Saint Vincent Archabbey
Encyclopedia
Saint Vincent Archabbey, was founded in 1846 by Father Boniface Wimmer
, OSB, and is the oldest Benedictine
monastery
in the United States
.
The Benedictine monks of Saint Vincent
Archabbey operate and teach at Saint Vincent College
and Saint Vincent Seminary
in Latrobe, Pennsylvania
, located 40 miles (64.4 km) southeast of Pittsburgh
. The monks also provide pastoral care for Catholics in the Dioceses of Baltimore, Greensburg, Pittsburgh
, Harrisburg
, Altoona-Johnstown
, and Richmond. The monks also run a military school in Savannah, Georgia
(Benedictine Military School
). The Archabbey also has priories in Taiwan and Brazil.
The current archabbot of St. Vincent's is Rt. Reverend Douglas Nowicki, O.S.B. who was elected by the monastic community in 1991 and reelected in 2010.
Monks from this abbey founded Saint John's Abbey
(Collegeville, Minnesota), Saint Bernard Abbey (Cullman, Alabama), Saint Benedict Abbey (Atchison, Kansas), Saint Mary's Abbey (Morristown, New Jersey), Saint Bede Abbey (Peru, Illinois), Saint Procopius Abbey (Lisle, Illinois), and Mary Help of Christians Abbey (Belmont, North Carolina).
Boniface Wimmer
Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B. was a German monk who in 1846 founded the first Benedictine monastery in the United States, Saint Vincent Archabbey, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, forty miles southeast of Pittsburgh...
, OSB, and is the oldest Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The Benedictine monks of Saint Vincent
Vincent de Paul
Vincent de Paul was a priest of the Catholic Church who became dedicated to serving the poor. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He was canonized in 1737....
Archabbey operate and teach at Saint Vincent College
Saint Vincent College
Saint Vincent College is a four-year, coeducational, Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, located about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It was founded in 1846 by Boniface Wimmer, a monk from Bavaria, Germany. It was the first Benedictine monastery in the...
and Saint Vincent Seminary
Saint Vincent Seminary
Saint Vincent Seminary is the fourth oldest Roman Catholic seminary in the United States and is located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, forty miles southeast of Pittsburgh....
in Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...
, located 40 miles (64.4 km) southeast of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. The monks also provide pastoral care for Catholics in the Dioceses of Baltimore, Greensburg, Pittsburgh
Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is a Roman Catholic diocese. It was established in Western Pennsylvania on August 11, 1843. The diocese includes 211 parishes in the counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence, and Washington, an area of with a Catholic population of 719,801...
, Harrisburg
Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg covers 15 counties of South Central Pennsylvania: Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York. The seat of the bishop is in St...
, Altoona-Johnstown
Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown is a Roman Catholic diocese in Pennsylvania. It was established in May 1901 as the Diocese of Altoona; on October 9, 1957 the name changed to the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. It consists of Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Clinton, Huntingdon and...
, and Richmond. The monks also run a military school in Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
(Benedictine Military School
Benedictine Military School
Benedictine Military School is a Benedictine, military, all-male high school located in Savannah, Georgia, United States...
). The Archabbey also has priories in Taiwan and Brazil.
The current archabbot of St. Vincent's is Rt. Reverend Douglas Nowicki, O.S.B. who was elected by the monastic community in 1991 and reelected in 2010.
Monks from this abbey founded Saint John's Abbey
Saint John's Abbey
Saint John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota is a Benedictine monastery affiliated with the American Cassinese Congregation. The Abbey was established following the arrival in the area of monks from Saint Vincent Abbey of Latrobe, Pennsylvania in 1856. Saint John's is the second-largest...
(Collegeville, Minnesota), Saint Bernard Abbey (Cullman, Alabama), Saint Benedict Abbey (Atchison, Kansas), Saint Mary's Abbey (Morristown, New Jersey), Saint Bede Abbey (Peru, Illinois), Saint Procopius Abbey (Lisle, Illinois), and Mary Help of Christians Abbey (Belmont, North Carolina).