October 2020

A newsletter published by Marmion Abbey in Aurora, Illinois highlighting Marmion Abbey, Abbey Farms and the Priory of San José, Guatemala.

Fr. Theodore Haggerty, OSB Ordained to Priesthood By John Brahill, OSB

Father Theodore Haggerty, OSB was ordained to the Priesthood public on various theological and spiritual topics such as the on Saturday, September 5, 2020 by Bishop David J. Malloy, and the Divine Office. bishop of the Rockford Diocese. Although originally scheduled to be ordained in June, his ordination was delayed due to Please join the of Marmion Abbey in rejoicing and giving COVID-19. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic restrictions in thanks to God for the gift of Father Theodore’s ordination. We the abbey church, only the monks and his immediate family also ask you to join us in praying for God’s abundant blessings could be invited to personally attend the ordination. On Sunday, on his priestly ministry in service of the Church and of our own September 6, 11:00 a.m., Father Theodore celebrated his First Marmion community. Mass of Thanksgiving at Marmion Abbey. Both events were live-streamed on Marmion Abbey Facebook and can be seen there (www.facebook.com/marmionvocations).

During the ordination Mass, Bishop Malloy reflected on the gift and the nature of the priesthood in the service of the Church. He encouraged Father Theodore to be a true servant; a servant who takes on the actions and words of Christ in the celebration of the Eucharist and in his preaching each day; a servant who gives to others the true Bread of Life; a servant who dies to self in order to produce much fruit. The Bishop ended his reflections by encouraging Father Theodore to have a special devotion to Mary, especially on the first Saturday of each month, setting time apart for prayer and reparation through Mary.

Father Theodore was born in 1986, the son of Leo and Mary Haggerty. H e was raised in Buffalo, NY. Before entering the Abbey, he earned a degree in Sports Management at Niagara The laying on of hands by Bishop Malloy during the rite of ordination. University. He later was employed in the Athletic Department of Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI. While in Michigan, with the help of his parish’s pastor, he began to discern a monastic vocation and contacted Marmion Abbey.

Father Theodore entered Marmion Abbey in 2012. He professed his Solemn Final Vows as a of Marmion Abbey on the Feast of St. Benedict, July 11, 2016. On May 25, 2019 he was ordained a deacon in preparation for the priesthood. From 2013 until May of 2020 he studied Philosophy and at St. Meinrad School of Theology in Indiana.

Father Theodore is teaching Junior year Theology at Marmion Academy this year. He is alsoactive in helping the Abbey with its assistance for various parishes in the Fox River Valley. For the past two summers he has organized and presented the new Abbey program of “Summer of Seeking.” This program has (l-r) Bishop David J. Malloy, Fr. Theodore Haggerty, OSB and offered weekly one-hour presentations and discussions for the Abbot John Brahill, OSB “Marmion: The Heritage, The Legacy” is an article series written by Fr. Eusebius Martis, OSB featured in the MarmionAbbey News.

It’s hard to imagine that the jovial Abbot of Maredsous, as Sisters of Mercy. Genuine fervor was the motivating Marmion, who was fond of repeating St. Francis factor, and each in her own right made extraordinary de Salles’ saying, “A sad saint is a sorry saint,” and who contributions to the consecrated life in . himself left behind the cheerful antiphon, “Joy is the echo of God’s life in us,” it’s hard to imagine that as a boy, Joseph Joseph Marmion’s formal education began in at Marmion was reserved and shy. The family tradition that the College of St. Laurence O’Toole, under the direction he was dressed in black from the moment he was able to of the Augustinians. He entered the famous Jesuit school, wear boys’ clothes seems plausible and is confirmed by an at age 10. He was proficient in his studies incident from his school days. Joseph was not particularly and moved on to the Diocesan Seminary, Holy Cross at athletic, perhaps mainly because of his repeated illnesses, Clonliffe in January 1874. but even when tormented by his classmates for dressing in the somber black of clerics, he did not retaliate but rather But during adolescence, Joseph would struggle with maintained a silent passivity. claiming the call to priesthood as his own:

“During my entire course,” he wrote to Bishop Salvado1 , “—that is for about the last eight years—I have continually felt a great attraction for the religious state and have made various attempts, although strongly opposed by the members of my family, to accomplish my desire, but never succeeded owing to the refusal of my bishop, the late Cardinal Cullen.”2

According to the Jesuit Father de Kinder, Marmion had been accepted earlier by the Jesuits, before entering Holy Cross Seminary. Apparently Cardinal Cullen got wind of Marmion (smiling, center) and one of his confreres on a stroll the idea and sent for his old friend William Marmion to tell with the Desclée sons, around 1895. him that the young man should enter the Seminary, not the Jesuits.3 It is perhaps telling that in all his spiritual writings, The priestly vocation was perhaps initially the vocation of Columba Marmion never quotes a single Jesuit. His major his parents, but it seems that his father, William Marmion, sources are the Bible, especially the writings of Saint Paul who himself had left behind the family farm to take a –as a seminarian he commercial position in the city of Dublin, would have memorized fourteen understood if his son had expressed other interests. Rather New Testament epistles! than fight what might have been a vicarious vocation, Joseph –in Latin!, the texts of the seems to have enjoyed and profited from the opportunities Mass and Divine Office set before him. and the writings of the Dominican St. Thomas His religious piety was inherited from his parents, but not Aquinas. His knowledge dictated by them. And this point is important. Because of these writings would if William was noted for his harsh temperament and help him in navigating wife, Herminie, suffered from Jansenist tendencies and the personal struggles scrupulosity, the work and writing of Dom Columba clearly of the coming years and show that he was not disabled by their rigidity, but learned provide helpful counsel from it, and applied his insights in order to help others in to those who would seek his spiritual care. spiritual guidance. Abbot Marmion in his He and his older sisters had clearly received a solid and choir stall. regular Catholic formation, but their spiritual growth did not end when they left home to pursue life’s path. Of his 1 Bishop of Victoria and Abbot of New Norcia in Australia four sisters, only the eldest, Mary, chose a husband. The 2 Letter to Bishop Salvado, 1881. others, Lizzie, Flora, and Rose pursued religious vocations 3 Delforge, 2-3. Marmion’s Guatemala Mission during the Pandemic By Abbot John Brahill, OSB Priory Chapel During the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic, it has been a very difficult year for all of us. We certainly pray that the pandemic will end as soon as possible, and we can all return to our normal lives.

As Marmion Abbey has continued as best as possible our daily life of prayer and work, so also our San José Priory in Guatemala has continued its daily rhythm of life. During the past five months, the Guatemalan government has imposed very strict regulations in order to protect the Guatemalan people and to keep its fragile health care system from being overwhelmed. Travel within the country has been severely restricted and there have been no international flights into or out of the country since March. The flights have only begun again on September 18. A nighttime curfew has also been instituted for the entire country.

Although the Priory monks are all in good health and continue their daily life of prayer and work, their Saint Benedict Retreat Center, as well as their Spanish School, have been closed since March, as mandated by government regulations. The Priory monks are hoping that these two apostolic works can operate again at least by the end of this year in order to provide much needed income for the Priory.

As announced in the previous Winter 2019 issue of the Marmion Abbey News, the Colegio Seminario, San José minor seminary was closed at the end of 2019 for financial reasons.

Your prayers for the health and well-being of our monks at San José Priory are very much appreciated. Spanish School

Support the Guatemala Mission through the Poor Souls Appeal “Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them.”

November is the month of the Poor Souls. It is our beautiful Catholic tradition that we join with the entire Church in prayer for the eternal rest of our departed loved ones. During this year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are particularly reminded of the fragility of all human life and of our own mortality.

We invite you to include your departed loved ones in the spiritual benefits of the daily celebration of the Holy Mass here at Marmion Abbey. Please visit marmion.org/poorsouls to list their names on the form. As in past years, all charitable donations will be used to continue the work of Marmion Abbey’s San José Priory.

The Marmion Abbey News is a free subscription newsletter published twice a year. Please Marmion send address changes to the attention of theMarmion Abbey News Editor at: MARMION ACADEMY: 1000 Butterfield Road, Aurora, IL 60502 Abbey News PHONE: (630) 897-6936, Ext. 312 The News Magazine of Marmion Abbey E-MAIL: [email protected] October 2020 WEBSITE: marmion.org 850 Butterfield Road, Aurora, IL 60502

“I came not to do My own will, but the will of Him that sent Me” (Jn 6:38)

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