On May 21, 2009, in a full basilica, Conception Abbey’s Br. Pachomius Meade became Fr. Pachomius at the hands of Bishop Robert Finn of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph.
Fr. Pachomius, formerly Matthew Meade, 28, is the son of Thomas and Karen (Wenzel) Meade of St. Joseph parish in Palmyra, MO. With his ordination, Fr. Pachomius has reached the culmination of his seminary studies—a process which he began at St. Thomas Aquinas High School Seminary in Hannibal, MO some 14 years ago. Upon graduating from St. Thomas in 1999, he continued on to Conception Seminary College where he was first exposed to the lure of Benedictine monasticism. This lure became stronger, turning into a calling and eventually a way of life when, in 2001, he entered the community as a novice. Fr. Pachomius went on to profess temporary vows on August 15, 2002 and solemn perpetual vows on August 28, 2005, thus making him a full fledged Benedictine monk and member of Conception Abbey. He holds a bachelor’s in philosophy from Conception Seminary College and finished out his theological studies at Mt. Angel Abbey in Oregon where he also received a Masters degree in Systematic Theology.
Over the course of these past years, Fr. Pachomius has enriched Conception Abbey through his service in a variety of capacities. He has served as assistant monastic vocation director in addition to various roles in Conception’s Printery House, doing some graphic design and writing catalog copy, icon descriptions and greeting card captions. Fr. Pachomius is an avid iconographer, an art which he studied at Mt. Angel Abbey in addition to his theological training. Religious icons are an ancient form of sacred Christian artwork that draw upon an extensive lexicon of religious symbolism and depict Christ, Mary and the saints with haunting clarity and simplicity. Icons are said to be “written” rather than painted or drawn and this process is itself a spiritual experience, calling the artist to deep contemplation and fasting. Fr. Pachomius has written several icons for Conception Abbey, including one of Our Lady of Guadalupe which resides in Conception Seminary College’s Holy Cross Oratory. You can also view some of Fr. Pachomius’ icons at www.printeryhouse.org.
At the ordination Mass, Bishop Robert Finn of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese, offered words of thanksgiving for Fr. Pachomius’ priestly calling and those who have brought him to this point. He welcomed him into the presbyterate of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, assuring him that his brother priests would welcome him and draw from him a fresh zeal and enthusiasm for their own priestly work. The bishop touched on Fr. Pachomius’ priestly calling within the monastic community here at Conception: “Your Father Abbot has called you to priesthood within the monastic community. In your consecration as a Benedictine monk you respond to a magnificent call to be, ‘in Christ, a New Creation.’ In this total gift of self you have died, so as to live. Live simply and generously. Allow yourself to be the grain of wheat which falls to the ground and dies and you will—by the supernatural grace of your calling—produce much fruit… Finally, dear son, exercising for your part the office of Christ, Head and Shepherd, while united with the Bishop and subject to him, strive to bring the faithful into one family, so that you may lead them to God the Father, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit. Keep always before your eyes the example of the Good Shepherd who came not to be served but to serve, and who came to seek out and save what was lost.”
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