The Monks and Residents of Holy Cross Monastery
The Brothers and Residents of Holy Cross come from a variety of backgrounds but a share a common interest in devoting their lives to knowing God and becoming closer to God through a practice of monastic living. If you think you may have a call to live with them, check out our vocations page for information on making a vocational retreat to Holy Cross.
Br. Robert Sevensky
Superior of the Order
Br. Robert Sevensky has been a member of the Order of the Holy Cross since 1986 and currently serves as the Order's Superior. He is a native of Scranton, PA, and holds a doctorate in philosophy from Boston College. He has held various positions in the Order, including guest master, Director of Associates, Novice Master and Prior of Mount Calvary Monastery, Santa Barbara. Over the years he has offered ministries of teaching, retreat guidance, spiritual direction and hospital chaplaincy. His great enjoyments are a vigorous yoga practice and a good book, especially monastic studies or personal memoirs. He also enjoys meetings, something which comes in handy in his current position.
Br. Bede Mudge
Prior
Br. Bede Mudge entered Holy Cross in 1964, when he was 25, so most of his life has been spent in the Order. Though he has lived in other houses of the Order, the majority of his time has been here at West Park. He has served as Novice Master twice and as Prior of two other houses, and has been Prior here for 3 years. He also managed the book and gift shop and was director of the Guesthouse. Christian Spirituality, Spiritual Direction and the practice and teaching of Meditation have been his ministries. After all these years, one of his chief joys is still the singing of the Divine Office day by day. Br. Bede maintains a blog called "The Prior's Column."
Br. Adam McCoy
Novice Guardian
Br. Adam McCoy entered OHC in 1973, was life professed in 1978, and ordained deacon and priest in 1979. Sixty-two years old, he is an early medievalist by training. He has been Prior of Santa Barbara and Berkeley, and is the author of Holy Cross: A Century of Anglican Monasticism. As a monk-not-in-residence he was rector of two parishes from 1992-2008, during which he was also a police chaplain and ministered in Spanish. He is now now Novice Master for the North America, Librarian for the monastery, and Bursar of the OHC Corporation.
Br. Ronald Haynes
Director of Associates
Br. Ronald has been with the Order of the Holy Cross for forty-two years. He has currently been at West Park for the past thirty years. He is the Director of Associates, Assistant Novice Director and the monastery massage therapist for the past fourteen years.
Br. Scott Wesley Borden
Director of Guest House
Br. Scott was born in Vermont and grew up in the Albany area of New York. He entered the Order of the Holy Cross in 2001 and was life professed in 2005. Prior to entering the Order, Scott worked in the public radio system, including positions at WKYU Bowling Green, West Virginia Public Radio, and WNYC New York. His public radio worked ranged from management and audience research to concert recording, interviewing, and various types of production. Scott is an avid musician and especially fond of a capella choral music. He has sung in various ensembles throughout his life and is especially thrilled to be able to sing with Kairos Consort - which is Artist in Residence at the Monastery. Scott frequently leads retreats both at the monastery and at other locations. He also has a regular ministry of Spiritual Direction. And he is Director of Guesthouse Ministries and Bursar of the Monastery.
Br. Lary Pearce
Until he entered the Order in 1985 Lary Pearce lived most of his life in Georgia and South Carolina. He read G. G Coulton’s Medieval Panorama when he was a senior in college in 1962 and became interested in monasticism, and did not realize a vocation until 1984, when he applied for admission to the postulancy. He was life professed at Mount Calvary, Santa Barbara, California in 1990 and served as Guest Master there from 1988 through1994. He transferred Berkeley in 1994 where he studied the New Testament with William L. Countryman at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. He also studied mystical theology with Robert Hale, O.S.B. Cam. Lary transferred to Holy Cross Monastery in October, 2007. He does spiritual direction and continues to be interested in medieval history and mystical theology.
Br. Andrew Colquhoun
Andrew is a Scot by birth. He entered the Order in 1989. Before that he served Churches as a Presbyterian minister in Scotland, Virginia and North Carolina. He was priested in 1984 while he was a CPE Supervisor in Iowa. In the Order he has been Guestmaster and Prior at West Park and has just returned from South Africa where helped found our monastery there and where he was the Novice Master.
Br. Bernard Delcourt
Br. Bernard, a native of Belgium, came to New York in 1998 and entered the Order of the Holy Cross in 2004. He made his initial profession of the Benedictine Vow in November 2006. Prior to entering the monastery, he had been a banker; and then a life skills and business coach. Br. Bernard meets with several people in spiritual direction. He corresponds and meets with men exploring a monastic vocation. He leads volunteering retreats based at the monastery. He’s involved with content updates on our website and keeps his own weblog at http://monasteryroad.blogspot.com/.
Br. Cecil
Br Cecil Couch entered Holy Cross in the mid 1980's after a career as a librarian and as a clerk for the Dallas, Texas police force. He had married and had four children He served his novitiate in Santa Barbara and then was stationed for several years at our monastery in Berkeley, California, where he held a part-time job as a librarian. He then came to West Park. He worked in the book store and in the library at Holy Cross Monastery and is remembered by many of our guests for his friendly and out-going disposition. He is presently resident at Ferncliff Nursing Home in Rhinebeck, New York, across the river from Holy Cross.
Br. Randy Greve
Randy is a native of Houston, Texas and spent most of his adult life as a youth minister before joining the Order in 2005. He continues to do youth related work and manages the Monk's Cell Book and Gift Shop at the monastery. Brother Randy enjoys photography and posts many of his best work on his flickr photostream.
Br. James Michael Dowd
Brother James Michael Dowd entered the community in September of 2006 and made his simple vows in March of 2009. He was born in Queens, NY and, prior to entering, pursued a more than twenty-five year career as a director in the theater and in live events staged for television. Jim is the Director of Outreach and Peace Ministries, spearheading the monastery's work with the poor and infirm in the Hudson Valley. He also plans the monthly peace vigils and writes and teaches about the Christian peace witness. He is also very involved in planning the monastic liturgies.
Jim will admit to enjoying a good pizza now and again.
Br. Charles Mizelle
Both a Southerner and Southern Baptist by birth, I came to the Order of the Holy Cross after half a lifetime of walking the "Emmaus Road". In other words it has been a long spiritual journey. But grace is knowing that God takes all of our life experience and uses it for His purposes. I was blessed with a long professional career that began with a stint in the Air Force, a 10 year run in Banking and 20 years in Hospitality and Resort Spas. Now I focus on Benedictine Hospitality and know God's designs are full of humor and no coincidences.
Chet Wilkinson
Resident
Chet Wilkinson was born and raised in North Carolina attending the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill where he received an AB degree in International Relations. After serving in the U. S. Navy, he spent 30 years in Information Technology for the Procter & Gamble Company living in a number of domestic and international locations. Since retiring, he has spent time working for a non-profit that provides support for GLBT young men and women. He and his partner George have been Residents with the Community since 2005.
George Masters
Resident
George Masters was educated by Jesuit priests, became a dentist and practiced for over 25 years - three of which were in the U.S. Navy. Since retiring he has enjoyed renovating old houses, gardening and competing at duplicate bridge. Life as a resident at Holy Cross continues to be a joyous blessing.
