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Ten Mount Angel seminarians from five dioceses were received as candidates for Holy Orders during Mass in the Abbey church on October 23, 2024. Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, served as principal celebrant for the Mass. Other concelebrants included Archbishop John Wester (Archdiocese of Santa Fe), Bishop Jaime Soto (Diocese of Sacramento), Bishop Kevin Vann (Diocese of Orange), Bishop Liam Cary (Diocese of Baker), Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, chancellor, Fr. Jeff Eirvin, president-rector, priests from the Seminary and monastery, and vocation directors and superiors from Mount Angel’s sending dioceses and religious communities.

In his remarks before the Mass, Fr. Eirvin said that candidacy marks the seminarians’ preparations “to offer themselves in loving service to the Lord and his people as ordained ministers in the Church.” According to the current Program of Priestly Formation, seminarians are normally admitted to candidacy as they begin the configuration stage of seminary formation, where “the seminarian models his life on the self-donation of Jesus Christ, Shepherd and Servant” and he acquires “a proper priestly spirituality” (135-136). For seminarian Shawn Daniel of the Archdiocese of Portland, receiving candidacy reminds him “to remain cognizant of the commitments and responsibilities that I am taking on, appreciative for the opportunity to serve, and honored for the trust placed in me by the Church.”

Archbishop Sample preached directly to the seminarians on the themes of grace and stewardship found in the Mass readings of the day from Ephesians and the Gospel of Luke. “Be good stewards of the graces and the gifts that have been given to you, not in service to yourself, but in service to the People of God one day,” said Archbishop Sample. For seminarian Fernando Lemus of the Diocese of Yakima, he experienced God speaking to him personally through the homily. “[The archbishop] told us that every ministry is an undeserved gift from God, and he stressed that if we are here, it is because God has chosen us. Thank you, God, for the gift you have given us in view of the priesthood,” said Lemus.

After the homily, Deacon Ed Burke of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau called each seminarian by name for admission to candidacy. “When my name was called, I felt God calling me to surrender myself to him and to accept the mission entrusted by Christ. The Lord has called me, and I have answered,” said seminarian John Nguyen of the Archdiocese of Portland. The rite itself was simple with three questions from the archbishop to the seminarians, who responded with their assent to each one. Despite its brevity, it was a powerful experience for those receiving candidacy. “Hearing the words ‘Beloved sons, the pastors and teachers in charge of your formation, and others who know you, have given a favorable account of you…’ from Archbishop Sample was a real gift and a great grace that stoked the fires in my heart for this vocation,” said Eddie Huber of the Diocese of Orange.

The following men were admitted as candidates: Tyler Matthew Alt, Diocese of Orange; Sean Kerwyn Crepin, Diocese of Spokane; Shawn Raymond Daniel, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon; Kinnzy Dorcely, Diocese of Yakima; Edward Huber, Diocese of Orange; Seth Mitchell London, Diocese of Orange; Fernando Mendoza Lemus, Diocese of Yakima; John Thien Nguyen, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon; Jose Francisco Orozco Cardenas, Diocese of Fresno; and Cody Wilson Schurter, Diocese of Orange.

– Ethan Alano

To view more photos from the Mass of Candidacy, visit Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary’s Flickr album.

On August 26, during the opening Mass of the academic year at Mount Angel Seminary, Fr. Jeff Eirvin was installed as the Seminary’s 10th president-rector by Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, abbot and chancellor of Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary. Fr. Eirvin, a priest of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon and an alumnus of Mount Angel, said, “I’m very excited to lead this flock of seminarians, now entrusted to my care, into deeper communion with Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest, whose image and likeness they will be configured to on the day of their ordination.”

Ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Portland in 2012, Fr. Eirvin began his priestly ministry at Sacred Heart Parish in Gervais, Oregon, less than 10 miles from Mount Angel Seminary. Archbishop Alexander K. Sample appointed Fr. Eirvin as Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Portland in 2014. During his eight years in that position, Fr. Eirvin also served in leadership positions in the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors (NCDVD), including as president.  From 2014 to 2017, Fr. Eirvin taught at Mount Angel Seminary as an adjunct professor. He has participated in spiritual direction training and taught courses at the Institute for Priestly Formation (IPF), in which he is a member of the IPF Priests of St. Joseph. Before he was appointed president-rector, Fr. Eirvin served as pastor of St. Therese Parish in Portland, Oregon. Based on this wide array of pastoral and vocational experience, Abbot Jeremy expressed that Fr. Eirvin has “the requisite virtues and qualifications necessary to assume the responsibilities of the office of president-rector.”

As president-rector, Fr. Eirvin looks forward to “watching these men come alive in Christ” and “having the front seat in this drama that unfolds of men being configured to the Heart of Jesus.” Drawing from his experience with IPF and the importance of the interior life, Fr. Eirvin says that “his first call as rector is to remain rooted in the Lord and to drink deeply from him in shared communion.” Amid the administrative responsibilities of his new role, Fr. Eirvin hopes to model for the seminarians how “our most important work is to remain in relationship with God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

At the conclusion of the Mass, Fr. Eirvin thanked Abbot Jeremy for this appointment and expressed his gratitude to work with him and the monastic community in this important work of priestly formation. “I have great confidence that the Holy Spirit will do amazing things through each one of us in the years ahead,” said Fr. Eirvin.

Mount Angel Seminary is a primary work of Mount Angel Abbey, a community of Benedictine monks established in 1882 in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The Seminary was established in 1889 at the request of the Archbishop of Oregon City and serves more than two dozen dioceses and several religious communities across the western United States.

– Ethan Alano

The first-ever Fellowship of Scholars sponsored by the Mount Angel Institute was held from May 29 through June 1, 2024, at Mount Angel Abbey’s guesthouse.

The gathering of more than 20 scholars was unique for many of those participating in the discussions due in part to the presence of Msgr. Piero Coda, full professor at Sophia University Institute in Italy and Secretary-General of the International Theological Commission. Using Msgr. Coda’s method of “doing” theology as a respectful dialogue with an openness to the Holy Spirit, the discussions focused on Msgr. Coda’s teachings on Trinitarian Ontology. All of this may sound intimidating, but Msgr. Coda’s method is simply a way of doing theology that invites the participants to be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as they present their views and listen to one another. In this spirit of openness and receptivity to the other,
a rich dialogue can emerge, which many participants felt was a key difference from other academic conferences they had attended. The conference at Mount Angel was also important in bringing the thought of Msgr. Coda to the English-speaking world of theology, where he is still largely unknown.

Dr. Liam de los Reyes, professor of moral theology at Mount Angel Seminary, speaks further on the significance of this event. He says it was an opportunity for participants to “intentionally situate their scholarly and intellectual interests within their spiritual vocations to life in Christ,” something often missing in the wider academic field of theology. Regarding Msgr. Coda’s method, de los Reyes notes that the Fellowship offered scholars “a reprieve and an opportunity for slower discussion, more in-depth conversation, and time and space to think about the implications of the papers they are hearing and the discussions they are having.” And on a personal note, he was also glad for the opportunity to stretch his thinking outside of his usual field of study in a relaxed atmosphere, and for “opportunities to reconnect with friends and acquaintances and renew friendships around our common love of theological inquiry.”

Br. Anselm Flores, OSB, coordinator of the Mount Angel Institute, worked with de los Reyes and other Mount Angel Seminary faculty members in planning and hosting the event. In his own words: “I had thought that I would be the one benefiting most from listening to some of the conversation around the table. After all, these scholars were the very authors I was reading in seminary! But I realized that they were also benefiting from us, from the space we offered, from monks, and even from me. I was humbled that some of my heroes looked up to the monks, and I felt proud and happy of my vocation. At the same time, I felt the responsibility. God has given Mount Angel a gift and charism. The Fellowship of Scholars was a brief and strong epiphany of our vocation as a monastery.”

Indeed, this event was an exceptional opportunity to practice many of the rich ways Mount Angel seeks to be a light for both the local and worldwide Church, an opportunity from which we will undoubtedly continue to reap the fruits in the months and years to come.

– Br. Matthew Sislow, OSB

Participants in the Fellowship of Scholars 2024

Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB, Mount Angel Seminary
Msgr. Piero Coda, Sophia University Institute
Peter Casarella, Duke Divinity School
Fr. Khaled Anatolios, University of Notre Dame
Scott Ables, University of Portland
Rev. Sarah Coakley, University of Cambridge
David Turnbloom, University of Portland
Taylor Timpane Ross, Fordham University
Jonathan Ciraulo, Saint Meinrad Seminary
Andrew Cummings, Mount Angel Seminary
John Rico, Mount Angel Seminary
Grant Kaplan, Saint Louis University
Rev. Justin Coyle, Mount Angel Seminary
Christopher Hackett, Saint Meinrad Seminary
Ted Papa, Mount Angel Seminary
Roberto de la Noval, Mount St. Mary’s University
Matthew Vale, Boston College
Ross McCullough, George Fox University
Karen Kilby, Durham University
Liam De Los Reyes, Mount Angel Seminary
Fr. Brandon Gallaher, University of Exeter
Jordan Daniel Wood, Belmont University

His Eminence Christophe Cardinal Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the US (center, first row), joined Mount Angel Seminary’ 135th graduation ceremonies, May 11, 2024. The presence of His Eminence Christophe Cardinal Pierre at this year’s Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Exercises elevated the celebrations in a unique way.

At the invitation of Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, O.S.B., Chancellor of Mount Angel Seminary, Cardinal Pierre agreed to come to celebrate the Pontifical Baccalaureate Mass and give the commencement address. He did so in honor of the Seminary’s 135th anniversary, in recognition of Msgr. Joseph Betschart’s twelve years of service as president-rector which concludes this year, and to congratulate Bishop Kevin Vann of the Diocese of Orange on his graduation from Mount Angel Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program. In his homily at the Baccalaureate Mass, Cardinal Pierre spoke to the graduates directly: “How do you see yourself living your vocation, a vocation which your studies have intended to serve? Ask the Father to meet your desire with his desire. Ask the Father in Jesus’ name, as a child of God in Christ, to fulfill his plan for your life and to help you serve those to whom your mission calls you.”

After the conferring of degrees, Msgr. Joseph Betschart addressed the Mount Angel Seminary community for the last time as president-rector, encouraging the graduates and expressing gratitude for his service in the Seminary. “Mount Angel is truly a special place to encounter the Lord Jesus, to fall ever more deeply in love with him, his priesthood, his Church, and her people,” shared Msgr. Betschart.

The following seminarians received their Bachelor of Arts degrees from Mount Angel Seminary’s College of Liberal Arts: David Huy Do, Archdiocese of Seattle; Robert T. A. Kelly, Archdiocese of Santa Fe; Seth Mitchell London, Diocese of Orange; Luis Angel Meza, Diocese of Fresno; Tomás Salomon Tanuz, Archdiocese of Santa Fe; Br. John Terron, M.Sp.S., Missionaries of the Holy Spirit; Blake Joseph Thamer, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon; and Ramses Robert Yates, Diocese of Yakima.

Three seminarians received their Certificate in Philosophy: Tyler Matthew Alt, Diocese of Orange; Br. Simeon Chung, O.S.B., Prince of Peace Abbey; and Patrick John Ryan, Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

Two students received their Master of Arts (Philosophy): Juanpablo Macias, Archdiocese of Las Vegas, and Victor Goranov.

The following seminarians received their Master of Divinity degrees from Mount Angel Seminary’s Graduate School of Theology: Magnus Igbokwe, Archdiocese of Las Vegas; Deacon James Patrick Webb Ladd, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon; Deacon Maximiliano Muñoz, Archdiocese of Seattle; Nemesio Santana, Diocese of Fresno; Deacon Anthony Scott Shumway, Diocese of Salt Lake City; Deacon Michael Tyrell Williams, Archdiocese of Las Vegas; and Br. Robert Sempijja, O.C.D., (Dec. 2023), Order of Discalced Carmelites.

Five students received their Doctor of Ministry degrees: Fr. Bryan Edward Dolejsi, Archdiocese of Seattle; Edwin E. Ferrera; Manolito Sabado Jaldon, Jr.; Myrna Jeannette Keough, D.S.M.; and Bishop Kevin Vann, J.C.D., D.D., Diocese of Orange.

Five seminarians from Mount Angel received the ministry of lector and nine seminarians received the ministry of acolyte on March 22, in the church of Mount Angel Abbey. Bishop Jeffrey M. Fleming, of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, installed the lectors and acolytes. Bishop Fleming is a graduate of Mount Angel Seminary, having received his master’s degree in theology in 1992. During the homily, Bishop Fleming encouraged the seminarians to hear how the Lord is calling them through these ministries of lector and acolyte. “God is calling you by name. God has chosen you. Will you allow God to call you to new ministry, to new life?” asked Bishop Fleming.

The seminarians receiving the ministry of lector were:

• Marcos Ricardo Alvarado Trasmonte and Adalberto Montes-Contreras, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
• Victor Fernando Amador, Diocese of Sacramento
• Alan Hoetker, Diocese of Orange
• Br. Matthew Sislow, O.S.B., Mount Angel Abbey

The ministry of lector is conferred upon those who proclaim the readings from Scripture at Mass and other liturgical celebrations. A lector also may recite psalms between the readings and present the intentions for the general intercessions.

The seminarians receiving the ministry of acolyte were:

• David Pham Hoang, Diocese of Orange
• Rico Daniel Landavazo, Archdiocese of Santa Fe
• Nathanial Wayne Loe, Diocese of Spokane
• Patrick Gitau Mbuiyu, Richard John Ordos II, and Sylvester Vijay Rozario, Archdiocese of Seattle
• Br. Damien-Joseph Rappuhn, O.S.B., St. Martin’s Abbey
• Andy Julian Sanchez, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
• Elliot Yaryk Sifuentes, Diocese of Fresno

An acolyte assists a deacon or priest, primarily in the celebration of Mass. He attends to the needs of the altar and may distribute Holy Communion as an extraordinary minister. The acolyte can assist the priest or deacon with purifying the sacred vessels after the distribution of Holy Communion. He also may be entrusted with exposing and reposing the Blessed Sacrament for Eucharistic adoration, but does not give the Benediction, which is reserved for a priest or deacon.

On Friday, February 16, the Catholic Relief Services and Works of Mercy Committee at Mount Angel Abbey hosted a community soup and pasta supper. The supper gave students, faculty, families, and formators an opportunity to gather in fellowship. We also had the opportunity to hear from two alumni who are also CRS Global Fellows, Fr. Chad Hill ’22 (Seattle) and Fr. Michael Shrum ’08, OSB. Fr. Chad and Fr. Michael shared about their own work and experiences with CRS, which let students hear powerful testimony about the work of CRS on the ground to help our brothers and sisters overseas who are suffering from hunger, homelessness, as orphans, and other forms of material and spiritual suffering and poverty. The Global Fellows especially emphasized how much CRS’s work empowers the communities they work with through agricultural and occupational training and through solutions that will serve a community over the long term, like digging wells and efficient irrigation methods. One of the most powerful moments was when Fr. Michael recounted his conversation with a bishop in Haiti who said, “When you work with CRS, you are working directly with me.” The dinner was a great success with over 60 participants and was the official start to Mount Angel Seminary’s CRS Rice Bowl collection during Lent.

Abbot Jeremy traveled to Rome in early February to participate in a plenary assembly of the Dicastery for Divine Worship. Those in attendance included cardinals, archbishops, and bishops from around the world. One of 3 main speakers at the plenaria, Abbot Jeremy spoke about the curriculum at Mount Angel Seminary, which is centered on Communion Ecclesiology and emphasizes the liturgical formation of seminarians.

During their meeting, Pope Francis addressed the Dicastery for Divine Worship and greeted each participant individually.

The picture (left) shows the strong Benedictine influence at the plenaria. Left to right: Abbot Olivier-Marie Sarr, OSB, abbot of Keur Moussa (Senegal) and a former student of Abbot Jeremy’s at Sant’Anselmo; Archbishop Aurelio Garcia Macias, under-secretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and professor at Sant’Anselmo; Abbot Jeremy; Cardinal Arthur Roche, prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship; Archbishop Vittorio Viola, OFM, secretary of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and professor at Sant’Anselmo; Fr. Bernhard Eckerstorfer, OSB, rector of Sant’Anselmo; and Fr. Pierangelo Muroni, professor at Sant’Anselmo.

While in Rome, Abbot Jeremy stayed at Sant’Anselmo, where he taught a semester each year for nearly two decades and spent time with Fr. Israel Sanchez, OSB, and Fr. Ephrem Martinez, OSB, two monks of Mount Angel who currently live at Sant’Anselmo while pursuing advanced degrees in theology. Fr. Israel is studying patristics at the Pontifical Institute Augustinianum, while Fr. Ephrem is studying spiritual theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

Abbot Jeremy also received honors from his alma mater, the Benedictine College of Sant’Anselmo, where Fr. Bernard A. Eckerstorfer, OSB (rector), granted him the honor and title of “Professor Emeritus” of the Faculty of Theology at Sant’Anselmo. On behalf of the Athenaeum’s academic community, Fr. Bernard also bestowed on Abbot Jeremy the “Diploma of Merit,” an honor given to those who have left a profound mark on the culture, research, and life of Sant’Anselmo and the life of the Church and the Benedictine Confederation.

Abbot Jeremy responded, “I carry Sant’Anselmo in my heart. Returning here, I still find that peace that we breathe and that every student can breathe. It was a grace to study and then teach in a place like Sant’Anselmo.”

Upon his return to Mount Angel, Abbot Jeremy talked about his experience at the plenaria and shared some of his reflections on the Eucharistic liturgy in spiritual life of all the faithful on Mater Dei Radio’s morning program.

The 5th World Congress of Benedictine oblates was held in Rome in September, and three of our oblates were privileged to attend the Congress with 150 other oblates from around the world. One of the highlights of the event was the private audience with Pope Francis, in which he gave the oblates an address and shook the hands of each individual oblate.

Oblate Mary Gallagher meets Pope Francis.

In his address, Pope Francis spoke of three aspects of an “expanded heart” (prologue 49, in RB 1980 it is translated as “hearts overflowing”). The three aspects are the search for God, enthusiasm for the gospel, and hospitality. In their search for God, Benedictine oblates seek God in every aspect of their lives. They seek him in their lectio divina, nature, daily challenges, work, and the people they encounter. God is present everywhere, and if we seek him, we will find him. The second aspect of an expanded heart is the enthusiasm for the gospel. This joy of the oblates radiates into the whole world. Quoting Lumen Gentium, the Pope says that the laity are called, “to seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in the temporal affairs” ( 31 ). They do this by simply adopting and being faithful to the simple Benedictine motto of ora at labora, pray and work. This prayer and work in the life of the oblate is like the daily expansion and contraction of the heart that gives life to the rest of the body, the Church. The third aspect of an expanded heart is the practice of hospitality. Here, Pope Francis quotes chapter 53 from the Holy Rule, “all guests who present themselves are to be received as Christ.” We do this by sharing with our guests what we consider most important, namely, prayer and a meal together. We do this by providing a welcoming and inviting environment in our homes and workplace. In this way, we open the door to receive Christ in the stranger.

Oblates Mary and Tim Gallagher and Fr. John Forman were the oblates representing Mount Angel Abbey at the Oblate World Congress in Rome in September.

When Archbishop John Wester of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe asked Fr. Michael Niemczak if he would serve on Mount Angel Seminary’s priestly formation faculty, he responded with a firm “yes.”

“I just love the priesthood,” shares Fr. Niemczak. “To be in a place that tries to teach future priests what the priesthood is all about, that was exciting for me.” Fr. Niemczak arrived at Mount Angel Seminary in July 2023 and currently serves as the coordinator of the propaedeutic stage of seminary formation. That means he works with the men new to seminary life, whether they are right out of high school or have already completed college and had a career.

Fr. Niemczak describes the essence of the propaedeutic stage as “discovering with [the seminarians]: what kind of man are you going to be, and is that man a priest?” From the perspective of the universal call to holiness, Fr. Niemczak likes to share with the seminarians that “the goal is not that they have an ‘Fr.’ in front of their name; it’s that they have an ‘St.’ in front of their name.” 

That perspective took on a deeply personal meaning for Fr. Niemczak when he traveled recently to Poland to concelebrate the beatification Mass for the Ulma family. Born in the U.S. to Polish immigrants, Niemczak is a relative of the Ulma family, who were cousins of his great-grandfather. During World War II, the entire family – mother, father, 6 children and a 7th in the womb – was martyred in 1944 by Nazi soldiers for providing safe harbor to two Jewish families. The Ulma family, Fr. Niemczak has reflected, were not the only ones to harbor Jewish families during the war, but he is grateful that they have been the ones chosen to be the face of the heroism of many.

Fr. Niemczak brought over 1,000 prayer intentions with him from people worldwide, which he had gathered ahead of the beatification. During his time in Poland, he paused to read, remember, and pray for each intention.

– Ethan Alano

Learn more about the Ulma family and Fr. Niemczak’s pilgrimage.

Brother Gregory Benavidez was a really good man and a really good monk.

In life, he was first of all a good son and brother, nephew, uncle and friend. He was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1980, the youngest of nine children. He was duly baptized with the name Joshua, or in Spanish, Josué – meaning in Hebrew, “God is deliverance,” a name he was very proud of. Josué was formed by his family relationships, the Mexican American culture and language, the places he grew up in – Texas, North Carolina, Mexico, and Oregon – and the education, life and work experiences that he had over the years. For a time, not unusual these days, his family tried other faith traditions. Eventually his family moved to Salem in 1993. By this time his parents were divorced. Josué found the difficulties of growing up in a broken home with a struggling single mother, along with other challenges he had encountered along the way, a real trial. It was why he often said to those close to him later on, that he understood well the tough circumstances many people go through in life, because he had experienced it first-hand.

His best friend, Brandt, described him as a nerdy kind of fellow, not unlike himself. They became close friends in high school and remained so to this day. They enjoyed Marvel and DC comic books, Batman and Star Wars. Brandt got Br. Gregory his first really good light saber, which he brought out for special occasions when he went into Obi-Wan Kenobi mode. They enjoyed going to Comic Con conventions, being outdoors, swimming in the summer, and just hanging out together.

Josué graduated from high school in 1999. He found his first jobs working in local restaurants. But it was while working in construction with his brother that he found the work he liked best. He enjoyed being outdoors. He was good working with his hands, using small equipment, driving trucks, and the usual banter among workers. Many of the jobs he liked and did best were ones where he could work hard, but still had time with his own thoughts and music in his earphones.

It was around the year 2000 that Josué’s elderly mother, Rose, became frail. Initially, Josué devoted his time to her care, but eventually it became a near full-time job. Rose made the decision to go into assisted living at the facility where she had worked in meal preparation. As a result of a tragic accident and complications, she died in 2002. Her death – and the circumstances around it – were a huge personal blow to Josué.

Rose, however had given him a gift: She shared with her son the deep faith and devotion to God that kept her going and made life possible. She told him over and over again that only God could love him more than she did. With some of those memories to guide him, Josué went back to work, but by 2006 he had begun to move in the direction of the Catholic faith of his Baptism. Because he had not been a practicing Catholic for many years, it was recommended that he join the program for people joining the church, often called RCIA – the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Josué found journeying with other people, learning about the Catholic faith, attending and participating in the liturgy and devotions of the parish, studying the lives of the saints, and preparing for the Easter sacraments a profound and personally moving experience. All of this was a really positive, uplifting, and life-changing time for him. He “re-activated his membership,” as we sometimes call it. He found that God did indeed love him very deeply and personally.

At the Easter Vigil that year, Josué made a Profession of Faith and received the sacraments of Reconciliation, Confirmation, and Eucharist. He got involved with individuals in the wider parish, going to Mass often, and helping out wherever he could.

With the encouragement of folks at St. Joseph Parish in Salem, Josué began in 2008 to come to Mount Angel Abbey for discernment retreats, offered to young men who were thinking about monastic life. In 2009 he entered Mount Angel Abbey to begin his monastic life and journey and made his profession in 2010. During the novitiate years, a novice is thinking about the name he will receive at his first profession of vows. Josué, recognizing his Mexican heritage, was considering the name St. Miguel Pro, who was a Jesuit priest martyred in Mexico in 1927.

But something else intervened. According to a monastic tradition, the first novice to make first profession of vows under a new abbot often receives the abbot’s name. Br. Gregory was the first in his group to make profession under Abbot Gregory, hence they share the name. Br. Gregory said of this later that he was “deeply honored to be named after this great saint, Saint Gregory the Great, who has done so much for our beautiful Church and for the monastic tradition.” He said he was also grateful to share the same name as Abbot Gregory, who helped him in so many ways as novice master during his formation and in personal meetings.

Listen is one of the first and most important words in the Rule of St. Benedict. Seeking God is the criterion St. Benedict uses for someone entering the monastery. It is seeking God and listening to the voice of God calling us on a daily basis, in the context of a community of brothers, the Rule, and the Abbot, that is at the heart of our lives. Our lives of prayer and work support this calling. Br. Gregory enjoyed life in community and with his brothers, being faithful to his assignments and chores, but always in a quiet and unobtrusive way.

In his monastic life, Br. Gregory was seeking God in the community of brothers, in common prayer, in our common life, and especially in the two works with which he was primarily occupied: sacristan and the guesthouse. He loved the whole aspect of preparing the vessels for the altar and setting out the vestments and books for Mass. He assisted guest priests and monks to help them celebrate Mass with us. He often worked hard and quietly, almost out of sight. We heard recently stories from guests about how Br. Gregory would give them impromptu tours around the Hilltop. In the church, he would explain the relics of saints to visitors and then patiently answer questions.

Br. Gregory took to heart St. Benedict’s instruction that, “all guests who arrive shall be received as Christ.” He did all of the following small but essential duties in the guesthouse each week for almost the last 10 years: vacuuming and setting up and tearing down the two large conference rooms, often sometimes several times a week, filling, loading and unloading laundry bins containing all the bedding and towels for 40 rooms, going to and from the laundry, sometimes twice a week, putting garbage and recycling bins out each Wednesday, assisting housekeepers with vacuuming hallways and the dining room, and in a pinch, helping them prepare rooms between one group and the next. He also could be counted on to set up and tear down tables and chairs for banquets and socials. In the Visitation Garden, Br. Gregory would water and weed flower beds and clean and maintain the water feature. He maintained the terraces and the roof-top terrace herb garden, and made pots of coffee and provided ice water for guests – on most mornings before 6 am as well as during the day. And those are just the works I can readily remember! Br. Gregory did them faithfully and thoroughly.

When I was not available as Guest Master or we were very busy with groups, Br. Gregory was attentive to individual guests, especially if he sensed that someone was dealing with something painful. He often sat with guests at meals, talking with them. What I found was really quite beautiful is that, even though Br. Gregory had many difficulties and challenges in his own years growing up, he seemed to want to make sure others didn’t suffer what he did. It was one of the aspects of his ministry in the guesthouse that was always done with great simplicity, kindness, and gentleness. Nothing flashy, just genuine care and concern, offering what he could to help.

Br. Gregory was a shy person by nature and temperament. He found large groups tough to navigate, but in the last month of his life, when he was appointed Assistant Guest Master, he would lead the prayer at lunch and help with checking guests in. He was also learning the computer for reservations and room assignments. It wasn’t always easy for Br. Gregory to form deep relationships or friendships, but once formed, Br. Gregory was a fiercely loyal friend to be treasured.

Br. Gregory was especially close to the guesthouse staff and volunteers, particularly those with whom he worked each day. The kitchen staff came to love him and made sure he had corn tortillas in the fridge. Br. Gregory would often make tacos as an alternative to whatever was served.

Br. Gregory remembered birthdays and special occasions of his family and friends. He sometimes sent rap-like video greetings to his family. When he wrote notes to monastic superiors, either asking for a permission to do something or go somewhere, there was always a kind sentence or two of appreciation, and the word thanks.

As I come to the end of these reflections on Brother Gregory’s life, I am struck by special characteristics or virtues that were consistent and remain as inspiration and lessons for us. In particular, I recall his strong, deep love of God that came from his mother and was furthered by his own personal commitment to his faith and his monastic life. He had a clear sense of duty and felt the need to come through for others in his prayer and in his work. I recall his love and loyalty in friendships and in personal dealings with community members, family, friends and co-workers, his kindness in reaching out to others, and his great sense of humor and light-heartedness as demonstrated in his nerdy collection of comic books and his love of Batman, light sabers, and weird and scary movies. Abbot Gregory put it best in writing about Brother Gregory in the printed obituary: “Brother Gregory was a big man with a very tender heart.”

We will all miss you very much, Brother Gregory. You have our love and promise to pray for you often because of how you touched our lives. And now we commend you to the loving mercy of God, that you may enjoy eternal life with all your confreres, family members, and friends who have gone before you.

– Fr. Philip Waibel, OSB