Saint Bede Abbey Monks Choose New Abbot
Marcia Wagner
Peru, IL – Following an abbatial election on the morning of Wednesday, July 13, a new abbot has been elected to serve the Saint Bede community.
Abbot Michael Calhoun, OSB is the ninth abbot of St. Bede Abbey.
“I feel humbled and honored to serve the St. Bede community as its Abbot. I pray for God’s grace to strengthen me and ask for the entire St. Bede community to remember me in their prayers,” Calhoun said.
He succeeds Abbot Philip Davey, OSB whose term expired on his 75th birthday on April 3, 2022.
Since then, Davey has been serving as interim abbot until the abbatial election could be held this July. Davey has successfully completed an eleven-year term.
A Benedictine abbot is elected by the members of the monastic community. A six month period of prayerful reflection began the process of discernment for a successor prior to the election proceedings on the morning of July 13. Nomination of candidates then took place by secret ballot followed by a discussion of each candidate one by one. The election itself took place under the supervision of Rt. Rev. Jonathan Licari, OSB, President of the American-Cassinese Congregation of Benedictines.
Abbot Michael is the son of Mr. & Mrs. Michael (Linda) Calhoun of Blue Springs, MS. He is a 1989 graduate of St. Bede Academy. He was professed on Dec. 8, 1994, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 1, 2002.
Abbot Michael holds a Master of Arts degree in Scripture from St. Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, PA and a Master of Arts Degree in Monastic Studies from the School of Theology, St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN.
Beginning in 1995, Abbot Michael served as a faculty member of St. Bede Academy teaching religion during the years he was not furthering his graduate work studies. He continued to teach at St. Bede for more than 20 years until 2022.
“Abbot Michael is very much a man of faith, who grew in holiness through St. Benedict. He is very devoted to prayer, and for many years has generously served the monks in a variety of jobs. I could not have accomplished the work I did as abbot, without the daily support of the good prior,” said Abbot Philip Davey, OSB.
Abbot Michael served as prior from 2009 up until his newly-elected position.
“My own experience shows he is a man of God and we will together continue to do good work for the glory of God and the St. Bede family,” continued Davey.
Abbot Michael has two siblings one residing in Blue Springs, MS and the other living in LaSalle, IL. He has two nephews and two nieces.
For more information go to www.stbedeabbey.org.
## St. Bede Abbey is a Benedictine Monastery located in the Illinois Valley area of north central Illinois. St. Bede Abbey was established in 1891 and operates St. Bede Academy, a co-educational Catholic high school serving both day and boarding students.