heart to heart summer/fall 1997

Newsletter of the Benedictines of Saint Vincent Archabbey

Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 15650 Volume 9, Issues 1, 2 Summer/Fall 1997

In This Issue.....Archabbot’s Message ........2News of Monks..................2Fr. Earl Henry is Prior........3Fr. Albert Bickerstaff Returns to BMS.........3Archabbot in Brazil............4Oral Histories.....................5Archabbot to Visit China....5An American Abbot .......6-7Fr. Demetrius’ Book............7Video, CD Available ..........7More Construction .......8-10Jubilarians.......................11Auxiliary History ........11,16College Rankings..............12Abbatial Appointments....12List of Donors..................12College Construction........13New Staff Member.........13Obituaries....................14-15Upcoming Events.............15Memorial, Tribute Gifts....16

Construction Completed at ParishCenter, Basilica, Seminary

Dedication, Education Fund

AnnouncedThe dedication of the Chapel

of Saint Gregory the Great and the Elizabeth J. Roderick Center will be held Tuesday, October 28, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica. The event is being hosted by Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., the Saint Vincent Bene-dictine Community and the Board of Regents of Saint Vincent Semi-nary.

The Most Rev. Anthony G. Bosco, Bishop of Greens-burg, will be the principal celebrant at the 4:30 p.m. Celebration of

The Elizabeth J. Roderick Center, completed this fall, houses offices of both Saint Vincent Seminary and Archabbey, and provides additional housing for seminarians.

Visitors to Saint Vincent who have been away for more than two years might think they have arrived at a very differ-ent campus. But if they know their history, they should not be surprised.

In the spring of 1995 Saint Vincent Archabbey, Parish and Seminary launched a joint cam-paign, “Preserving the Vision.” Framed around the words and deeds of Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B., the first Archabbot of Saint Vin-cent, the campaign sought to raise funds in order to preserve the institution’s past while taking it well into the future.

“Forward, always forward, everywhere forward,” were the words of Archabbot Wimmer, words the Bene-dictine commu-nity still lives by.

The dedication of the Elizabeth J. Roderick Center and the Chapel of Saint Gregory the Great on October 28 will bring a triumvi-rate of construction projects and subsequent dedication and re-dedication projects to a close.

The Roderick Center and the chapel projects conclude a major expansion for the Seminary, and follow the restoration work at Saint Vincent Basilica and con-struction of the adjoining Parish

Center.“One of the goals of the capital

campaign was to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Benedictines at Saint Vin-cent and to undertake projects that would reflect the strength and continued growth of Saint Vincent,” said Archabbot and Chancellor, Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B. “The Monastery, the Col-lege, the Parish and the Seminary are all involved in major projects which reflect the growth and the direction in which we want to take the institution in the future.

“We have been blessed with

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(Continued on P. 10)

Volume 9, Issues 1, 2

Heart to Heart Summer/Fall 1997 Saint Vincent Archabbey

Archabbot’s Message

Br. Rogerio Miranda de Almeida, O.S.B., received a second Ph.D., also with highest honors, from the University of Metz, France. His first doctorate, in theology, was awarded by the University of Stras-bourg, France, in October of 1993.

His second doctorate, in phi-losophy, was awarded on June 28, 1997.

In addition, Br. Rogerio, who has been assistant professor of Religious Studies at Saint Vincent College for the past three years, was invited by the Abbot Pri-mate, Most. Rev. Marcel Rooney, O.S.B., to teach philosophy at Collegio Sant’ Anselmo, Rome. In particular, he will assist in the

creation of two degree programs, a licence and a doctorate.

* * * * *Rev. Vernon A. Holtz,

O.S.B., Chair of the Psychology Department, participated in a conference at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown on Sep-tember 26, 1997. It was entitled “Healing the Spirit, Healing the Mind: Exploring Spirituality in the Therapeutic Process.” Fr. Vernon’s presentation addressed the issue of “Spirituality and Mental Health: Spirit and Psyche.”

* * * * *Completing on his Ph.D. at

Boston College is the Rev. Paul

Taylor, O.S.B., new director of the Admission and Financial Aid Office at Saint Vincent College. His doctorate will be in higher education administration.

* * * * *Other Benedictines doing grad-

uate work include:— Brother Nathan

Cochran, O.S.B., who is study-ing art history at the Pratt Institute in New York.

—The Rev. Mark Wenz-inger, O.S.B., who is in the doc-toral program in philosophy at the Catholic University of America.

— The Rev. Millard Cook, O.S.B., who is studying for his doctorate at Fordham University. Fr. Millard recently joined the

News of Monks

Dear Friends, Greetings from Saint Vincent

Archabbey. After a brief hiatus, the Arch-

abbey newsletter has returned, and, like many of the facilities at Saint Vincent, it has a new look and a new editor.

Brother Nathan Cochran, O.S.B., who served as Director of Monastery Public Relations for almost a decade, is pursuing graduate studies in New York. Kim Metzgar, a former news reporter and editor, has joined the Development Office staff as a writer and editor, doing both Archabbey and Seminary Public Relations.

Since we began the ‘Preserv-ing the Vision’ campaign a little over two years ago, a great deal has changed on the Saint Vincent campus. In keeping with the vision of Archabbot Boniface

Wimmer, O.S.B., “Forward, always forward, everywhere forward,” we have renovated the Saint Vincent Basilica, built a Parish Center next to it, and completed a major expansion for the Seminary. These efforts are detailed in this issue, along with our efforts to keep Saint Vincent College at the top of the rankings of America’s best colleges.

Once again Saint Vincent College has been named one of the top ten ‘Best Values’ among regional liberal arts colleges in the north by U.S. News and

World Report, and as an ‘Exceptional Buy’ in the United States by Money magazine. The College recently broke ground for a $5.1 million Instructional Technology Resource Center and renovation of the Saint Vin-cent Library. The groundbreak-

ing was broadcast internation-ally on the Internet’s World Wide Web.

This issue also provides us with an opportunity to announce sev-eral projects which focus on the history of Saint Vincent.

Jerome Oetgen has com-pleted his revision of An

American Abbot, Boniface

Wimmer, O.S.B., and the book will be published by the Catholic

University Press in December. Father Wulfstan Clough,

O.S.B., is assisting Richard Wis-solik of the Saint Vincent Col-lege English Department, and Barbara Wissolik, in recording oral histories of the monks at the Archabbey. An update on the status of their project is included, along with some excerpts from these oral histories.

And Father Demetrius Dumm, O.S.B., has published his second book and is working on a third.

We hope these worthy proj-ects will keep us in touch with our past and keep us moving “always forward” into the future.

Sincerely in Christ,

Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B.Archabbotof Saint Vincent

faculty of Saint Vincent College in the History Department.

— Rev. Patrick C. Cro-nauer, O.S.B., who is studying for his S.S.D. in sacred scripture at Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem.

— Rev. Michael McKay, O.S.B., who is in the graduate program at Johns Hopkins Uni-versity, Baltimore.

— Rev. Ralph Tajak, O.S.B., who will receive a Sacred Theology Licentiate in systematic theology from Regis College, which is part of the Uni-versity of Toronto school system.

— The Rev. Nathan Munsch, O.S.B., who is in the doctoral program in theology at Boston College.



From the Latin, “Cor ad Cor

Loquitur,” or “Heart Speaks to Heart,”

is the motto of Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B. It refers to the archabbot’s

prayer that giving and receiving authentic love may always be the chief

characteristic of the Saint Vincent monastic commu-nity. “Cor ad Cor Loquitur”

is also the motto of Cardinal John Newman.This newsletter

is PublishedQuarterly by the Benedic-

tines of Saint Vincent Arch-abbey.

Publisher Archabbot Douglas R.

Nowicki, O.S.B.

Office of Development

DirectorEdward P. Hager

Writer/EditorKimberley A. Metzgar

Contributors to this issue:

Director of Public RelationsDonald A. Orlando

Writer/EditorTheresa SchwabAlumni DirectorRev. Gilbert J.Burke, O.S.B.Rev. Omer U. Kline, O.S.B.

Rev. Wulfstan F. Clough, O.S.B.

Rev. Noel H. Rothrauff, O.S.B.

Saint Vincent Archabbey300 Fraser Purchase

Road, Latrobe, Pennsylvania

15650-2686412-539-9761 Ext.2601

e-mail:[email protected]

Very Rev. Earl Henry, O.S.B.

Father Earl Henry is New Priorat Saint Vincent Archabbey

The Very Rev. Earl J. Henry, O.S.B., formerly Dean of Admis-sion and Financial Aid at Saint Vincent College, has been named the new Prior of Saint Vincent Archabbey. The appointment was made by Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., and became effective on July 1, 1997.

Fr. Earl succeeded the Rev. Albert C. Bickerstaff, O.S.B., who has served in this position for the past five years and has returned to serve at Benedictine Priory and Benedictine Military School in Savannah, Georgia.

As the Prior, Fr. Earl assumes a major administrative role in one of the largest monasteries in the world. Saint Vincent Archab-bey is the first monastery of the Benedictine Order in the United States, and today has nearly 200 monks engaged in a variety of educational, pastoral and mis-

sionary apostolates throughout the world. The Archabbey operates Saint Vincent College and Saint Vincent Seminary in Latrobe; Benedictine Priory and Benedictine Military School in Savannah, Georgia; 30 parishes

and chaplaincies in the eastern United States; the Pennsylvania State University Catholic Center in State College; and foreign mis-sions in Brazil and Taiwan.

In announcing the appointment of Fr. Earl, Archabbot Douglas said: "This is an extremely impor-tant position in the Benedictine Community, since it involves key leadership responsibilities in the administration of a monastery which provides educational, pas-toral and missionary services and programs to thousands of people throughout the world. Fr. Earl brings many gifts and talents to the service of the Benedictine community in accomplishing these important tasks. I have full con-fidence in his abilities and I am grateful for his willingness to share them with the Saint Vincent Benedictine Community and the

Father Albert Bickerstaff Returns to Benedictine Military School

Rev. Albert Bickerstaff, O.S.B.

The Rev. Albert C. Bick-erstaff, O.S.B., who served as Prior of Saint Vincent Archabbey since 1992, has returned to serve the Bene-dictine Priory as Director of Campus Ministry at Bene-dictine Military High School in Savannah, Georgia.

A native of Jeannette, Penn-sylvania, Fr. Albert graduated from Saint Vincent Preparatory School, Latrobe. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Saint Vincent College in 1963, and a master of divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 1966. He completed a master of arts degree in history at Notre Dame University in 1971, and a master of education in guidance and counseling at Loyola College of Baltimore in 1977.

Fr. Albert was professed as a

Benedictine monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey in 1961, and was ordained to the priesthood on May 20, 1967. From August of

1967 to July of 1992, he was a member of the Benedictine Priory in Savannah, Georgia, and was on the faculty of Benedictine Military High School.

In addition to teaching, Fr. Albert has served in a number of other capacities at Benedictine, including assistant basketball coach (1967-76), assistant foot-ball coach (1968-90), and golf coach (1969-76, 1987-92). He has also held key administrative positions at Benedictine Military High School. In 1977 he became director of guidance; and in 1987, assistant headmaster of the school. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Saint Vincent College and the Board of Directors of the Benedictine Order in Georgia.


Heart to Heart



BrazilVisit

1997 In August Archabbot Doug-

las R. Nowicki, O.S.B., trav-eled to Brazil for the annual Visitation of Sao Bento Priory in Vinhedo, which is operated by the Bene-dictines of Saint Vincent Archabbey.

During his visit, the Archab-bot confirmed a group of young Brazilians (top photos) from the local parish, Our Lady of Lourdes, in Vinhedo.

With the Archabbot at the confirmation, in the photo on the middle left, is Prior Cristiano A. Brito (at right).

The Archabbot also dedi-cated the new bakery for the priory, as shown in the photo on the lower left.



Every monk at Saint Vincent Archabbey is a treasure-house of memories and stories which stretch back decades. Unfortu-nately, when a monk dies, those memories are lost.

Now a project is underway to prevent that loss. Dr. Richard Wissolik professor in the Saint Vincent College English Depart-ment, his wife Barbara, and Rev. Wulfstan F. Clough, O.S.B., are spearheading an effort to record the monks on audiotape and so save their experiences for poster-ity. For the past few years the three, assisted by several student workers, have been interviewing many of the priests and brothers, and have obtained fascinating stories about Saint Vincent days long gone.

The project was begun by the Wissoliks during the 1991-92 academic year. Fr. Wulfstan joined the project in 1994 and together they have amassed a collection of over 20 interviews.

Many of the tapes contain invaluable and irreplaceable information about the prep, the

“Then in 1945, when the family crossed the German border (from Hungary) ... the Germans did capture me as well as several people like me, and in the last desperate effort to make us cannon-fodder they were marching us toward an undisclosed destination somewhere in Northern Germany ... I was captured in Graz, and we were marched north to Weinerneustadt. This is a town outside of Vienna. Then toward (what is) now Czechoslovakia, Prague and going west. I escaped finally somewhere in Germany.”

— Rev. Sebastian A. Samay, O.S.B.

“All of a sudden we heard an alarm go off. Then Father Oliver stepped in to inform us that what we heard was a fire alarm and that we should evacuate the building. ... We looked out the window and also saw smoke over what was then the Biology Lab and the Students Chapel. ... So we headed to Kennedy Hall where we watched the firemen coming and saw the fire begin to take off. It eventually went from the Bell Tower into different roofs of the buildings and just got rampant. ... (T)here was ice all over and searchlights on for safety. It really looked like something out of a Nazi war film.”

— Rev. Albert C. Bickerstaff, O.S.B.

Monastic Oral Histories to be Published

Among the Stories They Tell

scholasticate, and life at the mon-astery before the disastrous fire of 1963. Many stories revolve around the impact of that fire, the effects of the changes of Vatican II on the monastery, and details of everyday monastic living in the 1940s and 1950s. Other interviews describe how Saint Vincent Archabbey took over Benedictine Military School in Savannah, Georgia, and Sao Bento Priory in Brazil. And the interviews give a personal touch to the stories that cannot be found in textbook history.

"This is such an important part of our tradition, and I'm glad that it's being preserved," said Fr. Wulfstan.

The present plan is to publish the interviews as a multi-volume set. The team hopes to have the first volume ready for sale some time during the spring of 1998. Jerome Oetgen, author of An American Abbot, has agreed to write an introduction to the collection, and the Rev. Albert C. Bickerstaff, O.S.B., the former prior of the monastery, and Rev.

Archabbot to Visit China,and the Philippines

Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., will be visiting China and the Philippines in December. He will be attending the Third Meeting of Benedictine Major Superiors of East Asia and the Philippines. It will be held at St. Scholastica’s Center of Spirituality, Tagaytay City, Philippines. Participants will come from Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines. Also attending will be participants and guests from Australia, Europe and the United States.

Following his meeting in the Philippines, the Archabbot will be meeting with the Fu Jen Alumni Association in Beijing. The original Fu Jen University was established by the Benedictines of Saint Vincent Archabbey in 1925.

Brother Liang Ho, O.S.B., and Brother Joseph Adams, O.S.B., traveled to Wimmer Priory in Taipei, Taiwan, this summer and helped do some landscaping, painting and painting preparation work at the Priory. They also visited with Brother Liang’s family.

Sebastian A. Samay, O.S.B., will serve as consulting editors. Plans are for the first volume to include interviews with Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., Revs. Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B., Paulinus J. Selle, O.S.B., and

the recently deceased Brice T. Ryan, O.S.B., among others. Fr. Wulfstan sees this effort as part of a longstanding Benedictine tradition of interest in history and preservation.



Before Boniface Wimmer came to America, he was branded a projecten-macher, a plan-maker or visionary, by some of his confreres, after failing to get approval to establish a monastic community and school at Mallers-dorf. The term projectenmacher was used with great irony. After Boniface Wimmer came to Amer-ica, however, the implications of the term were altered consider-ably.

When he was a student at Saint Vincent College in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Jerome Oetgen began delving into Wim-mer’s papers, curious about the man who had had the vision to make Saint Vincent what it is today. Dr. Oetgen’s fascination with Wimmer has never really ended, and in December his revi-sion of An American Abbot, Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B., will be released by Catholic University Press.

Dr. Oetgen completed his initial biography of Wimmer in 1976, a 344-page tome frequently cited in subsequent scholarly works on religion in America. His revision adds almost 200 pages.

“With the expansion the book is about one-third larger,” Dr. Oetgen said. “One of the reasons it is larger is that a lot has been done on American Bene-dictine history in the last 20 years since the book was published. One of those books, published in the early 1990s, was by Father Joel Rippinger. It is a history of the Benedictine order in the United States. Much of what he said about Wimmer was based on my book.

“The Benedictine Sisters, who had a conflict with Wimmer, have published a number of works which have given new insights into Wimmer. I took all this into account when I rewrote the sec-tion with the sisters, such as

the historical pressures between Wimmer and the sisters which caused the disagreements, and how they eventually worked it out.

“There was also a lot of work done on the immigration of Ger-mans to the U.S. in the 19th cen-tury, a lot of published works on the period and on Wimmer, and this made me rethink some of the things I said in the first book.”

Dr. Oetgen began working on the revision in 1994, reviewing many of the Wimmer materials, including 1,200 letters he had looked at previously. He also consulted 30 to 40 published books in the course of his work.

Most of the research was done at Saint Vincent, although he did travel to the archives at St. John’s Abbey in Minnesota to do some work.

“I couldn’t have done it without the many Bene-dictines who have been at Saint Vincent over the last 100 years,” he said. Dr. Oetgen was quick to point to the work of Father Felix Fellner, who trav-eled to abbeys and archives all over the world to photocopy or handcopy relevant Wimmer documents.

“Everything essential is in the archives at Saint Vincent,” Dr.

Oetgen noted.“The most significant thing

about Wimmer’s vision was that he knew what needed to be done and he wasn’t deterred by the people around Bavaria,” Dr. Oetgen said. “What he planned to do when he got to the United States was establish Benedictine monasteries in the U.S., and to use the Benedictine tradition of mis-sionary work in a way to address the needs in the American Church, and his success astonished every-body.”

Dr. Oetgen noted that when Wimmer first came to America, he was primarily interested in working with German Catholics, and the German immigrants to the U.S. But soon his work spread to other immigrants, and he estab-lished St. Procopius Abbey for the eastern Europeans, and he established St. John’s Abbey in Minnesota and St. Benedict’s Abbey in Kansas, among others. He sent missionaries to the freed slaves, worked with the Indians, and even established a flourishing mission in North Carolina in a primarily Protestant area.

“He eventually established monasteries and missions all over the U.S. and he was all over west-ern Pennsylvania,” Dr. Oetgen

said. “He was everywhere and he pretty much did everything he set out to do. He had a boldness and fearlessness that few people had.

“There was a lot of pressure on him not to spread himself too far and wide... he was start-ing communities and missions on a shoestring when everyone thought he couldn’t do it and they flourished.”

Dr. Oetgen notes two charac-teristics of the Benedictines and how they applied to Wimmer:

“The Benedictine life is highly focused on Scripture, and how it forms one’s life and work, and also on history. While Wimmer was interested in history, he never did a lot of original research and writing. But he was very conscious of the importance of the work and spread of the Benedictines.

“Nothing was essential or clearer to me when I was working on the new revision. It was obvious how conscious Wimmer himself was even as he was engaged in his missionary work. He wanted to create a strong Benedictine com-munity and a strong Seminary and College. He had a sense of history of the importance of what he was doing and he kept a lot of documents. Many times I felt

‘An American Abbot’ Revision Due Out in December

Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B.

Jerome Oetgen is a former Benedictine of Saint Vincent Archabbey. He has a doctorate in Medieval Studies from the University of Toronto and has written extensively on 19th Century American Benedictines.

He taught in the English Department at Seton Hill College, Greensburg, Pennsylvania, for 10 years before joining the U.S. Foreign Service in 1987. Since then he has been a cultural attache in Paraguay and at the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador.

He has worked in Washington D.C. since 1994 and will be stationed in Spain next year.

He is also finishing a history of Saint Vincent as a companion volume to An American Abbot, a history from 1790 to the 20th century.

About the Author



like he was specifically writing to me.”

Dr. Oetgen said that the Bene-dictines of today carry on that sense of history.

“The Benedictine tradition of history is not just something writ-ten or done, it’s lived. They have an enormous treasure of oral his-tory, and a real consciousness of history as it applies to the present. It’s not dead in the past. They are carrying it on from the past and into the future, which is important, extremely important. We live in an age when what has happened

“A vivid and convicing portrait ... No one who is interested in the history of religion in America or

in the fortunes of this venerable Benedictine order will want to overlook this fine work.”

— Rev. Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B.

“In his deft and eloquent revision of An American Abbot, Jerome Oetgen has rewritten our understanding of the

founder of American monasticism, creating in the process a work of enduring value.”

— Rev. Dom Paschal Baumstein, O.S.B.

“Every so often a figure comes along who captures the spirit of the times and is able to use that insight to spread the

gospel. Boniface Wimmer did just that.” — Most Rev. Rembert G. Weakland, O.S.B.,

Archbishop of Milwaukee

Prepublication Offer: 15% Discount

Available in December512 pp., 20 Illus.

Cloth $33.95To order call:

410-516-6953 Also will be available in the Saint

Vincent College Book Center after publication at a cost of

$39.95.

What Others are Saying

To the Rev. Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B., the phrase in the Rule of St. Benedict, "Cherish Christ above all," embodies the most important aspect of St. Benedict's spirituality. For this reason, Fr. Demetrius has chosen that phrase as the title of his latest book, Cherish Christ Above All: The Bible in the Rule of Benedict, recently published by Paulist Press.

This is Fr. Demetrius' second book. His first, Flowers in the Desert: A Spirituality of the Bible, was published in 1987 and continues to be popular and to inspire many.

Father DemetriusPublishes Book

Copies of Saint Vincent: 150 Years , the video produced by Saint Vincent Archabbey in conjunction with its sesquicentennial, are still available.

The video may be purchased by mail for $12 by sending a check or money order (payable to Saint Vincent Archab-bey) to Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., Saint Vincent Archab-bey, 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 15650-2690.

Saint Vincent: The Journey Forward, a detailed CD-ROM docu-mentary that tells the story of the Saint Vincent community, is available from Mindworks Multimedia, Inc., a new company dedicated to producing multimedia CD-ROM documentaries and reference titles.

In Saint Vincent: The Journey Forward, the history of the Saint Vincent community is told with rare archival photos, narration by professional actors, interactive exploration of the campus, and samplings of original Saint Vincent music and treasured art from the Saint Vincent collection.

Users can spend hours exploring the many in-depth subjects, rich in history, faith and intrigue, in the founding of Saint Vincent.

Saint Vincent: The Journey Forward can be purchased for $39.95 (plus $2 for shipping and handling) by calling toll free 888-MINDWRK or by writing to Mindworks Multimedia, Inc., P.O. Box 427, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 15650. VISA and Mastercard accepted.

Saint Vincent 150th YearVideo and CD-ROM Available

in the past is really as important as moving into the future. If we move into it without that base, it’s like building on sand.”

To Order:

The genesis of this book was a series of lectures which Fr. Demetrius gave in Mexico City. In preparing the lectures, he found himself thinking greatly about the importance of the scriptures to his own life as a monk living under Bene-dict's Rule.

"I've tried to live the Rule for 50 years and taught scripture for 40,” he said. “Maybe it's time to put the two together. Benedict refers to the Bible almost 600 times, and I had never consciously dealt with that."

Although Benedict's Rule plays a prominent part in the book, it is written for a much wider audience than just monks. In his "Foreword," he explains that "The Rule of Benedict is not some eso-teric teaching intended for some elite group in the church. Rather, it is about living in the presence of God and in union with Christ a matter of deep concern for all Christians ... [The] essential ele-ments of Benedictine spirituality can be lived by every Christian, and it is my hope that this book will help to make that more evi-dent."

The book is available at the Saint Vincent College Book Center.

Fr. Demetrius is currently work-ing on a third book, this one on



Exterior and interior views of the Chapel of Saint Gregory the Great

growth in all of these areas and we really look forward to making a contribution to the future through the new programs and facilities that will enable us to meet the needs of the people through the years to come,” Arch-abbot Douglas said.

The recently-completed Semi-nary projects included construc-tion of a new chapel, which will seat up to 120 seminarians, and the extensive renovation and construction project at the Rod-erick Center, formerly Gregory Hall.

The addition and renovation created 21 additional student rooms, five guest rooms and fac-ulty and administrative offices. The Center now contains 14,250 square feet on three floors, with a reception area, conference room and student lounge.

The major gift for the center came from Mr. David M. Roder-ick, former chairman and chief executive officer of USX, and is named in memory of his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth “Bettie” J. Roderick.

In addition to the construction, the campaign also raised money for seminary scholarship and library needs and the Monastery Health and Welfare Fund.

The Basilica Parish Center was dedicated on July 5. The two-story brick center has 37,000 square feet of space and includes an assembly area on the second floor, parish offices, a conference room, library and lounge.

The Basilica exterior renova-tion project included replacing the roof, repointing the bricks and restoration of 27 stained glass windows. The interior proj-ect included painting, lighting, upgrading the sound system and construction of new restrooms.

Construction Completed

A few projects inside the Basilica remain to be completed. The Basilica was rededicated at the conclusion of the Saint Vincent Sesquicentennial last year.

Architect for the projects was Tasso Katselas of Pittsburgh, who designed the new Pittsburgh International Airport. He has designed many of the buildings on the Saint Vincent campus.

General Campaign Chairman is John C. Marous, Jr., former chief executive officer of West-inghouse, Inc. Other campaign

Steering Committee members include Dr. John E. Murray, Jr., president of Duquesne University, Monastery Division Chairperson; Bishop William J. Winter, Aux-iliary Bishop of Pittsburgh and Wesley W. von Schack, former chief executive officer of DQE, Seminary Division co-chairper-sons; and Mario J. Ferretti, Presi-dent of Kattan-Ferretti Insur-ance Agency, Parish Division chairperson.

“The campaign sought multi-year gifts or pledges from friends

of the Monastery, parishioners, alumni and friends of the Semi-nary,” said Director of Develop-ment Edward P. Hager. “The combined campaign has raised more than $10 million in cash and pledges, with the pledge period extending from 1995 through 1998.

“We started the projects based on the commitments made from the pledges and based on that response we proceeded with the restoration and construction

(Continued from P. 1)




The recently refurbished Saint Vincent Basilica (above, left). It was rededicated at the end of the Saint Vincent Sesquicentennial last year. Community Room (above, right) in the new Basilica Parish Center (below). The dedication

ceremony for the Parish Center was July 5.



projects in anticipation of fulfill-ment of all pledges,” Mr. Hager added, noting that many volun-teers contributed to the success of the campaign.

Archabbot Douglas also said: “We are grateful for the tre-mendous leadership which was provided for the campaign by John Marous and also by the leadership of the Seminary Cam-paign with Bishop Winter and Wes von Schack, and also in the Monastery Division with John Murray, and the Parish Division with Mario Ferretti. We’re also grateful for the leadership in the College, from Jim Will, Chairman of the Capital Campaign and Jim Murdy, Chairman of the Board.

“The leadership played an important role in helping us get the message to the different con-stituencies that we serve and the


Construction Completed

ChairmanMr. John C. Marous, Jr.

Campaign Steering Committee Members

Very Rev. Thomas P. Acklin, O.S.B.; Most Rev. Anthony G. Bosco; Rev. Gilbert J. Burke, O.S.B.; Mr. Frank V. Cahouet; Mr. John E. Connelly; Mr. J. Wray Connolly, Jr.; Mr. Patrick J. DiCesare; Mr. William J. Donahue; Mr. Thomas J. Donnelly; Mr. Mario J. Ferretti; Rev. Mario A. Fulgenzi, O.S.B.; Mr. Carl G. Grefenstette; Mr. Edward P. Hager; Dr. George J. Magovern, Sr.; Dr. John E. Murray, Jr.; Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B.; Mr. Ronald N. Raimondo; Mr. James E. Rohr; Mr. Daniel M. Rooney; Mr. Wesley W. von Schack; Mr. James F. Will; Most Rev. William J. Winter; Most Rev. Donald W. Wuerl.

MonasteryChairmanDr. John E. Murray, Jr.SeminaryCo-ChairmenThe Most Rev. William J. Winter.Mr. Wesley W. von Schack.

Campaign Leadership

response has been an overwhelm-ing vote of confidence through the support which we have received in all of these areas,” Archabbot Douglas said.

“It was the generosity of the parishioners; the generosity of the alumni of the College, the Seminary and Prep; the generos-ity of the community and the various dioceses to all of these endeavors that made this expan-sion possible,” he concluded.

“As a result of the leadership of Archabbot Douglas and the volunteers, the campaign has been successful in meeting its goals,” Mr. Hager said. “We appreciate all those persons who supported the campaign with the leadership, volunteer efforts and financial support. These indi-viduals have made it possible to preserve the vision of Boniface Wimmer and our forefathers for future generations.”

Board of Regents ChairmanMost Rev. Anthony G. Bosco.

Advance Gifts ChairmanRev. Thomas J. Kram

Regional Gifts ChairmenRev. John R. Haney, Pittsburgh; Rev. Lawrence R. Kiniry, Greensburg; Msgr. John R. Sasway, Altoona/Johnstown; Msgr. Francis M. Kumontis, Harrisburg; Msgr. Paul A. Lenz, District of Columbia/Maryland/Virginia; Rev. Thomas J. Tyler, Erie.

ParishChairmanMr. Mario J. Ferretti

Committee ChairsMrs. Mary E. Andrighetti, Parish Council Chair; Mr. Vincent S. Detore, Advance Gifts Chair; Mr. Edward G. Nemanic, Leadership Gifts Chair; Mr. Mark J. Burkardt, Special Gifts Chair; Mr. William J. Fromme, Mr. Russell F. Upholster, Jr., General Gifts Co-Chairs.

the Eucharist. Homilist will be the Most Rev. Donald W. Wuerl, Bishop of Pittsburgh.

The dedication of the Chapel of Saint Gregory the Great and the Elizabeth J. Roderick Center will take place at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. at Placid Hall. Mrs. Mary Ann Johanek, National President of The First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association, will make the announcement of the Svate Pismo i Katolicka Viera Education Fund for Saint Vincent Seminary.

Mrs. Elizabeth J. Roderick

Dedication Planned

The Elizabeth J. Roderick Center is named in memory of the late Mrs. Elizabeth Judith Costello Roderick, a deeply reli-gious person who was devoted to her family and her Catholic faith.

She helped spread the Chris-tian message through her care

of those in need throughout the world, and through her response to Christ’s command “to go forth and to preach the Good News.” Her deep desire to spread the message of Christ will continue in the future through the generations of priests and religious who will be educated at the Elizabeth J. Roderick Center at Saint Vincent Seminary.




By Father NoelH. Rothrauff, O.S.B.

The origins of the Women’s Auxiliary date back to September 1939, when Mrs. Harry M. Staley and Mrs. Stephen W. Nealon were visiting Saint Vincent and happened to walk through a cor-ridor nicknamed “Old Main,” which was being repaired.

The women later asked Fr. Edmund R. Cuneo, O.S.B., whether their bridge club could hold a private card party to raise some funds to support the work. With the help of Fr. Edmund and other monks of Saint Vincent, the original plans expanded into a large party held at the Hotel Schenley in Pittsburgh. Various groups of friends of Saint Vincent, who had already proposed an organization to assist with fund-ing projects at the institution, were invited. Notable among the monks was Fr. Hugh J. Wilt, O.S.B., who became the first moderator and “permanent trea-surer” of the Auxiliary. An initial dinner meeting on November 9, 1939, was the occasion of plan-ning the “Dessert Bridge” at the Schenley, and of the election of the first four officers, who in turn appointed the necessary committees.

The party at the Schenley on December 9, attended by over 600 friends of Saint Vincent, “was a tremendous success both socially and financially” and “far exceeded the expectations of our best optimist,” wrote Fr. Hugh. The purposes and aims of the organization, as later stated in its constitution, were envisioned as assisting Saint Vincent in the development of its educa-tional program, assisting deserv-ing youths to obtain the advan-tages of higher education, and

adopting other specific goals, as determined by the members, to support various projects at Saint Vincent.

The organization grew rapidly during the early 1940s. Fr. Alcuin W. Tasch, O.S.B., helped the women draw up a constitution and bylaws, and a temporary version was adopted in February 1940. Committees were formed to propose a final draft, which was finally accepted in 1944.

During the first year it became obvious that a major problem was the development of autonomous units because so many members lived in outlying districts. In Janu-ary 1940, the members of the Auxiliary in Latrobe formed a “Latrobe Chapter,” later named the “Hugh Chapter,” in honor of Fr. Hugh Wilt, O.S.B. This set the pace for other chapters: The Saint Scholastica Chapter in Forest Hills, Pittsburgh; the Edmund Chapter from Saint Mary Parish, Pittsburgh; the Homestead Chapter; the Saint Benedict Chapter in Erie, and the Aurelian Chapter in Mount Leba-non. All of these were formed by 1944. By 1965, chapters also were established in Johnstown and in St. Marys, Elk County, and the Homestead Chapter was replaced by the Saint Boniface Chapter, Pittsburgh.

Each chapter met as often as the members wished. Some con-ducted meetings along strictly social lines, whereas others adopted the aim of a study club as well. While the annual mem-bership dues and occasional par-

ties raised funds, the goal of the regular meetings was not to raise funds, but rather to spread an interest in the organization and to fulfill social and intellectual needs. The membership increased from 468 in 1940 to 815 in 1943.

Over the years the Women’s Auxiliary of Saint Vincent College has contributed generously to special projects at Saint Vincent College and Archabbey, as well as to student scholarships. It began its support by donating $7,000 for the renovation of the main hall. After that, funds, unless oth-erwise designated, were depos-ited into the Auxiliary Scholarship Fund, which amounted to $9,400 by February 1944.

In the 1950s, the Auxiliary accepted as a special project the installation of a new main altar in the Saint Vincent Basilica. In 1957, the organization assisted in the construction of the new library building, which now serves the needs of the College, Seminary and Archabbey. In 1965, the eight chapters were helping the institution to meet a goal of $1 million for a construction program to replace buildings destroyed by the fire of January 28, 1963, which caused about $2 million in damage. They ultimately con-tributed $50,000 to the building fund.

By 1965, the Auxiliary had already contributed over $100,000 in scholarship funds for the College and Preparatory School. More recently, the women raised $2,600 in the

Saint Vincent Women’s Auxiliary Has Been Active for Nearly 60 Years

Through the years the Auxiliary has contributed over $100,000 in scholarship funds to deserving students. Following the 1963 fire, it raised $50,000 for the build-ing fund. Today, it continues to help fund scholarships

and projects.

(Continued on Page16)

1997Jubilarians

70 YearsProfession

Father Flavian G. Yelinko, O.S.B.,

July 2, 1927

50 YearsOrdination

Father CaniceT. Welsh, O.S.B.,

June 15, 1947

Father Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B.,

Dec. 7, 1947

Profession

Father Noel H. Rothrauff, O.S.B.,

July 2, 1947

25 YearsOrdination

Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., May 20, 1972

Father Vincent de Paul R. Crosby, O.S.B., May 20, 1972

Father AnthonyWesolowski, O.S.B.,

May 20, 1972

Profession

Father Kurt J.Belsole, O.S.B., July 10, 1972

Father DavidR. Griffin, O.S.B.,

July 10, 1972

Father AaronN. Buzzelli, O.S.B.,

July 10, 1972

Father Cyprian G. Constan-tine, O.S.B.,

July 10, 1972



The Rt. Rev. Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., Archabbot of Saint Vincent Archab-bey, announced the following new appointments, effective July 1, 1997.

Prior: Very Rev. Earl J. Henry

Formation Program: Father Sebastian A. Samay, Novice Master and Coordinator of For-mation Programs.

Archabbot’s Office: Father Athanasius C. Cherry, Adminis-trative Secretary to the Archab-bot.

Vocations Office: Father Thomas More Sikora, Director of Vocations.

College Apostolate: Father Ralph M. Tajak, Assistant Direc-tor, Admission and Financial Aid Office; Father Paul R. Taylor, Director, Admission and Financial Aid Office; Father Millard Cook, History Department; Bro-ther Edward Mazich, Math Depart-ment.

Seminary Apostol-ate: Father Ralph M. Tajak, adjunct faculty member.

Juniorate: Brother Edward Mazich, Faculty of Saint Vincent College, Math Department;

Memorial Gift, TributeGift, Donors Listed

Tribute gift and Memorial gift donors to Saint Vincent Archab-bey during the quarter from June 1 to October 1, 1997, include:

In honor of Rev. John F. Murtha, O.S.B., Mr. and Mrs. Ken Shimko.

In memory of Mr. Anthony Bione, Mrs. Helen R. Bione.

In memory of Dorothy Maher, Ms. Linda A. Cohn, Ms. Tribute

Nancy L. Kierstead, Mr. Carl E. Testo, Caryn A. Converse, Mr.

Saint Vincent College was named once again as one of the top ten “Best Values” among regional liberal arts colleges in the north in U.S. News and World Report’s eleventh annual edition of America’s Best Colleges.

Saint Vincent was also named one of the top five schools in the region in a new category, entitled “Debt Load -- Least Debt,” rec-ognizing that the graduates of its class of 1996 graduated with loan obligations that are among the smallest in the region.

This marks the fifth time that Saint Vincent has been named to U.S. News best value rankings, with previous recognition in 1992, 1994, 1996 and 1997.

“We are very pleased to be ranked again by U.S. News and World Report,” commented the Rev. Martin R. Bartel, O.S.B., college president. “The fact that we have been recognized five times in the past seven years as one of the best buys in the region is a significant verification of the high quality educational experi-ence offered by Saint Vincent College at a reasonable cost. We extend our thanks to all of our students, faculty and staff as well as our alumni, friends and benefactors who continue to share in this honor.”

Among regional liberal arts colleges in the north, Saint Vincent was ranked third in the category

SVC is ‘Exceptional Buy,’ ‘Best Value,’ in Magazine Rankings

New Abbatial Appointments

Brother Matthew T. Laffey, Socius of Novices; Brother Hugh D. Lester, Associate Director of Summer Retreats.

Brother Anthony J. Grossi, Academic Counselor in the Opportunity Program, Dorm Moderator at Saint Vincent College; Brother Lee Yoakam, Adjunct Nurse at Saint Vincent College and Seminary, staff on the Monastic Infirmary and Assis-tant Guestmaster at the Monas-tery; Brother William Benthall, Director of Sacristy and Assistant Master of Ceremonies.

Brother Abel Rodarte, Staff in the Admission and Financial Aid Office at Saint Vincent Col-lege; Brother Matthew Bodnar, Assistant Guestmaster at the Monastery, Assistant Master of Ceremonies and Sacristan; Brother Joseph Adams, Socius of Novices, Miller at Saint Vincent Gristmill, Captain of the Saint Vincent Fire Department.

Brother Thomas Curry, Assis-tant in the Summer Retreat Pro-gram, Assistant Director of the Vocation Office; Brother Liang (David) Ho, Assistant Master of Ceremonies/Sacristan.

Michael Kokoszka, Ms. Charisse E. Hutton, Ms. Karen M. Netherton.

In memory of Rev. Method J. Mraz, O.S.B., Mr. and Mrs. John Barchiesi, Ms. Mary Z. Collins, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Mraz, Ms. Lorel Ann Cerutti, Ms. Christina Gruska, Ms. Mary D. Patchell, Mrs. Katherine S. Church, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Mraz.

In memory of Rev. Norbert Rupprecht, O.S.B., Ms. Jeanne C. Rafferty.

of “Best Values” as one of the schools that offer a high quality education at a reasonable cost. Five other Pennsylvania schools were also ranked, including Grove City (ranked second), Seton Hill (4th), Elizabethtown (6th), York (8th) and Susque-hanna (10th). Marymount Man-hattan College was ranked first in the category.

Saint Vincent College was ranked third among the five northern regional liberal arts col-leges recognized for having the lowest percentage of graduates with debt and the lowest aver-age amount of debt after they graduate.

In addition to the latest U.S. News rankings, Saint Vincent was also named once again by Money magazine as one of the top 100 “exceptional buys” in the entire United States. This marks the third consecutive year in which Saint Vincent was recognized by Money. The 1998 rankings appear in the September 1997 issue.

Saint Vincent was also named one of the top 25 “best buys” in the Mid-Atlantic region.

It has been a consistent honoree in all of the national rankings including those by The National Review College Guide, Bar-ron’s, Peterson’s, and The Templeton Honor Rolls for Education in a Free Society.



(Continued from p. 3)Father Earl Henry Appointed Prior

Church."A native of Whitney, Pennsyl-

vania, Fr. Earl is the son of Cyril and Stella Henry, and is one of 11 children. He attended St. Cecilia Grade School in Whitney, and graduated from the former Saint Vincent Preparatory School in Latrobe. He received a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Saint Vincent College in 1960, and a master of divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary in 1964. He entered the novitiate of Saint Vincent Archabbey in 1957, made simple profession of vows

Writer, EditorJoins Staff

Kimberley A. Metzgar of Export RD 2 has joined the administrative staff as a writer/editor in the Public Relations Department. She will be handling publicity for Saint Vincent Seminary and Saint Vincent Archabbey.

A 1984 graduate of Seton Hill College, Greensburg, she has a bachelor of arts degree in English with a minor in art. She has a certificate in scriptwriting from Hollywood Script-writing Institute.

Before joining the staff at Saint Vincent, Ms. Metzgar served as family page editor, staff writer and photog-rapher for The Indiana Gazette newspaper in Indi-ana, Pa. She is also a former editor of The Latrobe Bul-letin newspaper, and was a part-time video-grapher for WPXI-TV, Pittsburgh.

She has edited and co-authored a 374-page book for the Mid-Appalachian Region of the National Spe-leological Society (NSS), and is currently editing a 600-plus page book for the NSS, to be published in 1998. This past summer she and her husband Tom received a national award from the NSS for their work in spelean history.

She is a contributor to the Sierra Club Allegheny Group Chapter's forthcoming book on hiking trails in the Laurel Highlands, and is working on a number of other publica-tion proj-ects involving local history and speleology.

She is the daughter of Ronald J. and Marian A. Opatka of Derry.

Saint Vincent College held a virtual groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 9 that signalled the beginning of construction of a $5.1 million Instructional Technology Resource Center and renovation of the Saint Vincent Library. The program was broadcast internationally on the Internet’s World Wide Web. Taking part in the groundbreaking were, from left, architect Tasso Katselas; Saint Vincent Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B.; robot (student Carrie Morgan, C ‘97); College President, the Rev. Martin R. Bartel, O.S.B.; David J. Pevarnik, vice president of PDC Builders, Inc., of Latrobe; and James F. Pevarnik, president of PDC Builders, Inc., general contractor for the project.

College Breaks Ground for Resource Center

in 1958 and solemn profession of vows in 1961. He was ordained a priest by the late William G. Connare, Bishop of Greensburg in 1964.

Following ordination, Fr. Earl was associate pastor at St. Ger-trude Parish, Vandergrift, and then returned to Saint Vincent, where he held the positions of director of food service, director of intramurals, and residence hall moderator (1965-67), dean of students (1967-75), and director of admission (1975-82), and direc-tor of admission and financial aid

(1982-84). In the fall of 1984 he studied at the International Bene-dictine College of Sant' Anselmo, Rome, Italy, and then served for seven months in 1985 as admin-istrator of St. Nicholas Parish, Nicktown. From 1985 to 1987, he was rector of Penn State Catholic Center, State College. He then returned to Saint Vincent College to assume his most recent position as dean of admission and financial aid. As Prior he continues to serve as president of Wimmer Corporation, a post he has held since 1990.



Obituaries

Rev, Xavier R. Mihm, O.S.B

The Rev. Xavier R. Mihm, O.S.B., 81, a monk of Saint Vin-cent Archabbey, died on Octo-ber 29, 1996 after an extended illness.

He was born on the North Side of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on July 2, 1915, and attended Saint Marys Parochial School there.

Rev. Giles L. Nealen, O.S.B.

Rev. Norbert A. Rupprecht, O.S.B

Rev. Method J. Mraz, O.S.B.

The Rev. Giles L. Nealen, O.S.B., 73, a priest-monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey, died Sunday, December 29, 1996, in the monastic infirmary from heart failure.

He was born in Nicktown, Pennsylvania, September 6, 1923, attended St. Nicholas Grade School there, and was a 1942 graduate of Spangler Public High School in Spangler. He received a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Saint Vincent College in 1948, and did his priesthood studies at Saint Vincent Seminary.

Fr. Giles entered the Benedic-tine monastic community of Saint Vincent Archabbey in 1945. He made simple profession of vows on February 13, 1946, and solemn profession of vows on Feb-ruary 13, 1949. He was ordained a priest in Saint Vincent Archab-bey Church by the late Bishop John Dearden of Pittsburgh on May 15, 1951.

His service to the monastic community included assistant in the maintenance department (1944-51) and 1954-63); scho-lasticate prefect (1949-51); assis-tant pastor at Sacred Heart Parish in St. Marys (1951-54); prefect at Saint Vincent Scho-lasticate (1954-63); director of Food Service (1954-63); Master of Brothers (1956-63); pastor of St. James Parish, Waynesburg, Ohio (1964); subprior at Saint Benedictine Priort, Vin-hedo, S.P., Brazil (1964-67); administrator of St. Benedict Parish, Marguerite (1967-68); assistant pastor at Queen of the World Parish, St. Marys (1968-71); pastor at St. Bruno Parish, South Greens-burg (1971-72); pastor at St. James Parish, Waynesburg, Ohio (1972-80); pastor at

Sacred Heart Parish, St. Marys (1990-92).

In 1992, Fr. Giles retired to the Archabbey where, until his death, he remained active as chaplain to the Latrobe Carmelite Monas-tery of Nuns and assistant to the Prior.

He is survived by his brothers and sisters, John, Gertrude Augustine and Martha Ager, all of Nicktown. He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Margaret (Bender) Nealen; his brother, William; and three sisters, Mary Sutton, Clare Noll and Ruth Nealen.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Health and Wel-fare Fund of Saint Vincent Arch-abbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 15650.

was prefect and teacher in the Preparatory School, where he also served as director of athletics for two years.

At the College, he served as dean of men and as director of athletics. During World War II, he preached missions to Ameri-can military personnel, and from 1945 to 1969, he became well known for his work in the Mission Band by preaching throughout the United States and Canada. In 1969 he was appointed pastor of St. Boniface Parish in North Side, Pittsburgh, and in 1985 he became pastor emeritus. He returned to Saint Vincent Archab-bey in 1989.

Fr. Norbert is survived by a sister, Helene Benton of St. Marys and by numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Rose (Rumpelein) Rupprecht, and by a sister and eight brothers, including the late Rev. Melvin C. Rupprecht, O.S.B., and the late Rev. Jerome J. Rupprecht, O.S.B.

The Rev. Norbert A. Ruppre-cht, O.S.B., 88, a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey, died Satur-day, December 28, 1996, after an extended illness.

Fr. Norbert was born in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, on Septem-ber 22, 1908, and was gradu-ated from St. Mary’s Parochial School there. He then went to Saint Vincent and was gradu-ated from Saint Vincent Scholas-ticate, College and Seminary. He also pursued graduate studies at Catholic University of America and at Western Reserve Uni-versity. He professed his first monastic vows on July 2, 1928, and was ordained to the priest-hood June 17, 1934, by the late Bishop Hugh C. Boyle of Pitts-burgh.

As a member of the Saint Vin-cent Community, Fr. Norbert served in many administrative and teaching posts of the insti-tution. From 1934 to 1939 he

The Rev. Method J. Mraz, O.S.B., 91, a monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey, died on Monday, June 9, 1997. He had been in failing health for the last few years.

Fr. Method was born in Knox Run, Clearfield County, Pennsyl-vania, on February 19, 1906. He attended Winburn Grade School, Saint Francis Prepara-tory School in Indiana, Pennsyl-vania, and was a 1925 graduate of Saint Vincent Preparatory School. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Saint Vincent College and completed his ordi-nation studies at Saint Vincent Seminary.

He entered the Bene-dictine

monastic community of Saint Vincent Archabbey in 1927. He made simple profession of vows on July 2, 1928, and solemn profession on July 11, 1931. He was ordained a priest in Saint Vincent Archabbey Church by the late Bishop Hugh C. Boyle, of Pittsburgh, on June 17, 1934.

Fr. Method served the Archab-bey in its pastoral apostolates.

He was an assistant at Saint Benedict Parish, Carrolltown (1934-40), and Blessed Sacra-ment Parish (now Blessed Sacra-ment Cathedral), Greensburg (1940-41). He was pastor at Saint Bartholomew Parish, Crabtree (1941-55), Saint Bruno Parish, South Greensburg (1955-70) and Saint Martin Parish, New Derry (1970-84). Since 1984 he had been in residence at the Archabbey.

While he was pastor of Saint Bruno, he directed the building of the present church and opened the grade school there.

Fr. Method was preceded in death by his parents, John and Mary (Petkac) Mraz, and three siblings. He is survived by his brother Joseph and sister Mary Backa, both of Fairview Park, Ohio; and a brother, Michael of Cleveland, Ohio.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Health and Wel-fare Fund of Saint Vincent Arch-abbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 15650.



Rev. Bertrand H. Dunegan, O.S.B.

The Rev. Bertrand H. Dunegan, O.S.B., 66, a monk of Saint Vin-cent Archabbey, died Wednes-day, December 18, 1996, after an extended illness.

Fr. Bertrand was born Janu-ary 24, 1930, in Eben-sburg, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Holy Name Elementary School there. He attended Saint Vincent Preparatory School and Saint Vincent College, graduat-ing magna cum laude in 1953 with a bachelor of arts in biology

and philosophy. He joined the Benedictine order in 1950. He made his first profession of vows on July 2, 1951, and his solemn profession on July 11, 1954. He attended Saint Vincent Seminary, was ordained a priest on May 26, 1957, and received a master of arts in theology in 1959. After ordination he taught biology at Saint Vincent College before doing graduate work in cytology at Detroit University during the summer of 1958. He then studied genetics at Johns Hopkins Univer-sity from 1959 to 1960, and zool-ogy and limnology at Franz Stone Lab at Ohio State University, where he received a master of science in 1961. He pursued further graduate work in marine science education at the University of Loyola the next year, and received National Science Foundation grants for graduate studies in pale-ontology at Vassar, and oceanog-raphy, marine biology, and geol-ogy at the University of Virginia in cooperation with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

In addition to teaching at Saint Vincent College, Fr. Bertrand was on the faculty of St. Marys Central Catholic High School in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, from 1961 to 1962. He also taught at James Barry-Robinson School in Norfolk, Vir-ginia, from 1962 to 1967. In 1967 he began teaching at Benedictine High School in Savannah, Geor-gia. He served at Benedictine High School until 1992, when he returned to Saint Vincent Archab-bey because of ill health.

Fr. Bertrand’s teaching was highly honored over the years. He was named “Outstanding Sci-ence Teacher in First District of Georgia” in 1969; STAR teacher in 1971, 1976 and 1979; “Out-standing Biology Teacher in Geor-gia” in 1974; and “Red Cross Small Craft Teacher of the Year 1974.” In 1979, he received the “Distinguished Service Award” from the Georgia Association of

He was a 1933 graduate of Saint Vincent Preparatory School. He received a bachelor’s degree from Saint Vincent Col-lege in 1942, and a master’s degree from Saint Vincent Semi-nary in 1948. In 1951 he was granted a doctorate in chemistry from Purdue University.

Fr. Xavier entered the Benedic-tine monastic community of Saint Vincent Archabbey in 1935. He made simple profession of vows on July 2, 1936, and solemn profession of vows on July 11, 1939.

He was ordained a priest in Saint Vincent Archabbey Church by the late Bishop Hugh Boyle of Pittsburgh, on June 6, 1943.

Fr. Xavier taught in the chemis-try departments of Saint Vincent College (1943-45 and 1951-58); Gannon University (1958-64); and Walsh College (1964-69). He was a member of the Amer-ican Chemical Society and a fourth degree Knight of Colum-bus.

He retired in 1986 and in 1992 returned to the Archabbey due to ill health.

Fr. Xavier is survived by a brother, Thomas of Detroit, Mich-igan; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Margaret (Schmitt) Mihm; and two sisters and a brother.

Independent Schools, and in 1979 the “Best Photography Award” from the Explorers Club of New York. In 1991 the New York Insti-tute of Photography awarded Fr. Bertrand its prestigious Certificate of Graduation in Professional Photography.

Fr. Bertrand is the author of three books, Beachcombing in Virginia, Beachcombing on Hilton Head Island, and

Beachcomber’s Guide to the Golden Isles.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Howard Dunegan. He is survived by a brother, Robert Dunegan of Char-lotte, North Carolina; and a sister, Mary Siebert, of Peoria, Illinois.

Contributions can be made to the Bertrand Dunegan Memorial Scholarship Fund, Benedictine Military School.

Upcoming EventsOCTOBER 28

The Elizabeth J. Roderick Center and The Chapel of Saint Gregory the Great dedication, 4:30 p.m., Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica.

DECEMBER 5, 7, 12-14Saint Vincent Camerata Christmas Concerts, 8 p.m., Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica. For ticket information call 412-537-4579.

CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULEDECEMBER 24

Christmas Eve Mass, 5 p.m., Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica.Christmas Vigil Service, 11:20 p.m., Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica.Midnight Liturgy, with Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., as principal celebrant. A reception at the Parish Center will follow the Mass.

DECEMBER 25Christmas Day Mass, 6 a.m., Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica.Christmas Day Mass, 7:30 a.m., with Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., as principal celebrant, Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica.Christmas Day Mass, 9:30 a.m., Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica.Christmas Day Mass, 11:30 a.m., Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica.Christmas Day Evening Prayer, 4:30 p.m., Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica.

APRIL 4-5Saint Vincent Camerata Lenten Concert, 8 p.m., Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica. For ticket information call 412-537-4579.

MAY 3Voices of Saint Vincent Concert, 7 p.m., with the Saint Vincent College Singers, the Saint Vincent College Troubadours, the Saint Vincent Seminary Schola Cantorum, and the Saint Vincent Camerata Chamber Orchestra, Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica. For ticket information call 412-537-4579.

MAY 23Saint Vincent Benedictine Priesthood Ordination, Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica, 10 a.m.

mid-1980s to recondition and reinforce the Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica windows in the renovated chapel of Leander Hall.

The Auxiliary has provided a variety of programs for its members. During the 1950s, at the suggestion of Fr. Hugh, plans were made to hold religious forums in the homes of members to discuss subjects such as phi-losophy, the lives of the saints, the liturgy of the Church, and the Papal Encyclicals. Guest speak-ers at the Auxiliary’s regular meetings during the 1950s and 1960s delivered talks about higher education, current events, pilgrimages and foreign missions. Father Hugh, in particular, kept the Latrobe Chapter informed about China an area of the world dear to his heart.

In the 1960s, annual picnics were held during the summer at the campus of Saint Vincent. Through the 1970s and 1980s, programs for the Auxiliary’s meetings included benefit card parties, fashion shows, outings to the Saint Vincent Summer Theatre, travelogues and trips to nearby shrines. Days and

evenings of recollection, directed by monks of Saint Vincent, were also held regularly at Saint Emma Retreat House and at the Crypt of Saint Vincent Basilica.

The Auxiliary has appreci-ated the guidance of its Bene-dictine moderators from the time of its foundation. After Fr. Hugh left to help in the establish-ment of a Benedictine mission in Taiwan, in the 1960s, Fr. Clarence C. Karawsky, O.S.B., and Fr. Clair F. Gannon, O.S.B., became moderators. From the mid-1960s until his death in September of 1974, Fr. Melvin C. Rupprecht, O.S.B., guided the Auxiliary. With Fr. Melvin’s death, the Latrobe Chapter was renamed the “Hugh-Mel-vin Chapter,” and Archabbot Egbert Donovan, O.S.B., appointed Fr. Gilbert J. Burke, O.S.B., to be the moderator. Since August 1982, Fr. Noel H. Rothrauff, O.S.B., has served as the moderator for the Women’s Auxiliary of Saint Vincent Col-lege.

Present officers for the Latrobe chapter are Philo-mena Rich, president; Dorothy Her-rholtz, vice president; Helen Fajt, secretary and Helen Martin, treasurer.


Saint Vincent Auxiliary

SAINT VINCENT ARCHABBEY300 Fraser Purchase Road

Latrobe, PA 15650-2686

Address Service Requested

The First Benedictine Monastery in the United States, Founded in 1846

Non-profit OrganizationU.S. Postage Paid

Latrobe, PAPermit No. 110

Ora Et Labora Summer/Fall 1997 Volume 9, Issues 1, 2

Gift, Tribute Programs a Way to Honor Loved Ones

The death of someone who has touched our lives or that of a friend prompts shock and grief. Yet that grief may be relieved only with the passage of time. So, we help by “being there” for each other.

It is presence, then, which is the essence of our sympathy; we are available to the bereaved as an expression of our caring. But, our physical presence is not always possible.

We often seek a more tangible expression of our presence by sending flowers or giving memorials. For many of us memorial giving is a thoughtful expression of showing our presence. Such gifts say “we care,” pay tribute to the deceased, and serve the living.

Please consider Saint Vincent Archabbey’s apostolates when making such a memorial gift. Saint Vincent has an established program for notifying the family of your sympathy. A note of sympathy is sent to the family attesting to your concern and thoughtfulness, but the amount of your gift is never disclosed. A separate letter of thanks is mailed to you.

The tribute gift program honors individuals you care for during their lifetimes, on special occasions. Many of us have trouble finding a meaningful way to recognize friends and family. If you have struggled with the problem of deciding what to give people on these occasions, perhaps this tribute program will be an answer.

You may wish to consider making a tribute gift on these occasions: birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, retirements or holidays. Perhaps you have your own special reason for making a tribute gift or maybe you just wish to send a unique “thank you” to someone.

If you choose to make a tribute gift, we will send an acknowledg-ment to you, the donor, for making the gift and an appropriate note will be mailed to the person you are recognizing. All memorial/tribute names will be listed in the next issue of the Archabbey newsletter, but the amount of your gift is never disclosed.

For more information call or write the Saint Vincent Archabbey Development Office at 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 15650, 412-532-6740.

heart to heart summer/fall 1997

Documents

saint vincent seminary

saint vincent basilica

chapel of saint gregory

saint vincent seminary

archabbot of saint vincent

construction projects

roderick center

chapel projects