Monks

Abbot Michael Brunner
"this is it! It is contemplation or nothing"
 

• Bio /pictures/2019/8/Lippold-Rea-25495.jpg Father Michael Brunner O.S.B. Prior-Administrator, Theology Department Chair & Teacher, Regent
  Anseriform, & Psittacine Aviculturist, Ethnomusicologist Abbot Michael. G. Brunner is a native of Rochester, N.Y. He graduated from Howard University in Washington. He then spent 25 years in hotel management in New York City, Washington DC, Baltimore and Miami Beach, ending that career as Operations Director over 5 hotels in Maryland. During this time he studied non-Christian religions intensively. He discovered Christian mystical tradition and writers in college; his response was …this is it! It is contemplation or nothing. He became a Muslim after losing his Christian faith, but came back to that same mystical tradition he had discovered and became a monk. Apart from being the Abbot, he currently teaches Christian Doctrine, Wisdom Literature and World Religions at Portsmouth Abbey School. window.location=window.location='father-michael'; /pictures/2019/8/Michael_Gold.png #FrMichaelCard Story

  
   

Brother Joseph Byron
“I will sing of thy steadfast love,
O Lord.”  

• Bio /pictures/2019/8/Lippold-Rea-25495.jpg Brother Joseph Byron O.S.B. Regent, Guest master, Business Office
  Environmentalist, Cantor Br. Joseph Byron a native of Massachusetts, has been a monk of Portsmouth Abbey for more than 30 years. He came to Portsmouth Abbey School as a drama teacher; he fell in love with this place and community and eventually became a monk. Br. Joseph holds a unique multi-disciplinary degree: English, Drama & Music. He loves to sing and had done all the things which a monk can possibly do in this monastery. His key contribution to the monastery and community around is the Wind Turbine (the 1st in the State of Rhode Island), restoring the Abbey Church and Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto.
  Don’t miss to check out his picture story. window.location=window.location='brother-joseph'; /pictures/2019/8/BrJoseph_Gold.png #BrJosephCard Story

  
   

Abbot Matthew Stark
“I renew the consecration of my life to your worship, your love, your altar.”  St. Pope John XXIII

• Bio /pictures/2019/8/Lippold-Rea-25495.jpg Abbot Matthew Stark O.S.B. Abbot Emeritus
  Bibliophile Abbot Matthew a native of Baltimore has joined Portsmouth Abbey 60 years ago. He has lead the community in various phases of its journey. Abbot Mathew is the first Elected Abbot of this Monastery. He has played a key role in various developments of Portsmouth Abbey and School. The part of him which is most enjoyable for his visitors and friends is his sense of humour and a down to earth demeanor. I guess it will be almost impossible to figure out that he has such a large stature in the community just by seeing or talking to him, unless you have heard it from someone else. Don’t miss out his story.
  P.S. He has never used internet or learned about it. Monks jokingly call him Internet Virgin. window.location=window.location='abbot-mathew'; /pictures/2019/8/Stark-Matthew_Gold.png #FrMathewCard Story

  
   

Father Christopher Davis
“For God loves a cheerful giver.”  
2 Corinthians 9:7

• Bio /pictures/2019/8/Lippold-Rea-25495.jpg Father Christopher Davis O.S.B. Retired Dom Christopher Davis ’48, a devoted Philadelphian and member of the Society of the Cincinnati (being descended from an army officer in the Revolutionary War), entered the Monastery right after college. He taught Christian Doctrine in the School, and coached sailing. During the 1960s he was very involved as chaplain Elmhurst Academy, a school for girls, at Glen Farm on the other side of Aquidneck Island. In the early 1970s he headed west, and after serving as chaplain to Benedictine sisters in North Dakota, followed by graduate studies he wound up doing many years of priestly pastoral work in and around Fort Worth, Texas. Back at Portsmouth since the 1990s, he made his cheerful presence felt in the School with regular attendance at faculty meetings, alumni reunions, assemblies, athletic practices, and games until he retired.
  He could be reached at 401-851-8504
  Or visited at The Grand Islander, 333 Green End Ave, Middletown, RI 02842 /pictures/2019/8/FrCristopher_Gold.jpg #FrChristopherCard

  
   

Father Paschal Scotti
"It is natural attraction of a man to the Supernatural and Transcendent"  

• Bio /pictures/2019/8/Lippold-Rea-25495.jpg Father Paschal Scotti O.S.B. Regent, Humanities and History Teacher
  Author Fr. Paschal Scotti graduated from Columbia University in 1983 with a degree in history and joined the monastery that summer. He also has a M.Div. from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., and a degree (J.C.L.) in canon law from the Catholic University of America. Fr. Paschal has taught in the History Department, the Humanities Department and the Christian Doctrine Department (where he was chairman for many years), and now teaches just in the History department in Abbey School. He was also an assistant houseparent for some years in St. Benet’s and St. Leonard’s. Besides writing a number of articles and encyclopedia entries he has published two books - Galileo Revisited: The Galileo Affair in Context (2017) and Out of Due Time: Wilfrid Ward and the Dublin Review (2006). /pictures/2019/8/FrPaschal_Gold.png #FrPaschalCard

  
   

Father Gregory Havill
"The fervant prayer of a righteous person is very powerful."  James 5:16b

• Bio /pictures/2019/8/Lippold-Rea-25495.jpg Father Gregory Havill O.S.B. School Chaplain
  Sculptor, Blacksmith Fr. Gregory Havill joined Portsmouth Abbey with a wide experience of being a teacher, sculptor and blacksmith. He became a monk for the love of the Divine Office and enjoys every element of it as he says, “This miracle of grace continues to be the center of my joy in the monastic life.” In the past Fr. Gregory has restored and operated a colonial-era blacksmith shop, operated a mosaic studio, cast architectural concrete, welded architectural steel, set up a bronze-casting foundry for a monastery of nuns, and reintroduced blacksmithing to a Bruderhoff community. He was also, a professor of art at Humboldt state university and Alma College. He was once an advertising artist at the Chicago Tribune and assistant to the sculptors Milton Horn and Franklin Boggs. window.location=window.location='father-gregory'; /pictures/2019/8/FrGregory_Gold.png #FrGregoryCard Story

  
   

Brother Sixtus Roslevich
“We also think solitude as a station where we can recharge our batteries.”  Fr. Henri J.M. Nouwen

• Bio /pictures/2019/8/Lippold-Rea-25495.jpg Brother Sixtus Roslevich O.S.B. Sacristan, Liturgist, Oblate Director
    Brother Sixtus, a native of Pennsylvania, has come to Portsmouth from St. Louis Abbey to help in various areas of monastic facilitation. Brother has joined the monastery after a wide range of experience with set designing for theatre, opera, film and television. He has left his successful career to pursue his persistent call from God to be a religious. Don’t miss out his story.
  P.S. If you are lingering around the monks and do not know whom to approach first. Br. Sixtus is your answer! window.location=window.location='brother-sixtus'; /pictures/2019/8/BrSixtus_Gold.png #BrSixtusCard Story

  
   

Father Edward Mazuski
"We shall through patience share in the sufferings of Christ" The Rule of St. Benedict (Prologue)  

• Bio /pictures/2019/8/Lippold-Rea-25495.jpg Father Edward Mazuski O.S.B. Junior Master, Secretary, Mathematics Teacher
  Cantor Fr. Edward Mazuzki is a gift from St Louis Abbey to Portsmouth for this exciting adventure of continuing and renewing monasticism. He came here as part of doing his graduate studies with Harvard in 2018. He is a graduate in Physics and is a natural intellectual and logical thinker. He almost has perfect pitch when it comes to music and has been very helpful in enhancing the liturgy. He was Ordained to Priesthood just before he came to Portsmouth Abbey. We are truly blessed to be in his joyful presence on the campus and there is a lot more to learn from him. window.location=window.location='father-edward'; /pictures/2019/9/FrEdward_Gold.png #FrEdwardCard Story

  
   

Brother Benedict Maria
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”  St. Teresa of Calcutta

• Bio /pictures/2019/8/Lippold-Rea-25495.jpg Brother Benedict Maria O.S.B. Junior
  Webmaster Br. Benedict Maria comes to Portsmouth all the way from Port Blair, Andaman Islands, India. He is obviously surprised by his vocation and enjoys his life in community and prayer. Br. Benedict has worked as a software engineer for almost 10 years before joining the Monastery. He has learned some handy work of art (mosaic and rosary-making) in his time as a Novice from monks of St Louis Abbey. Br. Benedict is currently pursuing his further studies and discerning towards Solemn Profession. He also loves to cook and looks forward for opportunities to serve the community. window.location=window.location='brother-benedict'; /pictures/2019/9/BrBenedict_Gold.png #BrBenedictCard Story