<em>An interview with Abbot Placid Solari, Chancellor of Belmont Abbey College</em>.
Abbot Placid Solari: Founded in 1876 as St Mary’s College by the Benedictine monks of St Vincent’s Abbey in Pennsylvania, the college began with just two students and was originally attended by German speakers. St Katharine Drexel, America’s first saint, who entered religious life as a wealthy widow, founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and focused their mission on ministering to Black Americans and Indigenous people, visited the college in 1904 and became a benefactor.
APS: The first thing to understand is how few Catholics there were in the South at that time. This was truly mission territory, and even today we are the only Catholic institution of higher learning between northern Virginia and Florida. At first, the college grew slowly. However, as we progressed, the need to adjust to new realities occurred. In the 1970s, the college separated from the monastery.
APS: Today the college has an enrolment of 1,500 co-ed students, 30-40 per cent of whom are non-Catholics. The college has always had the distinction of being the sole Catholic institution in its part of the Bible Belt, from lower Virginia to Florida. In 1967, Father John Oetgen OSB, the college president, conferred an honorary degree on the Reverend Billy Graham in what was then seen as a bold ecumenical gesture.
APS: The monastery remains the centre of the Catholic community on campus. At present, there are 14 monks in residence, and, thanks to their vow of stability, the monks are always available to students and alumni. The core curriculum is liberal arts-oriented, although today’s students are especially interested in sciences and the professions. Theology is a required course for at least two years. Every major connects its study to the school’s core mission. Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours are available to all daily, and the beginning of each academic year begins with a solemn Vespers. There is also an active campus ministry, retreats held on and off the campus, and many other activities. Religious art on the campus is another important daily presence that contributes to the sense of the spiritual students and visitors find here. FOCUS (the Fellowship of Catholic University Students) is another important presence on campus and has many participants, including students discerning a vocation. There are also Bible studies especially designed for athletes.
APS: What was originally the former farm is now commercially developed and a source of income, including a long-term lease to a regional hospital which had to assent to Catholic medical principles before signing. So, we are in good shape and able to plan for the long term.
APS: Our Honors College, with its Great Books curriculum, now has over 130 students in the incoming class. A new initiative, Belmont House in Washington, DC, provides a Catholic centre for members of Congress and congressional staff to meet and enjoy prayer, Mass and the sacraments, emphasis on religious liberty, and focus on helping members bring their own faith into public life. This is a very promising apostolate which we will continue to grow.
APS: Belmont Abbey College has over 40 student organisations, including the well-regarded Abbey Players and a touring Glee Club. The Belmont Abbey Crusaders play in NCAA Division II in many major sports. There are many other social activities as well that contribute to a congenial and supportive campus atmosphere for students, faculty and parents.
<em>An interview with Abbot Placid Solari, Chancellor of Belmont Abbey College</em>.
Abbot Placid Solari: Founded in 1876 as St Mary’s College by the Benedictine monks of St Vincent’s Abbey in Pennsylvania, the college began with just two students and was originally attended by German speakers. St Katharine Drexel, America’s first saint, who entered religious life as a wealthy widow, founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and focused their mission on ministering to Black Americans and Indigenous people, visited the college in 1904 and became a benefactor.
APS: The first thing to understand is how few Catholics there were in the South at that time. This was truly mission territory, and even today we are the only Catholic institution of higher learning between northern Virginia and Florida. At first, the college grew slowly. However, as we progressed, the need to adjust to new realities occurred. In the 1970s, the college separated from the monastery.
APS: Today the college has an enrolment of 1,500 co-ed students, 30-40 per cent of whom are non-Catholics. The college has always had the distinction of being the sole Catholic institution in its part of the Bible Belt, from lower Virginia to Florida. In 1967, Father John Oetgen OSB, the college president, conferred an honorary degree on the Reverend Billy Graham in what was then seen as a bold ecumenical gesture.
APS: The monastery remains the centre of the Catholic community on campus. At present, there are 14 monks in residence, and, thanks to their vow of stability, the monks are always available to students and alumni. The core curriculum is liberal arts-oriented, although today’s students are especially interested in sciences and the professions. Theology is a required course for at least two years. Every major connects its study to the school’s core mission. Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours are available to all daily, and the beginning of each academic year begins with a solemn Vespers. There is also an active campus ministry, retreats held on and off the campus, and many other activities. Religious art on the campus is another important daily presence that contributes to the sense of the spiritual students and visitors find here. FOCUS (the Fellowship of Catholic University Students) is another important presence on campus and has many participants, including students discerning a vocation. There are also Bible studies especially designed for athletes.
APS: What was originally the former farm is now commercially developed and a source of income, including a long-term lease to a regional hospital which had to assent to Catholic medical principles before signing. So, we are in good shape and able to plan for the long term.
APS: Our Honors College, with its Great Books curriculum, now has over 130 students in the incoming class. A new initiative, Belmont House in Washington, DC, provides a Catholic centre for members of Congress and congressional staff to meet and enjoy prayer, Mass and the sacraments, emphasis on religious liberty, and focus on helping members bring their own faith into public life. This is a very promising apostolate which we will continue to grow.
APS: Belmont Abbey College has over 40 student organisations, including the well-regarded Abbey Players and a touring Glee Club. The Belmont Abbey Crusaders play in NCAA Division II in many major sports. There are many other social activities as well that contribute to a congenial and supportive campus atmosphere for students, faculty and parents.
