June 5, 2009
Five monks of St. Meinrad celebrate priesthood jubilees
Benedictine jubilarians of priesthood include Father Cassian Folsom, Father Boniface Hardin, Father Vincent Tobin, and Father Augustine Davis. Not pictured, Archabbot Lambert Reilly. Click for a larger version.
The Benedictine monks of St. Meinrad Archabbey celebrated the 50-year priesthood jubilees of Archabbot Lambert Reilly, Father Vincent Tobin, Father Boniface Hardin and Father Augustine Davis; and the 25-year jubilee of Father Cassian Folsom on May 31.
Archabbot Lambert was born in Pittsburgh on April 18, 1933. He made his profession of vows on Aug. 15, 1956, and was ordained on September 20, 1959. He has a bachelor’s degree from St. Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa., completed his theological training at St. Meinrad School of Theology, and has a master’s degree from Duquesne University.
Archabbot Lambert taught Latin in the seminary at St. Meinrad following his ordination. He also taught at Penn State University and Mount Sacred Heart College in Connecticut. Then he held a number of positions in the monastery and was assistant pastor at St. Mary Parish, Huntingburg, Ind. He was also engaged in retreat work and parish missions for more than 30 years. He was a frequent retreat master for Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in the United States and India.
Elected archabbot of the monastic community in 1995, he served until his resignation in 2004. Since his resignation, he has resumed his retreat work across the United States and several foreign countries. He did parish work for several years in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. He currently resides at the Carmelite monastery in Des Plaines, Ill.
Father Vincent was born in Pittsburgh on January 28, 1933. He professed his vows July 31, 1954, and was ordained May 11, 1959. He received a bachelor’s degree in history at St. Meinrad College in 1956, and his Master of Divinity from St. Meinrad School of Theology. He also earned a master’s degree in Latin from St. Louis University and a Sacred Theology Licentiate from Gregorian University, Rome, in 1979.
From 1960-64, Father Vincent taught Latin and English at St. Meinrad High School. He joined the St. Meinrad college faculty in 1965 and taught Latin and Greek until 1991. He was appointed assistant dean of students in 1964 and became vice-rector and dean of students in 1966. In 1971, he was appointed spiritual director.
He was the first director of the Midwest Association of Spiritual Directors in 1971 and the first president of the National Federation of Spiritual Directors in 1973. From 1996 to 2006, he held various teaching and administrative positions at Sant’ Anselmo and the North American College, both in Rome. He is currently the director of St. Meinrad’s Archabbey Guest House and Retreat Center.
Father Boniface was born in Louisville on Nov. 18, 1933. He professed his vows July 31, 1954, and was ordained May 11, 1959. He earned his bachelor’s degree at St. Meinrad College in 1955 and his Master of Divinity from St. Meinrad School of Theology in 1959.
From 1959 to 1965, Father Boniface served as assistant treasurer at St. Meinrad Archabbey. In 1965, he was named associate pastor of Holy Angels Parish in Indianapolis. While there, he became involved in the Civil Rights Movement and founded Martin Center. Later, he co-founded the Indianapolis Sickle Cell Center and Human Relations Consortium.
In 1977, Father Boniface founded what is now Martin University in Indianapolis, a liberal arts institution designed to educate older students and minorities. He served as its president until 2007. He resides in Indianapolis, where he continues to serve as president emeritus of Martin University.
He has received numerous awards and honorary degrees in recognition for his contributions to education, community service, public health and global understanding.
Father Augustine was born Sept. 21, 1930, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He professed his vows July 31, 1954, and was ordained May 11, 1959. He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Meinrad College in 1955 and a master’s degree in industrial arts from Indiana State University in 1966. He taught religion, mathematics and industrial arts courses while serving as assistant director of St. Placid Hall from 1959-66.
Father Augustine served in various capacities at San Benito Priory and Seminary in Huarez, Peru, from 1967-79. Following the Peru earthquake of 1970, he oversaw the construction of the priory’s physical plant. From 1979 to 1986, he was physical plant director at St. Meinrad.
He was pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in South Pittsburgh, Tenn., 1986-96. The following year, he served at a priory in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico. From 1997-2005, he was in charge of mail delivery for St. Meinrad. He currently helps out in the Physical Facilities Department and offers Mass and pastoral assistance for local Hispanic communities.
Father Cassian was born March 26, 1955 in Lynn, Mass. He professed his vows as a Benedictine monk on Aug. 6, 1980, and was ordained a priest on April 29, 1984.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from St. Meinrad College in 1977 and a Master of Divinity degree in 1984 from St. Meinrad School of Theology. Other degrees include a master’s degree in religious studies from Indiana University in 1981 and advanced degrees in sacred liturgy from Sant’ Anselmo, Rome, in 1989.
From 1989-93, Father Cassian served as choirmaster for the monastery. He taught sacramental theology at St. Meinrad School of Theology from 1989-92. In 1993, he began teaching at Pontificio Instituto Liturgico in Rome and served as acting president from 1997-2000.
In 1999, Father Cassian became the prior of a monastic community that, in 2000, was moved to Norcia, Italy, birthplace of St. Benedict. He continues as the leader of that community today.