Abbot Jerome Kodell, O.S.B. was born in Clarksville, Arizona on the 19th of January, 1940. In 1959, he made profession as Benedictine monk, at Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas. He was ordained a priest in 1965 and took advanced degrees in theology and scripture in Rome.
From 1969 through 1987, he taught at the Subiaco Academy, and was also the director of new monks through most of that time. He spent two years in Belize, in Central America, at the Santa Familia monastery there.
On the 8th of November, 1989, he was elected abbot of Subiaco Abbey, and served the community as abbot until his resignation on the 24th of March 2015. He is currently active in the community as a carpenter, in the development office, and teaching formation classes.
He is the author of several books:
The Catholic Bible Study Handbook, Servant Books, 1985/rev. 2001
The Eucharist in the New Testament, Glazier, 1988
Twelve Keys to Prayer, Liturgical Press, 1999.
Don’t Trust the Abbot, Liturgical Press, 2009.
Life Lessons from the Monastery, Word Among Us Press, 2010