Rev. Michael Calhoun named St. Bede abbot

Following an abbatial election on July 13, the Rev. Michael Calhoun, O.S.B. has been named the ninth abbot of St. Bede Abbey in Peru.

“I feel humbled and honored to serve the St. Bede community as its abbot,” Calhoun said. “I pray for God’s grace to strengthen me and ask for the entire St. Bede community to remember me in their prayers.”

He succeeds Abbot Philip Davey, O.S.B. whose term expired on his 75th birthday on April 3. Since then, Davey has been serving as interim abbot until the abbatial election could be conducted this July.

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.

Calhoun is the son of Michael (Linda) Calhoun of Blue Springs, Mississippi. 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, Minnesota.

Beginning in 1995, he 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.

Calhoun 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,” Davey said.

Abbot Michael has two siblings one residing in Blue Springs, Mississippi, and the other living in La Salle. He has two nephews and two nieces.

For more information go to www.stbedeabbey.org.