Father Adam Begnaud has just been named pastor of St. Benedict’s Parish in Covington. You may know him as the manager of the St. Joseph Abbey Gift Shop and Visitor Center in Saint Benedict, near Covington. He has recently published a book on the beautiful murals that grace the abbey environment.

Tell us about your new book …

“Living in Salvation” is a celebration of the murals at the abbey that were painted by Dom Gregory de Witt, OSB starting in the 1940s. The “Angels and Evangelists” depicted in the dome of the church is a widely recognized image, but there are many others. His depiction of “The Last Supper” in the refectory covers 732 square feet, and is believed to be the largest rendering of the event in the world.

What’s your background?

I’ve been at the monastery for 15 years, after entering when I was 29—later than most. My master’s degree from the University of North Texas is in interdisciplinary studies—aesthetic education covering music, visual arts, dance and theater.

How does that influence your ministry?

For me, the arts and theology work together. That principle has been a part of everything I’ve done: from teaching sacred art and art appreciation at the seminary college to working on special events in the development office to managing the gift shop and giving lectures and retreats—and now, to being a pastor.

What excites you the most about being St. Benedict’s pastor?

Being of assistance in leading people on their spiritual journey through prayer and work together. The parish has always been active in social concerns, such as the Samaritan Center and a Meals-on-Wheels-type program it offers on Wednesdays. Social outreach is important to me.

How do you see the gift shop and its ministry?

My approach to the shop is that the items we offer do not have to be exclusively Catholic, or even Christian, but they must be things that enhance the beauty of our environment and enhance spirituality in our everyday life.

I see the gift shop as having two main purposes. The idealistic side is outreach: making quality art and books available to all people, not just Catholics or other Christians. Our book selection is broader and more challenging than most. The shop also functions as a visitor’s center, organizing tours of the murals to groups of 10 or more people, and offering a booklet for a self-guided tour for smaller groups.

The shop’s practical purpose is that the proceeds go to support the monks and their ministries at the abbey. Although I don’t have any formal business training, small business is in my blood. My mother’s side of the family is entrepreneurial, having owned grocery stores, hardware stores, restaurants—even casinos.

I noticed that you stock Walker Percy’s books.

He was an oblate—a lay person who associates with the monastery to share in our spirituality—who taught at the seminary. He is buried in our cemetery.

Your recent lecture had a fascinating title: “Between a Rock and a Soft Place.” What did you talk about?

How art is based in a common understanding of who God is, and how it helps us to have a calmer life, to not be as hectic.