Br. Jeffery Williams, OSB, Sub Prior, Director of the Retreat Center and Abbey Gift Shop
Br. Jeffery was born in Mason West Virginia and later attended the College of Southern Maryland. He specialized in music and drama and was a Statewide competitor as a tenor in various choir competitions. In 1979 he joined the U.S. Navy, serving aboard the USS Cochrane (DDG-21) as a Yeomen Second Class, filling the billet of the Ships Legal man and aide to the Ship Captain. From there he was stationed in Patuxent River, MD, with the Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ-4), in charge of the operation expenses managing a $3 million operations fund.  After a year in this role, he was transferred to the Naval Chaplain School, Newport, Rhode Island, as instructor to Naval Chaplains and was in charge of operational expenses and a direct aide to the Command Chaplain.

In 1989, after honorably serving his country, he left the Navy and began working at several group homes providing care for children and adults who were both mentally and physically challenged, as well as with children who suffered from AIDS-virus related diseases and with children with drug addiction.  From 1995 to 1998, he served for three years working both in Maryland and Virginia with state legislators on bills addressing the special needs of children and adults. He also worked with Virginia family courts assisting in the care of boys who had trouble with the law or who were being taken from their families for a variety of reasons. In 1999, he joined Mary Mother of the Church Abbey and started a new life as a Benedictine monk.  At the Abbey, Br. Jeffery has served as Retreat Director for the last 9 years and several years ago opened the Abbey Gift shop serving as its manager. He presently serves the monastic community as Subprior while continuing his other roles.