THE ABBATIAL BLESSING OF ABBOT ISAAC MURPHY, O.S.B.
It was a joyous day on Friday, September 27, 2024, as the Saint Anselm Abbey and college communities gathered to celebrate the blessing of the sixth abbot of Saint Anselm Abbey, Isaac Shannon Murphy, O.S.B. The Most Reverend Peter Anthony Libasci, D.D., Bishop of Manchester, N.H, conferred the abbatial blessing.
The blessing of an abbot is a rare, though not unique, event in the life of a monastery and the local church. The blessing of Abbot Isaac, only the sixth in the history of Saint Anselm Abbey, carries with it a profound historical significance, with the previous blessings occurring in 1927, 1963, 1972, 1986, and 2012. Abbot Isaac’s election on April 30, 2024, by the monastic chapter and its subsequent confirmation by the Holy See on June 17, 2024, marks a significant chapter in our history. He is currently the only non-ordained Benedictine abbot in the world. By virtue of his office, he is also the Chancellor of Saint Anselm College and Chair of the Members of the Saint Anselm College Corporation. The ritual for the blessing of the abbot does not confer any new authority upon him. Rather, it is an opportunity for the monastic community and its new abbot to gather with the diocesan bishop, who is the head of the local church, and the faithful of the wider community and pray for God’s blessing.
On behalf of the monastic community, Fr. Augustine G. Kelly, O.S.B. ’83, Prior of Saint Anselm Abbey, presented the abbot-elect to the bishop and asked him to impart the abbatial blessing. Bishop Libasci then instructed Abbot Isaac and the monastic community, saying in part, “Today, Brother Isaac, the Lord has called you, your brothers have called you, the Church universal has approved this call. As you take up this ministry and responsibility, be that faithful and prudent servant.” Then, after the Litany of the Saints, Bishop Libasci imparted the abbatial blessing.
After the blessing, Abbot Isaac received a copy of the Rule of Saint Benedict, a ring, a miter, and a crozier. The Rule and crozier are the most ancient signs of the abbot’s authority, but the Church has for centuries permitted abbots to use the pontifical insignia of a ring and a miter. Even though Abbot Isaac is not an ordained priest, he was allowed to receive the pontifical insignia because of his office. Abbot Isaac’s crozier was handcrafted by our confrere Fr. Martin Mager, O.S.B. ’57. Abbot Isaac then received the kiss of peace from the bishop, the abbots present, and members of the monastic community.
Music for the liturgy was provided by a combination of members and alumni of the Saint Anselm College Choir, the Saint Joseph Cathedral Choir, the Diocese of Manchester Festival Choir, and the Diocesan Brass and Timpani Ensemble, all under the direction of Saint Anselm College Director of Liturgical Music and Campus Minister and Diocesan and Cathedral Director of Music, Eric Bermani, DMin. Abbot Isaac and the monks of Saint Anselm Abbey sincerely appreciate the prayers and support of our families, friends, students, faculty, staff, trustees, and alumni. Your unwavering support has been a source of strength and encouragement. We humbly request your continued prayers for our monastery and apostolates.
COLLEGE WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Saint Anselm College welcomed four new members of the board of trustees on October 11, 2024. President Joseph A. Favazza, Ph.D. welcomed the new trustees, who join the board as the college launches several new initiatives and prepares for a new strategic plan, Vision 2030.
“We are so fortunate to have these talented and dedicated alumni join the board and share their expertise at a pivotal time,” said Dr. Favazza. “As we build Grappone Hall to be the new home of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences, and launch new graduate programs, and look to create a School of Business and a School of Arts and Sciences, it is an exciting time for Saint Anselm.”
The four new trustees include Lyndsay N. Robinson ’14, Gregory Cedrone ’00, Dan Puopolo ’98, and Fr. Anselm Smedile, O.S.B. ’93.
Gregory Cedrone ’00
Greg works in the financial services industry with skills in trading, capital markets, and derivatives.
He currently serves as an executive director at Mizuho, a leading global bank with one of the largest customer bases in Japan, and an extensive international network covering financial and business centers around the world.
Prior to joining Mizuho, he spent 20 years as a director at Merrill Lynch, where he began his career in their Manhattan headquarters. Greg and his wife, Erin Dubovick ’00, reside in Winchester Mass. with their three daughters. Greg and Erin are partners in Seven Saws Brewing Co. out of Holden, Mass.
Greg also serves on the school board at South Boston Catholic Academy.
Lyndsay N. Robinson ’14
Lyndsay is a shareholder at Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., where she co-chairs the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.
She represents clients in complex legal matters, including parenting, divorce, probate, estate planning, domestic violence, and immigration cases. She is an active member of the Bar and deeply committed to community service.
She serves as vice president of the New Hampshire Women’s Bar Association, the ABA Young Lawyer Delegate for the New Hampshire Bar Association, and sits on the boards of the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation, the New Hampshire Bar Foundation, and 603 Legal Aid.
Dan Puopolo ’98
Dan is a partner and Head of Operations for the New England/Mid-Atlantic region at Corient, a fiduciary wealth management firm that provides solutions to high and ultra-high-net worth individuals and families.
Previously, Dan was the chief administrative officer at Eaton Vance Investment Counsel where he oversaw client service and administration, operations, and technology. Dan began his career in the investment management industry at Eaton Vance Management in 1998 and served in various management roles.
He is a regional board member at Easter Seals Massachusetts and was previously an Investment Committee member at the Pulmonary Hypertension Association from 2010-2016.
Fr. Anselm Smedile, O.S.B. ’93
A Benedictine monk and priest of Saint Anselm Abbey, Fr. Anselm is pastor of Saint Raphael Parish in Manchester. Saint Raphael Parish was established by the Benedictines in 1888 to meet the needs of the newly arriving immigrants to Manchester.
Before being named pastor of Saint Raphael Parish, Fr. Anselm served as prior of the monastery and formation director for monks in first vows. He also served on the staff of the Office of Campus Ministry and in the Office of College Advancement.
FR. CELESTINE HETTRICK, O.S.B., ORDAINED TO THE PRIESTHOOD
The Reverend Fr. Celestine Benjamen Hettrick, O.S.B., a member of the Saint Anselm monastic community, was ordained to the priesthood by The Most Reverend Robert P. Deeley, Bishop Emeritus of Portland, Maine, on Saturday, August 31, 2024, in the Saint Anselm Abbey Church. The culmination of years of monastic formation and seminary studies, Fr. Celestine now takes his place in the Holy Priesthood of Jesus Christ.
Fr. Celestine was presented for ordination by The Reverend Augustine G. Kelly, O.S.B. ’83, Prior of Saint Anselm Abbey.
During the Rite of Ordination, Bishop Deeley offered words of instruction and encouragement: “My son, you are now to be advanced to the order of the presbyterate. You must apply your energies to the duty of teaching in the name of Christ, the chief Teacher. Share with all mankind the word of God you have received with joy. Meditate on the law of God, believe what you read, teach what you believe, and put into practice what you teach.”
Following the Litany of the Saints, the Laying on of Hands, and the Prayer of Ordination, Father Maurice Larochelle, the pastor of Ste. Marie Parish, invested Fr. Celestine with the priestly stole and chasuble.
On Sunday, September 1, 2024, Fr. Celestine celebrated his first Mass of Thanksgiving in the Saint Anselm Abbey Church. Fr. Aloysius Sarasin, O.S.B. ’17, served as the homilist.
Fr. Celestine is a native of Salem, N.H. He professed vows as a Benedictine monk in 2020 and completed his seminary studies at Saint John’s Seminary in Brighton, Mass. He also attended Holy Family Academy in Manchester, N.H., and the International Theological Institute in Trumau, Austria. He currently serves Saint Anselm College as assistant curator of the Alva de Mars Megan Chapel Art Center.
TUFTS—SAINT ANSELM COLLEGE MPH PATHWAY PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
Saint Anselm College is excited to announce a new opportunity for students interested in continuing their education in public health. The college and the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences has created a partnership with Tufts University’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program: the Tufts—Saint Anselm College MPH Pathway Program.
Saint Anselm undergraduates of all majors may apply to Tufts’ MPH program as early as their sophomore year to make the most of their academic experience and fast-track their path to an MPH.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Tufts University’s MPH program to provide an opportunity for students with an interest in promoting population health to gain early entry into their program,” says Elizabeth Rickenbach, Ph.D., Community and Public Health faculty lead and professor of Psychology. “Students will have the opportunity to connect with Tufts faculty early for tailored mentorship and advising between our two programs, and save time and money on their degree program.”
Through the partnership, Saint Anselm students will be able to complete courses during their undergraduate experience, and can enter the program with up to 12 credits completed which could help them to finish the MPH as quickly as one year of graduating with their bachelor’s degree.
Students can earn up to 12 graduate credits while completing their undergraduate degree, including two courses (six credits) from the Tufts MPH curriculum at no additional cost, in addition to a maximum of two Saint Anselm graduate courses which can double count with their undergraduate degree.
Tufts courses are offered online or in-person year around and students may complete the program full- or part-time. The program may be tailored to meet students’ interests and career plans, and concentrations include nutrition, health promotion, health policy, health management, global health, and epidemiology.
“We are so excited to collaborate with Tufts University. Our partnership demonstrates the Jean School’s commitment to provide our students with unique educational opportunities to help prepare them for impactful careers in public health,” says Diane Uzarski, D.N.P., M.P.H., R.N., dean of the Jean School for Nursing and Health Sciences.
The Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Saint Anselm College was established in July 2023 and will move into its permanent home in a new $40 million state-of-the-art facility, Grappone Hall, in the fall of 2025. Led by Dean Uzarski, inaugural dean of the Jean School of Nursing and Health Sciences, the school houses the undergraduate nursing, the Continuing Nursing Education (CNE), health sciences, and community and public health.
MASTER OF PUBLIC POLICY DEGREE IS COLLEGE'S NEWEST GRADUATE PROGRAM
Saint Anselm College is excited to announce its newest graduate program: a 4+1 Master of Public Policy Degree Program.
The Master of Public Policy is designed to provide students with the tools, strategic thinking, and leadership skills needed to influence public decisions and shape the future.
With the New Hampshire Institute of Politics serving as a living laboratory, the Saint Anselm MPP will enhance an understanding of policy dynamics and help shape a student’s ability to make a tangible difference in the world.
“Students at Saint Anselm College are exceptional in their commitment to building strong communities,” said Jennifer Lucas, Ph.D., co-director of the Master of Public Policy Program and professor of politics. “Our Master of Public Policy degree supports those ambitions, preparing graduates from all majors with valuable skills as they pursue meaningful lifelong work to promote the common good in their communities.”
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE RELAUNCHED
This semester, the New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP) relaunched the Center for the Study of Religion and Public Life, marking the return of a research hub dedicated to examining the intersection of faith, politics, and society.
Ward Holder Ph.D., theology and politics professor, has been appointed as the center’s new director, and under his leadership, the center will focus on exploring the complex relationships between religion, civic engagement, and democracy. It will also tackle contemporary ethical and public policy issues, providing a platform for critical analysis and discussion.
“The center serves as a hub for studying and promoting the understanding of how religion is shaped by public life and how, in turn, it influences public life,” said Holder. According to Holder, it also explores questions such as: ‘What does religion mean to those who create public policy?’ and ‘How does culture influence religion?’
At the inaugural reception, held last fall, Sheila Liotta, Ph.D., vice president for Academic Affairs, offered opening remarks about the initiative. “When I first saw the proposal to activate the Center for the Study of Religion and Public Life, it was immediately apparent to me that this center is a perfect fit for us, an initiative that builds on our distinctiveness and provides a platform for Saint Anselm College to have a strong voice in even more important conversations than we already do,” she said.
A key focus of the center’s research will be the Belief and Ballots podcast, which features interviews with scholars, activists, and religious leaders from a range of faith traditions. Each episode explores current events and political issues from a religious perspective, emphasizing how different faith communities can collaborate to address these challenges. Episodes can be found on Spotify and Apple. In March the center plans to present a panel discussion on the 2024 election at the American Elections Conference.
FIELD HOCKEY WINS COLLEGE’S FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
With the swipe of her stick near the left post, fifth-year student Maddie Davis ’24 found the back of the net in overtime to lift the nationally ranked Saint Anselm College field hockey team to the institution’s first NCAA Division II National Championship on Sunday November 24, 2024. Ranked No. 8 in the National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association National Poll, the team’s win secured the college’s first NCAA Division II National Championship, in any sport.
Under Head Coach Carolyn King-Robitaille, the Hawks have posted a 169-76 (.690) record in 13 seasons. Prior to her arrival on the Hilltop, the Hawks were a combined 49-139 (.261) since the team’s modern-day inception in 2001. Since 2018, Saint Anselm sports teams have now made the championship game or games of the NCAA Division II postseason three times, including softball (2018) and field hockey (2019, 2024). Saint Anselm is the first Northeast-10 Conference program to win the National Championship in the sport of field hockey since 2010.
FIELD HOCKEY COACHING STAFF NAMED 2024 NFHCA EAST REGION COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR
The Saint Anselm field hockey coaching staff, Carolyn King- Robitaille (center), Brooke Lemerise (left), and Cheryl Murtagh, were named the East Region Coaching Staff of the year by the National Field Hockey Coaching Association (NFHCA).
This season the trio of coaches for Saint Anselm led the squad to an 18-6 overall record, with an impressive 10-3 conference record. Ranked No. 8 in the NFCHA National Poll, Saint Anselm won its first NCAA Division II National Championship, in any sport.
SAM FTOREK ’98 NEW HEAD COACH OF WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY PROGRAM
Sam Ftorek ’98 is the new head coach of the women’s ice hockey program, becoming the fourth head coach in program history, which dates to 2004-05.
Ftorek brings a wealth of coaching and playing experience to the Hilltop, having most recently served as the head girls ice hockey coach at the Kent School in Connecticut, leading the program to a Founder’s League Championship in the winter of 2024. Prior to Kent, he spent five seasons at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, N.H. as the girls ice hockey coach and director of residential life.
Prior to coaching at the prep level, Ftorek recorded an 18-year professional playing career, playing over 1,000 games in both the United States and Europe. In 2015, he announced his retirement from professional hockey and was named as an assistant coach with the Wings.
In 2016, after one season as an assistant coach in Kalamazoo, he was named the first head coach of the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), amassing a 22-41-11 overall record in 74 games on the bench.
Ftorek, the son of former NHL-er and Boston Bruins coach Robbie Ftorek, was a four-year letter winner with the Saint Anselm men’s hockey program from 1994- 98. He was also a three-year golf and a two-year lacrosse letterwinner while on the Hilltop.
Born in Phoenix, Ariz., but long-time summer resident of Wolfeboro, N.H., Ftorek and his wife Misty have three children, Ariana, Savo, and Mason
MEN’S LACROSSE PROGRAM WELCOMES NEW HEAD COACH DREW BOURDEAU ’18
Drew Bourdeau ’18 has been announced as the next head coach of the men’s lacrosse program.
A standout student-athlete for the Hawks, Bourdeau brings a wealth of experience both as a player and coach to the Hilltop. He most recently served as the head coach at Bedford High School for two seasons, where he was named the 2024 Division 1 and US Lacrosse New Hampshire Coach of the Year. Under his leadership, the team finished the 2024 campaign as NHIAA Division 1 Runner-Up, boasting the highest scoring offense in the NHIAA.
Bourdeau has also served as head coach of New Hampshire Tomahawks Club Lacrosse team since 2021, running all aspects of the state’s premier club program. He also spent time as an assistant coach at Marblehead High School and North Andover High School before taking over the Bedford program in 2023.
Bourdeau expressed his enthusiasm about returning to his alma mater. “It is a dream come true to return to the Hilltop, a place that has given me so much both on and off the field. I look forward to building on the strong foundation Coach Sciamanna established for this program and leading our student-athletes to future success,” he said.
Bourdeau, a 2018 graduate of Saint Anselm College with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and a minor in secondary education, is married to Clairee Putnam ’18, a women’s basketball student-athlete for the Hawks from 2014-18. The couple resides in Manchester.