Our Abbot
One monastic work documents the role of the abbot in Benedictine institutions: The institution of cenobitic monasticism depends on the central role of the abbot. Monks group together in communities, not to live isolated lives with little reference to other monks, but to place themselves in a Christian and monastic milieu and to receive the guidance of others, most especially the direction of an abbot. Cenobites belong to a monastery and desire to live under a rule and an abbot (RB 1:2).
The abbot does not create the monastic tradition. He himself enters the tradition at one point in his life and lives its values in the midst of his brothers. He is selected from the number of his brothers to lead them forward in the ever old yet ever new and changing life of the monastery. Thus, the abbot is himself a monk, one tested and trained in the gospel and in the monastic tradition of a particular house. He forever retains the imprint of the community that guided his beginning steps in monastic life. Upon election he does not cease to be a monk; in fact he must be even more zealous in pursuing the monastic life. But he is given the added task of guiding the life of a monastery and its monks.
The Rule of Saint Benedict uses many titles and images to depict the person and the work of the abbot. He is the pastor who is charged with the task of protecting, guiding, and nourishing the flock. He is the teacher who is conversant with the biblical and monastic tradition and is able to instruct the monks in the best of godly teachings. He is the chief steward who oversees the goods and property of the monastery, the administrator who knows how to work with others for the protection and proper use of the patrimony of the monastery. He is the father of the monks, fostering a milieu conducive to life and growth. He is the physician, healing wounds and promoting the health of the monks. He is the servant seeking to profit the brothers and making himself available to their needs.
The abbot is also a brother, a confrere to the members of the community. He lives in the community with his brothers, not in a house by himself. He interacts with his brothers in all the ways that constitute common life. His brotherly relationships abide even as he moves into the abbatial office.
The abbot's task today includes discernment with regard to the way in which the monastery supports itself and serves the church in various apostolates. Here especially the abbot needs to be the kind of person who can seek counsel and work with others in forming a sustainable plan for the monastery's work of self-support and service.
When the abbot is chosen from the membership of the community, he takes with him into the office the marks of the community. He should in a real sense be the most characteristic monk of the monastery. He articulates the life of his monastery and embodies it for the monks as well as for outsiders.
ABOUT OUR ABBOT
Abbot Elijah was born in 1965 in Mount Airy, NC, and raised as a member of the Southern Baptist tradition. He is the son of Jerry and Brenda Owens, Shelli Owens' brother and Nevan Owens' uncle. He was received into the full communion of the Roman Catholic Church while attending university, after which he served the U.S. Government and would continue for further academic studies. He was ordained as a diocesan priest in 1995 and served in parish and diocesan assignments in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, WV.
While constantly discerning a call to monastic life, Abbot Elijah visited many monasteries worldwide before happening upon Subiaco Abbey. As he recounted a few years ago, even with his immense love for serving as a parish priest, he still had that constant call to the monastic life. His spiritual director invited him to begin an intense nine-day novena to call upon the Holy Spirit and St. Benedict to lead him to the proper abbey. The last phrase of that prayer was “Show me the Place!” At the end of his novena on the ninth day, he was in Middleburg, Virginia, getting ready to enter a used bookstore. He finished the prayer, asking God to show him where to live as a monk. As he opened the door to the bookstore, he immediately saw a book lying on top of a bin of other books. The book was entitled “A Place Called Subiaco” by Fr. Hugh Assenmacher. At first, Abbot Elijah thought God was calling him to Subiaco in Italy until he realized it was Arkansas. He contacted Subiaco and spoke with the Vocation Director, Br. Francis, who arranged a visit a few days later, which would be one of many. He then applied to his Bishop for release, which came a few years later.
After undergoing a period of monastic formation, Abbot Elijah was granted permission to transition from life as a diocesan priest to life as a monastic priest at Subiaco Abbey. He professed his vows as a monk of Subiaco on September 8, 2011, and was given the name ‘Elijah.’ At his profession, he shared, “I am in love with the monastic community and this place. In my wildest dreams, I would never have thought I would be living as a monk in Arkansas. Still, I also realized that growing up, I never believed I would be a Catholic, much less a Priest. I deeply appreciate that as long as we follow God’s will in prayer, He will take care of the rest.”
During his time in monastic life, Abbot Elijah has been assigned to vocation work, social media outreach, teaching in our college-prep Academy, Novice Master and Director of Formation for new monks, Custos (House Manager), Director of the Abbey Museum, founding Director of the Office of Child Protection, and as the Abbey apiarist (beekeeper). He has studied at institutions within North America and Europe with a special love for his time in Rome, Italy, at the Pontificio Sant'Anselmo. His research at the Bodleian and British Library led to teaching at Oxford and King's College London. His areas of expertise are Liturgy and Monastic Spirituality (particularly as they pertain to the Celtic "insular" regions from 5th-10th centuries). His areas of interest are the monastic military orders from the 11th to 15th centuries (Knights Templar, Teutonic Knights, Knights of St. John, Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, etc.). Upon his return to Subiaco, Father Elijah was elected the eighth abbot of Subiaco Abbey on Thursday, July 7, 2022. An abbot is the head of a monastery of monks chosen to guide and lead the monastery. More specifically, the Abbot of Subiaco is the spiritual head and Father of the monks living the Benedictine monastic way of life at Subiaco Abbey.
Abbot Elijah enjoys fishing, hunting, video games (FIFA2025), listening to music (Jazz, Classical, EDM, Bluegrass), beekeeping, aikido, reading (sci-fi, anime, liturgical and theological texts), teaching in our Academy, leading retreats (especially on the topics of prayer, lectio divina, discernment of spirits, and monasticism in the modern world), translating ancient and medieval texts (from Latin, Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew, and Gaelic), and sports (F1 racing [McClaren], college basketball [UNC-Chapel Hill], soccer [Manchester United], and the NFL [Washington Commanders]).
Priesthood Ordination 1995
Profession 2011
With Pope Francis
Monastic Community 2024
