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News & Herald Western North Carolina
ierving Catholics in
Volume
in the Diocese of Charlotte
1
Number
17
•
January
3,
1992
New Abbot Elected By Benedictines
^therTime...
At Belmont Abbey Monastery
—
BELMONT
Benedictine Father
Oscar Burnett was elected abbot Dec. 2 1 by the Benedictine
He
is
their seventh abbot.
Abbot since 1957 is
monks of Belmont Abbey.
Abbey
For 15 years, he was
College.
chaplain at the college.
He
served for six
years as executive director of the Ecumeni-
of Wake Forest University and Belmont Abbey College. Abbot Oscar has served on the Board of Trustees of Belmont Abbey College for cal Institute
Burnett, 65, has been a
monk
and a priest since 1962. His term
for eight years, although he can
elected for another eight-year term.
be
re-
He suc-
many years. As abbot, he now
serves as an
ceeds Benedictine Father Timothy Kelly, a
monk of St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minn., who was serving as temporary administrator.
Located 10 miles west of Charlotte,
Belmont Abbey
is
a
1
Roman
15-year-old
Catholic monastery. There are presently 32
Benedictines
at
The abbot leader.
He
Belmont. is
principally a spiritual
helps and guides the monastic
community and individual monks to realize the charism expressed in the Rule of Saint
Benedict, a sixth century guide to monastic
and Christian life. The abbot is father, teacher, shepherd and administrator. all
religious
and temporal
He
supervises
of the
affairs
monastery.
The new abbot
is
a
man
of varied
A native
experience and accomplishment.
of Savannah, Ga., Abbot Oscar graduated
from Sacred Heart parochial and Benedictine Military schools. After a tour of duty with the U.S. II,
Army Air Force during World War
he earned his A.A. degree
State College,
at
and his law degree
at
Emory
University. After practicing law in Savan-
nah for six years, he completed his seminary education at Belmont Abbey. Abbot Burnett has held all major monastic positions of leadership at
Abbey: socius of novices, Bembrock applies a delicate touch to the inner working of one of his clocks. (See
lesuit Father John
Itory
I
on Page 3)
Photo by
JOANN KEANE
Belmont
junior/cleric
master, subprior, formation director, procurator
and
He
recently, service as claustral prior.
mo-
By
Associate Editor
— The
CHARLOTTE ifth
launch
its
Diocese of
observance of the
4
Cathedral Jan.
at
Bishop John brant, will accept
The
Domingo by Spanish
Its
its
makes
re-
religious education or the call to share the faith,
special to the diocese,
third year in a
decade of
says Father Vilkauskas. "It
is
mine how
it
will
be used," he
1
876, sent from the senior
Benedictine monastery in this country, in Latrobe,
St.
Pa The
s
small foundation developed slowly but steadily into an independent monastery.
nurtured at the
same time
college that today bears
its
It
the liberal arts
name, and devel-
oped a significant history of religious, charitable, pastoral, and educational works throughout the Southeast. See Abbot, Page
1
All In
A Knight's Work.
said.
Representatives from several nations at
a sign of the unity of the diocese in receiving
1
)onoghue.
sentatives at the inaugural prayer service as
carry flags
from their native
lountries in celebration of the ethnic diversity of the
now Belmont in
up to the
All parishes are expected to have repre-
me service will
monks of the Order of Saint The first monk came to what is
Catholic
Benedict.
creative resources of local parishes to deter-
990 by Bishop
vangelization as declared in
College.
the pilgrimage
go forth and spread the
nations proclaiming Christ.
vhich begins
the cross
from parish to parish, it will be used to stir and invigorate the spiritual renewal process,
is
Abbey
a monastery of Ro-
are called to do."
As
new
and today serves as a
significance
we
the presentation.
original cross called forth a
all
man
is
Ed
Monroe. "The hope for us in the diocese is that it will signal a new beginning of our need to share our faith, a reminder of what
minder of the call to
vord to
says Father
faith,"
zation and pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in
accompanying Christopher
uid for Christ
"The cross will be a focal point to raise awareness of our
a replica of a cross that
make
Belmont Abbey
Christianity in this diverse
cel-
Columbus. State officers of the Knights of
Columbus will
of the board and as
Vilkauskas, diocesan director of evangeli-
Donoghue, the
planted in Santa
nissionaries
a.m.
1 1
F.
'
in
land.
century of evangelization in the Ameli-
as with a prayer service at St. Patrick
/as
500 years of
also
Richmond, Va. He was dean of students and, for many years, an associate professor at Belmont
CAROL HAZARD
Charlotte will
He
served as an associate pastor at St. Benedict
Church
member
Chancellor of Belmont
prior.
has had responsibility for the
monks, charge of the business affairs of the monastery, and, most
500 Years of Evangelization
ex-officio
Vincent Archabbey
nastic formation of
Diocese To Begin Observance Of
ABBOT OSCAR BURNETT
Armstrong
Catholic faith in the Americas and
the
commemorative
cross, says Father
Vilkauskas.
Although the goal is to encourage evanit is never fully achieved, says
he multi-national quality of Christ's mes-
gelization,
sage.
Father Vilkauskas. Therefore, a diocesan-
After the cross
is
received,
it
will
be
wide reconciliation service
will
be held
at
George Kutcher
Presented to parishes throughout the dio-
ese as a symbolic representation marking
See Cross, Page 3
(1)
and Marvin Wynianco (with saw) of Knights of Columbus Council 770
Charlotte prepare lumber for a
ramp
at the
home
in
of a handicapped person. (See story on Page 3)