Douglas Robert Nowicki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Right Reverend Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B. |
|
|---|---|
| Archabbot of Saint Vincent Archabbey | |
 |
|
| Elected | March 1, 1991 - June 2020 |
| Predecessor | Paul Maher |
| Successor | Martin Bartel |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 21, 1972 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 8, 1945 Everson, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Died | July 23, 2024 Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania United States |
| Buried | Saint Vincent Cemetery, Latrobe, Pennsylvania United States |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Parents | Sylvester Nowicki & Evelyn Jackamonis |
| Occupation | Priest, Archabbot |
| Alma mater | Saint Vincent College, Saint Vincent Seminary, University of Tennessee |
| Motto | Cor ad Cor Loquitur (Heart speaks to Heart) |
| Coat of arms |  |
Douglas Robert Nowicki (born May 8, 1945, died July 23, 2024) was a special kind of Catholic priest called a Benedictine monk. For many years, from 1991 to 2020, he was the leader, or Archabbot, of Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. This also meant he was in charge of Saint Vincent College and Saint Vincent Seminary. He became a full Benedictine monk on July 11, 1966, and was made a priest on May 21, 1972. Before becoming Archabbot, he helped the church in different ways, especially in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.
Early Life and School
Douglas Nowicki was born in Everson, Pennsylvania, on May 8, 1945. His parents were Sylvester and Evelyn Nowicki. He grew up with three brothers and sisters.
He went to Catholic schools in Everson and Youngwood, Pennsylvania. He studied philosophy at Saint Vincent College and earned his degree in 1968. He then studied to become a priest at Saint Vincent Seminary, finishing in 1971. Later, he earned a special degree in psychology from the University of Tennessee in 1977.
Becoming a Priest
Douglas Nowicki became a Benedictine monk on July 11, 1966. He was ordained as a priest on May 21, 1972, at the Archabbey Basilica by Bishop William G. Connare.
Before he was chosen as Archabbot, Nowicki worked in several important roles.
- From 1986 to 1991, he was the Secretary for Education for the Diocese of Pittsburgh. This meant he helped oversee Catholic schools.
- From 1984 to 1986, he was the pastor (head priest) of Our Lady, Queen of Peace Parish in Pittsburgh.
- At Saint Vincent College, he was the head of the Psychology Department from 1979 to 1984.
- He also worked as a psychological consultant for the famous children's TV show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood from 1978 to 1984. He helped make sure the show was good for kids' minds.
Leading the Archabbey
| Styles of Douglas R. Nowicki |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Reference style | The Right Reverend |
| Spoken style | Archabbot |
| Religious style | Father Abbot |
| Posthumous style | not applicable |
On January 8, 1991, Douglas Nowicki was chosen by the other monks to be the eleventh Archabbot of Saint Vincent. He officially received his blessing on March 1, 1991, from Bishop Anthony G. Bosco.
During his time as Archabbot, many big changes and improvements happened at Saint Vincent Archabbey, College, Seminary, and Parish.
- A new road was built to make it easier to get to the Saint Vincent campus.
- The Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve was created.
- The Fred M. Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media was built. This center helps people learn about how kids learn and use media.
- Many new buildings and centers were added or improved, like the Carey Student Center and the John and Annette Brownfield Center.
- The Archabbey Basilica, a very old church, got a new organ and its crypt (an underground room) was restored.
- Two new dorms for college students, Rooney Hall and Saint Benedict Hall, were built.
- A new center for Saint Vincent Parish was constructed.
- The Latimer Family Library was renovated.
- A special scholarship program for minority students was started in his honor.
- A large, modern science building, the Sis and Herman Dupré Science Pavilion, was built.
Coat of Arms
|
The blue and white field represents the flag of Bavaria, the country from which founder of the abbey, Abbot Boniface Wimmer, came, while the "V" represents Saint Vincent de Paul, the patron saint of the Archabbey. The three yellow hearts imposed on a red field are representative of the archabbot's personal motto, "Heart speaks to heart." |
A coat of arms is a special symbol that represents a person or a family. Archabbot Douglas Nowicki had his own coat of arms. It combined symbols of Saint Vincent Archabbey with his personal ideas.
- The left side of the shield shows symbols for the Archabbey. The blue and white colors are from the flag of Bavaria, where the abbey's founder came from. The letter "V" stands for Saint Vincent de Paul, the abbey's patron saint.
- The right side of the shield has three yellow hearts on a red background. These hearts represent his personal motto: Cor ad Cor Loquitur, which means "Heart speaks to Heart." This motto was also used by a famous cardinal named John Henry Cardinal Newman.
His Passing
Archabbot Douglas Nowicki passed away on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. He died at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, after a short illness.
