New president-rector inaugurated at Saint Meinrad School of Theology

Benedictine Father Denis Robinson smiles at well-wishers at the conclusion of the inaugural convocation on Oct. 4. (Submitted photo)

Special to The Criterion

ST. MEINRAD—Benedictine Father Denis Robinson was inaugurated as the 14th president-rector of Saint Meinrad School of Theology on Oct. 4 in St. Bede Theater on the campus in St. Meinrad.

Attending were more than 400 guests, including faculty, students, fellow Benedictine monks, members of the school’s board of overseers and board of trustees, bishops, co-workers and delegates from other institutions of higher education.

Benedictine Archabbot Justin DuVall of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, who is also chairman of the board of trustees, presented Father Denis with the school’s presidential medallion. The new president-rector was introduced by his predecessor, Benedictine Father Mark O’Keefe, who served in the position for the past 12 years.

“I hope that today is more than the inauguration of one person, but—as all inaugurations must be—the opportunity to renew the charism of an institution, the spirit of a place and the mission of a school that has served the Church for almost 150 years,” Father Denis noted in his inaugural address.

He said that Saint Meinrad will commit itself to formation as a way of living.

“Saint Meinrad is not a place to prepare ministers. It is a place to be ministers. It is not a place to train future disciples. It is a place to live discipleship,” Father Denis said. “We are already into the work of ministry when we step on this hill. We learn to live with one another, put up with one another, take care of one another, love one another.”

During the tradition-laden ceremony, salutations were given by representatives of the student body (archdiocesan seminarian John Hollowell), faculty (Dr. Robert Alvis), alumni (Benedictine Sister Francis Marie Pifer), board of overseers (John Chappell) and higher education (Benedictine Father Raymond Studzinski).

During Mass earlier in the day, Father Denis, as rector of a Catholic seminary, publicly declared his profession of faith and took an oath of fidelity. He began his term as president-rector on June 1.

An assistant professor of systematic theology, Father Denis earned two doctoral degrees in the field from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium.

Previously, he was the director of continuing education and director of the permanent deacon formation program at Saint Meinrad. He has been a Benedictine monk of Saint Meinrad since 1997.

Saint Meinrad School of Theology, begun in 1861, offers initial and continuing education for Catholic priests, permanent deacons and lay ministers. The school is owned and operated by the Benedictine monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey. †