The Very Reverend Luke Anderson, O. Cist.

The Very Reverend Luke Anderson,O.Cist, was born in New York City in 1927 to John and Nora (Conway) Anderson. He was the eldest of four children. 
After attending New York City schools, he entered the Saint Louis de Montfort Seminary in Bay Shore, Long Island and in 1944 matriculated at Columbia University. 
He joined the Cistercian Order in 1948 at Our Lady of the Valley, Valley Falls, Rhode Island.  He pronounced his solemn vows in 1953 at the relocated monastery, Saint Joseph's Abbey, Spencer, Massachusetts and was ordained there in 1954.
Father Luke earned his Ph.L. and his Ph.D in Philosophy at the Angelicum
(Saint Thomas University) in Rome and a Masters in Theology from Princeton.  He was an international lecturer, published two books and numerous monographs on medieval and Cistercian texts. He was a visiting professor at several prestigious US universities. 
Father Luke was a member of the Board of Directors and Board of Educators for Cistercian publications at Western Michigan University and an active participant for over three decades in the  International Congress of Medieval  Studies.

He was also a member of The National Association of Scholars, The Fellowship of Catholic Scholars and The Calvin Studies Society. 
Father Luke was trained and certified in Clinical Pastoral Education at Allentown State Hospital and ministered there.
Over the years, he conducted retreats for priests, religious and laity. He traveled and worked for over 25 years with Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta and her nuns.
He was the founding Prior of Saint Mary's Monastery in New Ringgold, Pennsylvania.
He spent the last three years of his life at the Villa for Priests in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  
Father Luke is survived by his sister, Annmarie of Port Jefferson, New York and many nieces, nephews.

An afternoon visitation will be held at the Hamilton-Breiner Funeral Home, Inc., Orwigsburg from 2:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Friday January 10th.

On Saturday January 11th at 11:00 AM  a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church, Schuylkill Haven, with the Most Reverend Alfred A. Schlert, Bishop of Allentown, officiating. A viewing will be held in the church from 10:00 AM until Mass begins at 11:00.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Holy Family Villa for Priests, 1325 Prospect Ave, Bethlehem, PA 18018.

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