Dear Alumni, Friends, and Families,

When Boniface Wimmer proposed that establishing a Benedictine monastery in the United States was the perfect solution to the difficulties of the times, he relied on the two pillars of The Rule of Saint Benedict to prove his point: stability and adaptability. You will read about his article and its impact on our community in this issue of 1846, and I invite you to read the entire text online. Wimmer published this article on November 8, 1845, in the Augsburger Postzeitung. Today, we call this article “The Charter of Our Order in the United States.”

Saint Benedict wrote his Rule fifteen hundred years ago, but that Rule has survived and even thrived as a guiding force for our Church and society, precisely because Benedict gave the discretion of adaptability, particularly to the abbot throughout The Rule, as is seen in Chapter 3: “…The decision is rather the abbot's to make.”

Benedictines became missionaries, farmers, environmentalists, and others, although The Rule never mentions these things. Today, much like the Benedictines almost 180 years ago, Saint Vincent adapts to meet the needs of modern society and students. Recently inaugurated majors in data science, business data analytics, aviation management, nursing, and many more indicate our reading the “signs of the times.” Yet, the core of our education remains stable: to form the minds and hearts of our students for successful careers and meaningful lives. Benedict was wise. We are proud to follow his example. 

Looking forward,
Rev. Paul R. Taylor, O.S.B.
President