Abbot Thomas Joseph Conroy, OSB
Abbot Gerard resigned in June of 1998 after three years, whereupon the Chapter elected the ninth abbot, Father Thomas Confroy, on 25 June.
After his ordination in 1958, the then-Father Thomas had taught and served as assistant headmaster at Delbarton School under Father Stephen. The war in Vietnam and the need to serve the pastoral needs of the men and women in service called, however, and he entered the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps in the early 1960s. He served in Vietnam, often under fire, and continued a thirty year military career during which he rose to the rank of Colonel. He had not been long retired from the army when he was called upon to serve as abbot.
In 1999, Abbot Thomas appointed Father Luke Travers to succeed Father Giles as headmaster of Delbarton School. Father Luke would serve until 2007, thus breaking the five year tradition. It was under the aegis of Abbot Thomas and Father Luke that the long hoped for Fine Arts Center began to become a reality. Ground was broken by Abbot Thomas on 15 June 2005.