CCCSSROICS
Btlmont Abbey Cofcac
BELMONT, N.C.
Abbey Elects New Abbot
The Very Reverend Peter
Stragand, O.S.B. was elected
abbot of Belmont Abbey on
Friday, November 24.
Abbot Peter, 39, thus became
the sixth abbot in the
Monastery’s 102-year history,
and the first abbot to he elected
since Belmont Abbey’s status as
a nullius diocese was ter
minated on January 1,1977, and
the Abbey became a part of the
Diocese of Charlotte. A con
sequence of this termination is
that Abbot Peter’s election does
not require confirmation by the
Pope.
Forty-six members of the
Belmont Abbey Community
voted in the election, which was
conducted by the Right
Reverend Martin Burne,
O.S.B., president of the
American Cassinese
Congregation, the federation of
Benedictine monasteries to
which Belmont Abbey belongs.
Abbot Martin is from ,St. Mary’s
Abbey in Morristown, N.J.
The selection of a new abbot
was necessitated by the
resignation of the Right
Reverend Jude Cleary. O.S.B.
on August 10, 1978. He had been
abbot since July 1975 and a
member of the Belmont Abbey
Community since 1950.
Abbot Peter, prior of the
monastery before Abbot Jude’s
resignation, has been serving as
its administrator since that
time. He assumed his new
position as abbot immediately
following the election. As abbot
ABBOT PETER
STRAGAND, O.S.B.
Alumni Respond To
$40,000 Challenge
The National Alumni Phone-
A-Thon held in November took
the first large chunk of the
$40,000 Alumni Challenge of
fered by the two Board of Ad
visor members. The challenge
matches dollar for dollar any
new gifts or increased gifts to
the 1978-79 Alumni Annual
Fund. $17,039 of the $21,387 in
pledges were either new gifts or
increased gifts over last year.
The $40,000 Challenge also
matches the amount con
tributed by the matching gift
companies. Thus, of the $2,112
which will be contributed by
matching gift companies, $1,834
are new or increased. The total
of new or increased gifts which
will be matched by the $10,000
Challenge is $18,873.
“We still have a long way to
go,’’ commented alumni di
rector Jay Briody, ’’but if en
thusiasm is any factor, I think
we may get it.” Briody admits
$40,000 in new or increased gifts
is a very high goal. “When you
consider that our total Alumni
Annual Fund Drive of last year
totaled $24,000, $40,000 in new or
increased gifts is asking a lot.
However, the alumni almost
Soden Brothers
Accept 2nd Term
Dr. Kevin Soden and his
brother Brendan have agreed to
serve a second term as national
chairman and co-chairman of
the Alumni Annual Fund.
The Soden brothers will again
aid the College in the Annual
Fund Drive. The Annual Fund is
composed of all gifts given by
alumni, parents, corporations,
foundations and other friends of
Belmont Abbey College, except
those earmarked for the Capital
Fund.
Kevin received the B.A.
degree in history from Belmont
Abbey College in 1967, and the
Master’s in higher education
from Florida State University
in 1969. He then returned to the
Abbey to complete his science
requirements in order to enter
the University of Florida
Medical School. He is currently
in family and emergency
medicine. Kevin also serves as
the director of the student
health services and the director
of sports medicine at the
University of North Carolina at
Charlotte. He and his wife Hope
have three children and live in
Belmont.
Brendan received the B.A.
degree in psychology from the
Abbey in 1971. He is currently
with the Secret Service and is
assigned to the vice presidential
detail. Brendan was recently
married to the former
Geraldine Marie Cook in
Philadelphia. Kevin and Gerri
live in Alexandria, Virginia.
Attention
Former BAG
B.B. Players
Former Belmont
Abbey College basketball
players are invited to
participate in an "Old
Timers” game, Satur
day, Jan. 6, 1979. The
game will be played at
the Wheeler Center
starting at 5:30 p.m. The
Abbey will face Catawba
College at 7:30 p.m. that
evening. Ail players
interested in par
ticipating are asked to
notify Coach Bobby
Hussey or Alumni
Dirfector Jay Briody at
(704) 825-3711 or Belmont
Abbey College, Belmont,
N.C. 28012
he will also serve as chancellor
of Belmont Abbey College, and
an ex officio member of its
Board of Trustees.
Abbot Peter is looking for
ward to his new role in the
Monastery. “The decision of
goals for our community should
be a community effort,” he
said. “It’s important that the
abbot sit down with all the
monks and develop goals
together.
“We need to continue to grow
together and -come to a real
appreciation of what life is
about,” he said. “We have the
challenge of fostering a spirit of
freshness and renewed growth
of our religious commitment.”
A native of Columbus, Ga.,
Abbot Peter grew up in
Durham, N.C., where he
matched last year’s entire total
during the November Phone-A-
Thon by pledging $22,000. The
alumni have accepted this
challenge and a lot of them ask
me ‘How much do we have so
far?’ or ‘Do you think we can
get it?’ Everyone is excited
about this, including myself.
Our soccer team came within
one goal against Clemson and
our basketball team came
within 14 points- against
Marquette. It would be great if
our alumni could come that
close to the $40,000 Challenge.”
graduated from high school. He
entered Belmont Abbey College
as a freshman in January 1961
after serving four years in the
Air Force. After completing two
years of study at the College, he
entered Illinois Benedictine
College, Lisle, 111., where he
took a bachelor’s degree in
math. He received the M..A.
degree from UNC-Chapel Hill in
1971, and taught math at the
College until last spring.
Abbot Peter was professed as
a Benedictine monk in July 1963
and was ordained to the
priesthood in May 1969 after
completing his theological
training at St. Vincent Ar
chabbey in Latrobe, Pa.
He is the son of Gilbert and
Bertha Stragand of Durham.
March SO, SI And April 1
Alumni Weekend
Make Your Plans Early
The weekend of March
30, 31 and April 1 is the
date set for this year’s
alumni weekend. Ac
tivities will begin Friday
evening and conclude on
Sunday.
More details will follow
in the next issue of
CROSSROADS.
However, check off the
date on your calendar
now and make your plans
early.
This year the class of
1949 will celebrate its 30th
leunion, the class of 1954
will celebrate its 25-year
reunion, the class of 1969
its 10-year reunion and
the class of 1974 its 5-year
reunion. We hope the
members of these classes
make a special effort to
attend.
Abbey Chorus
Presents Annual
Christmas Concert
The Belmont Abbey College
Community Chorus presented
their annual Christmas Concert
at 8 p.m. Monday, December 11
in the Abbey Church.
Excerpts from G.F. Handel’s
“Messiah” highlighted the
program, which also included
familiar Christmas carols,
several with audience par
ticipation.
The Chorus was under the
direction of Joseph V.
Laderoute. Mrs. Eve Dysart,
choir director and organist at
the First United Methodist
Church of Belmont, was the
accompanist.
Soloists included Tom
.Nicholson, tenor; Max Shoaf,
bass - baritone; Treda Berry -
Shadd, mezzo soprano;
Theresa Clark, soprano;
Catherine Fromberger,
soprano; William H. Stroupe,
tenor and J.V. Laderoute, tenor.
HR .JEFF HICKS
UHC-CH WILSON LIBRARY
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