Abbey Notes

abbey notes By Br. Finnbar McEvoy, OSB

Abbey Election Update

On February 28 and March 1, the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey gathered to discern and elect the 12th Abbot of St. Mary’s Abbey, on the retirement of Abbot Richard Cronin after the conclusion of his 8-year term of office.

Under the leadership of Abbot John Klassen, President of the American Cassinese Congregation of Benedictine monasteries, of which St. Mary’s Abbey is a member, the monks prayerfully discerned the community’s needs, evaluated candidates, and voted. The monks then unanimously decided that they needed more time to discern the Abbey’s needs and identify who would best help them meet these needs as their next abbot.

Consequently, the monks unanimously asked Abbot President John Klassen to appoint an Administrator for the Abbey, who would function as the monastery superior for a term of 3 years. Abbot John consulted with his Congregation Council and the monks of St. Mary's Abbey to identify an Administrator while Prior Edward Seton Fitton served as temporary Abbey Superior. (See update on page 79. )

Welcome to the Church

Sophomore Christian Zebrowski ’24 approached the mission and ministry office about the possibility of becoming Catholic. He was never baptized as an infant. For much of the school year, he met weekly with Mr. Matthew White, Director of Mission & Ministry, for instruction about the Catholic faith.

On Holy Saturday, Christian, with his sponsor and older brother, Quinn Zebrowski ’21, pictured on right with Christian and Fr. Edward, and the Zebrowski family attended the Easter Vigil liturgy. After the homily, Christian, with his sponsor and the congregation, was asked to affirm the baptismal promises, based upon the Apostles’ Creed. Christian, aided by Quinn, came forward, leaned over the font, and Abbey Superior Fr. Edward Seton, OSB poured the blessed water over Christian’s head. Immediately, Fr. Edward invoked the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit and confirmed Christian with Sacred Chrism. As a sign of his full initiation into the Catholic Church, Christian was the first to receive Holy Communion during the service.

Br. William McMillian, OSB Makes Solemn Vows

On March 30, 2022, Brother William McMillan, O.S.B., pictured here with his family, made his solemn profession of monastic vows in the presence of Abbey Superior Fr. Edward Seton Fittin, OSB, the St Mary’s Abbey monastic community, Delbarton School students, faculty, and staff, as well as his family and friends.

The eldest son of Bill and Susan McMillan, Brother William was born on October 1, 1988. He was raised in Union, NJ with his siblings, Sarah (now a wife, mother, and elementary school teacher) and Brian (a Computer Science major at Seton Hall University). He graduated from Seton Hall Preparatory School in West Orange, NJ in 2006. He matriculated to Syracuse University and graduated in 2010 with degrees in English and Magazine Journalism. Following graduation, Brother William worked for five years in marketing at Investors Bank in Short Hills, NJ.

He is an avid reader and enjoys exercising, sports, movies, music, and an occasional adult beverage! He has developed a love for the martial arts, especially Brazilian jiu jitsu, thanks to our Fr. Demetrius Thomas, O.S.B., with whom he continues to train. He has not, however, developed a love for constantly getting beaten by Fr. Demetrius in said martial art. Having lived in the monastery for more nearly six years, Brother William is known among us for his pragmatic approach to life, sense of humor, and care of the aged and infirm monks of our community. He is in his third year working for Delbarton School, where he teaches freshmen and sophomore English, serves as Varsity Basketball Chaplain, and coaches Middle School Baseball. He also served as Varsity Baseball Chaplain in 2021. Join us in gratitude to Almighty God for this new member to our monastery as we continue to pray for and support him along the path that God has set before him in this school of the Lord’s service.

March for Life

Delbarton students and teachers, along with a team from St. Joseph’s Parish in Mendham, joined Br. Finnbar McEvoy and Br. William McMillan at The March for Life in Washington, D.C. on Friday, January 21. After a tough start to the day with their bus breaking down before they could even get on it, as well as the frigid temperatures, the group made it to D.C. just in time for the March. There was an especially optimistic atmosphere at this year’s march, likely spurred on by recent legal developments in the pro-life cause. Thank you to all who attended.

Delbarton and Glenstal Abbey Exchange Returns

On March 30, after witnessing Br. Will’s solemn profession of monastic vows, exchange students from Glenstal Abbey School headed to the airport with Glenstal chaperone Fr. Dennis Hooper for their return flight to Ireland after an actionpacked two week stay with Delbarton host families. Both schools were gratified that this long-standing exchange program has been reinstated after a COVID hiatus. Pictured here are our guests from Glenstal with their Delbarton hosts and Glenstal Exchange moderator Fr. Edward Seton Fittin, OSB.

Br. Tarcisius Hoang Hoa, OSB

Br. Tarcisius’ Funeral Mass on March 26, 2022 was attended by hundreds of family members and friends, with a visiting choir singing gloriously in Vietnamese. The homily was translated into Vietnames and Vietnamese food was served at the repast. All this was a first for St. Mary’s Abbey, and a reminder of the wonderful universality of the Church. Br. Tarcisius was the middle child of seven siblings. He was born December 7, 1930 at Thanh Bo, Vietnam, on the eve of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom he would be especially devoted throughout his life. From his earliest years he would sail the family’s produce on the river 15 miles to the markets to support the family financially. This taxing work built up physically young Hoa. He became a very strong young man from this routine. Yet he remained a gentle presence in the family. He cherished his familial bonds throughout his life and spent his vacations helping his extended family with house chores and various projects that drew on his many skills.

He entered the Benedictine Abbey of Thien An (the name meaning heavenly peace) at the age of 15. When he completed his schooling, he professed his first monastic vows on June 7, 1951. The Abbey of Thien An drew heavily on Br. Tarcisius’ farming, gardening, and carpentry skills, but he was forced to leave his Abbey and his homeland caught in the midst of the war at the fall of Saigon in 1975. He made his way from Guam to the military base at Indiantown Gap, Pa. When our own beloved Abbot Brian Clarke learned that there was a Vietnamese refugee monk in the nearby Keystone State, he happily welcomed Br. Tarcisius to St. Mary’s Abbey, as did all the monks of this monastery where he was able to resume his monastic life in peace. Br. Tarcisius worked tirelessly in our garden and orchard, as well as maintaining our abbey church for over 40 years. All were inspired by his indefatigable work ethic. In his spare time, he would make some of the most colorful decorations this monastery has ever seen. While he was not engaged in the school apostolate, nearly every Delbarton student knew Br. Tarcisius as the one who left apples for the athletic teams to enjoy in the fall. Anyone who entered this monastery in the past four decades, worked sideby-side with Br. Tarcisius in the garden and orchard, and in making cider. In the Acts of the Apostles we read that young men see visions….old men dream dreams. The apostle Paul teaches that in Christ there is no East or West (Galatians), for we are all one in Christ! In the middle of the last century a young man from the East in North Vietnam dreamed a dream, and that very same dream was shared by a young man in the West in the middle of the 5th century in Rome. Both of their worlds were breaking apart by circumstances beyond their control. In each case an answer was to be found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and by living in a

December 7, 1930-March 22, 2022 9

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(Br. Tarcisius Hoang Hoa, OSB, (Continued from page 77)

monastery with a little rule for beginners as the daily guide and roadmap for the journey. Blessed are those persecuted for the faith, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount. Br. Tarcisius lived his early monastic life in the suffering Church of Vietnam. The Abbey of Thien An continues to bear the scars of persecution to this day. Br. Tarcisius reminded us that whatever suffering or sorrows we may bear, the end is the desire to encounter the Holy One. For Br. Tarcisius, Ora et Labora (our daily life of prayer & work) was the focus of his pilgrimage. This was not just a forced migration in war but rather the pursuit of a young man’s desire to live out his vowed life as a loyal son of St. Benedict: A pilgrimage that would take him thousands of miles to find its peaceful end here on this holy mountain in Morristown. Those of us who lived with him since 1975 affirm that this humble and meek monk never missed the Divine Office or Mass in this abbey church, until sickness ravaged his tired body. But he prayed ceaselessly from his infirmary bed. Br. Tarcisius is survived by his brother, Peter, and his sister, Lien, in Vietnam, his nieces and nephews, who visited him regularly. His niece, Anne Hoang Lavelle, remained at his side till the end. She visited weekly, spending the day singing, praying, and teaching him to use the iPad to follow the Mass and devotions to Our Lady of La Vang. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom this monastery is dedicated, the Mother of Sorrows, the Gate of Heaven and the Perpetual Help of Christians, accompany our dear Br. Tarcisius to the throne of mercy where we pray he will see God face to face, and sing with the choirs of angels at that banquet prepared for each one of us from the foundation of the world! Br. Tarcisius’ body was received at the abbey church on Thursday afternoon, March 24. The Office of the Dead was sung later that evening. The Funeral Mass and interment in the abbey cemetery were celebrated Saturday, March 26, live-streamed for the benefit of Br. Tarcisius’ family, friends and confreres in Vietnam. Donations in Br. Tarcisius’ memory to support abbey capital improvements, health care of the monks or abbey endowment may be made using the link: https://www.saintmarysabbey.o rg/support-us. Prior Edward Seton and the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey request the customary suffrages for our confrere, Br. Tarcisius.

Let Us Remember

“If we believe that Jesus died and rose, God will bring forth with Him from the dead those who also have fallen asleep believing in Him. ” 1 Thessalonians 4:14

Carlyle Purcell Brady, mother of Edward P. Brady ’70 Frederick Coombs III, father-in-law of former Assistant Headmaster John Kowalik; grandfather of Jack Kowalik ’13 and Mark Kowalik ’16

Virginia Larkin, mother of John (Jack) Q. Larkin ’74+ and Keith Larkin ’81

Peter C. Longo, father of John A. Longo ’79 and Peter A. Longo ’82; uncle of Joseph M. Longo ’80 Robert E. Mulcahy III, father of Kevin R. Mulcahy ’84, Matthew R. Mulcahy ’82 and Robert J. Mulcahy ’80; grandfather of Matthew R. Mulcahy ’10, Robert H. Mulcahy ’17 and Andrew J. Mulcahy ’20; uncle of John R. Mulcahy ’83 L. Anthony ‘Tony’ Pace ’75, brother of Dan Pace ’79 and Tom Pace ’81; brother of Cathleen Lazor P’24, ’25; brother-in-law of Peter Lazor ’87, P’24, ’25

Veronica Pesapane, mother of Adam Pesapane '91 and Mark Pesapane ’96 John Patrick Romankiewicz ’02, brother of Michael Romankiewicz ’99

Ronald Spirig, father of John Spirig ’95 and Dave Spirig ’97 Genevieve Tierney ’73, mother of Tom Tierney ’73 Joy Tierney, sister of Tom Tierney ’73 Thomas J. Tierney, Fathers & Friends 1973 Golf Open Chairman, father of Tom Tierney ’73 Charles Westfield III, father of C. Austin Westfield ’17

St. Mary’s Abbey Administrator Appointed

On May 23, Abbot John Klassen, O.S.B., President of the American Cassinese Congregation of Benedictine monasteries, appointed Fr. Jonathan Licari, O.S.B., a monk of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, as Administrator of St. Mary’s Abbey for a three-year term, effective August 1, 2022. Fr. Jonathan’s wide range and depth of experience suit him especially well for role of Administrator of St. Mary’s Abbey. He holds two master’s degrees (theology and canon [Church] law, and a doctorate in canon law. Fr. Jonathan has enjoyed a 37-year ministry in administration at St. John’s Abbey, St. John’s School of Theology and St. John’s Preparatory School. Fr. Jonathan also served as a pastor in several parishes staffed by St. John’s Abbey and provided diocesan service in the dioceses of Duluth, and St. Cloud. Fr. Jonathan’s service at St. John’s also included teaching and governance at St. John’s University, the Abbey’s largest educational apostolate. Most recently, Fr. Jonathan served as administrator of Mary, Mother of the Church Abbey, Richmond, VA.

As Administrator of St. Mary’s Abbey, Fr. Jonathan holds all of the usual responsibilities and authority of the Abbot of St. Mary’s Abbey, without the title of “Abbot. ” His chief responsibility is to aid the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey as they plan for their future and discern what kind of person they wish to serve as their permanent abbot. Together with the monastic community, Fr. Jonathan will determine when the next abbatial election will take place.