Page 37 - Priorities #73

FATHER MATTHEW
I have been privileged to be associated with Tim for 30+ years. When I was abbot, I hired him to be the Head of School and participated in his yearly performance reviews. I came to understand and appreciate his deep commitment to Priory’s
mission as Catholic and Benedictine.
For about the same number of years I have been
working with the ABCU program, that is, American Benedictine Colleges and Universities organization. One of its purposes is to find ways to bring the message of the Benedictine wisdom tradition to the level of the students we educate. Our goal has been that each student come to know and value the Benedictine tradition as integral to their educational experience. The work has been challenging, and our efforts have been somewhat successful.
Imagine my surprise and delight upon returning to Priory to find that these very goals have been so successfully realized with our students, faculty, and staff here at Priory. I credit this success to Tim and his tireless efforts to have Priory culture permeated with the Benedictine values and practice. It is amazing that you, our students, are so conversant with Priory’s five Benedictine values and their relevance to daily life at Priory and beyond.
Speaking of beyond, Tim has been a pivotal leader in establishing and maintaining the international organization of Benedictine Secondary Schools. In part, this organization’s yearly faculty development program is named in memory of Priory’s Br. Edward Englund who collaborated with Tim in strengthening the Benedictine wisdom traditions in every corner of the globe.
But as for Priory, were it not for Tim’s servant leadership, we might otherwise be simply one of many quality prep schools in the Bay Area. Because of Tim, Priory stands out as unique and unequalled in its program of holistic, value-centered, student-centered, Catholic Benedictine education. For this we are immensely grateful.
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Above: Visiting Benedictines from St. Anselm’s, Father John Fortin (center), from Pannonhalma, Father Hugo (second from right), and Abbot Mark Cooper (right) joined in the celebration chapel for Tim Molak.
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