simon, Diocese of Lafayette. Zach Jolly (Saint Joseph Abbey) assisted the team, coached by Brian Cochran. Fr. Maurice Moon served as team chaplain.

Domingue, who scored 32 points in the championship game, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Abbey Art Works Hosting Exhibit, Reception

Abbey Art Works will host an exhibit of etchings by Phillip Sage, a master printmaker and artist, during the month of February. The exhibit, "Lords of Misrule,"  will feature Carnival etchings, including Flambeaux in the Quarter, Rex, Comus, and Bacchus, the Mardi Gras Indians and more.
 
The exhibit’s opening reception is Sunday, Feb. 4, from 4-6 p.m. at Abbey Art Works on the grounds of Saint Joseph Abbey near Covington. The exhibit will hang in the Abbey Art Works building through February and can be viewed from 1-3 p.m. each weekday through Feb. 25 or by reservation (call 985.317.4228).
 
Sage, an instructor at Abbey Art Works, works exclusively with copper plates using an antique English press. His limited edition prints are printed on the finest paper with the effort done entirely by hand in the tradition of master intaglio printmakers. His etchings invoke a feeling of romantic nostalgia.

The reception and exhibit are open to the public. Abbey Art Works is located at 75376 River Road in Saint Benedict.

First-Year Seminarians Visit El Paso, Border

Seminarians enrolled in Saint Joseph Seminary College’s Propaedeutic Program visited the El Paso area earlier this month to learn about the plight of migrants coming into the United States, our federal laws concerning immigration, the effect mass migration has had on local communities and countries, and about Catholic social teaching.

Fr. Maurice Moon, Dean of the Propaedeutic Program, said the Hope Border Institute helped organize and lead the weeklong trip.

Seminarians met the Most Rev. Mark Seitz, D.D., bishop of the Diocese of El Paso, and several priests who are ministering in the area during the trip. They visited and helped in migrant shelters, participated in a prayer service at a section of the border wall, climbed Franklin Mountain, which overlooks Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, and participated in several conferences.

Seminarians stayed at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary while in El Paso.

Seminarians enrolled in SJSC’s Propaedeutic Program are freshmen and first-year pre-theology students. The program was recently mandated by the sixth edition of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Program of Priestly Formation, or PPF, as an introductory stage to priestly formation focused on human and spiritual development.

Propaedeutic seminarians are housed in SJSC’s Callais dorm separate from other seminarians, often have separate prayer schedules and have formed their own smaller community within the larger seminary community. It’s a very structured environment aimed at helping the men transition into the seminary life while also meeting the demands of being a full-time student. There are limits on technology use and scaled back holidays, for instance, as seminarians use that time to focus individually on their own spiritual lives and work together to serve others.

Fr. Moon said seminarians in the program should gain a solid foundation for spiritual life as well as a greater self-awareness of their own personal growth during the year. He said year-long seminars on prayer, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and human formation are helping to achieve these goals.

“I'm hoping that the things we implemented for the Propaedeutic Program – the daily Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the service to the poor throughout the year, having the seminarians work with their hands, as well as the various seminars they attend – will have helped the men grow as stronger disciples of Jesus Christ and have them ready for the discipleship stage of priestly formation,” he said.

The El Paso trip was the longest of the year. During the fall semester seminarians visited religious sites in New Orleans, volunteered at a Baton Rouge soup kitchen, and helped renovate a low-income housing apartment complex in New Orleans.

SJSC Announces Fall 2023 Dean's List

SAINT BENEDICT, La. – Saint Joseph Seminary College officials have announced the school’s Dean’s List for the 2023 fall semester.

To be included on the Dean’s List, a student must be enrolled full time and earn a 3.50 or higher GPA. Students meeting those requirements are listed below by diocesan and religious order affiliation.

Saint Joseph Seminary College has offered baccalaureate and pre-theology programs since 1967 and is the largest freestanding seminary college in the country. The formation program fosters the commitment of seminarians to the Roman Catholic priesthood in accordance with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Program of Priestly Formation.

Archdiocese of Atlanta

Joshua Cespedes-Vega
Zachary Sullivan

Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

John Paul Phillips

Archdiocese of Mobile

Thomas Benson
Michael Bradford
Benjamin Dunwell
Timothy Talbott

Archdiocese of New Orleans

Caleb Butler
Luke Champagne

Diocese of Baton Rouge

Austin Duhe
Andrew Heltz

Diocese of Beaumont

Jacob Thomas

Diocese of Brownsville

Rafael Lopez

Diocese of Dallas

Jose Jasso
Hilario Martinez

Diocese of El Paso

Emmanuel Legarreta
Jimmy Venegas

Diocese of Fort Worth

Eric Hernandez
Nicholas Hoelscher
Alexander Jansen
Leo Kaiser
Carson Kitaif
Andrew Meiwes
Peter Nguyen
Ryan Pecoraro
Xavier Polisetty
Caleb Scott
Lane Tschirhart
Jacob Zimmerer

Diocese of Jackson

Grayson Foley

Diocese of Lafayette

Carter Domingue
Michael Johnson
Diego Padilla
Giovanni Ranzino

Diocese of Lake Charles

Michael DesOrmeaux
Justin Fontenot

 Diocese of Nashville

Liam Farris

Diocese of Savannah

Benjamin Aler
Christian Corulli

Diocese of Shreveport

Nathan Lirette

Diocese of St. Petersburg

Christopher Busser
Austin Smith

Domus Dei Clerical Society of Apostolic Life

Thai Nguyen
Andrew Pham

Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter

Patrick Wallace

Saint Joseph Abbey

Ignacio Gamundi

Abbot Gregory Invested Into Order of the Fleur de Lis

Abbot Gregory Boquet, O.S.B. was invested into the Order of the Fleur de Lis in a special ceremony at Saint Joseph Abbey on Oct. 18. Saint Joseph Seminary College alum Fr. Jamin David (’04),  Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, was also invested during the ceremony.

The Order of Fleur de Lis is an organization of Catholic men incorporated under the laws of the state of Louisiana as non-profit organization. The order’s domain consists of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The objectives of the order include supporting and defending the Catholic Church and its teachings, promoting patriotism and good citizenship, encouraging public morality and unselfish service to God and country, and assisting and publicizing the activities of other organizations which also promote these previously listed values.

Furthermore, the order popularizes the memories and achievements of Catholic leaders in religion, the arts and sciences, philanthropy education, exploration and archeology, government and international relations, medicine and jurisprudence and other established professions.

The Order of the Fleur de Lis encourages and recognizes leadership in living the values and principles of the Catholic faith by presenting the Msgr. Joseph Susi Award of Honor to an individual who has excelled as a Catholic leader in any of the following: religion, family values, youth, aging, politics, patriotism, the arts and sciences, education, philanthropy, public morality, management-labor, the media or medicine and jurisprudence.

Seminarian Concert to Benefit Basketball Team

Last year’s championship team.

Tickets Available Online, At Door

Saint Joseph Seminary College won the 21st annual Fr. Pat O’Malley Invitational basketball tournament in Mundelein, IL, last winter, and in a few months the Ravens will be back in Mundelein defending their title.

Before that, however, the team needs to raise enough money to pay for the trip to the Chicago-area tournament. Their seminarian brothers are helping out by hosting a fund-raising concert, and you are invited to attend!

This Night of Entertainment, dubbed “Harmonious Hoops,” will be held Saturday, Dec. 9, in Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College’s Benet Hall. Several seminarians will be showcasing their musical talents beginning at 7 p.m. A reception will be held prior to the concert at 6 p.m., and you can visit with seminarians and enjoy snacks and drinks.

Seminarians scheduled to perform include Ryan Pecoraro (Diocese of Fort Worth), Liam Farris (Diocese of Nashville), Ignacio Gamundi (Saint Joseph Abbey), Andrew Hertz (Diocese of Baton Rouge), Zachary Sullivan (Archdiocese of Atlanta), Caleb Butler (Archdiocese of New Orleans), Benjamin Mullen (Diocese of Biloxi), and Adolfo Sanchez (Diocese of Brownsville).

Tickets are $12 for persons 12 and older and $6 for children ages 6-11. Children 5 and under get in free. Tickets can be purchased online, and they will also be available at the door.

All money raised will go toward offsetting expenses for the basketball team.

The trip to Mundelein is for a basketball tournament, but it is also an opportunity for the seminarians to meet men from seminaries across the country. Last year seminarians attended Mass and prayed in community throughout the weekend and also visited the nearby Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe.

Hoffschwelle Enters Novitiate at Saint Joseph Abbey

Joseph Hoffschwelle, 26, has taken the next step toward becoming a Benedictine monk at Saint Joseph Abbey.

 During a private ceremony held Sept. 13 in the Monastery Chapter Room, Hoffschwelle was accepted into the novitiate, a year that will be marked by a separation from the world and an acclimation to a new life in the monastery. During this period the novice takes classes in monastic history and spirituality and contributes to the life of the community in prayer and work. After a year in the novitiate, the novice may petition to make his first profession.

Novice Joseph, from Fort Worth, first visited Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College as a high school senior during a 2015 Seminary Come and See weekend. He then became a seminarian for the Diocese of Fort Worth, attended and graduated from St. Ben’s with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy in 2021, and moved on to Assumption Seminary and Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, where he studied through 2022. But he was overwhelmed with studies, missed the community here and felt a deeper call to religious life and a deep desire for work and prayer.

“After conversations with Bishop (Michael) Olson, we decided I should withdraw from seminary and discern monastic life. He told me of a Monastic Come and See at Saint Joseph Abbey in December, and after that Come and See I decided to come for a longer visit after Christmas,” he said.

He began the application process during that visit, was later accepted and entered into the postulancy phase of monastic formation during Holy Week last spring. “I am honored to be the last postulant accepted by Abbot Justin and the first novice that Abbott Gregory has received,” Novice Joseph noted.

Abbot Gregory Boquet: It's Not About Me

By Peter Finney Jr., Clarion Herald
(Reprinted With Permission)

A rare and solemn liturgy Sept. 17 in Covington – an "abbatial blessing" – marked the beginning of the new ministry of Abbot Gregory Boquet as the leader of the Benedictine monks of St. Joseph Abbey and Seminary College.

Reading from the second chapter of the Rule of St. Benedict – who founded the monastic community in the sixth century – Archbishop Gregory Aymond encouraged Abbot Gregory, 65, to be a servant leader as prescribed by his community's founder.

"The abbot must never teach or decree or command anything that would deviate from the Lord's instructions," Archbishop Aymond read as Abbot Gregory stood before the altar inside St. Joseph Abbey Church, surrounded by his family and the Benedictine community. "On the contrary, everything he teaches and commands should, like the leaven of divine justice, permeate the minds of his disciples.

"Furthermore, anyone who receives the name of abbot is to lead his disciples by a twofold teaching: he must point out to them all that is good and holy, more by example than by words. ... The abbot must know that anyone undertaking the charge of souls must be ready to account for them. Whatever the number of brothers he has in his care, let him realize that on judgment day, he will surely have to submit a reckoning to the Lord for all their souls, and indeed for his own as well."

Abbot Gregory, who entered the Benedictine community in 1976 and professed vows in 1982, had served as rector of St. Joseph Seminary College for the last 25 years.

He thanked the archbishop for his support and friendship and gave particular thanks to three groups: the Benedictine monastic community, especially his predecessor Abbot Justin Brown; the seminary community; and his family.

He emphasized that his election as abbot had nothing to do about himself. He was elected July 14 by a vote of the 23 professed members of the Benedictine community.

"It's not about me, it's about the (office of) abbot," Abbot Gregory said. "An abbot is temporary. One day I'll go back into my community as 'Father Gregory,' which I'll appreciate.”

St. Joseph Seminary College is the pre-theologate for men discerning a vocation to the priesthood.

"For 25 years, I worked in the seminary, and you all made me who I am," Abbot Gregory said. "We couldn't do this ministry without the strong devotion of the staff. As abbot, I will support you always, 100 percent.”

Then he turned to his family, which included his mother Dorothy.

"When I go home, you call me Mark," Abbot Gregory said, referring to his birth name. "You tell me who I am. As abbot, I will never forget who I am. It's not about me. It's about letting God do for me – for however many years I have. As Archbishop Aymond reflected so profoundly, it about the 'rule' and about an 'abbot' – it's not about Gregory. And, for this time, I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve, and I  thank all the people who have journeyed with me."

Abbot Justin had served as abbot for the last 22 years, and announced in June that he was stepping down to allow for the election of a new abbot.

Abbot Justin’s two immediate predecessors also served lengthy terms. Abbot David Melancon led the community from 1957-1982, and Abbot Patrick Regan served from 1982-2001.

Abbot Gregory is just the sixth abbot to lead the Benedictine community in its 134-year history.

Abbot Gregory Receives Abbatial Blessing

Abbot Gregory Boquet, O.S.B., received the Abbatial Blessing on Sunday afternoon during a Mass in the Abbey Church that was attended by fellow monks, family and friends, seminarians, and a large number of bishops, and priests.

The Most Rev. Gregory Aymond, Archbishop of New Orleans, conferred the blessing on the abbot.

Abbot Gregory was elected the sixth abbot of Saint Joseph Abbey on July 14. Previously, he served as president-rector of Saint Joseph Seminary College for the past 25 years.

During the blessing, Archbishop Aymond read the second chapter of the Rule of Saint Benedict and questioned Abbot Gregory on his readiness to accept responsibility of his new office. He was also entrusted with the signs of the Abbot’s office: the Rule of Saint Benedict, the ring, the miter, and the crozier.

Bro. Austin Simon Named Vocation Director

Bro. Austin Simon

Is God calling you to the monastic life? Are you discerning a religious vocation and wondering if you might be called to be a monk?

Bro. Austin Simon, O.S.B., who grew up in Acadiana’s Port Barre and initially set out to be a priest himself, instead found his home as a monk at Saint Joseph Abbey. Since professing his solemn vows on July 10, 2017, he’s had many roles within the Abbey, but he’s most excited about his new assignment as the monastery’s Vocation Director.

“I’m truly excited to have the opportunity to serve my community in this new role,” he said. “I was humbled and surprised at receiving the appointment. But I am also confident in knowing that I will continue to receive God’s grace and my confreres’ prayerful support as I walk with men discerning God’s call to life as a Benedictine monk at Saint Joseph Abbey.”

As Vocation Director, Bro. Austin will assist men in their journeys to discover God’s call in their lives and help them determine whether they may be called to life in this particular monastery with its particular rhythm of prayer and work.

“As the Lord calls all to holiness, I firmly believe he will continue to inspire men to live out their vocation as Benedictine monks of Saint Joseph Abbey,” he said.

As part of this assignment, Bro. Austin is also responsible for two seminarians, Zach Jolly and Ignacio Gamundi, who are scholastics for Saint Joseph Abbey.

“It doesn’t seem that long ago I was discerning my own vocation,” Bro. Austin said, adding he knew at an early age there was something special about religious life. “(When I was) in 11th grade I visited Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary College on a Come & See retreat designed to introduce young men to seminary life. It was at this retreat I was first introduced to the monks of Saint Joseph Abbey. I eventually decided that diocesan priesthood wasn’t for me, but I knew I wanted to be a part of the monastic community.

“I entered the Seminary College as a Scholastic for the Abbey in 2013, and two-and-a-half years later, on Jan. 25, 2016, I entered the monastery. I believe the monastic vocation is truly a gift. We have the daily privilege to intensely and unrestrictedly live a life devoted to seeking the will of God.”

Bro. Austin has hit the ground running and is already organizing a series of Monastic Discernment Retreats similar to the Seminary’s Come and See weekends. The first of these retreats is scheduled for Dec. 16-20 and will be open to men ages 18-45. (More information will be available soon.)

“The advice I would give to someone discerning a vocation is to develop a relationship with Christ,” he said. “If we desire to know what He wills for us, it is important to know how to listen for the sound of His voice. In order to cultivate the ability to hear Christ’s promptings, one has to learn to hear His voice as He speaks through Sacred Scripture, through personal prayer, and through spiritual direction.

“Lastly,” he added, “the best advice I can give is to come and see, schedule a visit to stay a day or two to experience the life.”

Do you want to learn more? Call Bro. Austin at (985)867-2281 or email him at vocations@sjasc.edu.

***

ABOUT BRO. AUSTIN: Bro. Austin previously served as secretary for Abbot Justin Brown, O.S.B. In addition to his assignment as Vocation Director, he also is manager of MonkSoap (since 2017), assistant Guestmaster (since 2017), and Intentionarius (since March 2023). When he was appointed Vocation Director by new Abbot Gregory Boquet, O.S.B., he was also appointed Sacristan of the Abbey Church.

In addition, Bro. Austin participates in the weekly rotation as mass server, vigils reader, table server, table reader, and Hebdomidarian (Leader at monastic offices).

He finds time for his hobbies, as well. He enjoys tending to his growing collection of tropical houseplants, which mostly includes Philodendrons and a wide variety of Epipremnum; attempting (and failing, he said) to master the art of wheel thrown pottery; and taking river hikes with his confreres.

Fr. Matthew Clark Is Acting President-Rector

Fr. Matthew Clark

The Rev. Matthew Clark, O.S.B., has been named acting President-Rector of Saint Joseph Seminary College following the election of the Very Rev. Gregory Boquet, O.S.B., as abbot of Saint Joseph Abbey. Abbot Gregory, the longtime president-rector, recently announced the appointment on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees.

“I am humbled, and I am eager to build on the strong foundation built by Abbot Gregory as we move into this new era of seminary formation with the implementation of new guidelines by the Catholic bishops,” Fr. Matthew said.

The propaedeutic stage, called for by the Catholic bishops’ Program of Priestly Formation 6th edition, provides an intense year of human and spiritual formation. It is being fully implemented at Saint Joseph Seminary College this fall.

“Our 18 years of working together and President-Rector and Vice Rector have prepared me well for the challenges of seminary formation in an evolving society and world,” Fr. Matthew said. “And like Abbot Gregory, I am committed to fostering the Benedictine spirit of liturgical formation and community life that is the extent within which St. Ben’s has and continues to thrive.”

Fr. Matthew graduated from Saint Joseph Seminary College in 1980 and received a Master of Theology degree from Notre Dame Seminary. He entered the noviate for Saint Joseph Abbey in 1982, made his solemn profession of vows on July 11, 1986, and was ordained a priest on May 2, 1987.

He has served in numerous capacities in the Seminary College, including as vice rector and chairman of the formation council since 2006. He also serves as Director of Alumni Affairs, has taught theology, and was Dean of Students from 1991-98. At the Abbey, Fr. Matthew has served as Director of Music, Abbey organist, novice master, and subprior.

He has also been chaplain for Saint Paul’s High School in Covington since 1987.

Fr. Matthew is also a veteran, having served as Navy Reserve chaplain from 1999-2008, when he separated from the service at the rank of Lt. Commander. He was mobilized and deployed from April to October 2003 with the U.S. Marine Corp, 2nd FSSG, to Camp Fox, Kuwait, during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal on Oct. 12, 2003.