Belmont Abbey College Alumni

01/01/2026

Happy New Year from Belmont Abbey College! 2026 is a significant year for our institution, as we welcome Dr. Jeff Talley as our new president, and we will celebrate our 150th anniversary. Enjoy this message from our chancellor, Abbot Placid Solari, O.S.B.

Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

12/27/2025

A look back at Christmases gone past! 🎄

📸 Novices at Christmas, 1915
📸 Abbey Prep students enjoying the snow (prior to 1956)

12/11/2025

🎉 Congratulations to David Helmly ’85!

We’re thrilled to share that Belmont Abbey alumnus David Helmly, Class of 1985 and Computer Science major, received a Technology & Engineering Emmy Award last week!

David Helmly leads an Adobe Inc. Senior Field Team specializing in Pro Video/Audio/GenAI production workflows for film, broadcast, GenAI Workflows, Cloud/Remote Workflows, and new professional video technologies.

He currently oversees day-to-day field operations for North America, Australia, and New Zealand. He also travels internationally to give lectures and participate in industry advisory councils and panel discussions on the latest advancements in video production.

His achievements continue to inspire our Abbey community. Well done, David! 👏

11/10/2025

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Patrick Brady, Class of 2006. He died in the line of duty with the Fire Department of New York while responding to a five-alarm fire in Brooklyn, NY.

Dr. Daniel Hutchinson, a friend of Patrick’s, shared this: "Patrick Brady was an incredible human being, whose infectious laugh could fill the room. He was also the type of person who charged toward danger to save others. That remarkable spirit was inspired by his family's commitment to public service, particularly his brothers Brian and Jimmy, who served alongside him in the FDNY. While the world is dimmer today without Patrick, the light he gave the world will continue to shine."

We honor his service and pray for his wife, Kara, and the entire Brady family. The Abbey will hold a Mass in remembrance of Patrick. May he rest in peace.

Learn more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/nyc-firefighter-dies-battling-5-alarm-brooklyn-fire/story?id=127348718

06/23/2025

The Board of Trustees of Belmont Abbey College is pleased to announce the appointment of alumnus Dr. Joseph Wysocki as Interim President effective August 3, 2025. We ask our entire college community to keep Dr. Wysocki in your prayers as we embark on this new chapter in our shared journey. http://bac.edu/2025/06/announcement-of-interim-president

03/04/2025

Today, we celebrate the feast day of St. Katharine Drexel! She holds a special place at the Abbey, having helped our monks complete the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians—with the condition that pews be reserved for African Americans and Native Americans. Abbot Leo Haid happily agreed, and she was later able to visit the college and see the Basilica she helped build.

On this feast day, let’s reflect on her example and consider how we can use our blessings to help others. St. Katharine Drexel, pray for us! 🙏

02/04/2025

02/03/2025

President Thierfelder reflects on the impact of the March for Life and shares exciting updates on the Abbey’s academic and athletic achievements in his latest update!

Watch the entire update now:

07/15/2024

This afternoon Monsignor John J. McDermott ‘85 was ordained and installed as the Bishop of the Burlington Diocese. The very first Belmont Abbey College graduate appointed to the episcopate, Bishop McDermott will serve and steward the life of the Church throughout the entire state of Vermont, across 125 parishes.

After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy from the Abbey, Bishop McDermott pursued his Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary. Since his ordination to the priesthood in 1989, he has served as parochial vicar or pastor in seven different parishes of the Burlington Diocese, Chaplain to Rice Memorial Catholic High School and to Middlebury College, and Associate Director of the Catholic Center at the University of Vermont. After earning his Licentiate in Canon Law at the Catholic University of America, Bishop McDermott became Chancellor of the Diocese, within which role he has served in various additional capacities, including Moderator of the Curia, Vicar General of the Diocese, and Defender of the Bond and Promoter of Justice in the Diocesan Tribunal.

When asked about his priorities in this new position, Bishop McDermott said, "As a bishop I am charged with the proclamation of the Gospel, or putting it another way, sharing Jesus Christ with the people of Vermont. Everything else flows from this, pastorally, liturgically, educationally. So, I’d say my top priority is to make Christ known, and then work in all areas of diocesan life to achieve this."

The entire Belmont Abbey community wishes to congratulate Bishop McDermott and to thank him for his years of faithful service to the Church. May God bless this new, vocational unfolding in a life so deeply ingrained with the Benedictine hallmarks and so generous in its sacrificial love.

07/11/2024

Today, on the Feast of St. Benedict, Belmont Abbey joyfully celebrated the first Profession of Vows of Brother Gabriel Hamilton, an alumnus of the Class of 2020.

Surrounded by family, friends, and members of the college community during Mass, Br. Gabriel made his vows of stability, fidelity, and obedience, committing himself to the monastic way of life for the next three years.

In his homily, Abbot Placid assured Br. Gabriel, with the words of Jesus from John 12:26: “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”

As Br. Gabriel begins this new chapter of prayer and discernment under the guidance of Father Elias, Belmont Abbey College joins in offering prayers and support, looking forward to witnessing the growth of his vocation in the years to come.

Congratulations, Br. Gabriel!

06/26/2024

Check out this podcast from Tan Books' "Till and Keep" series, featuring Abbey alumnus Craig Taffaro '13, who owns and runs Melvin Hill Meats with his wife Abby (Poetker) Taffaro '13! https://bit.ly/4cBTng1

06/16/2024

Happy Father's Day from all of us at Belmont Abbey College! We hope you enjoy the excerpt below from a book written by Lori Myers, a Belmont Abbey Alumna. She graciously allowed us to share this from "A Man of Integrity," written about her own father:

A virtue is a beneficial character trait that helps us succeed and protects us from harm. Our virtues lay the foundation for us to live morally good lives.

Everyone has virtues, but not all our virtues are the same. We’re born with certain virtuous character traits, and others we learn along the way.

I was gifted with several virtues through my dad, both genetically and because of the way he treated my mom, parented us, and, in general, took care of his family and respected those around him. He displayed humility (quietly sharing his accolades over dinner), loyalty (he and my mom were married over fifty years!), and responsibility (working third shifts and sometimes more than one job so he could be there for and support his wife and five children, which he had before the age of twenty-seven). These virtues were evident in his everyday coming and going.

Dad was obedient to God too. However, religion and faith were private affairs—we didn’t discuss these things until this last season in his life, after his ALS diagnosis, when the time for him to transition to his heavenly home was fast approaching. It’s been an honor to share my collection of letters to heaven highlighting my dad’s goodness and legacy.

My dad was a gift to all who knew him.

I hope and pray you, dear reader, don’t live one more minute without telling the people you love how special they are.