Andrew Dominic Ciferni, O. Praem.

Andrew Dominic Ciferni, O. Praem. was born in Philadelphia, PA on February 3, 1942 the oldest of four sons of Amelia and Amedeo Ciferni. He was named Dominic at Baptism, the name of his paternal grandfather. Father Andrew attended Saint Edmond's Elementary School, staffed by the IHM Sisters. Andrew served Mass at Saint Edmond's Parish and loved both the liturgy of the church and his family's roots and rituals from the Abruzzi region of Italy.

Father Andrew attended Bishop Neumann High School in South Philadelphia where he came to know the Norbertines who staffed the school. One week after his graduation from high school in 1959 he attended the dedication of the new Saint Norbert Abbey in DePere, Wisconsin. He received the white Norbertine habit at Daylesford Priory on August 28, 1959. From 1961 to 1965 he lived at St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere and studied at St. Norbert College, graduating in 1965.

In the Fall of 1965 Father Andrew went to Rome to study theology at the Gregorian University, during the final session of Vatican II. During his years in Rome he travelled to many Norbertine abbeys, deeply devoted to the history and charism of the Order, first learned at Daylesford from his novice master, Father Julian Resch, O.Praem. Father Andrew was ordained at Daylesford in 1968 and returned to Rome for one year, obtaining his S.T.L degree from the Gregorianum; he returned to Daylesford for one year where he taught liturgy and theology while serving as Daylesford's Director of Liturgy.

In September 1970 Father Andrew began doctoral studies in liturgy at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA, while serving as Rector of Holy Cross Dorm there. Father Andrew's Notre Dame years were joy-filled and life-changing. He returned to Daylesford in 1974 and was appointed Director of Liturgy. He was also very involved with the Body of Christ Community and taught in Insearch, a program of studies for local men and women in religious formation in their respective communities. At Daylesford he served as Master of Novices. In 1987 he moved to Washington, DC as formation director of Daylesford seminarians. From 1987 to 1991 he taught homiletics and liturgy at The Catholic University, and from 1991 to 1997 was professor and then dean, at Washington Theological Union.

Father Andrew returned to Daylesford in 1997 as Director of Liturgy and Rector of the abbey church. That year he wrote the Vision Statement for Daylesford Abbey. He served on the Liturgical Commission of the Order and then was appointed the chair of the International Commission on Oder Spirituality. He travelled to Norbertine Houses in Europe and India. In the abbey he was Director of Theology students, Director of the Associates, and Prior of the Abbey.

As a member of Archmere's Board of Trustees, Father Andrew composed in 2005 the Archmere Prayer, prayed daily to this day at the school.

In 2013 Father Andrew became the Director of the Center for Norbertine Studies at Saint Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin. He served again as a Trustee of the college, finally serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the college from 2019 to 2022. Father Andrew returned to Daylesford in 2018, but continued to chair the Trustees of the college. He again served on Archmere's Board of Trustees. At Daylesford he served as canonry liturgist, director of formation, master of professed, vocation director, and part of the programming team of the Abbey's Spirituality Center. In 2020 Father Andrew composed the text for the hymn "Novem Saeculi," commemorating the 900th Anniversary of the founding of the Norbertine Order.

In 2014, Fr. Andrew authored the text for “Sound the Bells of Holy Freedom,” which was chosen as the official hymn for the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, presided over by Pope Francis. This was just one more example of how Andrew’s passion for all things liturgical was fueled by what would be the primary focus of his ministry as a Norbertine: to bring the masses to prayer in joyful, intentional words and music.

Though his accomplishments in his life as a Norbertine of Daylesford Abbey are impressive and world renowned, he enjoyed being surrounded by the beauties of the earth most associated with his Italian American heritage and humble upbringing. Most notably, Andrew loved all things Italian: good wine, fine art and specialties to delight his Italian pallet. He loved classical music, was an avid reader of historical, religious and architectural literature with a seemingly endless, unquenchable intellectual curiosity. And of course, he loved everything associated with the Fightin’ Irish of the University of Notre Dame.

During the last three years Father Andrew doctored for cancer. In this Jubilee Year of Hope Father Andrew was a model of Saint Paul's word in Romans 12:12 - "Rejoice in Hope, Endure in Affliction, Persevere in Prayer." If in life, Andrew was a force to be reckoned with as a liturgist extraordinaire, as he faced death, he was the epitome of grace, serenity and surrender to his caretakers and especially to the will of the God he loved and praised his whole religious life. Inspired by Pope Francis' own heroic suffering, Father Andrew died on August 21, 2025, knowing with Pope Francis that "Hope does not disappoint" (Romans 5:5).