By Gretchen Keiser

The new abbot of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers spoke of Mary and of his predecessors at the monastery on his day of installation.

Dom Bernard Johnson, who is 65 years old, became the fifth abbot in July after he was elected by the monks to serve a six-year term. He came from Rome, where he has been procurator general of the Trappist-Cistercian Order since 1977. His roots are in the Conyers community, which he entered in 1946, and where he became a brother in 1948 and a priest in 1954. He was elected abbot of the Vina, CA, community in 1968, before going on to serve the order in Rome on the Abbot General's Permanent Council.

Returning to Conyers July 24, he was installed as the abbot the following day in a ceremony in the Chapter room which the monks gathered in rows under the simple carved wood figure of Christ.

Dom Timothy Kelly, abbot of the monastery of Our Lady of Gethsemane, KY, the founding community for Conyers, read from St. Benedict's Rule the description of the role and responsibilities of the abbot. Dom Bernard then made a profession of faith and oath of fidelity to the Catholic Church and was given the keys symbolically of the monastery.

Each monk knelt before him individually and made a promise of obedience to his new abbot, and the two embraced.

Dom Bernard said that before coming to Conyers he followed a practice he had developed of visiting the place in Paris where Our Lady appeared to St. Catherine Laboure.

In the church there is a chair where Mary is believed to have been seated "and the faithful from all over the world leave a note on that chair" with heartfelt concerns and prayers. "For many years I have left a note there and I did it this time. I wrote a little note saying, 'Watch over my community,' so we are in good hands," Dom Bernard said.

At Mass following the installation, Dom Bernard encouraged the community "to be always grateful for those who went before us" particularly the abbots who have made their mark upon the monastery. He noted his satisfaction that his installation took place on the feast of St. James, the namesake of the first abbot, Dom James. Of him, Dom Bernard said, "He put his stamp on me, a mark that will never wear off." Dom Robert, he said, had given him "what spiritual life I have." Dom Augustine "formed the spirit" of the community of Holy Spirit, which was known around the world "for its spirit of tolerance and acceptance," Dom Bernard said. Dom Armand, his immediate predecessor, had led the community to bring the Cistercian life to other cultures and languages, he said, as the community made the first Trappist foundation in Venezuela.

"We have much to be grateful for," he said.