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Apostolates: Works of the Community
From our common life of prayer and service flows our work for the Church and
world.
Mission is important to us at Saint Meinrad. Monks from the Swiss
Abbey of
Einsiedeln
were invited to southern Indiana in 1854 to establish a seminary to train native-born
priests for the
budding American
Church.
They were also invited to provide pastoral
assistance to the local German-speaking people, and to be a spiritual and
liturgical center for the Church in Indiana.
In response to
these needs the Swiss
monks built the Abbey of Saint Meinrad. Today our
commitment to serving the Church continues.
Today the seminary is called Saint Meinrad School of Theology and is a graduate
school for the formation of priests, permanent deacons and lay ministers. The
School
of Theologyprepares men
for the priesthood and permanent diaconate and laity to serve the Church.
Students from many American and foreign dioceses attend.
The Institute for Priests and Presbyterates, a program of continuing education
and formation for ministers is an important new development in the school, and
the Office of Youth and Young Adult Formation serves the ever-present need to
cultivate faith in young people.
Our monks serve in the School of Theology
as professors, administrators, spiritual directors and in many other capacities. 
Today the practice of pastoral work continues as we provide pastoral
assistance
to area parishes and local dioceses. In addition, our members have served as
chaplains to prisons, the military, religious communities and other educational
institutions. Some monks travel around the country giving retreats to parishes
and religious groups.
Today we are a spiritual center. Thousands of pilgrims and guests come to us
each year to experience the beauty of our liturgy and grounds, to connect with
the sacred and to re-orient themselves for life. A growing apostolate is our
Guest House and
Retreat
Center. Here we offer retreats and days of recollection to
groups and individuals throughout the year.
Our outreach also includes a secular
oblate.
Ordinarily speaking, oblates are lay people who are committed to prayer and
service according to the spirit of St. Benedict. Our monks provide formation for
our oblates, who bring Benedictine values to life in the world. We have more
than 1,000 oblates from a wide range of backgrounds carrying our charism to
places our monks could never reach. 
Though not part of our original mission, Abbey Press
has, for a long time, been an important work of the monastery.
It began in 1867
when the monks
purchased a small, secondhand printing press for their own
printing needs.
Soon, the monks realized they could minister to a wider audience
through the printed word. Today Abbey Press is an international company that
produces and markets religious, spiritual and inspirational cards, books and
gifts. In 1999, Abbey Caskets was added to the enterprise. Proceeds from Abbey
Press and Abbey Caskets support the work of Saint Meinrad Archabbey.
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