Greeting every visitor who approaches the Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica, a bronze statue of Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, founder of the first Benedictine monastery and school in the United States, stands prominently at the basilica entrance. In one hand is the Read more…
In the beginning… St. Vincent is only a view, a lovely panorama from my home. St. Vincent is a cloistered place where few women dare to tread. St. Vincent is a New monastery forbidden but for a few. A place Read more…
The story of the Sisters of Mercy in western Pennsylvania connects with that of the Saint Vincent Benedictines from earliest days. We came to the newly established diocese of Pittsburgh with its first bishop, Michael O’Connor, in 1843, and in Read more…
Benedictines from Saint Vincent Archabbey first went to China in 1925 when the country was in the midst of armed conflicts between warlords and revolutionary forces trying to unify the fledgling Republic. The Benedictines intended to begin a priory in Read more…
The story of our priory in Brazil begins with the Saint Vincent community meeting of January 9, 1963. An excerpt from the minutes of that meeting reads as follows: In regard to the Priory of Santos, many capitulars were interested, Read more…
Benedict’s name and tradition arrived at Saint Vincent with Boniface Wimmer and his eighteen companions. They brought with them the Benedictine way of life from Saint Michael Abbey at Metten in Bavaria and in so doing made Saint Vincent heir Read more…
The Benedictine Sisters were a beloved part of the Saint Vincent community and were responsible for food service from 1931 to 1987. The first group of sisters arrived at Latrobe on February 25, 1931, under the leadership of Mother Leonardo Read more…
No longer able to work, The old sister Sits praying for us all And dozing. In her sleep, She drops her beads; But her gnarled old hands Still move in two familiar patterns: They pull the missing beads And then Read more…
He planted trees. Told he had had but six months or so to live, he planted trees. I wondered why he didn’t plant flowers he’d get to see them bloom. Or why not spend time in prayer and study, Read more…
Brother Cancer came to live with me in the monastery about five years ago. He arrived with an unexpected impact to tell me how important life is, my life, where I am and as I am. Eventually I got the Read more…