Newspapers / Crossroads (Belmont, N.C.) / Feb. 1, 1976, edition 1 / Page 7
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February, 1976, CROSSROADS, page 7 SPCTLietfF Brothers Of Alpha Phi Omega Father Stephen Form Honored For Service ''The Sisters Of Rho Mu'’ The Rev. Stephen Robert P. Dowd, O.S.B., a Benedictine monk of ■ Belmont Abbey, was the principal concelebrant at a Mass of Thanksgiving on the fiftieth an niversary of his priestly ordination at noon on Saturday, January 24th, at Sacred Heart Church, Savannah, Georgia. The Rt. Rev. Jude G. Cleary, O.S.B., abbot of Belmont Abbey, delivered the homily. , Father Stephen was born in Washington, D.C. on August 25, 1898, from the marriage of Mary Christina and John Charles Dowd. He is the youngest of eight children ~ one girl and seven boys -- and is the only surviving member of his immediate family. Father Stephen was professed a monk of Belmont Abbey, Belmont, North Carolina, On June 22, 1920, in addition to his college and seminary studies, he served as a prefect to the Students of Belmont Abbey College and for one year taug'ht at a correctional institute for wayward boys (now defunct but formerly sponsored by Belmont Abbey) at Bristow, Virginia. In 1924 Father Stephen arrived in Savannah, Georgia to join the Priory there and teach ' mathematics and ancient history to the students at Benedictine Military School. After one year, he was ordained a Roman Catholic priest at the hands of the Most Rev. Michael J. Keyes, S.M., D.D., Bishop of Savan nah, at Sacred Heart Church on January 24, 1926. He continued teaching, offering Masses at Sacred Heart Church and serving other Local Catholic chur ches as a supply priest. For three years he was Ecumenical Ins. (Continued from P. 1) , This exchange is a breakthrough because it leads to the first time a Catholic priest will teach a faculty member of Wake Forest University. Other programs of fered by the Ecumenical Institute will include a Pastoral Seminar for Protestant Ministers. This seminar will be held in the monastery later this semester and will be conducted by Dr. Broach. priest in-charge at our Lady of Hope, Isle of Hope, Savannah, Ga. In 1935, he, became gravely ill which required him to return to his mother’s home in Washington, D.C., for treatment and recouperation. He is still going strong forty years later. Father Stephen served as a chaplain at Mercy Hospital, Charlotte, N.C. in 1936. In 1937 he was transferred to Belmont Abbey’s Benedictine High School, Richmond, Virginia, where he taught mathematics, served as a supply priest and as chaplain to The Little Sisters of the Poor and their guests. He served, in all, the diocese of Rich mond for twenty-four years. In 1960, Father Stephen returned to Belmont Abbey for a brief assignment and was subsequently transferred back to the Benedictine Priory in Savannah, Ga., where he resumed his teachings of mathematics, serving as a supply priest on the missions, and watching the growth and development of Benedictine Military School from its Bull Street campus to its handsome and spacious campus several miles south of the City of Savannah. For the past ten years. Father Stephen has • continued to serve the Church in active pastoral duties at Belmont Abbey. He offers Mass regularly and hears “confessions” several times each day -- as long as two hours on Sundays. He is an avid reader, especially of spiritual books. Although he has grown and changed through the years and has made adjustments to the changing times, he continues a serious devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the rosary and novenas. Father Stephen was delighted that a celebration could be enjoyed at the very church where he was ordained fifty years ago - where he offered his first Mass. Another celebration will be held at Belmont Abbey later this year. Father Stephen has served as a priest for more than one-half the time Belmont Abbey has been extant. Alpha Phi Omega, the campus service fraternity, has initiated a sister organization. The group, entitled the “Sisters of Rho Mu,” presently consists of sixteen girls and is in the process of choosing an advisor. Upon selecting an advisor the sisterhood may be chartered by Warren Clark, Dean of , Students. “We are starting a service organization for girls which will be a separate but equal group with the fraternity,” explained Mickey Byr nes, the A.P.O. pledgemaster. Mr. Byrnes further ' went on to explain that, “We had been ap proached by several girls here as well as at Sacred Heart College, and asked if we had a sister organization similar to those sponsorqd by some of the other fraternities on campus. In the past, we had talked about starting one, but nothing ever got done.” Late last semester the brothers of A.P.O. voted on starting a sister organization, and ac cepted the proposal. A committee consisting of Mickey Byrnes, John Greer, Bill Tobin, and Jim Gates was selected to construct a con stitution and form by laws. The brothers of the fraternity unanimously agreed to adopt the sister group according to the rules and regulations set down by the con stitutional committee. Byrnes stressed the fact that the girls organization would have the same rights, privileges, and responsibilities as the brothers. He further said that while the ladies had yet to Who are you? settle on a final choice for their advisors Dr. Laurie Meyer, Mrs. Jane Freeman, Ms. Pam Allison, and Abbot Walter Coggin were among those being considered. The committee members are en thusiastic with the new group. Bill Tobin said, “I think it’s great. It’s about time there is an organization on campus for girls who want to do their own thing, if their thing happens to be service. They may want more than just a social life and want to better themselves and the community at the same time.” “It’s a worthwhile venture that gives the girls a chance to provide service to the campus and the community. Also, the girls have an opportunity to possibly form a sorority if they want,” added Jim Gates. SI3CI3TS New blood turned out to be just what the doctor ordered for the Belmont Abbey Crusader basketball team following a disastrous beginning prior to Christmas. At the Christmas break, the young Crusaders owned a 1-7 mark and two road games immediately after returning to campus did little for the team’s record except to drop it to 1-9 but when the Crusaders returned home, they also ex perienced a turn-around as they whipped the University of Maryland- Eastern Shore, 102-84, for their first win in over a month. Including the win over Maryland-Eastern Shore, Belmont Abbey has now won four of its last five outings and the last three in a row, the only loss being a 71-64 defeat at Catawba. The wins have been an 85-73 revenge over Limestone artd con secutive road 'Victories over Livingstone, 84-78, and the University of North Carolina- Asheville, 86-78. The new blood has had much to do with the turn around as Harold Albany, a transfer from Dalton, Ga., Junior College, has added 19 points per game to the previously lethargic Abbey offense. Albany twice has hit for 27 points and is shooting at a 56 percent clip from the field. His play has also proved to be an in spiration to his team mates as the Crusaders have begun shooting in their wins at better then 50 percent from the field as a team. In addition to the play of Albany, another key in the turn-around has been the improvement by junior forward Clint Bryant. Bryant ex perienced his best night ever for the Abbey against UNC-A as he scored 19 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. Senior co-captain Curtis Carter is another better than 50 percent shooter.-Carter is second in team scoring with 13 points per game and leads the Crusaders in rebounding with 10 per I contest. Can you identify any of these aiumni?
Crossroads (Belmont, N.C.)
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Feb. 1, 1976, edition 1
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