Brother John was born on August 29th,
1924, in Burlington,
Vermont, to William and Alice (Hebert) Hammond. He was named Robert at
birth in honor of Bishop Robert Joyce of Burlington. In 1950 he was ordained to
priesthood for the diocese of Burlington. He met Abbot Leo von Rudloff, Abbot
of Dormition Abbey in Jerusalem, in August 1953 when the diocese welcomed Leo
to found a Benedictine monastery in Vermont. It was the occasion of a
Pontifical High Field Mass at South Park. There was something new here for Father
Robert and he felt that Abbot Leo’s homily was quite like the writings of
Thomas Merton.
On June
24, 1958, the now called Father John made Monastic Profession in the
Chapel at Weston Priory. The young community was still in its first years and
it was discerned that the community needed solid ground to continue growing.
Thus, Father John was sent to Ottawa to study psychology. This was also where
he received his Seminary Education. The schooling was excellent and prepared
him for future responsibilities. When he came back to the Priory, he was asked
to become its fourth Prior. He loved to remind the community that there were no
other ordained members at that time, so he was the only choice!
When asked to offer leadership in the community he was
clear that there was only one condition, “That I may remain a brother among
brothers.” Abbot Leo agreed, but as he would say, “I was the mother who gave
birth to Weston Priory, but brother John is the founder.” Abbot Leo retired to
the Weston community in 1968 and became “brother Leo”. The community slowly and
at times painfully has continued to learn what it means to brother each other,
a process that continues to this day.
Brother
John retired as Prior towards the end of 1997. These last years have given the
whole community a wonderful learning opportunity. As brother John’s hearing
continued to decline and the clarity of his memory faded, there was always one
priority that he kept very clear: “I want to be with the brothers.” The gift of
presence was given to us especially at our common prayer which occurs five
times a day, and at our evening recreation where we sit in a circle and share
about our day. Brother John, losing his hearing, tired and sometimes asleep,
wanted to be there with us.
Brother John died in the midst of his
brothers at Weston Priory in the early morning of March 19, 2025. A public
memorial Eucharist was celebrated at Weston Priory in the afternoon of the day
of his passing to his new life in God. His burial will be on Pentecost Sunday, June 8,
2025, following the 11:30 am Eucharist at Weston Priory.
Perhaps
it is fitting to end with how he finished the obituary for our founding abbot
and brother Leo, “He is now among the truly living in the hands of the one
God. Let us join him in prayer and praise.”
