What is Saint Meinrad Archabbey?
The Archabbey is a Benedictine monastery located among the rolling hills of southern Indiana in a small town named St. Meinrad. It is the home to about 100 monks. Among their main works are a graduate school for Roman Catholic priesthood studies and lay ministry studies, Abbey Press, an international mail-order firm that markets inspirational gifts, cards, books and other publications; Abbey Caskets, which sells to the public simple wooden caskets similar to those used by the monks; and the Guest House and Retreat Center, which hosts retreats year round.

What's the difference between an abbey and an archabbey?
"Abbey," "monastery" and "priory" are roughly synonymous terms. A monastery generally refers to the building where the monks live. An abbey is a monastery governed by an abbot, while a priory is a monastery ruled by a prior under the auspices of the abbot of the mother abbey.

The title "Archabbey" was given by Pope Pius XII to Saint Meinrad during its centennial in 1954 to honor Saint Meinrad for its role in the development of the Swiss-American Congregation of Benedictine monasteries in the U.S. There are only nine archabbeys in the world, one other in the United States.

Who was St. Meinrad?
Meinrad was a monk and hermit who lived during the ninth century in what is now Switzerland. Even during his lifetime, he was considered a holy man. As people discovered the location of his hermitage, he was often sought out for spiritual advice and the sacraments. One day two robbers came to steal the valuables they thought were hidden in the hermitage. Though Meinrad sensed his visitors would do him harm, he nonetheless invited them in for food and lodging. The pair responded to his generosity by killing him. He is known as the "Martyr of Hospitality." » Learn More

What does O.S.B. stand for at the end of a monk's name?
O.S.B. is the abbreviation for Order of St. Benedict. By including these initials after his name, a monk indicates that he is Benedictine, a member of a religious order that follows the guide to monastic living written by St. Benedict in the sixth century.

Who was St. Benedict?
Benedict lived in the sixth century. As a young man in Rome, Benedict avoided the decadent lifestyle of his generation, seeking instead a deep, prayerful relationship with God. For years, Benedict lived as a hermit. Later, he realized that others also sought a closer relationship with God and decided to write a guide to living in community. Using conventional wisdom of the time regarding communal living and adding some insights of his own, he wrote what we now call the Rule of St. Benedict. Fifteen centuries later, monks and nuns around the world still follow St. Benedict's wise and encouraging Rule. For more information about St. Benedict, visit The Order of St. Benedict.

How do you pronounce "Meinrad"?
The accent is on the first syllable, which is pronounced like the word "mine."

How many monks are there and where do they live?
There are about 100 monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, ranging in age from 26 to 107. Many of them live here in the monastery, but some are assigned to parishes or as chaplains. Others are away from the monastery teaching or pursuing further studies.

What is the difference between a monk and a priest?
A monk can also be a priest, that is, he is ordained by the Roman Catholic Church to represent Christ in performing the sacraments.

There are two types of priests: diocesan—men working in parishes and under authority of a bishop, and religious—those who profess themselves members of a particular way of religious life and who answer to their community's religious superior.

Monks who are ordained priests are called fathers; monks who are not ordained are called brothers.

What is a brother?
A monk who is not ordained a Roman Catholic priest is called a brother.

What do monks do?
A monk's most important job is to pray—for the Church and the world. At Saint Meinrad, the monks gather five times a day for prayer, in addition to private prayer.

Monks also do a variety of other work at Saint Meinrad. They are teachers and administrators in the School of Theology; they help operate the monastery and oversee the work of Saint Meinrad's Abbey Press. Other assignments include giving retreats (both here at Saint Meinrad and around the country) to parish staffs, other religious orders and various groups as requested.

We have monks who are artists and craftsmen, and others who are assigned to parishes around Indiana and elsewhere. Some monks compose music, while others write books or serve as chaplains to convents, prisons, the military and hospitals. One founded a university in Indianapolis to serve adult, minority and low-income residents. Monks use their talents to serve the people of God.

Can we visit Saint Meinrad?
Certainly. Tours of the grounds and the Archabbey Church (an extensive renovation was completed in September 1997) are available. Brochures that include a self-guided tour are available at the Guest House office.

Guided tours are offered on Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. local time. Tours begin at the Archabbey Guest House and Retreat Center.

Groups who wish to visit at other times can make arrangements for a tour. » More Info