Benedictine abbey to have new temporary administrator

Father Luke Travers, a Benedictine monk of St. Mary’s Abbey in Morristown, NJ, has been appointed administrator of Mary Mother of the Church Abbey in Richmond.

He was appointed by Benedictine Abbot Timothy Kelly, Abbott-President of the American Cassinese Congregation, to the position and is expected to arrive at the Richmond abbey in early July. He has already visited the Richmond abbey several times and will be making periodic visits in his role as administrator. He plans to spend a few days at the Richmond abbey every six to eight weeks.

“Father Luke is taking over temporarily, not forever, as administrator of the community,” Benedictine Abbot Giles Hayes of St. Mary’s Abbey told The Catholic Virginian.

Born and raised in New York City, Father Luke served as headmaster of Delbarton School, a private all-male college preparatory school operated by the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey, from 1999 to 2007. He currently is in residence at St. Mary’s Abbey and teaches American history at Delbarton as well as being subprior.

Father Luke received a B.A. from Columbia University in 1979, an M.A. degree in theology from the Catholic University of America in 1984 and an M.Ed. Degree from Harvard University in 1999.

“I’ve been visiting the Richmond abbey every financial quarter the past year to help review finances,” Father Luke told The Catholic Virginian. “Now I have a bigger job.”

Father Luke says that he looks forward to spending some time in prayer with the monks upon his arrival. He has not yet met Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo, but has an appointment with him on July 6.

Mary Mother of the Church Abbey in Richmond was established in 1989 after separating from Belmont Abbey in North Carolina. The abbey operates Benedictine High School in Richmond.

Located at 12829 River Road in Goochland County, the abbey is housed in the former St. John Vianney Seminary which had been operated by the Diocese of Richmond from 1960 to 1978. There are currently 11 solemnly professed monks in the community, as well as a Claustral Oblate, a Claustral Oblate novice, and an additional man in the discernment process.

Benedictine abbey to have new temporary administrator
Catholic Virginian
June 28, 2010