Boniface Wimmer

Boniface Wimmer (1809–1887) was a German Catholic prelate who in 1846 founded the first Benedictine monastery in the United States, Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The abbey was officially recognized in 1855, when Wimmer also founded the American-Cassinese Congregation of Benedictine Confederation. He served as abbot of Saint Vincent's from 1855 to 1883, and as archabbot from 1883 until his death in 1887.

Early life Wimmer was born January 14, 1809, in the hamlet of Thalmassing, Bavaria, Germany, and christened Sebastian Wimmer. His parents, Peter Wimmer and Elizabeth (née Lang) Wimmer were tavern keepers.

Sebastian believed he had a vocation to the priesthood from a young age. He studied law at the University of Regensburg (Ratisbon) and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. He finished his theological studies at the Gregorianum after he won a competitive exam for a scholarship. Wimmer was ordained a priest on August 1, 1831.

Nevertheless, he went west to the newly organized Diocese of Pittsburgh, and accepted land which Father Peter Lemke, for years associated with the Rev. Prince Gallitzin, had offered. Conditions at this site in Carrolltown proved unfavorable. By late September 1846, Wimmer had received an invitation from Michael O'Connor, the first Bishop of Pittsburgh, asking him to take the pastoral responsibility of a small parish named Saint Vincent, about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. Wimmer and his companions arrived at Saint Vincent on October 19, 1846. There they found only a small school house, a barn, a log cabin, and a small brick church. It was here that on October 24, 1846, Father Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B., was installed as pastor of Saint Vincent Parish and founded the first Benedictine Monastery in the United States. Abbot Wimmer was an active monk, rather than a contemplative. In addition to building up Saint Vincent, he developed a self-sufficient community that ground its own flour, raised its own crops, mined its own coal, and brewed its own beer. and was succeeded as archabbot by Andrew Hintenach. At the time of his death, there were ten Benedictine Abbeys in the United States founded by him. In his lifetime, he founded 152 Catholic parishes, ten Abbeys and numerous schools. He was lauded by Sadliers Catholic Encyclopedia of 1888, as "The greatest American Missionary of the Nineteenth century. Today, there are over thirty Abbeys and monasteries that take their roots from Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B."

His funeral services took place over a period of several days and were attended by many prominent religious figures and civic leaders from across the United States, as well as his current and former students. According to The Latrobe Advance, "The body of the Arch-Abbott lay in state in full pontifical robes in the apartments used by him during life until Sunday afternoon," December 11. That day, his body was carried to his church, where it "remained until the grand and impressive ceremonies preparatory to [it] being placed in the vault, [its] last resting place, were gone through with" on Tuesday, December 13. His former church "was filled to overflowing" during his funeral. "The Rt. Rev. K. Phelan, of Allegheny, was the celebrant of the solemn requiem, and Bishop William O'Hara, of Scranton, delivered a masterly sermon."

His nephew Sebastian Wimmer was a well-known Civil engineer who lived in St. Marys Pennsylvania. Sebastian kept a diary of his life daily for fifty years. The original diaries are at the St. Mary's historical society and were transcribed five years ago by Laura Woodrough Steneck.

Quotations "Forward, always forward, everywhere forward! We must not be held back by debts, bad years or by difficulties of the times. Man's adversity is God's opportunity."—Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B.

"We belong to the whole world."—Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B.

"People plant trees though they are certain that the fruit will benefit only the next generation."—Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B.