Joy be with you all: Surprise Irish serenade for seminary’s outgoing rector

Father Anthony Brausch was installed as the 36th president of the Athenaeum of Ohio and rector of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West on May 13 at the Athenaeum’s spring commencement ceremony. He succeeds Father Benedict O’Cinnsealaigh, who has served as president/rector since 2011. 

Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr announced Father Brausch’s appointment April 20 at a gathering of seminarians, faculty and staff in St. Gregory the Great chapel at the Mount Washington seminary. The archbishop thanked Father O’Cinnsealaigh for his seven years of leadership as president and rector and for his 18 years of service to the Athenaeum and seminary as a faculty member. Father O’Cinnsealaigh will begin his assignment as pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish in Delhi on July 2. 

“There has been tremendous change and growth here over the past seven years,” Archbishop Schnurr said. “I want to express my gratitude for the great leadership that Father Benedict has provided, his whole-hearted service and dedication to the mission of the church and this institution, and his generosity of spirit.”

The archbishop called the Athenaeum, “one of the finest houses of formation in this country.”

“To have the privilege of serving at the seminary where I worked with so many outstanding men and women dedicated to the Lord and the church has been an incredible gift that will enrich my life to the very end,” Father O’Cinnsealaigh said. “I was very fortunate to be a rector that was surrounded by a faculty, staff and student body of great talent and to be supported by benefactors with a great love for the Athenaeum and the church. Their gifts have made the Athenaeum an incredible place to live, work and study. The energy, growth, vision and vitality that is present there is a gift from God that will benefit the whole archdiocese and beyond.” 

“It is my certain conviction that Father Anthony will prove to be the best rector our seminary has ever seen, and that’s saying something considering the long line of outstanding priests who have had the high honor of serving in that most incredible position,” he added.

“Father Brausch has the vision, energy and tenacity to lead the Athenaeum to incredible heights in the service of the Gospel. It has been my good fortune to have had him as my vice-rector, confidant and friend during my tenure as president/rector. I could not overestimate the scale of his influence in what has taken place at the Athenaeum over the last seven years.
He is an incredible priest and a great example for our seminarians. I wish him the best of luck in this position and encourage all the faithful of the diocese to pray for him and our seminary.” 

During the annual Bishop Fenwick Society dinner, held May 4 to thank Athenaeum benefactors, Father Brausch invited the seminarians to come up on the stage to surprise Father O’Cinnsealaigh with a proper send-off. Two Irish songs, “The Rocky Road to Dublin” and “The Parting Glass,”were energetically performed to the delight of all and the obvious enjoyment of Father O’Cinnsealaigh.

For more about Father Anthony Brausch, click here.