Mitred Abbot

The silent brethren of the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemane celebrated their 75th year of existence at Gethsemane, Ky., by a gorgeous procession to Pontifical Mass. Their Abbot, Edmond Marie Obrecht, already mitred and having the rank of Bishop in his territory, was given the purple zucchetto, a skull cap which ranks him as Bishop where-ever he goes. The zucchetto was conferred in person by Denis Cardinal Dougherty of Philadelphia, who said: "Had it been a red zucchetto it would not have been too much." The monks celebrated by giving a feast to all their guests, although they themselves took their own plain fare from pewter bowls. Only in one respect did they depart from the etiquette of their vows. They talked a little. Cardinal Dougherty, referring to a recent visit to Rome, described the Pope as showing plainly the effects of his arduous office: "As a matter of fact when he subscribes his official letters 'Servus Servorum Dei,' he is not merely using a figure of speech but is truly describing himself as the servant of The Servants of God." The Cardinal congratulated Abbot Obrecht on wiping off a debt of $30,000 and "laying aside a little for a rainy day." He lauded the monastic life.