Father Michael Naughton, OSB

Monk of Saint John's Abbey
Collegeville, Minnesota

Born: 3, May 1939

Professed: 11, July 1960

Ordained: 4, June 1966

Died: 9, September 2023

Michael Edward Naughton was born on May 3, 1939, in Marshalltown, Iowa, to Edward Joseph and Mildred (Moyer) Naughton. His father was a plumbing supplies salesman, and his mother was a housekeeper. Michael was especially fond of his brother, Donovan (1949-2007), who was diagnosed with Down syndrome. His mother took the initiative and organized a county school for the handicapped. Michael attended Saint Mary’s Parochial School (1945-1953) and Saint Mary’s High School, graduating as class valedictorian and president in 1957.

During his senior year, Michael became interested in joining the Trappist community at New Melleray (Dubuque). His pastor encouraged him to wait and look at the Benedictine Order after college. Michael initially enrolled at Loras College but received the catalog of Saint John’s University and was impressed by the description and photographs. In his novitiate autobiography, Michael remarked: “With a $100 scholarship, I tore up the ‘Papers of Affiliation with the Archdiocese of Dubuque’ and entered upon a new venture at Saint John’s in Collegeville.”

Michael began his first year in the priesthood program in Anselm Hall in 1957. In July 1959, Michael entered the novitiate, receiving the religious name of Austin (returned to Michael following Vatican Council II). He made his first profession as a Benedictine monk on July 11, 1960, and final solemn profession in 1963. Continuing his undergraduate studies, Michael graduated in 1962 from Saint John’s University with a B.A. degree in philosophy. Priesthood studies followed, culminating with ordination on June 4, 1966, at Saint Mary’s Cathedral, Saint Cloud, and receiving an M.Div. degree.

After ordination, Father Michael was assigned as an associate pastor in the parishes of Saint Bernard’s (Saint Paul), 1966-1967; Saint Boniface (Hastings), 1967-1968; and Saint Joseph (Saint Joseph), 1968-1971. From 1969-1972, he was the executive director of the summer Institute for Mental Health at Collegeville. Father Michael spent a year (1971-1972) doing clinical pastoral studies at the Institute for Religion and Human Development (Houston, Texas) and returned to direct the pastoral education program in the School of Theology and as a faculty resident in the seminary. Continuing his pastoral studies at Kansas State University, Father Michael was awarded a Master of Science degree in counseling (1976). For a year (1980-1981), Father Michael was appointed University Chaplain of Saint John’s.  

In August 1981, he joined a small group of monks who were sent to Saint Augustine’s Monastery (Bahamas) to assist and reorganize the community there. Returning to Saint John’s in 1984, Father Michael resumed teaching and was appointed an editor at the Liturgical Press. He also served on the chaplain team for Saint Benedict’s Monastery (Saint Joseph).

Father Michael was appointed the director of the Liturgical Press in July 1988. During this time, the Liturgical Press acquired the Michael Glazier Inc. religious book titles and the Pueblo Publishing Company. He also introduced desktop publishing and expanded the Spanish-language book titles. In 1998, Michael accepted for the Liturgical Press the Jerome Award by the Catholic Library Association for outstanding contribution to excellence in scholarship. At the ceremony, Father Michael stated: "I accept the award not only for myself, but for the group which we have come to call 'The People of the Press' who have had the good grace to accept me as the director, and who collaborate fully in the acceptance and publication of our titles. I accept it also for my confreres at Saint John's Abbey - a sometimes ordinary and sometimes quite remarkable staff who have given me much support and encouragement in this job."

Upon his retirement from the Liturgical Press in 2001, Father Michael was recognized by the board of directors of the Catholic Book Publishing Association, bestowing on him a Lifetime Achievement Award for his progressive leadership for the Church. 

After leaving the Liturgical Press, Father Michael immersed himself in German and Italian for a year and then was assigned to a number of positions: Administrator, Mary, Mother of the Church Abbey in Richmond, Virginia (2002–2004); Prior for the community at Sant’ Anselmo Abbey in Rome (2004 – 2009) and procurator for the American Cassinese Congregation. After returning to Minnesota, he became pastor of the Church of Seven Dolors, Albany, and the Church of Saint Anthony, Saint Anthony (2009-2013).

Having learned to play the pipe organ while in high school, Father Michael was active in the music program of the Abbey. Over the years he sang in the monastery schola, served as music director, liturgy director, and choirmaster, as well as organist for the community (1960-2014). He remarked: “I probably should have gone into music, but I derive much pleasure from it simply as a hobby and pastime.”

In his last several years, Father Michael's pastoral ministry and social interaction were increasingly restricted by severe hearing loss. Still, he enjoyed reading and had a great devotion to the daily crossword puzzles in newspapers.

Father Michael died of a stroke in the Saint Cloud Hospital in the presence of monks. He is survived by cousins and confreres of Saint John's Abbey. The monks, relatives, and friends will receive the body at 7:00 p.m. on September 13 and celebrate the Mass of Christian Burial for Father Michael at 3:30 p.m. on September 14 in the Saint John’s Abbey and University Church, with interment in the Abbey Cemetery.  The service will be live-streamed at www.saintjohnsabbey.org/live. 

We ask each community member to offer two Masses according to the manner of his participation in the priesthood of Christ. We commend our brother Michael for your prayers.

Abbot John Klassen OSB
and the monks of Saint John’s Abbey