Marcel Rooney, O.S.B. was the eighth Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Confederation. He was born on 20 September 1937, professed solemn vows 12 September 1958 and was ordained to the priesthood on 21 September 1963. He was elected Abbot of Conception Abbey on 14 April 1993, was blessed 10 May 1993, was elected Abbot Primate and Abbot of Sant’Anselmo on 18 September 1996 and resigned on 3 September 2000.
Most recently he has taught at The College of Saint Mary Magdalen (now Northeast Catholic College) in Warner, New Hampshire. He used to teach at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Liturgy at Sant'Anselmo in Rome, Italy. He has consulted on the liturgy to Blessed John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
In May 2011, it was reported that Rooney would be establishing the Saint Gregory Institute of Pastoral Liturgy, Music, and Art on the site of the Durward's Glen retreat center in the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin, at the invitation of Bishop Robert Morlino. The institute is planned to offer workshops, retreats and online education.