By Carol Cornelius

“The Hippie Priest,” “The Bearded Priest,” “Greg, the Monk,” or “Father Greg Santos” -- it really doesn’t matter to the Trappist who lives in the hip community, attends Georgia State University, and works with runaway teens and their parents.

Fr. Santos born John Francis Santos in Honolulu 41 years ago, left St. Patrick’s (diocesan) Seminary in San Francisco in 1950 at age 21 to enter our Lady of the Holy Trinity Abbey, a quonset hut in Huntsville, Utah.

After making solemn vows, he was ordained on May 23, 1959. Six months later he left for Rome and the Anglican University, where he earned a License in Sacred Theology (STL). He returned to the Utah dessert where he taught -- in Latin-Dogmatic Theology to Trappist seminarians.

Three years ago Fr. Santos was transferred to the Monastery of the Holy Ghost, again to teach -- this time in English -- what is now called Systematic Theology. He describes Hans Kung and de Chardin as “light reading” in comparison with formerly used texts.

While working for an M.A. in clinical psychology at Georgia State, Fr. Santos is living in a three-room apartment on Elmwood Drive. He sees a degree in psychology as an asset in monastery, guesthouse work and in working with novices -- within the framework of the monastery, although he suggests that he may teach psychology to seminarians. His day-to-day support, as well as school expenses, is borne by the monastery. His work with the hip community is unpaid.

When asked about the various labels, the Trappist responded that many longhairs don’t realize he is a priest, since he usually wears a turtleneck, serape and a glass peace symbol which he made during a visit to Mexico. His beard has been growing for four years, his hair for two. He’s always “Greg,” “The Monk,” or “Greg, the Monk,” never “Father” in the hip community because he believes the clerical title would make him less approachable.

His goal is to establish a runaway house and mediation center to bring the runaways and parents together on neutral ground. He sees the hip community as much like the monastic movement.

He does not do liturgy for or with longhairs, feeling rap (talk) sessions more appropriate in this ministry.

According to Fr. Santos longhairs fall into three basic categories: (1) the street people - dropouts, runaways, generally lost kids: (2) drug freaks, and (3) hippie-peace, love, and flower people drawn to meditation. Greg sees hippies as just behind monks as the freest people in the world.