Abbey celebrates ordination

The monks of Saint Gregory's Abbey continue to celebrate the ordination of Father Peter (Matthew) Shults, O.S.B., to the priesthood. The Most Reverend Paul S. Coakley, Archbishop of Oklahoma City, conferred the Sacrament of Holy Orders on Father Peter during Mass in the Abbey Church on May 31, the Feast of the Visitation of Mary. Priests, deacons, and representatives from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, the Diocese of Tulsa, the Archdiocese for Military Services, Oblates of Saint Gregory's Abbey, Saint Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary, as well as many mentors and friends, attended the ordination festivities at the Abbey.

The son of Darrell and Louis Shults, Father Peter was primarily raised in Del City. After college, he served with distinction in the United States Army for ten years. He entered the novitiate at Saint Gregory's Abbey in 2015, professing vows as a monk on July 11, 2016. It was during his initial monastic formation that he began to explore whether God was calling him to the priesthood within the monastic community.

Father Peter pursued philosophy courses at Saint Gregory's University and completed theological studies at Saint Meinrad Seminary in Indiana. The formation and guidance he received there, along with conversations with Abbot Lawrence, confirmed his path to the priesthood. Father Peter completed a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Meinrad Seminary and a Baccalaureate of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) from the Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselmo in Rome, Italy.

As part of his seminary formation, Father Peter had ministerial experiences in parishes, prisons, and hospitals. In response to the limitations on field experiences due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he initiated a telephone and online ministry to Oblates of Saint Gregory's Abbey who were restricted to their homes in various regions of the country. He completed Clinical Pastoral Education at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City in the summer of 2022.

These experiences were a key part of his preparation for ministry as a priest. He said, "Whether I was assigned as a chaplain at a hospital or served as the deacon at a parish in rural Indiana, I learned that all God asks is that I love without reservation. I learned that whenever God asks someone to do something, He always gives that person the strength and the grace to do it. I have come to understand that the love of neighbor is a sacrifice, but when we truly love God... then we truly love His handiwork and those created in His image. How can I not love Him? How can I not offer to pour myself out when He poured Himself out for me?"

In his homily during the Mass of Ordination, Archbishop Coakley spoke of the importance of the priest in our cultural context. He said, "A priest today must be first and foremost a disciple of the Lord Jesus, a faithful disciple, a witness to the Lord Jesus, a herald of the Gospel to a world that is in such great need of good news."

Father Peter recalled his experience during the Rite of Ordination, "As the bishop laid his hands on me, I began to weep. However, they weren't tears of sadness... they were tears flowing from the understanding that I'm unworthy of the grace God has given me. Yet, I could feel Christ looking down on me in love despite all my flaws. I could feel the Holy Spirit asking me in my heart... Would you give me all? Would you even be willing to bleed from the inside out for me? If so... then get up! Go!," Father Peter said.

Abbot Lawrence commented that Father Peter is deeply committed to the cause of the New Evangelization. He said, "Father Peter hopes to contribute to this important time of evangelization in a way that is consistent with the charism and life of Benedictine monasticism. As positive as his experience at Saint Meinrad Seminary has been, it is wonderful to have him back at his home monastery full-time without the need to return to school. God has graced Father Peter with many gifts, and it is a joy to see his eagerness to place those gifts in service to the Gospel."

Regarding what he hopes will be the hallmark of his life as a Benedictine priest, Father Peter said, "When all is said and done, I hope that my priesthood communicates the power of Christ's radical love. I don't consider the hallmark of a successful priesthood to be developing into a phenomenal preacher or a wise spiritual director. Rather, I believe that Christ will ultimately ask whether or not I loved with the love that He gave me. My one desire is to hear our Lord say to me 'Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master.'"

When asked for his advice to men considering consecrated life or the priesthood, Father Peter said, "Prayer is critical to discernment. If I had one bit of advice for anyone discerning, it would be that developing a healthy prayer life is of the utmost importance. Curiously, the more one encounters Christ in prayer, the more one longs to give of themselves in whatever way Christ asks for them to give. Constant, daily contact with God in prayer is far more important than any exam, homework, or practicum assignment."

Father Peter will reside at Saint Gregory's Abbey and serve in a variety of ministries, including as the director of the conference center at the Abbey, for which he will organize retreats and days of reflection for the public and host groups wishing to visit the Abbey. He will also provide occasional coverage and sacramental ministry to parishes and military chapels throughout Oklahoma.


Photos: Theresa Bragg.