News

By: Dr. Amanda Staggenborg

In a polarized world, the concept of “togetherness” is frequently discussed and at times, intensely debated. The “why” often conflicts with the “how.” At Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary, togetherness is more than merely a concept or discussion point but a way of life. From September 29 to October 3, Christian scholars from around the world gathered to think with “the mind of Christ,” (citing 1 Corinthians 2:16) sharing scholarly work that engages spiritual reflections for practical application. Faculty from Mount Angel Seminary joined with scholars from leading institutions, including Duke University, Boston College, Providence College, The Catholic University of America, the University of Exeter, and several others, to reflect on “Trinitarian Ontology,” exploring the centrality of the Eucharist and the Trinity as the source and form/shape of the Synodal Church, in an effort to enrich scholarly discussion but also applied in everyday life. The week-long workshop featured a Mass and remarks from Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod at the Vatican, who participated in all of the Workshop’s discussions.

Created by Abbot Jeremy, Abbot of Mount Angel Abbey and Chancellor of Mount Angel Seminary, in discussions with Cardinal Grech and Monsignor Piero Coda, Secretary General of the International Theological Commission for the Vatican, the Workshop focused on five focal points: the Mystical Identity of the Church as communion, the decisive mystagogical significance of Christian initiation, the formation of the synodal Church in light of the Eucharist and Trinity, the practice of conversation in the Spirit, and the sacramental efficacy for the evangelization of the synodal Church. Enriching discussions and reflections about morality, symbolism, literature, and other topics offered the basis for reflection among the invited group, representing different theological disciplines. Each session began with a short theological contribution from one of the participants followed by a period of prayerful silence, allowing the participants to listen and think deeply before sharing their reflections on the topic.

“What’s in the middle is the Holy Spirit,” shared Abbot Jeremy, reflecting and quoting the third chapter of the Rule of St. Benedict guiding the spirit of the gathering. He stated that for this reason, Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary is the perfect space for deep, varied conversation:

“As often as anything important is to be done in the monastery, the abbot shall call the whole community together and himself explain what the business is; and after hearing the advice of the brothers, let him ponder it and follow what he judges the wiser course. The reason why we have said all should be called for counsel is that the Lord often reveals what is better to the younger. The brothers, for their part, are to express their opinions with all humility and not presume to defend their own views obstinately …. In the monastery no one is to follow his own heart’s desire.”

Holly Taylor Coolman from Providence College, expressed her enthusiasm for the Workshop, stating that “there is consistent interest in making sense of connections.”

Joy surrounded the conversations, with several stating how uplifted they were to participate in such a creative, rich model, necessary for current society. In lives rooted in the guidance of Christ’s teachings, one contributor proclaimed the originality of the event, categorizing the Workshop as a “cross between a retreat and academic conference.”

At the beginning of the Fellowship of Scholars, Cardinal Grech expressed his gratitude to Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary for “having chosen to dedicate this International Seminar to the theme of synodality in the life and vision of the Church,” calling this initiative both “precious and indeed necessary in the current phase of implementation of the 2021–2024 Synodal Process.” At the beginning of Mass for the Solemnity of the Archangels, Mount Angel Abbey’s patronal feast day and the first day of the Fellowship of Scholars, he described the Abbey as a true “spiritual oasis.” At the conclusion of the week, he shared his experience at the Abbey that, “the monks have so much to share, both from their reading and their own experiences. It is a place of beauty and beauty is a way that leads to God and it’s also a place of silence. Nowadays, we lack silence. But in silence, we can listen, really hear what the Spirit is trying to convey.”

The Fellowship of Scholars, gathered in the Holy Spirit, is a prophetic sign to the Church and the world of God bringing together unity in diversity for the proclamation of the Gospel. As Cardinal Grech shared in his opening remarks, “the Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit in which all those anointed by the Spirit at Baptism (and Confirmation) are enlightened by the Spirit of truth in order to contribute to the faithful reception of the Gospel in the various contexts of ongoing world history.”

As many currently feel a shifting of values, moral integrity and intellectual curiosity around the world, Christian scholars at Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary display, through their rich conversations and dedication to synodality, that the timeless example of Christ continues to guide and shape our lives.

Additional photos from the Fellowship of Scholars are available on Flickr.

Eucharist and Trinity as Source and Form of the Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission

(SAINT BENEDICT, Ore.)- The Mount Angel Institute at Mount Angel Abbey and Mount Angel Seminary are hosting a unique theological and ecclesial gathering titled “Eucharist and Trinity as Source and Form of the Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission.” The Workshop is being held this week from September 29 to October 3, 2025, gathering Seminary faculty and theologians from around the world.

The Workshop addresses the Eucharistic and Trinitarian dimensions of Christian life as the source and shape of the Church’s synodal identity and mission.

“We are so honored that Cardinal Grech and Msgr. Piero Coda wanted to hold this workshop at Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary, and we feel, by the grace of God, that we are ready to host such a gathering,” stated Abbot Jeremy.  “For more than 30 years our Seminary faculty has been working on these very themes, and we have in place a theological curriculum that systematically connects the parts of the Eucharistic celebration to the various themes that are studied in the theological academy.  In this light, Trinity and Synodality appear as central themes of what all Catholics encounter in any celebration of the Eucharist.  This workshop shares our faculty’s experience with other theologians from around the world, and through Cardinal Grech we have a direct channel to share our findings throughout the Universal Church.”

The Workshop’s objectives include contributing to the broader Synodal Process of the Catholic Church, expanding upon the first and second sessions of the 16^th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2023-2024, establishing continued theological reflection on synodality.

Program Highlights

The Workshop features daily Mass, communal prayers with Mount Angel’s monastic community and academic sessions involving short theological contributions followed by group dialogue. Theological contributions from Mount Angel Seminary faculty include:

• Eucharist, Trinity and Communion Ecclesiology with Shawn Keough, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and Life in Christ with Liam de Los Reyes, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and Mystagogy with Anna Petrin, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and Christian Humanism with Ted Papa, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and the Arts with Katie Jo LaRiviere, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and Tradition with Justin Coyle, PhD
• Eucharist, Trinity and Synodality with Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, STD

Following each theological contribution is a period of prayerful silence, allowing the participants to listen to the Holy Spirit and reflect on what they heard and received. The dialogue that follows consists in sharing the fruits of this prayerful reflection to discern the movements and inspirations of the Holy Spirit.

*Full daily schedule available upon request

The Workshop also welcomes Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod from the Vatican. Now that the Church is in the implementation phase of the Synod, Cardinal Grech has expressed the importance of having “synodal experiences, to experience the conversation in the Spirit that has made our communities grow so much.” His presence and participation at the Fellowship of Scholars highlights the significance of this theological workshop and its methodology for the universal Church.  While he is at Mount Angel, the Cardinal is also holding a session with all the seminarians of Mount Angel Seminary.  The workshop also welcomes Msgr. Piero Coda, the head of the Vatican’s International Theological Commission.

Please direct media inquiries to Dr. Amanda Staggenborg, Director of Communications and Engagement, at amanda.staggenborg@mtangel.edu.

Additional photos from the Fellowship of Scholars are available on Flickr.

About Mount Angel Abbey

Mount Angel Abbey, a Benedictine monastic community founded in 1882, is dedicated to a life of prayer, work, pastoral ministry, hospitality and education. Mount Angel Seminary, the largest seminary in the West, forms men for the Roman Catholic priesthood. The Abbey Foundation of Oregon supports the monastic community’s mission of service to the Church.

Mount Angel Abbey Brings Annual Benefit Back to the City After Six Years at the Abbey

(SAINT BENEDICT, Ore.) — Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary, today announced that the Seminary Benefit Dinner, held on the Abbey Hilltop virtually and in person since Covid, will return to the city of Portland. The dinner will be held at the Hilton Portland Downtown on November 8, 2025.

“The Seminary Benefit Dinner has always been about sharing the life of the seminarians at Mount Angel Seminary with our generous benefactors,” stated Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, chancellor of the Seminary. “We love to bring you to Mount Angel where you can see it live, but we also want to arrange a large gathering of Catholics all at once in the heart of downtown Portland to bring the Seminary community to you. We had to stop this during Covid. Now we are glad to come back to display Catholic strength supporting the formation of priests for many dioceses in the Western States.”

The Seminary Benefit Dinner, established in 2004, supports Mount Angel seminarians and raises awareness of Mount Angel’s monastic community, which has operated the Seminary since 1889. This annual event draws nearly 1,000 attendees from the many dioceses we serve throughout the Western States, Hawaii, Alaska, and beyond, uniting to raise funds to support the education and formation of seminarians and the Seminary’s priestly formation programs.

“The return of the Seminary Benefit Dinner to Portland after six years is a tremendous affirmation of the deep ties between Mount Angel Seminary and this community,” said Mount Angel Seminary president-rector Father Jeff Eirvin. “This event not only celebrates our shared commitment to the formation of future priests, but also honors the enduring support the Archdiocese of Portland has so generously provided.”

For more information, including ticket and hotel information, please visit mountangelabbey.org/sbd.

Please direct media inquiries to Dr. Amanda Staggenborg, Director of Communications and Engagement, at amanda.staggenborg@mtangel.edu.

About Mount Angel Abbey

Mount Angel Abbey, a Benedictine monastic community founded in 1882, is dedicated to a life of prayer, work, pastoral ministry, hospitality and education. Mount Angel Seminary, the largest seminary in the West, forms men for the Roman Catholic priesthood. The Abbey Foundation of Oregon supports the monastic community’s mission of service to the Church.

Bishop Kevin Vann, Bishop of the Diocese of Orange, celebrated his 20th anniversary of episcopal ordination with Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, and the monks of Mount Angel Abbey on July 13, 2025, with Mass in the Abbey church. He was the principal celebrant and homilist for the Mass, giving thanks to God and to the monks of Mount Angel for the support and friendship they have offered him as Bishop of Orange.

Born in 1951 in Springfield, Illinois, Bishop Vann is the oldest of six children. In 1974, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology from Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. After working for a few years in medical technology, he entered the seminary in 1976, first at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Springfield and then Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. On May 30, 1981, Father Vann was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Springfield. He was sent to study Canon Law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum), where he met and befriended then-Father Robert Prevost, the future Pope Leo XIV. Father Vann earned his doctorate in Canon Law in 1985.

In the Diocese of Springfield, Father Vann served as parochial vicar, administrator, pastor, judicial vicar, and dean in various assignments. On May 17, 2005, Pope Benedict XVI named Father Vann as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, to help Bishop Joseph Delaney, who was ill. Bishop Delaney passed away on July 12, 2005, the day before Father Vann’s episcopal ordination. Bishop Vann was ordained as scheduled on July 13, 2005, with Archbishop José Gomez as consecrator and Archbishop Raymond Burke and Bishop George Lucas as co-consecrators. After serving in the Diocese of Fort Worth for seven and a half years, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Vann as Bishop of the Diocese of Orange on September 21, 2012.

In his homily at Mount Angel for his 20th anniversary, Bishop Vann spoke about the Benedictine influence in his life from his seminary days forward. Addressing the monks, he said, “Most importantly, with all of you, as an oblate … I have found stability and family.” Bishop Vann made his final oblation as a Benedictine oblate of Mount Angel Abbey on July 26, 2024. He expressed his gratitude for the monks’ primary apostolate, Mount Angel Seminary, saying: “I am grateful, above all, to experience your solid formation and care for our seminarians, which is a blessing in a time when the number of our candidates is increasing significantly, and I’m grateful that we send you this year the ones we have.” Bishop Vann himself is an alumnus of Mount Angel Seminary, having earned his Doctor of Ministry on May 11, 2024.

As they prayed in the Prayer of the Faithful for the Mass, the monks of Mount Angel continue to offer prayers in joyful thanksgiving for Bishop Vann’s two decades of episcopal ministry, “that the Lord who anointed him to shepherd his people may continue to pour upon him the gifts of wisdom, courage, and pastoral charity.”

—Ethan Alano

2025-26 Propaedeutic seminarians

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

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.

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.

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