Abbot Marc Crilly is the Abbot of St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, Massachusetts. He was raised the third of eleven children in a devout and lively family in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. He began visiting the Abbey while a student at Indian Hills High School. Even though the whole family would visit the Abbey while on vacation, they were disappointed when they brought fewer than five or ten friends along as well. After finishing high school in 1976, he decided to join the community. Professing monastic vows on September 8, 1981, he completed his college education at the Abbey, and then completed his studies for the priesthood at St. John’s Seminary, Brighton, Mass. Fr. Marc was ordained to the priesthood on May 29, 1993.

Over the years, Fr. Marc has been assistant to Fr. Anthony at the barn (when the Abbey had 120 dairy cows). He was also handy in the kitchen but his main work has been Music Director, teacher, and Novice Master.  On May 15, 2021, Fr. Marc was elected as Abbot Marc. He succeeded Abbot Xavier Connelly, who was elected in June 2010 and resigned in March, 2021, because of illness. Abbot Xavier passed away April 8, 2021.  On August 15, 2021, Bishop McManus, Bishop of the Diocese of Worcester officially blessed him in St. John’s Church in Clinton, Massachusetts where some 650 friends of the abbey gathered for the celebration.

Abbot Crilly coat of arms bears a winged lion for St. Mark, whose Gospel calls Christ “Son of Mary,” and a Benedictine cross combined with a Marian cross. A poppy in the cross’ center symbolizes joy.  He said he chose his motto – “Caritas congaudet veritati” (“Charity rejoices in the truth,” from 1 Cor. 13:6) – because “I want to foster joy in the community … a joy that comes from knowing the truth and living the truth.”  Asked how he hopes to do that, he said, “I think that … to have joy is to live the truth, which for a monk would be to live the life well. Sanctity is found in the little things” one does.