The Saint Benedict Education Foundation hosted a lecture recently by Archbishop J. Peter Sartain on the campus of Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

Archbishop Sartain was recently named Metropolitan Archbishop of Seattle by Pope Benedict XVI, and prior to that served as the bishop of the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois. He spoke on “The Sacred Liturgy and the New Evangelization.”

“Sant’ Anselmo can be seen from many parts of Rome,” he said, referring to the international Benedictine university, where he earned a licentiate of sacred theology. “These cities set on hills are meant to evangelize,” he added.

Archbishop Sartain is an authority among the American Catholic Bishops on matters of liturgy and sacramental theology, referred to the Benedictine tradition several times, noting that the tradition, “with its training and formation is one of the great blessings we have in the church. One of the greatest blessings of my life is my roots in Benedictine spirituality.”

A Memphis native, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Memphis. He was appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock on January 4, 2000 and was ordained on March 6, 2000. He was installed as Bishop of Joliet on June 27, 2006. He was named Archbishop of Seattle on September 16, 2010. He attended Saint Meinrad College in Indiana, and also studied at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas in Rome.

In addition to his pastoral experience, Archbishop Sartain served as a Director of Vocations, Chancellor, Moderator of the Curia, Vicar for Clergy, and Vicar General. He has also been a chaplain, academic dean for the permanent diaconate formation program, and a member of the Advisory Council for the Institute for Priestly Formation.

He currently is a member of the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.