About Monastery Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln (St. Meinrad Archabbey) · Saint Meinrad, Indiana
The Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln is the monastic church at the heart of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, a Benedictine monastery in Saint Meinrad, Indiana. Founded by monks from Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland in 1854, the community of roughly seventy monks gathers there five times daily to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and celebrate Mass, and guests are warmly welcomed to pray with them. Completed in 1907 in Romanesque style from local sandstone and renovated in 1996–97, the church serves the Benedictine community, the seminarians of Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, and the surrounding Spencer County area.
- Established
- 1854 (archabbey 1954; church completed 1907)
- Patron
- Our Lady of Einsiedeln (Madonna and Child)
- Rector
- Rt. Rev. Kurt Stasiak, OSB (Archabbot, 2016–present; 10th abbot and 7th archabbot in the community's history)
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis (the abbey is a territorial exception within Spencer County, which otherwise belongs to the Diocese of Evansville)
Why belong here
Saint Meinrad is a working Benedictine monastery where guests are welcomed into the daily round of prayer that has shaped monastic life for fifteen centuries. Visitors and pilgrims may join the monks for Vigils, Lauds, Mass, Midday Prayer, Vespers, and Compline in a Romanesque church completed in 1907, and the abbey has been designated an official pilgrimage site for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis during the Jubilee Year of Hope. The 250-acre campus also offers a full-service Guest House and Retreat Center, with 31 air-conditioned rooms, a dining room, chapel, and conference spaces — making it a peaceful place for parish groups, school retreats, and personal spiritual getaways rooted in the Benedictine tradition of hospitality.
Mass times at Monastery Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln (St. Meinrad Archabbey)
Weekly Mass schedule
History of Saint Meinrad Archabbey
Saint Meinrad Archabbey was founded on March 21, 1854, by monks from Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland, who came to southern Indiana at the invitation of Father Joseph Kundek to serve the pastoral needs of the German-speaking Catholic population and to prepare local men for ordination. The community was raised to a conventual priory in 1864 and to an independent abbey in 1870 under Abbot Martin Marty. On March 21, 1954, exactly one hundred years after its founding, the abbey was elevated by the Holy See to the rank of archabbey — one of only two in the United States and eleven in the world. Through its 170-year history, Saint Meinrad has founded several daughter monasteries and continues to operate a major seminary and school of theology on its campus.
- Founded March 21, 1854, by monks from Einsiedeln Abbey, Switzerland
- Raised to conventual priory: May 1, 1864
- Raised to abbey: September 30, 1870 (Abbot Martin Marty)
- Elevated to archabbey: March 21, 1954
- Named for St. Meinrad of Einsiedeln (d. 861)
The Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln
The Archabbey Church is the spiritual heart of the Benedictine community. Designed by Franciscan Brother Adrian Wewer, OFM, and constructed from locally quarried sandstone hauled by horse and mule from Monte Cassino Hill, it was completed in 1907 and measures 64 feet wide by 184 feet long, with cross-vaults 58 feet above the floor. A major renovation in 1996–97 installed a marble floor, a new altar, a relocated organ, and returned the monks' choir stalls to their historic place. Three Tennessee-marble statues above the main entrance — Our Lady of Einsiedeln at center, St. Benedict on the left, and St. Scholastica on the right — were carved by Herbert Jogerst.
- Construction: 1899–1907; cornerstone blessed August 15, 1900
- Designer: Brother Adrian Wewer, OFM (1836–1914)
- Major renovation: 1996–97
- Stained glass: Emil Frei Studio (St. Louis) and Francis X. Zettler (Munich)
- Columns: Georgia marble
- Original high altar mensa: over two tons, six columns of blue-gray Carrara marble
Liturgy & Prayer Schedule
The monks gather in the Archabbey Church five times a day to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and celebrate Mass, and guests are warmly invited to join them. The daily schedule includes Vigils and Lauds in the early morning, Mass, Midday Prayer at noon, Vespers in the late afternoon, and Compline at night. On Sundays and major feast days the monks follow a slightly later schedule. Times are subject to change; visitors are encouraged to confirm by calling the Guest House at (800) 581-6905.
- Mon–Sat: Vigils & Lauds 5:30 AM; Mass 7:30 AM; Noon Prayer 12:00 PM; Vespers 5:00 PM; Compline 7:00 PM
- Sun & major feast days: Vigils & Lauds 7:15 AM; Mass 9:30 AM; Noon Prayer 12:00 PM; Vespers 5:00 PM; Compline 7:00 PM
- On Central Time
Monastery Leadership
The community is led by an archabbot elected for life by the brethren, assisted by a prior and subprior. Archabbot Kurt Stasiak, OSB — the tenth abbot and seventh archabbot in the community's history — was elected on June 2, 2016, after having served as prior since 2010. He celebrated his 50th anniversary of monastic profession on May 25, 2025.
- Archabbot: Rt. Rev. Kurt Stasiak, OSB (2016–present)
- Prior: Rev. Bede Cisco, OSB (2021–present)
- Subprior: Rev. Kolbe Wolniakowski, OSB (2024–present)
Succession of Abbots and Archabbots
Saint Meinrad has been led by ten abbots and archabbots since 1870. The list reflects the unbroken Benedictine tradition of leadership that has guided the community from its founding through its elevation to archabbey in 1954.
- Martin Marty, OSB (1870–1879)
- Fintan Mundwiler, OSB (1880–1898)
- Athanasius Schmitt, OSB (1898–1930)
- Ignatius Esser, OSB (1930–1955; first Archabbot, 1954–55)
- Bonaventure Knaebel, OSB (1955–1966)
- Gabriel Verkamp, OSB (1966–1978)
- Timothy Sweeney, OSB (1978–1995)
- Lambert Reilly, OSB (1995–2004)
- Justin DuVall, OSB (2004–2016)
- Kurt Stasiak, OSB (2016–present)
Visit & Pilgrimage
Saint Meinrad welcomes visitors and pilgrims year-round. The 250-acre campus features a full-service Guest House and Retreat Center with 31 air-conditioned rooms, a dining room, a chapel, and conference spaces. The Archabbey Church was designated by Archbishop Charles Thompson as a Jubilee Year 2025–2026 pilgrimage site for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.
- Guest House & Retreat Center
- 31 air-conditioned guest rooms with private baths
- Two EV charging stations
- ADA-accessible facilities and bedrooms
- Pilgrimage site for Jubilee Year of Hope (Dec 24, 2024 – Jan 6, 2026)
Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology
Operating continuously since the 1860s, the seminary remains the abbey's central mission of priestly formation. Today it offers graduate programs in theology, formation for permanent deacons and lay ministers, and a summer liturgical leadership program for high school youth and adult leaders. The undergraduate St. Meinrad College closed in 1998.
- High school courses began in the 1850s
- Philosophy and theology courses since 1861
- Graduate seminary and school of theology today
- Permanent diaconate and lay ministry formation
- Summer liturgical leadership program for high school youth
Foundation Houses & Outreach
Saint Meinrad has founded several daughter monasteries that continue to operate today. In 1891, three monk-missionaries established what became Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas; in 1933 the abbey founded Marmion Abbey in Aurora, Illinois; and in 1958 it founded Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, California. Blue Cloud Abbey in South Dakota, founded in 1950 to serve the Lakota people, closed in 2012.
- Subiaco Abbey, Logan County, Arkansas (1878/1891)
- Marmion Abbey, Aurora, Illinois (1933)
- Blue Cloud Abbey, Marvin, South Dakota (1950–2012)
- Prince of Peace Abbey, Oceanside, California (1958)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Martin Marty, OSB1870–1879
First abbot of Saint Meinrad (later Archbishop of St. Paul).
- Fintan Mundwiler, OSB1880–1898
Second abbot; initiated planning for the new church.
- Athanasius Schmitt, OSB1898–1930
Third abbot; oversaw completion of the Archabbey Church in 1907.
- Ignatius Esser, OSB1930–1955
Fourth abbot; first to hold the title Archabbot when the monastery was elevated in 1954.
- Bonaventure Knaebel, OSB1955–1966
Archabbot.
- Gabriel Verkamp, OSB1966–1978
Archabbot.
- Timothy Sweeney, OSB1978–1995
Archabbot.
- Lambert Reilly, OSB1995–2004
Archabbot; resigned December 15, 2004.
- Justin DuVall, OSB2004–2016
Archabbot.
- Kurt Stasiak, OSB2016–present
10th abbot / 7th archabbot; celebrated his 50th anniversary of monastic profession on May 25, 2025.