FromanofficeinVirginia tolifeinlocalmonastery
BROTHER John Baptist DeCant, a native of Oregon, Ohio, pronounced his First Vows as a monk of Silverstream Priory on Thursday morning, 1 November 2018, the feast of All Saints.
Born Joseph Peter DeCant, Dom John Baptist is the son of Helen Mary DeCant, of Oregon Ohio, and of the late Raymond R. DeCant.
He is the brother of Janette Root, and uncle to Janette’s three children. Dom John Baptist attended Holy Rosary School in Toledo, Ohio, and Cardinal Stritch High School in Oregon, Ohio.
The newly professed monk holds a B.S. in Environmental Sciences from Allegheny College and an M.S. in Ecology from Colorado State University; he is also a certified Medical Emergency Technician.
Prior to entering Silverstream Priory, Dom John Baptist worked for the Environmental Protection Agency in Arlington, Virginia. Apart from serving as the monastic infirmarian, Dom John Baptist supplies the monastic table with an abundance of fresh greens and vegetables from the monastery two polytunnels.
He is also in charge of the monastery’s poultry and has successfully raised various breeds of chickens from the indoor stage of incubation to the free–range production of eggs.
Silverstream Priory’s chapel was filled to overflowing for the Profession ceremony, which took place during the All Saints’ Day Mass.
Among the friends of Silverstream Priory present were Fr Brendan Ludlow of Ratoath, Fr Kevin Heery of Navan, Fr John McKeever of Armagh, Little Sisters of the Poor, and Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal.
Addressing Brother John Baptist during the homily of the Mass, the Prior of Silverstream, Dom Kirby said: “Jesus has, for a long time, been drawing you to Himself. It was this attraction and nothing else that brought you to Silverstream Priory. You could have gone anywhere in the world. It is in the impetus of this attraction that you will pronounce your vows today. It is this attraction that will keep you here in the cloister, where your life is hidden away now with Christ in God’”.