On a beautiful autumn day, the monks of St. Bernard Abbey joined with clergy, friends, and family to celebrate the 50th anniversary of three of their members. In 1971, Brother Charles Manning, O.S.B., made his vows as a Benedictine. Also that year Abbot (ret) Cletus Meagher, O.S.B., and Abbot Marcus Voss, O.S.B., were ordained to the priesthood. The day was a joyous occasion that brought people to St. Bernard’s from as far away as California to celebrate with the honorees. Concelebrants included Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville, Bishop Emeritus Robert Baker of Birmingham, and Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari, O.S.B, of Belmont Abbey with Bishop Steven J. Raica of Birmingham as the main celebrant.

In his homily, Bishop Raica emphasized three aspects of the lives of the jubilarians: thanksgiving for all that God has done, renewal in the on-going work of God’s Spirit and joy that comes with the Lord’s presence in our lives. The bishop commended the monks on their 150 years of combined service, stating there will still be many surprises ahead. He concluded by saying: “We are thankful for your response to God’s call and your vibrant steadfast witness of faith. May we walk together sowing seeds of hope and love as we fulfil our respective calling from the Lord Himself.”

After the ceremony, a reception was held outdoors on the campus Quad and was catered by IZ Catering of Birmingham.

Music for the occasion was provided by the St. Bernard Choir under the direction of Ashley Russell. Rebecca Whited served as organist.

Altar servers were from St. Bernard Prep School’s Knights of the Altar.

Abbot Marcus J. Voss, O.S.B.

Abbot Voss, the son of Joe and Catherine Voss, was born and raised in Cullman. He attended St. Bernard Prep School from 1957 to 1960 and graduated from Cullman High School in 1961. He enrolled at St. Bernard College in 1961 and graduated in 1966 summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy with a minor in business administration. Abbot Voss went on to earn a Masters of Divinity from St. Louis University in 1970 and a Masters in Spirituality from Creighton University in 1981. He was ordained to the priesthood 1971 and from 1971 to 2019 he served in weekend ministry throughout Alabama. From 1971 to 1991 he was the Abbey Choir Master and published a four-volume “Book of Hours” for use in the monastic choir. The abbot has also been a member of the Senior Council since 1971. He was appointed Sub-Prior in 1977 and served until 1982. From 1970 to 1978 he served as registrar of St. Bernard College/Southern Benedictine College and was Campus Minister in 1979. In 1979 he was appointed Director of the Abbey Formation Program and served in that capacity until 1986. Beginning in 1995 and continuing until 2008, Abbot Voss served as the Business manager of St. Bernard. Since 1988, he has served as a Visitator for the American Cassinese Congregation. He served as Headmaster of St. Bernard Prep School from 1986 to 1992, as President from 1992 to 2011, and as Development Director from 1992 to 2019. In 2019, he was elected the Tenth Abbot of St. Bernard Abbey.

Abbot Cletus D. Meagher, O.S.B.

The fifth of six children of Oscar A. and Mildred (Sommers) Meagher, Abbot Meagher was born Nov. 15, 1944 in Cleveland, Tennessee. His primary school education was under the tutelage of the Nashville Dominicans at Notre Dame Grammar School in Chattanooga. In 1958, he entered St. Bernard Preparatory Seminary and graduated in 1962, which was the last graduating class of St. Bernard Prep until its re-establishment in 1984. Abbot Meagher continued his seminary studies at St. Bernard College Seminary from 1962 to 1964, then he entered St. Bernard Abbey in 1964 as a novice and professed vows in 1965. In 1967, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy with minors in psychology and English. He completed theological studies with a Masters of Divinity from St. Louis University in 1971, and the abbot was ordained a priest in May of that same year. As a monk, he served the monastic community in various capacities: Sub prior, Prior, Novice Master / Formation Director, Procurator (treasurer), and member of the Senior Council. In ministries of St. Bernard, Abbot Meagher taught theology at St. Bernard College / Southern Benedictine College from 1971 until 1979; served as chaplain at Sacred Heart Monastery; served in campus ministry at St. Bernard College, Cullman College, Southern Benedictine College; served as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish (Cullman) from 1986 to 1995; was appointed member of the Presbyterial Council of Diocese of Birmingham; and was elected Ninth Abbot of St. Bernard Abbey in May 1995. The abbot served in that capacity until his retirement in July of 2019. In retirement, he has served as Spiritual Director and Confessor. Beginning in  October of 2021, he will serve as Pastor of St. Michael Parish in St. Florian, the proto-parish of St. Vincent Archabbey / St. Bernard Abbey in Alabama. Abbot Meagher is a Golden Jubilarian of profession as a monk and priest and a Silver Jubilarian as Abbot.

Brother Charles Manning, O.S.B.

The son of John J. Manning and Margaret Murray Manning, Brother Charles is the second of three sons. He is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, where he attended Catholic schools under the direction of the Sisters of Mercy. He graduated from Knoxville Catholic High School in 1969 and entered St. Bernard College the following fall. He entered St. Bernard Abbey and professed first vows on July 11, 1971. He graduated from St. Bernard College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology 1974. After graduation, he studied physics at Loyola University, New Orleans, where he lived with the Jesuits in formation. After college graduation, he worked for one year in the Biology Department at St. Bernard College before attending graduate school. He earned a MS in Aquatic Biology from the University of Tennessee in 1978. While at the university, he lived with the Paulist Fathers and made life-long friends in their community. After graduate school, he served at the Registrar the last year of Southern Benedictine College 1978-79. During this time, he taught high school “Sunday School” at Sacred Heart Parish in Cullman. After the college at St. Bernard closed, he taught sciences at St. Augustine Colle, Nassau Bahamas from 1979 to1980. He returned to St. Bernard to open the St. Bernard Retreat Center in 1981. He served on the Diocesan School Board for a number of terms beginning in 1979 until 2018. At various times, he has served the monastic community in the formation program, on the Senior Council, as the Chapter and Senior Council secretary, and in the business office. He was the first non-priest to be appointed Sub-prior of the Abbey by Abbot Hillary Dreaper. Over the years, Brother Manning has enjoyed working on the campus grounds and landscaping, planting a number of trees on campus. He was a member of the planning committee for the opening of St. Bernard Prep School in 1983. When St. Bernard Prep School opened in 1984, he taught biology and physics from 1984 until 2018. He was appointed the Treasurer (Procurator) for St. Bernard Abbey in 2019 and serves in that position at present.

Click here to read Bishop Raica's homily.