Savannah Priory facts for kids
 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Savannah Priory |
| Order | Benedictine |
| Established | 1877 |
| Mother house | Saint Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania |
| Diocese | Savannah |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Abbot Nullius Leo Haid, O.S.B. |
| Abbot | The Right Rev. Martin Bartel, O.S.B. |
| Prior | Rev. David Klecker, O.S.B. |
| Architecture | |
| Functional Status | Monastic |
| Completion date | 1963 |
| Site | |
| Location | 6502 Seawright Drive, Savannah, Georgia 31406 United States |
| Coordinates | 32°0′34″N 81°5′33″W / 32.00944°N 81.09250°W |
The Benedictine Priory of Savannah is a special home for monks in Savannah, Georgia. These monks are part of the Catholic Church and follow the rules of Saint Benedict. The priory started in 1877. It is connected to Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Today, the monks at the priory help run the Benedictine Military School for boys.
Contents
History of the Priory
First Mission to Savannah
In 1866, Catholic leaders in the United States met in Baltimore. They wanted to help the African-American people who had recently become free. The Bishop of Savannah, William Hickley Gross, asked the Benedictine monks for help.
He invited monks from St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He wanted them to send priests to his area.
In 1874, two monks came to Savannah. They were sent by Abbot Boniface Wimmer. He was important for starting Benedictine life in the United States. The monks quickly began working with the newly freed people. They opened St. Benedict Parish that year. A school was opened the next year.
The monks found land on the Isle of Hope. This was near Savannah. They built the first monastery in the southern United States there. But within a year, all the monks living there died from yellow fever.
Second Mission and New Beginnings
In 1877, a new group of monks came to Georgia. They were led by Dom Oswald Moosmueller. Their goal was to continue helping the former slaves. The monks bought 713 acres on Skidaway Island.
They built a new monastery and school on this land. However, after less than ten years, the project stopped. The monks found it hard to get enough interest from the African American community.
The Benedictine Priory Today
The monks then moved to Savannah. They set up a monastery at 31st and Habersham Streets. They also served Sacred Heart Parish, a local church. In 1902, they started Benedictine College. This school later became the Benedictine Military School. It was built next to the church.
In 1963, both the priory and the school moved. They went to their current location on the south side of Savannah. Soon after this move, the monks decided to return to the authority of St. Vincent Archabbey.
Current Activities
Today, there are seven monks in the community. All of them work at the Benedictine Military School. They help with different tasks there. The monks also help with religious services in the Diocese of Savannah.
See also
- Benedictine Military School
- Saint Vincent Archabbey
