“The way the situation is here, it is not possible to stand still and to limit oneself to a certain area or place or number: we go forward, we must take hold of every opportunity and expand, even if we have not yet had time to complete a previous task. Read more…
In 1859 the Abbot of St. Vincent undertook his second journey to Minnesota for visitation. He stopped at St. Cloud and from there went on to St. Joseph, where in those days there were only a few houses. The brothers who lived there worked mostly in the “Indian bush” during Read more…
The Minnesotan Benedictines first called the place designated for the future monastery “St. Ludwig on the Lake.” However, since they had already received a title to the so-called “Rothkopf Addition” near the little town of St. Cloud on March 6, 1857, where they had initially planned to settle, calling it, Read more…
Abbot Wimmer introduced hospitality in his monastery, according to the Rule of St. Benedict, and he took care of even the poorest travelers, the so-called tramps. The abbot of St. Vincent had made it his mission to establish a Benedictine monastery modeled on the monasteries of the Middle Ages. All Read more…
“It was exactly twelve years since I, with four students and fifteen farmers and tradesmen, destined to become lay brothers, left New York (having arrived there on September 16, 1846), and set out for the interior of Pennsylvania in order to look for a suitable site for a monastery. Divine Read more…
“The question of whether we should think about founding new monasteries in the West now or only later is a vital concern to us. There are reasons for it and against it. I would not be in America if I had not been firmly convinced that there was a need Read more…
Boniface Wimmer’s attempts to get Saint Vincent elevated to the rank of an Abbey, and to allow for the appointment of an Abbot went to Rome, where he put forth: “It is undeniably inherent in the nature of the situation, and supported by the history of all Orders, [Fr. Boniface Read more…
“Like Noah’s ark, all sorts of creatures from everywhere gather under our roof. Often, too, useless guests come, who disappear after a while or get sent away. To him who knocks, the door is opened. Some leave soon, others only after months. Some even return and are admitted again. Whoever Read more…
“By laboring, the brothers are to prove that they do not enter the monastery to devote themselves to a life of comfortable leisure, but rather that they are endeavoring to “enter through the narrow gate,” that they do not recoil at the word of the Apostle, “He who does not Read more…
“Now we are 14 priests and 16 clerics. The number of brothers stands at 77, of whom 20 will receive their habit next week. Out of their midst also death has taken two victims. Among these 77 brothers are 5 blacksmiths, 5 carpenters, 5 woodworkers, 4 masons, 2 tanners, 1 Read more…