The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-02-13

ST. MElNRAD.
Interesting Exercises at the Elec.
tfon Of the New Abbot.
Father Fintan DlundwiIer 70 Suc-
coed Abbot Marty.
csrrespondenes Evansville Courier.
! ST. MEINBAD, Feb. 4th, 1880.
The monks Of ST. Meinrad's abbey met
IN solemn chapter yesterday morning to
elect . new abbot, in place OF Bishop
Marty. There were present about thirty
in all, priests aud clerics, Who have 4
voice in the chapter. Besides these,
there were proxies representing three
absent ones. Proceedings began at nine
O'Clock with solemn high mass, with
Very Rev. Fintan Mundwiler officiating.
and Rt Rev. Francis Silas Chatard,
bishop Of Vincennes. present. After
the service all retired to the chapter
room for the election. 20 which none but
members of the chapter were admitted.
Bishop Chatard presided and acted a.
Iegate Of the pope on this occasion.
FIRST, al present were sworn very SOL
emnIy TO vote accorning tc the dictates
OF their conscience. Then the proxies OF
those who were absent, were read and
approved, and notary and three teller.
were chosen. This being done. the
names OF those who were economically,
eligible were read. Of whom there were
eighteen in all. To each member OF ne
chapter was then presented miniature
book, each leaf containing ballot will.
the name OF . different candidate upon
lit. Each one. in turn, from the eldest
| to the youngest. then retired to corne,
and, screened from view, tore out the
leaf containing the name Of hissfayorite
and having carefully folded il, deposited
the remainder Of the book in q box be.
fore the bishop. After all the ballot,
were prepared, they were collected in q
lchalice by the tellers. and the monks re-
tired TO the chapel, leaving the bishop
the notary and the tellcrs 10 do thu
counting. In half an hour they were re-
|called. and each one having confirmed
his choice by answering "PLAsET.- (it
pleases). the bishop declared Very Rev.
Father Mundwiler the choice Of the
|chaptcr for abbot. The monks then es-
|corted the new abbot TO the chapel.
where. standing BY the bishop. the sTE
Deem" was sung and the chapter wa
Let m end.
THE NEW ABBOT,
III. Rev. Fintan Mund wiler, q. s. b..
was born in Dietikon, Switzerland, Jul,
18th, 1885. He made his profession a.
monk at Einsiedeln. October I4th, 1855.
and was ordained priest September Ith.
1859 In the following year he came
70 America with ri. Rev. nj. Marty. and
when the latter became abbot In 1870 ht
chose Father Fintan as prior. From the
beginning Of the western missions b,
Bishop Marty, Father Fintan has had
almost exclusive charge Of The monastery.
The new abbot Is . small man, OF unpre-
tending appearance, but in his commu-
nifty is greatly beloved for his fatherly
Kindness and amiable disposition, and Il
revered for his humility, piety and true
religious spirit. Although not . polish
ed man, Abbot Finlan is the most learn.
ed Of all his brethren. IN excellent
preacher in both German and English.
and . man Of fine business capacity /
The community over which Abbot Fin
tan will preside has sixty members. OF
whom twenty-five are priests. The
latter are employed IS professors in the
seminary and college here, Is pastors iu|
the surrounding counties. and In missions
in Arkansas and in Dakota, where the
monastery has branch houses.
Amer the proceedings OF the chapter
have been confirmed by Rome, the new
abbot will be blessed and installed with
great pomp. Abbots are prelates in the
Catholic church. and have equal. il not
greater, authority over their monasteriesl
and the persons attached to them than
bishops have in their diocese. Hence
they are My Lords in Europe. a.
well as bishops. They wear the mitrc.I
carry the crozier, and. in fact, have eli
the apparel Of the episcopate, but cannot
exercise the prelatial functions. They
are elected for life, hence the careful
scrutiny in elections. xxx.