Fr. Albert Holtz, O.S.B.

I'm a native of Newark NJ, born Thomas Joseph Holtz on August 16, 1942. I first met the Benedictines when I attended St. Benedict's Prep, from which I graduated in 1960. After two years of college at St. John's University in Collegeville, MN, I spent a year as a Benedictine novice and made my first profession of monastic vows on July 11, 1963. I then completed college by spending one year at St. Bernard College in Alabama, and a final year atSt. Benedict's College in Atchison, KS, from which I graduated with a major in Philosophy.

My four years of theology studies for the priesthood were done at St. Mary's Abbey, Morristown, NJ. I was ordained on March 22, 1969. Three months later I moved from Morristown to join the newly independent community of Newark Abbey on High Street, Newark, where I had gone to high school. I've been here ever since, teaching French and Religion at St. Benedict's Prep, and doing curriculum design and scheduling.

In 1972 I earned a Masters Degree in Philosophy and Education from Columbia Teachers College in New York.

I am currently Director of Formation of Newark Abbey (a title I've held since 1976), Director of Abbey Development, Oblate Director, as well as the coordinator of the Benedictine Volunteer Program. One of the great experiences of my life was an 11-month sabbatical to 15 countries in Europe and South America in 1994-95. When I returned I began writing meditations based on different interesting places I'd visited. I found that people enjoyed listening to them, so I sent them off to Ave Maria Press, who agreed to publish them as a book. I find I really enjoy writing, so I have published two other similar mediation books and am currently working on a fourth. Click on books if you want to read more.