Pray Tell joins in prayers of thanksgiving with Saint John’s Abbey for the election of Abbot Douglas Mullen, OSB! He has extensive experience in education, leadership, and religious education, as well as service in healthcare. His gifts will serve to continue the good work of Saint John’s!
Here is an excerpt from a post on the Abbey website:
Abbot Douglas succeeds Abbot John Klassen, OSB, who, completed his tenure of over twenty-three years at midnight on January 7 as he was approaching his 75th birthday.
Upon receiving the required number of votes on Tuesday, January 9, and assenting to the will of the monastic community, Abbot Douglas immediately assumed the office of Abbot of Saint John’s Abbey. The election was overseen by Abbot Augustine J. Curley, OSB of Newark Abbey in New Jersey.
When all the church bells began ringing already on Tuesday morning, the public knew that the monks had selected their new abbot on the first ballot. In a moment of emotional anticipation, the assembled community witnessed the monks file into church, two by two, bowing to the altar and each other, with heads craning to see which monk would be the last one in procession as the newly elected abbot. Here is a video of the liturgy of thanksgiving in which the monks exchange the Pax with Abbot Doug and sing the Te Deum.