The monastic and college community gathered in the Abbey Church to celebrate the profession of vows for Brother Celestine Hettrick, O.S.B. The profession of vows took place on September 2, making it the eighth profession of solemn vows in ten years for the monastic community.
Brother Celestine joined the monastic community four and a half years ago. He became a novice in 2019 before professing simple vows in October 2020. Since then, Brother Celestine has been an active member in the college community, working as an assistant curator in the Chapel Arts Center alongside Fr. Iain Maclellan, O.S.B., and Karyn Merriman while tending to his other passion in beekeeping.
“We were all pleased and excited to witness Brother Celestine’s solemn vows,” said Abbot Mark Cooper, O.S.B., abbot of Saint Anselm Abbey and chancellor of the college. “Our monastic community has seen a number of commitments made by our younger monks over the past few years that have been most encouraging to us and suggest a strong future for our monastery.”
Brother Celestine’s road to making a life-long commitment to the monastery has been life-long. “My vocation story starts from when I was a very young child when I looked up at a priest celebrating Mass and knew that is what I was supposed to do,” Br. Celestine noted. “It was continued prayer and discernment and, critically, growing in self-knowledge, that allowed me to see why Saint Anselm Abbey made so much sense for me. I desired a regular life of prayer, community, stability, and the opportunity to study and teach – all of which I can do as part of the monastery here.” Directly leading up to his solemn vows, Br. Celestine spent a week-long retreat in prayer to, as he stated, “reflect on my life and how it has led me to this moment.”
According to Br. Celestine, the most impactful moment of the ceremony was during the final procession after his profession and reception by the community. “My heart was overflowed with gratitude. The church was full of family and friends, people who have been there for all or part of my life, and who have helped me in some way to make it to that day.”
Moving forward, Brother Celestine is expected to be ordained a deacon in about six months before being ordained a priest, a process which will occur over the next 10 months.
Since 2013, the monastery has celebrated eight solemn vows ceremonies and two transfers of monks from other monasteries. At a time when vocations have been struggling around the U.S., Abbot Mark emphasized the encouragement he feels about the growing number of monks at Saint A’s. “I think it speaks well of the community we have here and the positive work we do. It’s an attractive community, location, and work to any young man interested in this kind of vocation. All in all, it’s a very good sign that the community is alive, well, and will be here for a long time, ready and eager to make strong contributions to the college.
Brother Celestine would like to thank all those who supported him along the way. “I am thankful for the presence of my fellow monks, my parents, my two sisters, my sister’s family, my grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, and acquaintances.” He left off with a message of hope for students: “God calls us to what will most fulfill us and to a place where we can flourish most fully – never fear listening to God or following him! He wants to give us more than we can ever imagine.”
