Novice Joins Benedictine Community At Saint Meinrad

In a brief ceremony on Aug. 5, Novice Noel Zamora was clothed in the Benedictine habit at Saint Meinrad Archabbey. He now begins a year of monastic formation, including study of the Rule of St. Benedict and monastic history. 

Novice Noel, 40, most recently served as a priest of the Diocese of Lexington, Ky.

A native of Angeles City, Philippines, he earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Ateneo de Manila University in 1998. For two years, he was a college instructor at the University of Assumption before deciding to study for the priesthood.

He earned a Master of Arts in Catholic thought and life in 2004 and a Master of Divinity in 2007, both from Saint Meinrad School of Theology.

He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lexington on May 19, 2007. Father Zamora’s parish assignments have included Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish, Holy Spirit Parish and the University of Kentucky Newman Center, all in Lexington; St. Andrew Parish, Harrodsburg, Ky.; St. Mary Parish, Perryville, Ky.; Jesus Our Savior Parish, Morehead, Ky.; St. Julie Parish, Owingsville, Ky.; and the Morehead State University Newman Center.

He also was a guest columnist for the Harrodsburg Herald from 2012 to 2015 and chaplain of the Morehead State University football team during the 2016-17 year.

As a novice, he takes a year off from formal studies and trades. The novitiate is a time of prayer and learning intended to help a novice discern his vocation as a monk. At the end of this year, a novice may be permitted to profess temporary vows of obedience, fidelity to the monastic way of life and stability in the community of Saint Meinrad.