Father Alberic Culhane, O.S.B.

Monk of Saint John's Abbey
Collegeville, Minnesota

Born: October 24, 1930

Professed: July 11, 1953

Ordained: June 1, 1957

Died: September 26

Richard Leo Culhane was the youngest of four children born to Alexander Francis and Ruth (Lynch) Culhane in Huron, South Dakota, on October 24, 1930.

Richard completed his elementary and secondary education in Mitchell, South Dakota. He enrolled at Saint John’s University in 1948, earning his baccalaureate degree in 1952 with majors in English and Philosophy.

During his student years, Richard was involved in a number of extracurricular projects. From 1949–50, he was the editor for the Saint John’s University Sagatagan yearbook, and from 1950–51, editor of the Saint John’s University student publication, the Record. Richard was the founding member of the APO (now AKS) Service Fraternity in 1951. He served as the University Student Representative of the National Federation of Catholic College Students, Boston, Massachusetts, from 1950 through 1951, and as president of the University Student Council from 1951–52. For his leadership and academic excellence, Fr. Alberic won the “Outstanding Graduate of 1952” Award from Saint John’s University.

After his novitiate year at Saint John’s Abbey, Richard professed his first vows in 1953, taking the monastic name of Alberic. Besides making profession this year, he also authored a booklet on the topic of the Montserrat Black Virgin replica, took on the position of editor of the Oblate Newsletter, and, in 1954, wrote a history of Saint John’s for the 50th Jubilee Edition of The Sunday Visitor for the St. Cloud Diocese. During these monastic formative years of 1954–56, he joined the editorial staff of the abbey Scriptorium. As a junior monk, Alberic represented Saint John’s Abbey as the point-person and member of the Lutheran/Catholic Seminarians Dialogue.

After final monastic profession in 1956, he continued divinity studies at Saint John’s Seminary (begun in 1953) and was ordained to the priesthood in 1957. Fr. Alberic pursued graduate education at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and earned an M.A. in Scripture in 1964. He then enrolled at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, where he studied theology and literature.

As a student of the Bible, early on Fr. Alberic developed a passionate interest in the witness of extra biblical sources, especially in the field of archaeology. In pursuit of this research, he was awarded at least ten grants to pursue archeological fieldwork from 1963-1982. He was also able to secure funds to construct the Early Bronze “Diorama” in the Alcuin Library (SJU) in 1982. His leadership skills were recognized as he was offered the directorship of the ASOR/ACOR five-year residency, six-nation excavation at Jerash, Jordan—a notable Greco-Roman site. Unfortunately, he had to turn it down because of his mother’s frail health.

Fr. Alberic remained a member of the core staff at the ASOR/ACOR Consortium Excavations during the summers of 1977 through 1981. This archaeological work bore fruit in curricular matters as well. From 1975 through 1982 Fr. Alberic was director of the Near Eastern Field Studies Program for Saint John’s University.

Fr. Alberic was committed to the planned development of the inner campus at Saint John’s. He served as chair of the Saint John’s University Corporate Committee on Grounds, which oversaw the Inter-Design Master Plan for the Inner and Outer Campus, from 1973–84. In consultation and with the generous help of Bailey Nurseries, he was able to bring many beautiful plantings to the inner campus.

Fr. Alberic was an excellent teacher of theology and Scripture and taught undergraduates for many years. He also taught in the Honors Colloquium at Saint John’s University from 1977–78.

Fr. Alberic was appointed acting president of Saint John’s University in the academic year 1980-1981. From 1983–86 he served as vice president of Institutional Advancement for Saint John’s University and was also Executive Assistant to the President for University Relations from 1987- . He was also a member of the National Alumni Board from 1996 through 1999, as well as being a facilitator for the Men’s Spirituality Program beginning in 1994-2008.

Fr. Alberic served as a Benedictine host in the Abbey and University Church on major feasts, solemnities, and Sundays from 1985 until 2010 and was a welcoming presence to neighbors, alums, and guests. He also chaired the abbey’s Committee on Communications and Publications from 1981 through 1994. From 2001 to the present, Fr. Alberic was both a contributor to and a member of the publications committee of the Abbey Banner.

Although Fr. Alberic was involved in numerous leadership and professional responsibilities at home and abroad, he was a gracious member of the monastic community while serving with a ready smile and welcoming personality.

Father Alberic died on September 20, 2026 in the abbey retirement center at Saint John’s Abbey. He is survived by nieces and nephews, and the community of Saint John’s Abbey. The monks, family, and friends will receive the body at 7:00 pm on Friday, September 25 and celebrate the Mass of Christian Burial of Father Alberic at 10:30 am on Saturday, September 26 in Saint John’s Abbey and University Church, with interment in the Abbey Cemetery following the service. The funeral will be live-streamed at https://www.youtube.com/saintjohnsabbey