CSC Appoints New President-Rector

Conception Abbey and Conception Seminary College announce the appointment of the Rev. Brendan Moss, O.S.B., to the position of President Rector of Conception Seminary College in Conception, MO. Father Brendan is a Benedictine monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey in Saint Meinrad, IN. He will take up his new responsibilities at Conception in August, succeeding the Rev. Samuel Russell, O.S.B., who is retiring from the office after eight years of distinguished service.

Father Brendan is originally from Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from Saint MeinradCollege he entered the monastic community there. He was solemnly professed as a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey in 1996 and ordained a priest in 2001. Father Brendan has a Doctorate of Ministry in Preaching from the Aquinas Institute of Saint Louis. He holds a MDiv, and MA degrees from Saint Meinrad School of Theology, and a BA degree from Saint Meinrad College. He has also obtained a Certificate in Supervisionfrom Saint Meinrad School of Theology. He garnered considerable experience in the field of priestly formation in his work at Saint Meinrad School of Theology, where he has served since 2006 in such various capacities as Formation Dean, instructor in the Permanent Diaconate Program, and director of the Lay Degree Program. He has also served in their Development Program and as Director of Enrollment. Father Brendan has also served in several pastoral assignments, and so will bring practical experience of ministry to his work in priestly formation as President Rector of Conception Seminary College.   

The President Rector is the chief administrator of ConceptionSeminaryCollege, which is conducted by the monks of Conception Abbey in Conception, Missouri. The office is integral to Conception’s mission of educating and forming candidates for ministry as priests in the Roman Catholic Church. A search for suitable candidates was conducted both within the monastic community of Conception Abbey and beyond, with the aim of identifying the best possible candidate for the position at this time. The Abbot’s Council of Conception Abbey served as the search committee, and final interviews of candidates involved the Academic Dean, the Dean of Formation, and the Spiritual Director of ConceptionSeminaryCollege.

“We are happy to welcome Father Brendan to our educational and formational community,” said the Right Rev. Gregory Polan, O.S.B., abbot of Conception Abbey and chancellor of ConceptionSeminaryCollege. “He brings a wealth of experience to his new responsibilities, and comes highly recommended both by his own abbot and by those with whom he has collaborated at Saint Meinrad. Importantly, he comes with much enthusiasm for this new position, coupled with a genuine respect for Conception Abbey, and for the work we have done in priestly formation at ConceptionSeminaryCollege. We look to the future with confidence and hope, and we are confident that Father Brendan will exercise a most beneficial influence in both the seminary and monastic communities here at Conception during his time as President Rector.”