Kathryn Williams

On a rainy April day, the Saint Anselm monastic community suspended its abbatial election pending consultation with higher ecclesiastical authorities.

The sixth abbatial election of the Saint Anselm Abbey has been suspended, leaving the community on bated breath as the monastic community awaits answers from higher authorities.

In a statement in the Abbey Church in front of a group of people awaiting a thanksgiving service to celebrate the election of a new abbot, Fr. Francis McCarthy, O.S.B., who is secretary for the election, explained the situation.

“We have suspended our abbatial election to consult higher ecclesiastical authorities. So you do not have an election today. And we have to wait until we receive an answer about a question that we have,” he said.

While no definitive answer has been revealed about what exactly the question is, the need to consult higher authorities could indicate that the monastic community selected a candidate who requires dispensation of a canonical impediment from the Vatican. 

The Rule of the Congregation states a monk must be solemnly professed for seven years, over 30 years old, and an ordained priest. A monk on the ballot who does not meet all of the criteria has what is called a canonical impediment.

In a March panel explaining the election process, Fr. Francis explained that a possible outcome could be that a candidate is chosen with a canonical impediment, but that the announcement would be put on pause until the Vatican responds, ideally dispensing the impediment so that the monk can become abbot. “At that point, the abbot president can confirm an election happened but cannot confirm the candidate,” he said. 

There are 27 names on the ballot, including 11 that have a canonical impediment. Those candidates are:

• Bro. Andrew Thornton
• Bro. Isaac Murphy
• Bro. Ignatius Membrino
• Father George Rumley
• Bro. Amadeus Cundiff
• Father Francis McCarty
• Father Aloysius Sarasin
• Father Titus Phelan
• Bro. Dunstan Enzor
• Father Basil Franciose
• Father Celestine Hettrick

According to Fr. Francis, a response from the higher authorities is expected to take at least two weeks. Therefore, it is unclear whether the monastery will elect a new abbot before the conclusion of the academic year. 

Abbot Mark Cooper, O.S.B., served as abbot of the Saint Anselm monastery following his appointment in 2012. At the age of 75, he was required to submit his resignation and is no longer the active abbot of the Saint Anselm community. 

The responsibility to appoint a temporary leader fell to Abbot President Jonathan Licari, O.S.B., head of the American-Cassinese Congregation which includes 25 monasteries.

“Father Augustine Kelly O.S.B. has been appointed the prior administrator of a monastery until such time as we get an answer from a higher authority,” Fr. Francis said.