11/26/2009
Mount Angel Abbey elects a kindly scholar to lead hilltop
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| Mount Angel Abbey elects a kindly scholar to lead hilltop |
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ST. BENEDICT — The new leader of Mount Angel Abbey is a 72-year-old classics scholar and spirituality expert who has been prior-administrator of the Benedictine community since August.
The monks elected Father Gregory Duerr as their abbot Nov. 18. Soon after, a large pectoral crucifix, sign of his office, was hung about his neck.
“The sun is shining but when I cast my eyes down, as they should be, I see this chain around my neck,” Abbot Gregory said in a spontaneous address after the election. “And, hanging from the chain, not a bed of roses, but a cross. But, that is OK because we are Christians and we have a certain attitude about chains and crosses and we are even told that we can glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The 11th abbot to lead the 127-year old monastic community, Abbot Gregory succeeds Abbot Nathan Zodrow, who retired in August citing health reasons.
Benedictine Abbot Vincent Bataille from Marmion Abbey in Illinois presided over the closed-door election and installed Father Gregory as ruling abbot immediately after he accepted the election by the 57 monks eligible to vote. Abbot Vincent presented Abbot Gregory with the Engelberg pectoral cross. The cross, a gift to Mount Angel’s first abbot in 1904, was given to the abbey by the motherhouse, Engelberg Abbey in Switzerland, when the Oregon community officially became an abbey.
During the traditional nine-day period of prayer prior to the election, the Mount Angel monks spent time in reflection and prayer asking God to “grant wisdom to those entrusted with the sacred duty of discerning him whom God is calling to be the shepherd of the monastic community.” The nine days of prayer came at the end of several months of discernment during which the monks reflected on the present and future needs of their community and the leadership qualities needed to best meet those needs.
Two days before the election, the eligible monks gathered for a time to evaluate those monks who seemed most promising as the next abbot. Each monk was asked to submit the names of one or two of his confreres who he believed might be called to lead the community. The monks named left the room to allow their fellow monks to discuss the qualities of each candidate. This is the second time in the history of the abbey that this process has taken place since the Swiss-American Congregation adopted it in 1999.
The day before election, the community gathered in the monastic dining room to receive final instructions from Abbot Vincent and to pray for guidance in the election.
On election day, after a Mass of the Holy Spirit, monks eligible to vote — those in final vows — gathered in the refectory for the official balloting. Following Church law, the monks reveal neither the names of the candidates nor the vote nor the number of ballots. Following the election process, the abbey church bells rang, calling all on the hilltop to come to the church to welcome the new abbot.
His fellow monks and retired Mount Angel Abbey Abbots Peter Eberle and Joseph Wood led Abbot Gregory into the abbey church. Father Ezekiel Lotz played a suite on the organ as the full church of seminarians, oblates, faculty and lay employees greeted the new abbot with spontaneous applause. Brother Luke Marshall sang the Twenty-third Psalm as each of the monks gave Abbot Gregory a sign of peace and a promise of obedience.
In his impromptu talk, Abbot Gregory spoke about the wonderful teachers the monks and seminarians have had. He mentioned Mary who, when asked, trusted and obeyed in love. And Joseph, the new abbot said, didn’t say anything but simply obeyed.
Jesus, Abbot Gregory explained, gave a great example when he said, “I come to do your will.” The new abbot closed by asking for everyone’s prayers.
Abbot Gregory was born in Pierz, Minn., in 1937, and in 1943 his family moved to Mount Angel. His parents, Leo Duerr and Loretta Fleckenstein, had seven girls and one boy. Abbot Gregory entered Mount Angel Abbey as a novice in 1957, professed temporary vows in 1958 and was ordained a priest in 1964.
He holds advanced degrees in classical languages from the University of Washington and in formative spirituality from Duquesne University. Among his many responsibilities at the abbey, he has been a leader and mentor of young aspiring monks. Since 2007, he has served as prior, assuming the role of prior administrator in August.
An abbot’s authority over his monastic community is similar to the authority exercised by a bishop over his diocese. Abbot Gregory is responsible for the personnel and apostolate of Mount Angel Abbey and Seminary. He guides the monastic community here as well as at Our Lady of Angels Priory in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and he serves as chancellor of Mount Angel Seminary.
Archbishop John Vlazny will confer the abbatial blessing, a formal service in which Abbot Gregory will receive the mitre, crozier and ring, in early 2010.
The ceremony acknowledges the link between Mount Angel Abbey, the Archdiocese of Portland and the rest of the Catholic Church.
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