COVINGTON

Our Sixth Annual Deo Gratias fundraiser, held here on campus on 5 November was another great success! Despite being in competition with a little football game, LSU vs Alabama, we were pleased to host about 400 friends. The evening was beautiful, with subtle jazz music greeting our guests after Vespers, who were then lead to an array of delicious food prepared by Chef Johh Folse and Co. There were many unique items available for auction and, as the night heated up, guests danced to the sounds of West End. Br. Andrew introduced the new MONKSOAP, available through the Abbey Gift Shop.

As has become customary, we offered a new commemorative pin by India Stewart; this year depicted the angel atop the Abbey Church. It's a great Christmas gift idea; available in both sterling silver and 14k gold plate, it's for sale either through the website here or at the Abbey Gift Shop.

Through the efforts of a committee of 20 dedicated women, we were able to raise approximately $135,000 for the Seminary College! While results were down a bit this year, about 15%, given the economic conditions and the competition against the biggest college football game of the year, we were thrilled with our results. The fundraiser goes to the Gap Fund, the difference between tuition and the actual costs of educating seminarians.

We are looking at late October for a 2012 Deo Gratias. We will schedule it as soon as the LSU schedule has been confirmed!

BATON ROUGE

The Sixth Annual Baton Rouge Deo Gratias was a great success, bringing in more than $100,000 for the seminary's tuition Gap Fund. The Baton Rouge community's support helps the Benedictine monks to continue their primary mission of educating young men for the Roman Catholic priesthood.

The evening began with Vespers, presided over by Abbot Justin Brown, at the Catholic Life Center in Baton Rouge. Bishop Robert Muench, class of 1962, of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, has graciously offered his diocese's facilities as the venue for our annual seminary fundraiser.

Bishop Muench blessed our constituents prior to dinner served by Chef Don Bergeron. The evening's emcee, Chris Redden, '02, explained the necessity of our Deo Gratias fundraisers, both of which help fill the deficit in the seminary's operating budget. Two seminarians, Stephen Gadbury and Cody Reed, witnessed to the formation and education program of the seminary, and Trey Ange presented a video letter to his family describing his first few days in formation. Bishop Muench topped the evening with a truly moving speech describing the sacrifices the monks make to educate young men to the priesthood. Everyone left the evening buoyed by the spirit of the abbey.

Fr. Donald Blanchard, '63, and Fr. Gerald Burns, '63, orchestrated pulpit talks throughout the Diocese of Baton Rouge; the efforts of our visiting priests yielded more than $30,000 in additional fundraising dollars.

Next year's Baton Rouge Deo Gratias event will take place on Sunday, 7 October 2012, at the Catholic Life Center. For more information, please contact our development office at 985 867-2242.