The Benedictines In Minnesota

Between 1854 in 1857 many Catholics came to the United States from Germany and settled in central Minnesota at St Cloud and in the Sauk Valley their religious and educational needs were met by the Benedictines the Benedictine Order and rule established at Monte Casino Italy in 529 and spread far beyond in the 1840s Boniface swimmer a monk at the Abbey of Madden in Bavaria promoted mission work in the United States established a monastery in Pennsylvania free became the first American Benedictine at it and subsequently became an important figure in the creation of St John's Abbey and university in the 1850s Benedict to reap a nun from the St Walburg abby in the next at the various spearheaded the movement of Benedictine sisters from St Marys Pennsylvania to central Minnesota where they founded St Benedictine monastery and eventually the College of Saint Benedict the Benedictine monks and nuns of the Order of Saint Benedict originally from Bavaria arrived in St Cloud area from Pennsylvania in the 1850s by the mid 1860 they had moved to their present location the nuns to St Joseph and the month to Collegeville these institutions have preserved excellent late 19th and early 20th century buildings which possesses store integrity and importance St John's also preserved several buildings designed by internationally known architect Marcel Breuer including the famous church the Benedictines of Minnesota have established reputations through their many services to humanity for nearly a century and a half the created important acdemies schools of higher education hospitals orphanages homes for the aged and missions with you can beyond Minnesota parts of the country and world in addition they are pioneers in establishing Public Radio the liturgical an ecumenical movement pastoral work educational publishing arts and crafts and the development of a world-renowned library.