Saint Meinrad

Saint Meinrad Archabbey, located in St. Meinrad, Indiana, was established in 1854 by the Abbey of Einsiedeln in Switzerland. A southern Indiana priest, Fr. Joseph Kundek, asked the Swiss monks to start a foundation here to help minister to the growing German-speaking Catholic population and to establish a seminary that would prepare local men to become priests. In the 150+ years since, the Benedictine community at Saint Meinrad has grown to more than 95 monks. One of only two archabbeys in the United States, Saint Meinrad has founded five other monasteries: Marmion Abbey in Aurora, IL; Blue Cloud Abbey in Marvin, SD; Subiaco Abbey in Subiaco, AR; St. Joseph Abbey in St. Benedict, LA; and Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, CA. Five times each day, the monks gather for the Liturgy of the Hours or Mass. The monks conduct retreats, serve as chaplains and offer pastoral assistance to parishes. They also operate other apostolates—particularly the School of Theology, Abbey Press and Abbey Caskets. The monks began teaching in 1857, when they offered secondary education with courses in commerce, the classics, philosophy and theology. After 1887, the monks focused their educational efforts on preparing men for the priesthood. Today, Saint Meinrad also offers graduate-level programs for lay ministry students, a formation program for permanent deacons and continuing education programs. More than 6,000 alumni of Saint Meinrad currently serve the Catholic Church and society in the U.S. and around the world. Abbey Press is a manufacturing and international marketing company. It began in 1867 when the monks purchased a small, secondhand printing press for their own printing needs. Soon, the monks realized they could minister to a wider audience through the printed word. Since then, the printing plant has expanded and, in addition, Abbey Press offers inspirational and religious cards, gifts, books and other publications to Christian families around the world. Saint Meinrad’s newest venture began in the spring of 1999 with the establishment of Abbey Caskets. The handcrafted caskets and cremation urns are made of hardwoods such as poplar, oak, walnut and cherry and are sold directly to the public. Like Abbey Press, the proceeds from this enterprise support the Benedictine monastic community.