St. Gregory's Abbey (Oklahoma)
Encyclopedia
St. Gregory's Abbey is a Roman Catholic monastery of the American-Cassinese Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation. The monastery, founded by monks of the French monastery of Notre Dame de la Pierre-qui-Vire in 1876, was originally located in present day Konawa, Oklahoma
and called Sacred Heart Abbey. At present the community numbers twenty-six monks and one novices who celebrate the Eucharist and Liturgy of the Hours daily and who staff and administer both the abbey and St. Gregory's University
. Monks also serve as parish priests and hospital chaplains in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
and the Diocese of Tulsa
.
The abbey is located in Shawnee, Oklahoma
.
in October 1875 at the suggestion of the Bishop of Little Rock
. In 1876 they founded Sacred Heart Abbey in what today is Konawa, Oklahoma. The community, led by Rev. Isidore Robot
, OSB, steadily grew until 1901 when a fire destroyed much of the abbey. The community, at the invitation of the city, built their new monastery in Shawnee
. At that time, they also established St. Gregory's College and High School, which today is St. Gregory's University
. That building, now known as Benedictine Hall
, still stands and has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places
.
Konawa, Oklahoma
Konawa is a city in Seminole County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 1,479 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Konawa is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
and called Sacred Heart Abbey. At present the community numbers twenty-six monks and one novices who celebrate the Eucharist and Liturgy of the Hours daily and who staff and administer both the abbey and St. Gregory's University
St. Gregory's University
St. Gregory's University is a private, co-educational Catholic liberal arts university. It is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It has its main campus in Shawnee, and an additional campus in Tulsa.-History:St...
. Monks also serve as parish priests and hospital chaplains in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the midwestern region of the United States. Its ecclesiastical territory includes 46 counties in western Oklahoma. The Most Reverend Paul Stagg Coakley is the current archbishop...
and the Diocese of Tulsa
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the eastern region of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its ecclesiastical territory includes all of 31 counties in eastern Oklahoma, including the most populous county of the group, Tulsa County...
.
The abbey is located in Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...
.
History
French Benedictine monks first arrived in what was then Indian TerritoryIndian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
in October 1875 at the suggestion of the Bishop of Little Rock
Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock is a Roman Catholic diocese in Arkansas. It was founded on November 28, 1843.-History:A dozen Catholic priests accompanied Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto down the Mississippi River in 1541 to a Quapaw Indian village near present-day Helena-West Helena,...
. In 1876 they founded Sacred Heart Abbey in what today is Konawa, Oklahoma. The community, led by Rev. Isidore Robot
Isidore Robot
-Early life:Born July 18, 1837, at Thoriseau, France, Isidore Robot entered the Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery of Saint Marie de la Pierre-qui-Vire, in central France. He was professed as a monk in 1859 and ordained a priest in 1862...
, OSB, steadily grew until 1901 when a fire destroyed much of the abbey. The community, at the invitation of the city, built their new monastery in Shawnee
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...
. At that time, they also established St. Gregory's College and High School, which today is St. Gregory's University
St. Gregory's University
St. Gregory's University is a private, co-educational Catholic liberal arts university. It is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It has its main campus in Shawnee, and an additional campus in Tulsa.-History:St...
. That building, now known as Benedictine Hall
Benedictine Hall (Shawnee, Oklahoma)
Benedictine Hall at St. Gregory's University, also known as St. Gregory's Abbey and College, is the central feature of the university, housing its administration, library and most of its classes. Designed by St. Louis architect Victor Klutho, the facility opened in the fall of 1915 in Shawnee,...
, still stands and has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.