Benedictine Abbot Jonathan Licari, president of the American Cassinese Congregation of Benedictine monasteries, on April 9 appointed Benedictine Father Philip Waters, a monk of Newark Abbey in Newark, as administrator of St. Mary’s Abbey in Morristown for a three-year term, effective August 1.
Born in Bayonne, Father Waters grew up in Westfield. He and his family worshipped at Holy Trinity Parish. He graduated from the parish elementary school and St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark. Then, Father Waters began studies for St. Mary’s Abbey, first at St. Bernard’s College in Cullman, Ala., and then at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.
After his sophomore year at St. John’s in 1965, Father Waters entered the novitiate at St. Mary’s Abbey under the direction of Benedictine Father, later Abbot, Martin Burne. He made his first profession of vows in 1966 in the new St. Mary’s Abbey Church. Father Waters graduated from Seton Hall University in 1968.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
Father Waters joined the Newark Abbey community after a year of theology studies at St. Mary’s Abbey, formed after the Newark and Morristown monastic communities were separated into independent abbeys in 1968. He attended Union Theological/Woodstock Seminary in New York City. He was ordained a priest in the Newark Abbey Church in 1972.
Father Waters taught English and coached track at St. Benedict’s Prep when it reopened in 1973 after a one-year reorganization. He also earned a master’s degree in English from New York University. Father Waters was president of the New Jersey Catholic Track Conference, served as a certified state track official, and occasionally drove a St. Benedict’s school bus. In the monastery, he spent several terms on the Senior Council and served as the Abbey sub-prior. On weekends, he assisted at several local parishes.
In 1984, the congregation’s president sent Father Waters to St. Mark’s Priory in South Union, Ky., where he served as a prior and Newman chaplain at Western Kentucky University. Returning to Newark in 1987, he resumed teaching at St. Benedict’s, officiated track meets, and served as Abbey procurator. One of Father Water’s proudest moments was Delbarton School’s invitation to start the first race during its inaugural meet at the school’s new Passarelli Track in 2010.
In 1995, Father Waters was appointed pastor of St. Mary’s, the Newark Abbey parish, a role he held for the next 30 years. He continued to teach at St. Benedict’s, was chaplain at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center for 20 years, and served the Newark Archdiocese as dean of Deanery 20 in Central Newark.
Father Waters returned to St. Mary’s Abbey as the Abbey administrator. His broad range and depth of experience suit him well for his new role. As administrator, Father Waters holds all the usual responsibilities and authority of the abbot of St. Mary’s Abbey without the title of “Abbot.” His chief responsibility will be to assist the St. Mary’s Abbey monks as they plan for their future and discern what kind of person they wish to serve as their permanent abbot.
