Page 2 - CROSSROADS - August, 1975
Process Of Electing New Abbot
Is Tedious And Time-Consuming
NCH«CCEL
If yoii are inclined to
think that the election of
an abbot is a mere for
mality, requiring little
more than a quick vote
and an equally fast ac
ceptance, you have
another think coming.
Father Peter N.
Stragand, who is serving
as apostolic ad
ministrator of Belmont
Abbey until the new
abbot-elect is confirmed
by Pope Paul VI, has
given Crossroads an
insight on what happens
when an abbot leaves
office.
After assuming his post
as administrator, the
prior contacts the abbot
president of the
federation, who deter
mines the date and time
of the election and
presides over it. The
federation is a group of
twenty Benedictine
monasteries around the
country which spring
from a single “mother
house” established by
monks who came to the
United States from
Germany in the 1840’s.
The abbot of one of these
monasteries serves as
the federation’s
president.
All members of the
community who have
made their final vows are
entitled to vote. In
Belmont Abbey’s case,
this included nine monks
who staff Benedictine
High School in Rich
mond, Va.
Any monk who belongs
to the federation can be
elected. However, the
chances of someone from
another abbey making it
are “practically zero.”
Father Peter said.
The election process
begins in the evening and
normally takes up all of
the following day. The
opening session is
devoted to nominations
and discussion of
nominees, which requires
several hours. “There
are usually a lot of monks
nominated,” Father
Peter said. “It is a way
of honoring a faithful
member of the com
munity.”
Balloting begins the
following morning. No
campaigning or speech
making is allowed. Each
monk is given a ballot
which lists the name of
every monk in the
community, nominated
or not. Names can also
be written in.
To be elected, a monk
must receive the vote of
two-thirds of the com
munity. “This never
happens on the first
ballot due to the large
number of nominees,”
Father Peter com
mented.
Typically, two ballots
are taken in the morning
session of the second day
and two in the afternoon
session. By the fourth
ballot, someone usually
gets the necessary votes
CO be elected.
When this happens he is
asked by the presiding
abbot if he will accept. If
he does - one refused
early in Belmont Abbey’s
history - the only step
remaining is con
firmation by Pope Paul.
In the case of most
abbots, the abbot
president can confirm
him. But Belmont Abbey
is special. It is the
smallest diocese in the
United States and its
abbot not only controls
the monastery but the
Abbey lands which
surround it.
Because he is in charge
of territory, he has the
status of a bishop - save
that he cannot ordain
priests. And because he
has this status, the new
abbot’s selection must be
approved by a special
congregation of church
leaders in Rome.
His name is sent to the
apostolic delegate (the
Pope’s representative) in
Washington, who sends it
on to Rome. In about
three or four weeks,
confirmation returns.
When the abbot-elect
receives the letter of
confirmation, he
becomes abbot officially.
Belmont Abbey’s Alpha Rho chapter of Phi Kappa Theta fraternity recently
received a special blessing from Pope Paul VI In recognition of its charitable
work. Father Bradley is shown presenting the blessing to fraternity officers (left
to right) Chris Shea and Dan Motuz. The chapter has been the past recipient of
several national awards for service to the College and the local community.
Jack Hanahan,
associate professor of
Spanish and Geology,
spent a busy last two
weeks of June.
He attended a meeting
of the American
Federation of
Mineralogical Societies
in Denver, Colorado,
June 15-22. “I could see
the snow-covered front
range of the Rockies
from my hotel window,”
Jack reported, “but
never managed to get
away from the con
vention.”
After a brief visit with
friends in Riverhead,
Long Island, Jack flew to
Portland, Maine for the
regional meeting of the
Eastern Federation of
Mineralogical and
Lapidary Societies on
June 26-29.
While in Denver, he
judged a trophy com
petition involving some of
the world’s finest mineral
displays. “The exhibitors
weren’t any happier with
the scores I gave them
than some of my students
at Belmont Abbey,” Jack
said.
★ ★ ★
Dr. Bill M. Kirk,
director of the
Distribution Manage
ment Program at
Belmont Abbey and
George L. Wrenn,
Charlotte distribution
executive and member of
the Abbey board of ad
visors, spoke at the 1975
Institute for Material
Handling Teachers held
at Purdue University,
June 9-13. The subject of
their presentation was
“Developing a Material
Handling Program with
Industry (^operation -
the Belmont Abbey
Experience.”
Faculty members from
31 colleges and univer
sities attended the in
stitute, which was
directed by Professor
Ruddell Reed, Jr. of
Purdue’s School of In
dustrial Engineering.
★ ★ ★
Richard McClintic, a
rising sophomore, and
Harold Egan, a rising
junior, will be spending
the 1975-76 academic
year abroad as part of the
College’s International
Education Program.
They will be attending
the Institute for Foreign
Students at the
University D’ Aix in
Provence, France.
McClintic and Egan,
both History majors, will
leave the United States in
mid-October and will
remain France
through May of 1976.
During their stay abroad,
they will study French
History and Civilization,
Political Science,
Philosophy, and Classical
French Literature.
McClintic is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Steven
McClintic of 1142
Daleview Drive,
McLean, Va. Egan is the
son of Mr. and Mrs.
Harold Egan of 5
Michaels Lane, Brook-
ville. New York.
.★ ★ ★
Michael G. Uhrin, a
junior biology major, was
one of five college
students in the United
States selected by the
Atomic Energy Com
mission to do research
work this summer in
Puerto Rico.
The summer study
program began on June 5
and will continue through
August 9. The entire
project is being financed
by an undergraduate
stipend provided by the
AEC. TTie research is
concerned with
parasitology, the study of
parasite diseases.
Uhrin is staying at the
University of Puerto Rico
in San Juan, and is
working at the Puerto
Rican Nuclear Center.
He is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Michael J. Uhrin of
340 45th Street, Pitts
burgh, Pennsylvania.
★ ★ ★
Richard J. Donzell, Jr.
was recently accepted by
the Medical College of
Virginia after only three
years of undergraduate
study in Biology at
Belmont Abbey. He will
begin study for his
graduate degree in
Dentistry on August 25th.
“It is quite unusual for
a student to be accepted
for graduate study after
such a short time,” said
Don Shull, guidance
counsellor at Belmont
Abbey. “Rick is the first
Abbey pre-dental student
to receive such an
honor.”
Donzell was president
of the Abbey chapter of
Delta Epsilon Sigma, the
national scholastic honor
society for Catholic
colleges and universities.
He is the son of Captain
and Mrs. Richard J.
Donzell, Sr. of 1429 Five
Hill Trail, Virginia
Beach, Va.
CROSSROADS
Published bi-monthly by
Belmont Abbey .College.
Belmont, North Carolina.
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paid at Belmont, N.C.
28012